Notes 4 U - Winnipeg Golden Chordsmen

Vol 2015 Issue 06
11 Feb 2015
Keep these dates in mind and plan your calendar now.
Take note of these important 2015 dates:
March
(date TBA) Chorus coaching clinic Winnipeg
28th Quartet coaching clinic Grand Forks ND
April
12th Sunday show rehearsals begin
May
1 – 3 Northern Plains division contest, and
International Prelims, Mahnomen MN
June
13th WGC annual show
17th Chapter evaluation and planning session
24th Guest night
December
5th annual Chordsmen/Assiniboine choruses Christmas Concert
It's that time again! Your Winnipeg Chapter dues are
due. Please give Art Gross a cheque for $40 payable to
the Winnipeg Golden Chordsmen. We'd appreciate your
doing this within the next couple of weeks so we don't
have to keep on hounding you. Thanks! Ken Broadfoot
Chapter Secretary
Please Note:
To reduce talking time at chapter
rehearsals, notices of WGC upcoming events, announcements and
items of informational nature,
should be published in “Notes 4 U.”
To ensure that “Notes” can be distributed on Sunday, all inclusions for
“Notes” need to be submitted to the
editor by 4:00 pm Saturday.
Inside this issue:
Upcoming Events
1
Schedule
2
Tweaks and Problems
3
2015 Repertoire
4
Getting to know You Cass
5
Thomas Loverity
Editorial Page
6
7
11 Feb 2015
Rehearsal Schedule – February 11, 2015
All show music – both part predominant and sheet music (except for tenor track of “CUPS When
I’m Gone”) – is now available on the members only web page. For the time being members are
expected to print their own sheet music copies. There will only be enough copies for guests at
the meeting.
7:15 –
Socialize with friends. Coffee may be available.
7:25 – 7:29
move to seats, make sure any guests have a ‘buddy’ for the night.
Cell Phones off or on vibrate.
7:30 –
“The Old Songs” and the new “Welcome Song.” (Should be off the paper.)
(10 min) Singing readiness: Lloyd Thomas
(10 min) Vocal warm-up: Victor Olafson
(20 min) “Beach Boys” – Ensemble with Gary (Gary will concentrate on rhythm (first two
sections.))
(15 min) “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – Ensemble with Gary.
(15 min) “Kisses Sweeter than Wine” – Ensemble with Gary On the risers?
(10 min) “I’ve been working on the railroad” ─ Ensemble with Gary
(10 min) “Can You Feel the Love tonight” ─ Ensemble with Gary . Let’s see if more of us are
off the paper…
9:00 ─
Health break…get a coffee(?) and get back to your seats (5 min)
Short meeting for stuff that can’t be put in ‘Notes 4 U’ and welcoming guests with our new
song
Learn tag to “Happy Birthday” with Victor. Sing to the February birthday celebrants.
If time, quarteting: “You Tell me Your Dream“ ─ Sing it like you really mean it! (15 min)
9:20 (or so…)
(15 min) ─ “Do You Hear the People Sing” ─ Ensemble (on the risers?) with Gary
(20 min) Repertoire review on the risers with Gary
─ “Sound Celebration”
─ “Bring Back those Good Old Days”
Aproximately 10 minutes each. Gary can either select another song from repertoire or
continue working on these.
10:00 ─ close with We Sing / Keep the Whole World
Clean-up. Informal tag singing? Polecats? With you and three other guys.
NEW SONG “CUPS ─ When I’m gone” scheduled for February 18 (Note: there is still a problem
with the tenor track)
▬ Tweaks and Problems ▬
With music we are learning
Keep informed when you’re away…
Kisses Sweeter than Wine
Basses will retard in Bar 67. Watch the director as you begin
Verse 5 at 69. Verse 5 is sung more slowly and reflectively.
There will be a fermata on “pain” in 74 and a directed breath
right after. Back to tempo at 75.
Take note of all the words having a quarter-note or tied
eighths. It is essential to give them the correct time value
in order to keep the rhythm in the phrases.
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Change the lyric “I want to hold” to “I wanna hold.” It’s easier
to sing.
Manitoba/Oklahoma (parody)
Bars 11, 12 , 13 and 13 references to Stockwell Day and Burton
Cummings to be replaced by “now we’ve got the Jets back, love
to see them play”
Beach Boys Medley
Bar 43 ─ 3rd word (ROOM) of verse 1 of “In My Room” to be
changed to PLACE
Pick up I dream about girls to “California Girls”. Watch the director. Dream will be held linger than in the learning CD.
