Troubadour

Upcoming Spring District Convention

MEMBERSHIP DUES

To compete all society quartet and chorus members must have their membership dues paid in full by contest time.

Renewal Notice Method- payments including checks can be mailed in along with the renewal notice.

Check Only Method- you can also mail just a check only without the Renewal Notice. You should confirm the amount but currently Society dues are $97, District/Chapter dues are about $30 so around $127.00 (plus $3 late fees up to 6 month, $30 over 6 months) Mail to the below address...

Barbershop Harmony Society
110 7th Ave N
Nashville, TN 37203

Online Method- payment can be made online on the Member's Only site of the Barbershop Harmony Society Barbershop.org

Drew Ellis Manager of Membership Services, "There is a brand new feature, which will allow you to click on forgot User ID or Password, enter your 6-digit Member Number, and then click a link to send you your Activation Code. This Activation Code IS NOT YOUR PASSWORD, but is your Password Hint answer. When you put that Activation Code into this spot on the webpage, then click Submit, you then CREATE a new password."

Last Ditch Method- according Drew Ellis, as long as the chapter Secretary receives the payment before the performance and mails it asap the member is legal.

THE BIG SCREEN
by Gregory P Humbel,

It's Big Screen Time again! I great way to advertize, support your chapter, quartets and the District as they can use the screen throughout the convention.

I have some Great news regarding the Big Screen ... It is the Big, Big Screen in Battle Creek! The Auditorium has undergone a major renovation and now has two screens. Stage left and Right.. You will be seeing double. I would guess that it is now State of the Art on everything.

Your message will be on the 10’x10’ screen for 30 seconds Buy a package of one to five slide Five slide package all sessions..$60 Additional slides after the purchase of the five slides Package $8 each. You have to make your slides in Microsoft PowerPoint. EMAIL to Greg. Call Greg if you have any questions, 313-815-6212 Tell your treasurer to send Greg a check payable to the Pioneer District.

The deadline is fast approaching, March 23rd (past deadline by date of this publication). Need help give me a call. Thanks to those that Have already sent in their slides.

For information www.pioneerdistrict.org/
nextconvention/convention_info.htm

RISERS
by Don Kill

It is getting close to convention time again, and once again, I am asking if there are any chapters who are available to provide us with a set of risers for the upcoming convention. Lansing's will be there, and we need 2 more sets for the picture/warmup room. Please let me know ASAP. EMAIL

DRAWING & FLOW CHART

The drawing for order of performance will be announced on the Pionet internet newsgroup and as a flow chart on the PioneerDistrict.org site's "Next Convention" page about two weeks before so maybe Friday April 11th.

DRAWING CONSIDERATION
by Al Fisk Music
Judge/BOR Director C & J Pioneer

1) Since some guys sing in multiple choruses, I have to spread them out. Ideally, we put four choruses between two choruses with guys in both. This allows time for changing clothes, pictures, and warm-up.

2) Host chapter can sing first or last.

3) Some choruses offer to go early (and not do Joe Barbershop) so those who wish to do Joe Barbershop can do so.

*Originally intended as a chorus of audience members as microphone testers singing Pole Cats, Joe Barbershop chorus has since grown to include competing chorus members and special guest directors.

DVD

Please mail your $35 check for your performance DVD (made out to Pioneer) to...

Pioneer District
c/o Robb Smith
46210 Copper Lock Ln.
Macomb MI 48044

Pick up your DVDs from Allan in his van 15 minutes after each session. No money will be exchanged. If you prepaid, you're all set. If you did not prepay, Robb will bill you.

Battle Creek Renovated
(click image for album)

by Michael Baribeau
Troubadour Editor

Spring Pioneer District Convention is less than four weeks away April 25-27, 2008! Spring competition determines which chorus will be the Chorus District Champs and which quartet will be the Pioneer District Quartet International Representatives. Due to District rules, since Mt Pleasant in 2006 and Lansing in 2007 won Chorus District Champs they're both out of the running for two years respectively (but may be competing for scores and evaluation). But no such sit-out restriction applies for Chorus/Quartet International Reps. Fermata Nowhere won that last year and performed admirably at Internationals but retired end of 2007 taking them out of competition. This roster shake up should make for an exciting Spring contest.

OUT OF DISTRICT QUARTETS

Another exciting twist, in addition to our own outstanding Pioneer District quartets we have two out of District, International bronze medalist quartets coming to compete at Pioneer for points, Metropolis and SEP!

Far Western District (West Coast area) quartet Metropolis medaled Bronze at Internationals from 2002-2006. They took 2007 off and are back in the ring again.

They have two members originally from our own Pioneer District. Bob Hartley and Brian Philbin of Ivy League harmonize.com/IvyLeague winners in 1986 & 1988-90 as Pioneer District Quartet International Representatives.

The webmaster in me forces me to mention they also have a very entertaining website at Harmonize.com/Metropolis with interactive graphics, video clips, an online pitchpipe, and even email sound files of Metropolis singing "You've Got Mail" tags.

