• The Directly Involved Newsletter contains the following content:
o Highlights from our Directors Listserv
o Important announcements
o Interest stories
o Helpful hints from other Directors
o Different approaches to your weekly job as Chorus Director
o Interviews with Gold Medal Chorus Directors, and much more
Directly Involved is distributed to:
- Front-line Directors (as listed on the membership information for the chapter)
- Chorus Director Development Committee
- District Vice Presidents for Chorus Director Development
- Society Board
- Those that subscribe directly
In this issue
- Directly Involved online newsletter
- CDWI works for me
- Body language and chorus directing
- Directors Roundtables bring high value at low cost
- Director education succeeds at Nashville convention
- Outstanding In Front - Not Just for Aspiring Directors Anymore
- OC Times Crowned International Quartet Champion
Directly Involved online newsletter
Link to the current issue
• The Directly Involved Newsletter contains the following content:
o Highlights from our Directors Listserv
o Important announcements
o Interest stories
o Helpful hints from other Directors
o Different approaches to your weekly job as Chorus Director
o Interviews with Gold Medal Chorus Directors, and much more
Directly Involved is distributed to:
- Front-line Directors (as listed on the membership information for the chapter)
- Chorus Director Development Committee
- District Vice Presidents for Chorus Director Development
- Society Board
- Those that subscribe directly
CDWI works for me
CDWI Testimonial
Submitted by John Burri, Director of the Portland Metro Chapter (Bridge Town Sound)
CDWI ... Chorus Director Workshop Intensive ... the finest director training program in the Society, probably the finest educational program in the Society.
A CDWI II was held in Puyallup Saturday, 5/31, and it again proved to be a highlight of my barbershop career. The CDWI program is without a doubt the most worthwhile barbershop educational experience I've ever had.
I wish to extend thanks to my brother and sister directors, Bob Hart of both the Centralia and Chehalis Chapters, Glenn Smith of the Federal Way Chapter, and Marci Elefritz of the Pierce County Chapter. Fine directors, all of you. I learn as much or more watching you get put through your paces than through my own, and get the most from just communing and commiserating with you through the day.
Mac Dallman and Paul Hunter were excellent clinicians who perfectly balanced criticism and compliment, and maintained and supported the fragile and vulnerable egos of those being trained.
Thank you to Bruce Foreman and your helpers for taking care of all the logistical needs. Thank you to Bob Robson for sweating through getting these programs off the ground and running.
Lastly, my biggest thanks go to the singers who volunteered their time on a Saturday to sing Polecats for directors they don't even know. We can't learn a thing without a guinea pig chorus for us directors to flail in front of. Our chorus was made up of singers form Pierce County, Federal Way, and perhaps others. Thank you, SO MUCH, for your giving and patient nature with us. May the skills your directors continue to develop enrich your barbershop experience.
Bring it and ring it,
John Burri
Director - Portland Metro Chapter, Bridge Town Sound
Body language and chorus directing
“BODY LANGUAGE” AS APPLIED TO CHORUS DIRECTING
By Bill Roth (Revised April/2008)
Everything a Director Does Affects the Chorus
In the 19th century a Frenchman, François Delsarte, first articulated the principles of body language (or “laws of expression”), and they remain extremely important today for anyone directing a barbershop chorus. In essence, all parts of the body serve as “indicators” to the men on the risers, and a director’s body should be consistent with what he is trying to achieve musically.
For example, how many times have we seen and heard a director insist that a chorus sing “smoothly,” only to then direct the same passage in a quick, jerky, up and down fashion? Under such circumstances it is almost impossible for even the most conscientious of singers to sing smoothly. While the chorus is asked for smoothness, the visual “reinforcement” is just the opposite.
Incorporating better body language may not work with your chorus the first few times, particularly if the men have not seen the methods before, are unclear as to their meaning, or are simply inattentive. However, a director need not say with his mouth what he can also “say” with his body…so trust the men on the risers to listen to your body language!
