The Pitch Pipe - January 2009 - (Page 29) Continued from page 27 sional musicians were correct to a point — we did discourage vibrato, but we didn’t teach incorrect vocal production; in fact, as an organization, we didn’t teach vocal production at all. Most of our directors avoided it because they didn’t understand it. In the late 1960s I chaired the Music Education Committee and my goal was to turn us around vocally. We had a brief glimpse into the world of vocal production in the early ’60s when we hired Floyd Connett as our education director. He traveled North America conducting music schools and craft sessions, teaching us to “tuck in the corners of the mouth” in a generic attempt to get rid of the flat, unresonated tone produced by most of our singers. Floyd’s untimely death in 1963 left us with tucked in corners and no idea what to do next! With help from Jarmela Speta and Ann Gooch, we produced a series of music schools based on “A Journey to Good Vocal Production.” We were on our way! Our belief was that good singing is good singing is good singing, no matter whether the setting is the Broadway stage, an operatic company, a rock band, or a barbershop chorus. Singers like LeAnn Hazlett in SWING STREET and SPOTLIGHT, and Susan Martin in WEEKEND EDITION, have shown us that a background in opera can be a help, rather than a hindrance. The judging panel at my first competition was a mixture of Sweet Adelines and members of the Barbershop Harmony Society. We all used the same five-category system (Arrangement; Harmony and Tone Accuracy; Blend, Balance and Expression; Attacks, Releases and Diction; and Stage Presence). In 1962 we began using the current four-category system designed by Floyd Connett, Nancy Bergman, and several other member judges. Arrangement became Music and Stage Presence became Showmanship. The expression aspect of Blend, Balance and Expression was combined with Attacks, Releases and Diction into the Precision category, which was soon renamed “Expression.” The blend and balance portions of Blend, Balance and Expression were combined with Harmony and Tone Accuracy into Sound. Floyd’s death forced us to become self-sufficient in another area. As our education director, he had been our faculty. Suddenly we had none. By 1964 we had selected fourteen arrangers and directors to form the nucleus of our first teaching faculty and within the year we were planning and staffing our own music schools. Last time I counted there were close to 100 teachers on our faculty. In the late 1960s the International Board of Directors named seven members to a Musical Advisory Council –Sylvia Alsbury, Nancy Bergman, Renee Craig, Lynn McCord, Judy Rowell, Jarmela Speta and me– and asked that we make long-range recommendations for Sweet Adelines’ musical direction. This Council made many recommendations, but the two with the greatest long-term impact were (1) a program for musical leadership within each region, and (2) international chorus competition. In 1973, after several years of conjecture and study, we held our breath as the first International Chorus Competition was staged. Would choruses come? Would the same choruses still come five to 10 years down the road? This would place a tremendous financial burden on choruses and individual members, but the devil’s advocates among us reminded us participation was not compulsory. Looking backward, the musical benefits of international chorus competition have been immeasurable. The “best” choruses previously had only themselves as examples. Through participation in international chorus competition, they gained exposure to 30 other shining examples of “the best there is” and 30 other sources of ideas for music, costumes and choreography. The drawbacks? Burnout has to head the list. Some choruses live to compete and so live on the competition treadmill. Members who can’t keep that pace year after year fall by the wayside when there is no musical alternative, i.e. a chorus not on the competition treadmill that provides the same artistic satisfaction. We all need to find ways to make sure the fun of participation is always greater than the work required. Look, Ma, we’re dancing! The most dramatic difference between then and now may be the difference between our visual performances. Choreographic plans designed by members like Cindy Hansen Ellis, Erin Howden, Gail Jencik and Reneé Porzel easily rival those created by Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Bob Fosse for professional dancers. Where will we be in 2058? What do we need to maintain? How can we continue on the path to musical excellence while attracting new singers and retaining those we have? One of the important characteristics of the barbershop style is the “cone” that can be found on the sound category scoresheet. Men who sing barbershop harmony find the cone easier to maintain because they don’t have to work at bass dominance. Women have to work to achieve that balance. Barbershop harmony, no matter what the gender of the singer, is bass dominant with the melody (lead) predominant. The lowest chord tone should always be the loudest. In performing standard choral literature we strive for cylindrical balance — equal volume from all parts. In performing modern music –close harmony voiced within the octave– we look for a reverse cone. Musicians who are new to barbershop harmony frequently overlook the importance of bass dominance in achieving a barbershop sound. Technology has given us advances we never could have imagined 50 years ago. Have to miss a rehearsal or coaching session? No problem — just sign on to the chorus’ Web site to listen and you’ll be up to speed right along with those who did attend. Or learn the latest choreography from the video posted there. Or listen to the latest “refinements” to your part on any arrangement in the repertoire. The drawback here is that the structure of barbershop harmony is vertical, not horizontal. We sing chords, not part lines. We need to use our ears to aid us in getting our notes into the chords so we get that lock and ring characteristic of barbershop. The piano is not our friend — it can’t bend the notes to achieve the locked, ringing sound that is so exciting to both performer and listener. We’ve come a long way in my 50 years of participation, and contemplating the future and its possibilities is too exciting to describe on paper. We are all so fortunate to have found Sweet Adelines and to be part of its musical legacy. Keep a song in your heart, and enjoy the ride! Joni, master music arranger, certified sound judge, certified music judge, certified expression judge, master faculty, thank you for your commitment to Sweet Adelines and to education. Your willingness to share your knowledge grants you a special place in our hearts and minds. January 2009 29
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