Barbershop Harmony Australia

In Harmony Newsletter Issue 177

Sat, 18 Apr 2020


New International Shipping Options for Online Orders from BHS

New International Shipping Options for Online Orders from BHS
Type of post: News
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Tue, 21 Apr 2020
The BHS Marketplace is excited to announce the addition of several new shipping options for international orders. By partnering with FlavorCloud, the largest premium network of 250+ carriers, BHS can now offer international delivery options at a fraction of the cost.

All international online order confirmations will contain a tracking number, when clicked, will provide door to door tracking and delivery notification. Customers may choose International Express (2-5 business days) or International Standard (6-14 business days). Currently international customers will need to pay applicable duties and taxes upon receipt of their order (Delivered Duty Unpaid or DDU); however, we are currently working to provide customers with the option to pay duties and taxes at checkout (Delivered Duty Paid or DDP.) 

Try it out today! Simply place your order, and select one of the international shipping options at checkout: Shop.barbershop.org

Goooooood Morning BHA!!!

Goooooood Morning BHA!!!
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

Richard and I recently met with Jen Howson in our virtual studio to discuss the fun and innovative ways she and Andrew are keeping the show on the road with Vocalescence. It's worth a listen as there is some serious gold!
 
If you and your chorus or quartet have some great ideas, get in touch with us as we'd love to chat and perhaps get you on the podcast!

Good Morning BHA is a podcast hosted by Richard Reeve and myself where we talk about any and all things "Barbershop" in Australia with healthy dollops of international things along the way.

You can find us on Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud and Spotify

Ash Schofield


How we can help each other

How we can help each other
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sat, 18 Apr 2020
Is you chorus or quartet continuing to rehearse remotely during this period of enforced separation?

From what I can see from Facebook etc, numerous choruses have been inovative and are using the full range of available technology to keep their members singing and engaged. If you are one of these choruses, would you be willing to help some of our less technically capable choruses to establish similar interaction with their members?

I have already seen this type of help extended through the Barbershop-Oz Facebook page where the highly tech-savy guys from Vox Canvas extended an invitation to a member from High Altitude Harmony to "sit in" on one of their virtual rehearsals. 

This might be a way that the more technical capable choruses could help some of our less capable choruses in restoring some interaction and involvement. They could provide assistance in setting up the various forms of technology interaction and demonstrate how it can be effectively used. 

If any chorus is willing to assist in this way or any chorus who would like to receive this type of assistance, they can reach out to me at events@barbershop.org.au or to their local Chairmen and we can match Clubs up. Hopefully this will provide a means to enable appropriate people to get in touch with each other.

Richard Wadick - VP Events
events@barbershop.org.au 

The Melbournaires

The Melbournaires
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sat, 18 Apr 2020

“What sad times we are in, and it looks like continuing well into the future. Like all social groups, our rehearsals have been suspended but still we keep in touch. Whilst recognizing the seriousness of the corona virus pandemic, and not wishing to add to anyone’s distress it has caused, there is a humerous side to it which we often need to lift ones spirits.

That said, I would like to inform you of the following:-


·All of our senior chorus members are staying at home and have wrapped themselves in cotton wool in order to apply SELF-INSULATION.

·The activities of our numerous quartets have been completely FOUR-STALLED.

·We only perform with each other over the telephone or web, thereby practicing SOCIAL DISTANT-SING.

·Our MD can no longer whinge about the Baritones, and he now CONDUCTS himself most harmoniously.
 
Let’s hope that all the choruses in Australia can get together again in the not too distant future.”

Terry Phillips

 


Fleurieu Harmony

Fleurieu Harmony
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

What different times we are living in. We are so lucky that in this age of technology that we can communicate with family and friends in so many ways. In times gone by, a letter from overseas could take months and a phone call would cost a fortune. Fleurieu Harmony is keeping in touch using Zoom and are now having our normal meetings every Friday morning, but without our support ladies providing morning tea.

The photo shows our last singout, strangely enough, at Flinders Hospital entertaining around the wards and the cancer unit just before the Covid 19 virus hit and changed everything. It seems quite strange not to be doing singouts once or twice a month, having cancelled them for the foreseeable future.

We hope that all our barbershop friends and their families, both here and overseas, are safe from this horrible virus and look forward to better times ahead.
Stay safe.     

Gordon Tomlinson - President


Sunshine Statesmen

Sunshine Statesmen
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

AS with the rest of the country, we are all self isolating. Attached are a couple of videos showing self isolation, Sunshine Coast style. The first was produced by our member, Robert Schluter and the second was produced by myself.


 

https://youtu.be/vRpMpgRhRfI

https://youtu.be/Co34ZSRA56g






Perhaps we could start a challenge for others to submit their versions of self isolation, Barbershop style?

On another note I have been pondering an idea for the last 12 months or so relative to the drought, the morale for small towns and men's mental health. I have mooted the idea among members of our chorus which was met with positivity but was difficult to implement due to the demands of competitions and events already in our calendar. 