Southwestern District (SW Boarder area) quartet SEP (Saturday Evening Post) has been scoring at Internationals in the top 13 from 1999-2007 and winning bronze in 2004. After changing two members before medaling again, the rules required they change their Saturday Evening Post name and so they became SEP in 2007 for Internationals.

I should also point out the generous offer on their website, SEPquartet.com "(SEP) has made 2008 'Hire SEP for a Song' year! Any chorus that would like to have this fine quartet on their show may book them 'for expenses only'! We'd like to give back to the Society...".

COMPETITION REGISTRATION

District chorus and quartet contest entry deadline - midnight Thursday April 10th (2 weeks before contest). College deadline Friday April 4th (3 weeks before contest). College entries go through Nashville.

To register chorus/quartet online go to the PioneerDistrict.org website

Under, Contest & Convention Information click "Next Convention".

Under, Online Contest Entry Forms for Chorus and Quartet click correct form.

Now you can complete the CJ-20 chorus or quartet contest entry form online.

You will need your Members Only password to enter this area. Any current member of the chapter board may complete this form. Completing this form enters the chorus in the contest. It does not include convention registrations, if required.

After entering Members Only, choose Contest Entry (CJ-20) under the heading Contest and Judging Community.

CONVENTION REGISTRATION

Members need to pay their All-events Convention registrations. $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Early registration must be received no later than April 4, 2008 for $25 price. Pioneer Treasurer Robb Smith, "You can still mail registrations to me, but (after April 4th) the price is $30.00. Registrations I receive after I have completed the paperwork will be taken to the on-site registration to be printed. Remember to allow for the mailing time. If the form is delivered Friday (April 25), I won't be home to receive it." Each member of a competing quartet or chorus must be registered for an all-events pass. Single events tickets are $15 each. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

April 25th Friday 4:00pm Joe Liles is doing an hour long class, right after the House of Delegates meeting (at the same location???). Don't miss his infamous 'Tune It Or Die' presentation. It's top notch!!!"

April 25th Friday around 7:00pm-9:30pm Quartet Prelims for District International Representatives.

April 26th Sat (9:00am?) it's rumored that 2007 District Champs Chordiology will be offering a 1 hr class on "Audacity" (freeware program for creating learning tracks)

April 26th Sat 10:15am Joe Barbershop Chorus along with Joe Liles singing Nellie/Heart of My Heart.

April 26th Sat starts around 11:00am-1:45pm Chorus Competitions for District Champion Chorus.

April 26th Sat 7:00pm-9:30pm Quartet Finals for District International Representatives.

April 26th Sat 10:30pm till late Afterglo in hospitality rooms at the McCarthy hotel after Quartet Finals.

April 27th Sunday 9:00am Worship Service

April 27th Sunday 10:00am Post Convention Recap Meeting

THE VENUE

The 'competition' is at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium and the 'convention' is a 5 minute walk away at the McCamly Plaza Hotel. Renovations have been completed at both the auditorium and the hotel.

Jerry Ditto explains, "All the meetings will take place in the hotel. Rooms will be assigned and listed on the program. All the competitions will be at Kellogg Auditorium, just north of the hotel. Across the river but not through the woods. It is an easy walk on a nice Michigan day!!!! April should be much nicer than this 20 inches of snow (we had in March)!!!!!! The hotel has just redone the top floor and we will be using most of that space for our meetings. I don't remember the names but it is a beautiful place for meetings."

McCamly Plaza Hotel

According to the mccamlyplazahotel.com website, "We've just completed more than $3 million in renovations so far including all new Sealy Posturepedic Pillow top Beds, 300 Thread Count Linens with Duvet Covers, New Bathroom Amenities. Plus, in the adjacent McCamly Place Mall, you'll find Michigan's Largest Starbucks, Elwell; a full service Aveda Salon & Spa, Pastrami Joe's Deli, and Avis Car Rental." McCamly Plaza Hotel 50 Capital Ave SW Battle Creek, MI 49017. MAP

WK Kellogg Auditorium

According to www.jonesphillips.com, Following eight months and $5.5 million in renovation, the W.K.Kellogg Auditorium in Battle Creek, Michigan, reopened to the public. The project was spurred by the desire of the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra to improve its home and by the Kellogg Company to make a major gesture in the community in honor of its 100th birthday.

Improvements to audience comfort include new and renovated seating, new heating and air conditioning, renovated restrooms, and new sound and video systems. Other improvements include lighting, stage rigging, and an orchestra shell.

This excerpt from the Kalamazoo Gazette, October 17: The auditorium now has new seating, an expanded stage, an acoustical shell for orchestras, lighting, sound and a video system. Thanks to new projection screens, "there won't be a bad seat in the house,'' Harrigan said. "It's everything you could hope for to present the sort of talent we're presenting.''

W.K. Kellogg Auditorium 50 W. Van Buren St. Battle Creek MI 49017. MAP

Direction : Corner of Mc Camly St. & W. Van Buren. Auditorium is attached to W.K. Kellogg Jr High School. W.K. Kellogg Auditorium is across from Willard Library Parking Lot & Clara's Restaurant. Take I-94 to business loop M-66 North Bound. Turn west onto W. Van Buren approximately 3 blocks.



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