The Conducting Cube
From a physical standpoint, the strongest external area of the body is directly in front of the torso—from the abdomen to the shoulders. If you were to pick up a gallon can of paint and put it in the palm of one hand, the easiest area in which to hold it would be in front of and close to your abdomen. If you extended your hand forward (away from your body) or out to either side, you know that your arm muscles would soon begin to tire.
Because we know these effects from our own experience, we also automatically form mental impressions of strength and weakness in others by observing the position of their hands and arms. When directing, hands which stay in the area of the “conducting cube”—the area close to the body in front of the torso (between the abdomen and shoulders)—convey strength and control. Hands which move away from this area (including out in front of the body) begin to convey a sense of weakness.
It logically follows that conducting motions outside of this cube should be limited. A director may well go outside this area if it has a particular meaning or reason. But a director should at all times be aware of the conducting cube and realize it is the center of his strength.
The single biggest difficulty for directors in barbershopping is the urge to over direct, resulting in large hand and arm movements far outside the cube. This habit stems from many sources: the need for large motions to be seen while men are looking at their music, unawareness of how effective smaller motions can be, and general chorus inattentiveness, leading the director to use bigger motions out of frustration. While a chorus may not always be accustomed to small, controlled moves, they quickly can be if the director uses them consistently.
Some bad habits directors fall into:
• Directors directing above their head or in front of their face much of the time. While the hand technique itself may be excellent, even greater control can be obtained if the hands are simply brought down into the chest area.
• Directors directing with high arms and hands. This can cause tension in the singers’ throats and adversely affect breath management. The men see a physical manifestation of weakness and stress, and are affected by it.
• It is never necessary to have the hands up in front of the face, though they may naturally rise to that level from time to time.
• The location of the hands within the cube has significance. Having the hands in an area related to the mood and essence of the song will thus enhance the desired tone.
Specific Parts of the Body
General conducting techniques will be addressed under Use of the Hands below, but there are several specific “parts” of the body that deserve special mention:
Fingers
The thumb indicates vitality and is the most important of the fingers. Keep it “out” while directing, as if grabbing someone’s hand, i.e., either next to the index finger or slightly apart. If the thumb is pointed inward toward or under the palm, it indicates weakness. The other four fingers should be kept comfortably close together to give a solid look.
Wrists
Delsarte referred to the wrists as the “thermometers of the vital force,” and it is extremely important to have and maintain strong wrists at all times. Weak or floppy wrists create a flaccid and weak sound, obscure the beat, and visually distract the singers.
Elbows
The elbows are the “thermometers of the will.” As they approach the body they suggest humility; outward moves express pride, arrogance, and assertion of the will. While the elbows can be used to reinforce the desired expression, generally they should be kept relatively close to the torso; floppy elbows betray the hands in reference to the beat.
Shoulders
The shoulders are the “thermometers of passion” and show how strong emotions are felt. The chest should be in a proud position. Because the chorus will tend to mirror the director’s posture, standing this way will work to enhance the tone of the chorus.
Legs and Stance
The joints of the leg show strength, but unnecessary changes in stance will weaken the sound. Movement can be indicative of uncertainty, so a director should set himself and generally stay put (unless, of course, chorus choreography requires otherwise).
Face
It is said that the face is capable of over 20,000 degrees of expression. In directing, it is far and away the most important part of the body. Keep eye contact with the chorus at all times. Practice in front of a mirror to see how you look with different facial expressions and vowel shapes. Occasional vowel shapes can be demonstrated by the director, but over-demonstrating can invite tension and “chewing” of the words by the men. In any event, the director should not sing along with the chorus as it severely impedes the ability to critically hear the ensemble.
Use of the Hands
• During a song the palms normally should be kept facing downward (but not uncomfortably flat and parallel to the floor). However, for variety and effect the palms can also face more upward, such as during sustained notes and endings.