Now that the calendar is clear perhaps there is an opportunity?

What I propose could be an event worth striving toward.  
My thought was to book say a week tour of country towns putting on lunch and evening concerts in RSL's or pubs in each country town. If we worked in with Rotary for billets for our members,  and they do the  promotion in their town (along with beyond blue, or local choirs, or  any  other organisation where there was a positive benefit.)

My thinking is that as a group we are needing something purposful to look forward to and work towards. Particularly now we are in isolation. If we planned for an event as soon as the restrictions are lifted we would be first cab off the rank into these communities which would be great for our community profile and perhaps a way of attracting members to each of the clubs.  If we all were singing the same songs across the country in approximately the same week what a social impact that could be.

Members could learn songs and "qualify" them over zoom or submitted recordings. Then with say 2 weeks of rehearsals hit the road and present.

I am not sure if this idea would be of interest with other Choruses so I though I would float the idea hear and see if there was any interest.

Ross Fulloon

 


Penrith Harmony in Virtual Mode

Penrith Harmony in Virtual Mode
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

JITSI Meet – It’s the spark that has given us at Penrith Harmony new life in this strange world of COVID-19. Much like Zoom and Houseparty, it allows us to meet (virtually) every Monday at 7.30pm – and Oh what a joy to see those faces and share a yarn!  Jokes sometimes at each other’s expense are shared and accepted in the spirit of true camaraderie. Experiences are shared; common themes being exercising, gardening, music, reading, spirituality, Netflix bingeing amongst others. If daylight saving had not ended, the next session would probably have included a Show and Tell to brag about the fruits of our labour! Surprisingly there is hardly any moderating required as we follow etiquette of not talking over each other, given the audio delay inherent in such applications.

We’ve been doing this for three weeks now and after some initial hesitation, at the last video call we had almost the same number of members we would normally have at rehearsal. Before the last session, our MD, Peter, uploaded the learning tracks and sheet music for Lullaby in Ragtime and Yesterday to the members page on our website and requested that we record ourselves (whilst listening to the training audio on headphone) and send him the recorded audio file. Peter will then put all our voices together on one track using Audacity.

It also gives Peter and his music team the opportunity to listen to individual voice recordings and provide valuable feedback. One of the best of us said he had to record himself four times before he dared send it and it was still ‘awful’. The learning of course is that we will practice at home incessantly before we send a recording that is our best.


As we go on, no doubt there will be more improvements and initiatives and we also look forward to learning from other groups.
 

Stay safe and well and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
Rod de Sylva


Hello from Hills Harmony

Hello from Hills Harmony
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Apr 2020
Like most, if not all other choruses, we have ceased face to face rehearsals and have had several Zoom sessions so far, in place of our normal rehearsal night. It is taking a bit of getting used to and, of course, it is not the same and singing together on the risers, but, none-the-less we are all thankful to be able to keep in touch and keep our members engaged during this time of enforced isolation. 

Our MD Peter Donald has been very pro-active in setting up activities such as schedule of PVI's for members and a "Learn to Read Music" course for those of our members who are currently unable to read music.

We have all also learnt a new song over recent weeks which we have each individually recorded a video track of our part singing against the learning track. This has been a bit scary for most of us as hearing you own voice, recorded by itself, can be a bit of a wake-up call.

Peter is hoping to merge them all together into a single recorded track (Good luck with that Peter!!) It is still a bit of fun and, who knows, we might even get better at it as time goes on.

No one knows how long this is going to go on for and I for one am really missing the fun of harmonising with my mates each week.

Dick Bushell - Vice President, Events (A pretty easy job at the moment :0)        
 

High Altitude Harmony

High Altitude Harmony
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020
Well I’m not going to labour the point about the interesting times we are living in. Members of the fifth estate are doing a sterling job of scaring the bejesus out of everyone anyway.

Here at HAH headquarters we have been agonising over the decision that was made to close down rehearsals and performances by BHA but, we understand the reasoning.

A couple of our quartets have been meeting via the internet to keep in touch as much as anything and the full chorus has bitten the bullet and last Thursday evening HAH as an entity had its first “Virtual Rehearsal”.

To say it was interesting is an understatement. However, after a few false starts and some very ingenious backgrounds created by the more tech savvy members we had a catch up and then broke out into various virtual rooms to have Section practice on that good old polecat, Hello Mary Lou. It went pretty well and we all found it different listening to one’s self warbling away instead of having your mate beside you so that note matching was possible.

Our Bass Section Leader, Dean has had contact with a couple of other choruses and joined in on their virtual rehearsals and provided all of us with a lot of sensible advice regarding how to work this 21st Century, gee whizzery.

I know everyone in the chorus is looking forward to next week to see how much better we are at this virtual rehearsal lark and also probably the most important part catching up with all of our mates.

To titillate your senses I have included a screenshot of the majority of the chorus enjoying the rehearsal, albeit some rather puzzled faces can be spotted.

