ISLAND CITY CHORUS

GREATER MONTREAL CHAPTER

SPEBSQSA Inc.

The Little Chorus that could!

MINI PITCH

Date: May 19, 2003 Singout Friday!

Stan Blicker has firmed up the singout at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, for Friday, May 23, 2003 in the evening. We can get $300, with another $100 to maybe $150, either towards the cost of parking, or, if we meet at the church and carpool for some extra fee for the chorus. The Ritz Carlton apparently has risers, but this will need to be verified. The exact timing will also be verified, but hopefully that will be available for Monday evening.

They expect us to sing for no more than 20-25 minutes. There will probably be around 150 people there.

1. Orange Coloured Sky
2. Witchcraft
3. Que Reste-t-il
4. Sixteen Tons
5. If I had my Way
6. Old Fashioned Love Song
7. Hello Mary Lou
8. Old Black Magic
9. Roses of Picardy
10. Summertime
11. You'll Never Walk Alone
12. Steppin' Out.

Our Singout at the Shopping³ event last Tuesday was a success, in that those that wanted to listen were impressed, and those that wanted to talk and drink, went ahead and did that.

We provided "escalator" music the first time, and the second time we sang from the escalators. Our audience was more appreciative after having seen all the sights and not having as many distractions.

Get your souvenir lapel pin for the 2003 International Convention. They are on sale for $7.50 CDN or $5.00 US.

If you need a pin, or will be going somewhere that you can sell some of these pins, ask Ron Schurman, Murray Phillips, or Steve Wheaton for some. The money we raise will be very helpful in financing the extras we want to do during the Convention.

Stan Kido is trying to get more of us up singing in smaller groups. This week the songs are:

Orange Coloured Sky, Witchcraft and Old Black Magic.

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.

Pledge forms are available from Alan MacKenzie.

Is anyone in the Chapter involved in the graphics industry? We are going to need some signs produced for International, and we will also require a source for signs on short notice during convention week. If you know of someone that can help, please speak to Murray Phillips.

Special thanks to Walter Mueller and all those that helped put together the Restaurant Guide, which will be available to our guests during convention week. It will be useful for other occasions, and has opened up some new advertisers.

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.

Do I think the V[ocal] M[ajority] will be beat one day?

Sure. Bound to happen. But not this year.

I haven't seen them yet. I'll see them next month in mid-June.

Having been a part of golds #4 & 5, I know the pride. I know the drive. I know the intensity. I have kept touch with several of my friends from the VM over the years since I left (15 years ago was my last performance in SA at #50). The drive hasn't wavered. It has only intensified as each competition arrives and they find that the bar has been raised. They simply go and find a notch 3 notches higher.

Several years ago, I was in Dallas on business and visited the rehearsal right before their Division contest. Early moves rehearsal starting at 6PM. At 6 PM, over 100 guys on the risers and by 6:30, nearly everyone was there. Rehearsing as if it was International contest as opposed to Division. Unbelievable. That fire and intensity level wasn't there when I was there for that level of contest.

I haven't talked with anyone from the VM this year about "how is it going?" I don't have to. I know. In about another 3 weeks, they will have won the contest. By July, they'll blow the roof off the Bell Centre.

What a kick to read posts of predictions of the VM not winning and their local favourites winning. Go ahead; motivate the chorus you hope gets beaten by your favourite by posting it. All it does is add fuel to the fire that is already starting to burn in each VM member.

I'm glad that some people aren't picking the VM. That'll just make them work that much harder so they put on a performance of a lifetime. Keep picking them out of first!

Cheers!

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

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