• The pitch must constantly be supported, and this is done by having the hands move—even if very slightly. As music is ongoing, it is the act of movement that supports the pitch.
• “Pulling” the hands laterally (instead of vertically), and with the palms facing either downward or toward the center of the cube, is acceptable for variety in directing technique.
• If a director beats out each and every word, choppy singing is guaranteed.
• Strive to direct only the truly necessary and important points in a song—those things that require attention—and “get out of the way” of the music!
• The use of two hands for directing is certainly acceptable, but be very careful not to let the left hand disagree with what the right hand is doing (assuming that the right is the primary hand).
• The hands need not be mirror images of each other, but they should be complimentary (e.g., the right hand for beat and the left hand for support or volume).
Specific Situations
Cut-offs
There are three components to a cut-off:
• Support - by means of the normal slow, upward hand motion
• Preparation - by a quickening movement of the hand, showing a difference
• Cut-off – one option is to do a little “e” shaped motion with the hand, whose tail is finished with an upward lift.
Dynamics
• Dynamics are indicated primarily through the amount of space between the hands, though the entire body should also react appropriately. When the hands move farther apart or closer together, the chorus should change volume accordingly.
• To soften, come into the body and make the gesture smaller.
• To increase volume, make the gesture larger.
• With loud, sustained notes, particularly in swipes, start the movement and then return to the center of the torso. This reinvigorates the support and gives much more strength.
Directors Roundtables bring high value at low cost
DIRECTORS ROUNDTABLES—HIGH-VALUE, LOW-COST RESOURCE FOR DIRECTORS IN YOUR AREA!
Bill Colosimo, VP-Chorus Director Development, M-AD
billcatps@aol.com 571-213-7376
In early 2006, in conjunction with a scheduled visit to our District by then newly-appointed Director of Music and Education Rick Spencer, we created an ad hoc forum for “sharing” among directors, assistant directors and other chapter music leaders called the “Directors Roundtable.” The success of this inaugural 3-hour event, held on a Sunday afternoon in Long Island, with 12 attendees from all over one Division within our District, spawned an ongoing, continually-refined program which you may wish to consider for use in your area!
Billed as “a substantive dialogue directly addressing specific issues and challenges affecting YOUR chorus!,” and organized in simple conference room surroundings (or church/social hall, with tables and chairs formed in a “U”) with flipchart, laptop/projector (optional), table-top name cards, reference materials and refreshments, a Directors Roundtable is facilitated by a moderator and two additional panelists—ideally all experienced directors whose skill and leadership are known and respected in your area—who weigh in with their practical, proven responses to common “issues” facing all of us as musical leaders.
Since April of 2006, M-AD has held six additional Roundtables, with only modest expense to the District/area; two in conjunction with our annual District School (“Harmony College/Directors College-EAST”) and four others coinciding with planned Staff visits to various Divisions within our District. Over 80 participants have benefited from this program, many of whom have attended several Roundtables to learn more! Participants pay no fee, and leave with a wealth of collective experience to try to apply with their choruses.
The framework of the 2-to-3-hour Roundtable, which can be held in an evening or weekend afternoon, is simple:
* Every means of communication possible is used to invite participants (Newsletters, email, web site posting, etc.).
* At the outset, participants submit TWO “challenges” in writing at the outset of the Roundtable. (There are likely to be “duplicates,” of course.)
* The “challenges” are then read aloud, and FOUR specific, proven suggestions for addressing them (it’s important that no “theoretical” suggestions are allowed…if you have not tried it successfully yourself, it’s just “theory!”) are provided by the panelists and participants. Discussion on each “issue” is limited to a few minutes at the discretion of the moderator. Usually, as many as 15-20 “issues” can be addressed in one Roundtable, and all participants feel their issues have been covered!
* Notes on the solutions are maintained, and provided to all (including the panelist-provided responses to those issues time doesn’t allow to be addressed) in a document entitled “Guide to Success In Musical Direction, VOL. X,” distributed to all participants by email following the Roundtable.
