ISLAND CITY CHORUS

GREATER MONTREAL CHAPTER

SPEBSQSA Inc.

The Little Chorus that could!

MINI PITCH

Date: April 14, 2003 Election Day. Do your duty.

The West Island Chronicle is to run a story on the preparations for the International Convention. The story was to run in the April 16th issue, but it was changed because of the Quebec election.

They will come to rehearsal on April 21st for a photo of the chorus and the story will be appearing in the Wednesday April 30^th Issue.

Jim Dodge, NED DVP - Music & Performance & Dean - Harmony College Northeast and the other planners are wrapping up the final details of Harmony College Northeast for this summer. You can register online for this great school. Go to: http://www.nedistrict.org/ and click on SCHOOLS. Then chose Harmony College Northeast. You will need to have a password, but you can ask for one to be sent to you by email. It is an automated process. All you need is your member number. If you haven't got the correct email address listed, you will need to correct that.

These are the things we know for sure.

THE DATES: August 8-10, 2003

THE PLACE: Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA

OUR GUEST QUARTETS: The Gas House Gang (1993 International Champs), Freestyle (heir-apparent to FRED as our best comedy quartet), and the Four Rascals (NED's first best quartet). We're hoping to have ALL of our active NED Champion quartets on hand also (that's one of the details!) That means Northeast Connection, Road Show, Overdrive, and Prelude might be on staff too!

TUITION: Same as last year, $120 US full tuition.

We have some nice surprises for you but I can't discuss them yet. We do know for certain that we have room for 36 quartets to be coached if we can find enough coaches and we are in the process of signing them up. We also know that we only have room for 288 because two of the dorms are undergoing renovation. There is a remote chance that we can find a few more beds but, if so, not very many.

So set the dates aside and signup is available.

Dinner will be served on Friday evening on campus. You'll love the dining facility at Fitchburg State. Lots of choices!!

The Saturday night show will be open to the public since we have such talented staff. The show will include the HX Camp chorus, which is meeting at the same time.

If you have attended Harmony Pilgrimage you know you must bring your own linen. Well, at Fitchburg State you also must bring your own pillow! You'll be reminded!

Get your souvenir lapel pin for the 2003 International Convention. They are on sale for $7.50 CDN or $5.00 US. This is going to be a major fundraiser for the Chapter, and Ron Schurman has already sent out letters to the Presidents of all NED Chapters, encouraging them to send in orders. Replies are already coming in.

Plans are underway for the 6^th Annual "One Step at a Time" Walk of Hope so please mark your calendars now. The Missing Children's Network Canada, in collaboration with CJAD/MIX 96, is proud to announce that its annual Walk of Hope will be held on Saturday, May 31st, 2003 at Centennial Park in Beaconsfield, 288 Beaconsfield Blvd. This is a great opportunity to be seen by the media. Let’s help raise funds for the Missing Children's Network and help raise awareness of barbershopping in general.

During convention week, we are recommending that all volunteers, except those needing their cars for the job they are doing, use public transportation. As you know, parking downtown is expensive. We will have a very limited number of parking discount coupons. If you, or one of your volunteers really needs parking, let Stan Blicker know.

Bob Ebers and Bert Brossoit have pulled off some incredible coups regarding publicity for the convention and barbershopping in general. They have arranged for extensive opportunities for Montrealers to see barbershop at its best in the shopping areas of downtown Montreal, including Les Ailes de la Mode, Eaton Centre, Place Montreal Trust, Place Ville Marie, etc.

We are very pleased that barbershop quartets have been invited to sing on the outdoor stages during the Montreal International Jazz Festival. This is a real coupe for barbershop, since it will introduce our hobby to a whole new audience.

The International Convention is going to take place in a little less than three months. We are accumulating the reserve of volunteers needed to make this a successful convention.

Do you have any friends that would like to see what goes on at our Conventions? Suggest that they volunteer.

Remember that we will need everyone's total commitment the week of the Contest. The email to volunteers asking for their shirt size has been sent and we are in the process of ordering the volunteer shirts for the people who will be helping us with the Convention.

Practice is something we do at home, every day, between rehearsals!

Rehearsal is where we reinforce what we have been practising every day!