Vol 2015 Issue 08
25 Feb 2015
Keep these dates in mind and plan your calendar now.
Take note of these important 2015 dates:
March
14th SATURDAY Chorus coaching clinic with
Mark McLauren LOCATION TBA
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
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.
SPECIAL NOTICE
Mark McLauren is coming to
coach the chorus on Saturday,
March 14th. There will be a session both in the morning and in
the afternoon. Please make
every effort to be there. Lunch
will be provided. Location yet
to be determined.
Inside this issue:
Upcoming Events
1
Schedule
2
Tweaks and Show Songs
3
Getting to know You Ken Finnbogason
4
Getting to know You Ken Finnbogason
5
Editorial Page
6
25 Feb 2015
Rehearsal Schedule – February 25, 2015
7:15 –
Socialize with friends. Coffee may be available.
7:25 – 7:29
Ø 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.”
“Happy Birthday” with the tag
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
(10
(10
(15
(20
min)
min)
min)
min)
Singing readiness: Lloyd Thomas
Vocal warm-up/technique using “Do You Hear the People Sing” Duncan Zaluski
“Beach Boys” – Ensemble with Sherrie.
Using CACM method – sectionals – New Song: “CUPS (When I’m Gone)”
Ø (10 min) New Song: “CUPS (When I’m Gone)” – Ensemble with Gary
Ø (15 min) “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” – Ensemble
8:55 (or so…) Health break…get a coffee(?) and get back to your seats (10 min)
Ø Short meeting for stuff that can’t be put in ‘Notes 4 U’ and welcoming guests with our
new song
9:10 (or so…)
Ø (10 min) “Do You Hear the People Sing” – Ensemble with Gary
Ø On the risers to test “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is off the paper.
Ø (30 min) on the risers; review of contest repertoire:
─ “Bring Back Those Good Old Days”
─ “I Don’t know Why”
─ “Crazy ‘bout You Baby”
10:00 ─ close with We Sing / Keep the Whole World
Clean-up.
Informal tag singing or sing a Polecat. You and three other guys.
Gary’s chorus challenge:
Can we work on our own on Bye Bye Love and be able to sing it ensemble?
Gary would like us to try. Let’s do this and surprise him on the 18th of March!
Note: in Bye Bye Love
Chorus 1 and 2 (bars 5 – 39) is repeated before singing chorus 3 (page 4)
▬ Tweaks and Problems ▬
With music we are learning
Keep informed when you’re away…
Bye Bye Love
Chorus 1 and 2 (bars 5 – 39) is repeated before you sing chorus
3 (page 4)
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
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 … Ken Finnbogason
Hi Guys,
I was born in Winnipeg but also grew up in Regina, Prince Albert, and Brandon.
Brandon is where I first discovered Barbershoppers. My Dad was a member and one day in
1963 asked if I would like to try singing with them. I did and
loved it. I got to perform in a few shows that first year prior to
joining the HBC and heading North to learn store management
and fur buying. Needless to say there were no SPEBSQSA
chapters in the bush, so I languished (so to speak). Finally, in
1980 I was posted to our Prince Albert store and quickly found
the Prince Albert “Captones” chorus. I joined up but after 1
year found myself transferred to the boondocks where the only
Barbershop around had shears and clippers. Eventually, after
38 years and 22 moves, my wife Gloria and I retired to Wpg. in 2002. Boredom soon had me
working at McDiarmid Lumber to fill in time but paled after 3 years, so I retired for good.
Although my first job out of school was delivering Coke on a country route, after a year, I answered an ad for the H.B.C., Northern Stores Department to go up north as a clerk-intraining. My initial posting was a little fly-in reserve in Northern Saskatchewan called Pelican
Narrows. The manager was a Scots fellow named Randy Wallace. (no relation to
“Braveheart” as far as I know—at least he never flipped his kilt and mooned me; thanks be).
He gave me my first lesson in how to grade and buy fur---interesting but greasy. From there
I was transferred to various spots in Northern Sask. till I was finally posted to Osnaburgh,
ON. as Manager or “Factor”, if you will. Nothing grand; the store and living quarters were in a
converted wooden warehouse that was built on pilings about 2 ½ ft. off the ground. We did
have a well behind the building and beside the gasoline drums. It froze up every winter so we
melted snow and grew accustomed to the “honey bucket”, which was emptied when required
in the quicksand at the back of the yard disappearing each spring. The phones worked as
long as the rabbits didn’t chew at the lines; the electricity was provided by a diesel engine
which ran most of the time.
It was here I met and married a school teacher by the name of Gloria. A
couple of years later, our daughter Shari was born. She had me wrapped
around her finger from the moment I laid eyes on her. Hell of a grip on that
kid – hasn’t let go yet. Shortly thereafter we moved to Nelson House, MB.
where two years later, our son, Thor was born in the nursing station during
a rainstorm which made the newly built road to Thompson impassable. We
were now blessed with two of the greatest gifts imaginable, in the form of
our children.
After the 3 longest years of my life in Nelson House (armpit of the world; to
put it nicely), we moved to Wpg. for an eight month stint in head office. It was like a vacation; with lights, and restaurants, and theatres, and paved streets, and ************ad infinitum. And we only worked till 5. Boggles the mind, it does!!!
Cont. page 5
Cont. from page 4
From here we moved to Ft. Churchill, Wabowden, then back to Churchill where we learned to
appreciate the size of polar bears; sans cage. Big suckers; and strong; and determined!! I
know --- one broke into my store at 3 am one fine wintery morning; long story but thankfully
he was gone when I arrived in the dark. We also learned it was a bad idea to stand near the
floe edge in the spring, even if the seals sunbathing on the rocks provided a scenic photo op.
That damn ice has a tendency to calve into the sea with very little warning. Teaches speed
running though!
From there to Prince Albert, Yellowknife & Leaf Rapids, MB. where we stayed for 11 years, so
the kids could finish high school. Next stop was Red Lake, ON. where we closed the store.
Then it was on to Pickle Lake, Ft. Alexander and La Ronge, where we retired.
Gloria and I now have two wonderful grandkids; Alexandra, 11, who is a fine and lovely Scottish dancer, and Logan, 8, who is the family jock (hockey, baseball, and football every year
since he could move it seems). Of course we would never ever think of spoiling them the way
they spoil us.
Through the years I have enjoyed ski-dooing, hunting, fishing, boating, martial arts, exercise,
partying, and singsongs ( mostly folk , country (and a few; well, quite a few, risqué) songs
where my singing voice got better with every drink). Who’d a thunk? I have been banging
away on the guitar all this time with not much improvement other than picking up a couple of
new chords here and there.
I had checked out the Chordsmen when we got to Wpg. and somehow misread the website. I
thought I couldn’t join unless I went through a screening and audition process to ensure I had
the proper quality of voice for the chorus. Well, that put an end to that pretty quickly as I had
heard myself on tape once and shuddered at the result. In 2009 I saw an ad for the annual
show, called a number and spoke to a fellow named Arnie for ticket info and attended the
Country & Western themed event. I loved it and spoke to Arnie again. He assured me that
the entrance requirements were, in fact, no more stringent than the other 2 choruses to which
I had belonged. I immediately went to the next rehearsal and joined very shortly thereafter. I
figured that if the guys were willing to have me; why should I tell them what I personally
thought of my voice. I’ve enjoyed every minute since then and no one’s caught on to my deception yet, so keep it to yourself, huh?
I have never belonged to a quartet and probably never will but the chorus is something I will
stay in for as long as you guys will put up with me. Thanks for enriching my life with song and
fellowship.
Cheers,
Ken Finnbogason
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
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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