* In addition, participants are provided with a continually-updated “reference text” which includes updated information on Director Certification, BHS resources for directors, educational opportunities, articles and a long-valued document (prepared by Charlie Metzger) designed as a “self-inventory” of directors’ skills. You can construct this “handout” yourself from a variety of resources available to you, or ask for guidance from other CDD-VP’s or myself. It is important, of course, that the information be correct and useful to your participants to be a valuable “take away” piece.
Typical “issues” covered to date include, but are hardly limited to, Music Selection, Preparation, Visual Presentation, "Qualification"/Performing Chorus issues, Integration of Craft/Theory, Riser Placement/Stacking (Sound Management), Motivation, Music Selection/Repertoire, M&P Team composition/dynamics, Director Responsibilities, Board/Director relationship, Available Society Resources, Music Learning processes/resources, Copyright & Clearance issues.
Responses from participants have been very encouraging, as musical leaders gain so much from sharing their concerns and desires to improve in their jobs in a comfortable, “safe” atmosphere among their peers. The residual benefit of more collegiality among our director “corps”—all interested in raising the level of satisfying musical experiences for our chorus members—is gratifying as well! We’re already preparing for another area (Division) Roundtable this October in the Virginia/DC area, in conjunction with our next scheduled Staff Music Specialist visit.
If you’d like to learn more about the Directors Roundtable model for your use, feel free to contact me by email (billcatps@aol.com) or phone (571-213-7376) anytime!
Director education succeeds at Nashville convention
Nashville Convention Director Education
Not only was the Nashville International Convention a rousing success from the standpoint of a great convention city, smoothly run contests, fierce competition, great tag singing, and all of the other things we look for in a convention, but it also proved to be a great place to conduct some of our Director Education courses. Here is a brief summary of each of the workshops.
Outstanding in Front
Paul Tamblyn led a much abbreviated version of this program and used the volunteers from the Alexandria Harmonizers music team as the guinea pigs. There were approximately 43 people in attendance and it was very well received. Paul did a fantastic job of illustrating the highlights of the program and I am certain each member of the music team along with the attendees learned something new this day.
CDWI
Paul Tamblyn and Royce Ferguson were the trainers and Joe Cerutti (Alexandria Harmonizers), David Krause (Kansas City Heart of America), and Steve Tramack (Nashua Granite Statesmen) were the trainees. The three all made enormous strides and some even had epiphany moments! There was a chorus of approximately 75 people (I am assuming most of the singers were members of each trainee’s respective chorus) that helped in the second half of the session. This four hour version went very well!
Directors Seminar
Jim Clancy (The Vocal Majority), Joe Liles (West Allis), and Joe Cerutti (Alexandria Harmonizers) provided the perfect mix of experience, passion, and talent for the estimated 60 people in attendance. The 50 minutes went by much too fast and I have personally heard comments that this was the BEST Director Seminar sessions we have had to date…it was undoubtedly the largest attendance.
The Outstanding in Front and CDWI workshops were video taped and will be used to make a short, two minute promotional video clip that we will include on our website in the Director’s section.
As you can clearly see from the participants, these programs can fit nicely into ANY type of chapter. Now is the time to start planning a workshop of some sort in your area. For more information, contact the below respective Vice Chairman of each area.
CDWI Vice Chairman – Bob Robson, bob.robson@shaw.ca
Outstanding in Front Vice Chairman – Joe Cerutti, joe.cerutti@gmail.com
Outstanding In Front - Not Just for Aspiring Directors Anymore
Outstanding In Front - Not Just for Aspiring Directors Anymore
The Chorus Director Development Program, Director of the Future, has taken on a new name, some minor changes and is not just for Directors anymore. If your chapter is in need of finding a director, assistant director, section leaders, or perhaps you are looking to build a more functional music team, sending prospects to an Outstanding In Front Class could help. Outstanding In Front is a one-day introductory class designed to cater to the various needs of your music program by providing an opportunity for individuals to gain an understanding of what it takes to be a leader in front of your chorus.
