Troubadour Title
Subtitle Michigan Ontario Barbershop News Pioneer District Barbershop Harmony Society
June 2008                Archive | Ads | Submissions | Links          Online Edition #6


Barbershop Blog


Follow their spread of the barbershop brotherhood under their new mantel as District Champs that they're reporting in their online blog they started last Fall. 

They've written stories and provided insights for Uncle Sam Night in Windsor Canada, Canada Night hosted by Detroit-Oakland Chapter, COTS in Lansing, their home Chapter Huron Valley, a Chapter show in Monroe, a Chapter show in Wayne, the District competition in Battle Creek, and they're only halfway into the year. 

The Chordiology members contribute to the blog but Dave writes the lion's share as well as edits and posts the pics with the snappy captions.  The writing style is the same entertaining wit and humor that the quartet displays in it's act on stage.  They also cover many practical matters such as warm-up techniques, rehearsal tips with multitrack mixers and new recording software.  They talk about coping with judge's critiques and even provide ideas for resolving quartet disagreements. 

Saturday, November 10, 2007 A Moving And Reflective Rehearsal (Dave) "If we still don't agree, then we go around the table again, mirroring what was said in a respectful way.  If you use this strategy, you will be amazed at how often the heat comes out of any argument.  Then, after all the discussions, after all the listening, after all the mirroring, we do whatever Paul wants." 

Troubadour Logo

C4 Blog of Year in Pioneer
(click image for website)

Chordiology.com

Pioneer is a relatively small District with members throughout Michigan and the Ontario boarder.  We don't have a big internet footprint but still a respectable public online presence of official publications such as with the Troubadour PioneerDistrict.org/Troubadour, the 2007 PROBE editor awarded Pontiac-Waterford Smoke Signals www.BigChiefChorus.org the Detroit-Oakland HiNotes Newsletter (no archive) www.Harmonize.com/doc/doc.htm the Grand Rapids GLC News and photo albums GreatLakesChorus.org and the Lansing Woodshedder Weekly CapitolCityChordsmen.org

All very informative with official reports and area news put together by hard working and dedicated members.  And now we have a new resource.  If you want an informal first person account and not just for a chorus but also quartetting, not just for a Chapter but throughout the District, if you want to take a real pulse for the health of barbershopping then read the missionary work by 2007 Pioneer District Champions Chordiology. 

They also bring moments of poignant reflection talking about their loss of Chordiology member Kelly Brummett to cancer and the recent death of their Chapter Director Paul Hansen. 

They have been reporting frequently, usually weekly.  It's intended as a temporary project with Chordiology retiring the blog with the next District Champs but I hope it doesn't end there.  This will be a rich record of a year in Pioneer from a quartet's eyes as they travel the District.  Read it, visit often for the latest news, and support the guys who are out there supporting us. 

Monday, October 29, 2007 Monday Morning Thoughts (Dave), "I sat down next to a stranger to watch the chorus competition. In between choruses, this guy I never met before leaned toward me and said, 'We've missed you guys on the stage the past couple years. I'm glad you're back'. He was so sincere that I believed him, and I was flabbergasted that anyone could miss our 6th place performances. Then it hit me, he's a barbershopper. The amazing brotherhood, the unending good will, the appreciation that we have of this very difficult craft is remarkable. And it really is sincere. That guys could 'miss' our 6th place efforts says a lot about our society, our district, and our members." 

`