When singing, replace California girls each time with Manitoba
girls
2nd system p. 9 (end of California Girls) where the basses start
the ‘Bumm bah bahs’…watch the director. We do this part
shorter than in the learning CD
2015 repertoire
(expect changes in the shaded section as show songs are readied)
SHORT AND LONG SHOW PACKAGES WILL BE DEVELOPED FROM THE FOLLOWING:
Bring back those Good Old Days
Crazy ‘Bout ya Baby
He’s got the Whole World in his Hands
I Don’t know Why
Can’t Help Falling in Love
I’m Feelin’ Fine
I Believe in Music
Sound Celebration
Shenandoah
Under the Boardwalk
When I’m 64
TO BE BROUGHT BACK INTO/ADDED asap:
Give me a Barbershop Song
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
TO BE KEPT PERFORMANCE READY AT ALL TIMES
Spiritual Medley
White Cliffs of Dover
The Lord’s My Shepherd
O Canada
Star Spangled Banner
Happy Birthday (with tag)
Welcome Song
2015 Show Songs
NEW
REVIEW REQUIRED
TO BE BROUGHT BACK
Bye,Bye Love
Bring Back those good Old Days
Beach Boys Medley
(Cups) When I’m gone
Do You Hear the People Sing
Manitoba (Oklahoma)
Day Dream
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
Viva Las Vegas
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Kisses Sweeter than Wine
My Girl (VLQ)
2015 contest Songs
Bring Back those Good Old Days
I Don’t Know Why
Crazy ‘Bout Ya Baby
Getting to know … “Cass” Casselman
Harold Bruce Casselman was born on September 23, 1922 in Hartney Manitoba. The youngest
of eleven having seven sisters and three brothers. Grew up on a farm near Lauder, Manitoba.
Experienced the depression in the 30's when we had very little or no crop to harvest. Had lots
of dust storms and Russian thistles to contend with.
Luckily dad's farm, which he and his dad settled on
around 1890, consisted of lots of poplar trees so selling
wood was the family's main income. Many a box car load
of potatoes, apples, vegetables and cod fish would come
from the east which was appreciated 100%. Schooling
was in Lauder up to grade eleven. Joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 as a Wireless Mechanic. Served in
Canada in Brandon, Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal, Victoria
(Patricia Bay), Port Hardy and obtained my discharge on
October 5, 1945 at Moncton NB. Started working as a
sales rep. for Blue Cross 1950 in Brandon. Farmed for a few years, then became secretary
treasurer of the new Rivers Hospital in 1960, Manitoba Health Organization in 1964, Administrator of the new Eastview Lodge Senior Home in Neepawa in 1966 until 1975 when I came to
Middlechurch Home. Worked for the Manitoba Government from 1977 until retirement on
January 31st 1990.
As for singing, it has been part of my life as long as I
can remember. When you didn't have electricity to
operate a radio, we had to rely on batteries which
could die anytime, so we had to make our own entertainment mostly around the piano. Started in
school and Church choirs at a young age and sang in
quartets in the Young Peoples Church groups. Met a
Barbershopper in Waskada, Manitoba in July 1950,
who invited me to the Brandon Chapter's practice
that week. Started in a quartet (The Flat Happy
Four) with he and two other guys and we had the
privilege of singing on the Winnipeg show for six
years in a row. Joined the Winnipeg Chapter in 1964
- 66, Neepawa Chapter 1966 - 75 Golden Chordsmen since then. At my age I am lucky to still
have a voice to sing "Beach Boys" with the young guys. Keep on singing.
WGC 2015 Roster Available
by Brian Metcalfe
Thanks to the hard work & helpful recommendations of
Brian Sanderson, Gordon Billows and Art Gross, the
“Winnipeg Golden Chordsmen 2015 Roster” is now available for distribution. Make sure you pick up your goldcoloured copy (with your name on the rear cover), from
Brian Metcalfe at an upcoming rehearsal. A great team effort went into the production of this useful resource.
Thanks “Team” for all your caring and sharing.
Thomas Loverity
First Honorary Member of The Winnipeg Golden Chordsmen
Several years ago Vocal Point, (consisting of Charles Siegel, Bruce Wilton, Harold Casselman,
and myself) were called upon to deliver a short birthday performance for a young man with
some special needs who really liked Barbershop. Donning our skimmers and red and blue plaid
vests, we put on a “traditional barbershop” performance for this young man, Thomas Loverity,
and left him a skimmer of his own to mark the occasion.