Whether you are a novice director and need to hone some basic skills, or someone who has never been in front of a chorus and think directing just might be something you could do, but haven't a clue how to begin, this class is for you. Outstanding In Front also focuses on the leadership skills of section leaders and music team members who are interested in supporting the success of the music program during your weekly chapter meeting.
The goals of the Outstanding In Front program are:
• To provide an opportunity for individuals to gain an understanding of what it means to be a leader in front of an ensemble.
• To increase the directing, teaching and musical skill of our non-directors in a positive environment.
• To inspire men to entertain the thought that they could become a musical leader.
• To provide capable individuals able to assist their front-line director.
• To decrease director burnout.
• To have a broader base of talent upon which to draw when there is a director vacancy.
Some of the topics covered are:
• Conducting patterns, and their proper use.
• Elements of the warm-up
• Being a vocal coach
• Leadership qualities
• Proper posture
• Directing opportunities
During the coming months you will begin to see the Outstanding In Front program offered at various District and Division schools, but the great advantage to the program is that this personalized attention is offered at the chapter level for your direct benefit. The Chorus Director Development Committee is committed to providing you with a certified trainer, experienced in working with your various musical leaders, and those who are interested in becoming musical leaders, to enhance your weekly rehearsal experience. For more information or to schedule an Outstanding In Front program in your area, please contact Joe Cerutti, Vice Chairmen of the Chorus Director Development Committee for Outstanding In Front at joe.cerutti@gmail.com
OC Times Crowned International Quartet Champion
Nashville, Tenn. (July 6, 2008) --- The electrifying young quartet OC Times are the new kings of barbershop. They were crowned the gold champions late last night during the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international quartet contest at the Sommet Center. Three rounds of intense quartet competitions took place this week during the Society’s 70th Annual International Convention.
OC Times’ members hail from Southern California and Reno, Nevada. Last year they won the silver quartet medal, and in 2006 the third place bronze medal. Tenor Shawn York, lead Sean Devine, bass Cory Hunt and baritone Patrick Claypool are three-time international chorus champions with the Masters of Harmony, having won their third gold medals this week. The four talented vocalists were also 2007 chorus champions with Westminster Chorus. Claypool is the only Orange County native; York lives in south Corona, Calif., Devine was a California resident for several years and now lives in Nashville, and Hunt is from Reno.
The competition began Wed., July 2, with 51 quartets pitted against each other from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden. The semifinal round took place Thursday with 20 competing quartets, and the 10 finalists duked it to out tonight to be named the “best of the best” in barbershop harmony. Throngs of screaming fans voiced their support for the popular OC Times, with everyone in Nashville’s Sommet Center on their feet.
Rounding out the top positions was:
Silver Medalist: Crossroads, whose members include Fred Farrell, Michael Slamka, Brandon Guyton, and Jim Henry.
Bronze Medalist, third place: State Line Grocery, whose members are Dylan Oxford, Tim Brooks, Mark Lamback, and Drew McMillin.
Bronze Medalist, fourth place: Redline, whose members are Rick Spencer, Chris Vaughn, Tim McCormic, and Kevin Stinson.
Bronze Medalist, fifth place: Old School, whose members include Rick Taylor, Joe Connelly, Jack Pinto, and Joseph Krones.
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About the Barbershop Harmony Society: Founded in 1938 in Tulsa, Okla., the Barbershop Harmony Society is the largest all-male singing organization in the world with nearly 30,000 members including 1,500 quartets in over 800 chapters. There are also nine official foreign affiliates of the Society.
About barbershop-style a cappella music: Barbershop harmony is a uniquely American musical art form. It is known for its four-part harmony and the “expanded sound” created by its unique chord structure.
For more information about the Barbershop Harmony Society, visit www.barbershop.org and access the news room, or call 615.823.3993 ext. 4119.
Media contact: Michelle Nikolai