Somewhat surprisingly, about 2 years ago Thomas began making some appearances at our
Chorus rehearsals. Somewhat unsure of how to handle his presence at first, along with his involvement in discussions, we had some learning to do to get on a comfort level that would work
for everyone. His attendance at our Annual Shows and fundraisers demonstrated his support for
the chapter and it’s activities. In fact, there were several people (including myself) hoping he
would win one of the silent auction prizes
at the Bud and Spud night. I found out
later he only had the door prize ticket that
he would check with every draw.
Thomas made me look at how we welcome other guests into our fold, and provide them with sheet music and learning
tracks and sing tags and polecats with
them. Our Society Code of Ethics states:
“We shall by our stimulus to good music
and vocal harmony, endeavour to spread
the spirit of harmony throughout the
world. “ And it also states: “We shall accept for membership only congenial men
of good character who love harmony, or
have a desire to harmonize.” Thomas certainly has a love for the Barbershop style of music,
and I don’t think any of us would question his desire. So with all that in mind, I thought: Why
shouldn’t we try and give this eager young man the opportunity we so willingly promote to
other guests? Why not provide him with some learning materials to see if he has the desire and
ability to develop into a “Barbershopper”? Given that he may not be in a position to become a
full-fledged Society member at this point in time, why not at least give him the opportunity to
feel what it’s like to be one of “The Winnipeg Golden Chordsmen”? (One of his caregivers mentioned to me that in his mind he already believes he is one of our members.)
I think the smile on his face after receiving his Honorary Member Certificate, one of our polo shirts, and the challenge to start learning the
Barberpole cats from the CD we presented him with, (so that he could
sing with some of us in a quartet) will be remembered by all of us that
were there on Wednesday for a long, long time.
Art Gross
2015 Chapter Executive
W in n ip e g G o ld e n C ho rd s m en
President - Art Gross
Past President - Charles Siegel
VP Chorus Development - Harold Casselman
b
n the We
o
e
r
a
e
W
men.com
s
d
r
o
h
c
n
e
www.gold
VP Music and Performance - Herold Driedger
VP Marketing - Ken Finnbogason
Secretary - Ken Broadfoot
Treasurer - David Petrie
Chorus Manager—Drummond Brown
Board Members at Large
Bruce Wilton Larry Hunter
Notes 4 U
This is the official weekly bulletin of the Winnipeg
Golden Chordsmen Chorus. For more information
about us go to our website:
www.goldenchordsmen.com
Editor - Brian Sanderson – 204-895-0989
[email protected] 3 Peppertree Pl Winnipeg, Mb,
R3R2B2
Unless carrying a by-line or some form of credit to
borrowed sources, all items in this bulletin are by
the editor and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of the chapter or board. If anyone wishes
to contribute anything to the next Notes 4 U, wishes
to subscribe or un-subscribe, or has questions
about any of the items in Notes, contact the editor.
Brian Metcalfe Brian Sanderson
2015 Music Committee
VP Music and Performance - Herold Driedger
Musical Co-Director - Gary Brenner
Musical Co-Director - Sherrie Bredesen
Assistant Director Victor Olafson
Tenor Section - Duncan Zaluski Asst. Art Gross
Lead Section - Larry Hunter Asst Charles Siegel
Bass Section - Ken Finnbogason Asst Larry Bredesen
Baritone Section - John Latham Asst Doogie Kautz
2015 Leadership Positions
Accountant - Gary Miles
Attendance and 50/50 - Norm Silverberg
Awards Banquet Chairs - Gary & Ricki Miles
Charities - Harold Casselman
Xmas Chorus – Gary Brenner Larry Bredesen
Grey Cup Pool Chair – Gordon Sargent
Historian Music Librarian - Duncan Zaluski
Notes 4 U Editor – Brian Sanderson
Chorus Manager—Drummond Brown
Program Director – Arnie Charles
Refreshments - Milt Muldrew, Harold Casselman
Singing Valentines –
Sing Canada Harmony - Gordon Billows
Sunshine – Harold Casselman
Wardrobe - Charles Siegel
Website - Gordon Billows
Youth Outreach – Brian Sanderson
Competition Coordinator – Ken Broadfoot
2015 Show Producers – Art Gross
2015 Show Chairman—Bruce Wilton
District Delegate/Chapter Counsellor Gordon Billows