Don’t forget we try to post interesting stuff on our web-site, haharmony.com.au for everyone’s entertainment and education. Check it out. And don’t forget to visit us on Facebook.

Paddy Boxall
Secretary

Novatones News

Novatones News
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

Who would have guessed, even a couple of months ago, at what an incredible situation we all would suddenly find ourselves in? The COVID 19 virus has dramatically made its presence known, all around the world and is affecting every facet of human life!

Only a month ago, Novatones committee and members were keen to embark on a new decade of Barbershop singing!  This year promised to be a time of renewal, with an early plan to embark on a recruitment campaign.  Last year we had to cancel some day-time gigs due to not being able to fill some parts in the chorus, particularly tenors. We also had a number of performances already lined up. It looked a very promising year of barbershop singing, with an exciting high point being the trip to New Zealand to take part in the 2020 Pan Pac Barbershop Convention, which has now been cancelled.  All those aspirations have, at least in the short term, been curtailed due to the self-isolation restrictions caused by the COVID 19 Virus.
 

Due to available technology we have made the best of a bad situation.   Our committee and the group as a whole have met several times on line, using the Zoom meeting app. After some teething problems and early lack of technical expertise we have now become used to those meetings.  It’s great to be able to see everyone, to have a chat and find out what people are up to, but what we really want to is to sing together.  We have tried videoing ourselves, each singing our part while listening to a tag through headphones, but time-delay and general timing issues proved to be too difficult to make one sound file of all the chorus singing.

Our next attempt is for our director, Peter Donald to send out an email to us of him directing in time to a sound file.  Each member of the chorus will be able to hear the sound file and sing along to it, while watching Peter direct. Hopefully we will have better luck with timing issues in that approach!  We’ll get there!  Novatones are using Zoom meeting technology for other uses as well. Peter has started giving individual tuition (PVI’s) to members.  This is proving very beneficial to those who have had this tuition and it is encouraging that more members are taking part. Peter also has started teaching an online ‘learn to read music’ course for those in the group without a music background.
 

What else are we doing whilst still in self-isolation? We are rehearsing at home, patiently waiting until we can all get back together. One of our theatrical members Mikey, suggested we go in a competition, where the idea is to set up a posing situation at home, where we try to simulate a famous art work! Of course Mikey had to start the ball rolling- This is his depiction of James McNeill Whistler’s 1837 painting: ‘Whistler’s Mother’.   Great likeness Mikey- I think you have set the bar too high for us!  

Mark Henley Bari / Novatones Reporter


Men in Harmony

Men in Harmony
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020
Men in Harmony's President Ross Rhodes has assembled a visual archive of our Chorus down through the years, virtually from day 1.
For those who are interested, the photographs are here:    

https://www.meninharmony.com.au/dbpage.php?pg=photos 

 
This is a Men in Harmony rehearsal from 1986. MD is Bruce Okely, Life Member of BHA and MIH. At front left is another Australian Barbershop pioneer, Andy Aberle, also a BHA and MIH Life Member. (Andy sang with our Chorus into his 90s). Alongside Andy is MIH stalwart and Life Member Vic Richards.
  
This photograph was taken at the 2nd National Convention in Perth (1993). MD is Bruce Okely

 

SydneySiders Express

SydneySiders Express
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020
“Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all filled with toilet paper, no room left inside"

“Struck up a conversation with a spider today. Seems nice. He's a web designer”

“ Not quite sure what to wear to the couch tonight"

“My Very Boring Abode” [ to the tune of ‘My Wild Irish Rose’]
“My very boring a abode, I thinking that I’m going to explode. No toilet paper anywhere, Have you some to spare because our vanity is bare. In our very boring abode.
In my very simple attire, I can show off my ample spare tyre, With increasing despair while lounging here an there,  l’ve lost the remote.  In my increasingly boring abode.
I don't want to make that most terrible mistake and step out from my very boring abode”

*All suggested improvements most welcome*

Well you’ve got a have a crack!

Hi fellow barbershoppers how are you all handling physical distancing, Ouch!, Just bumped my bruised elbow.

We started the year of well, having come back a week earlier to set us up for a reasonably full year with bookings made at several Retirement Villages, Nursing Homes and two planned  Bunnings “Sausage Sizzles"

Our first event was early in February at the City of Ryde Council Library where we kicked off their series of monthly Morning Tea entertainment events. This is one of our community service activities, it was well attended, our numbers were good and we received quite a generous donation for our charity.
Mid February saw five members attend Harmony Collage, this had been very well organized and we all gained further insite into this art form we all love.

Our next event (early April) was to be something rather special. Having made arrangements through ‘Blaze Events' with the Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club we (SSEHC) had planned a combined concert with the ‘Sydney Welsh Choir.’  This was to be a Saturday night entertainment for club patrons and our guests. Each group presenting  a segment of their work and then perform two songs together in each half of the show. One of these songs was to be Carly Simons “Let the River Run" in a choral arrangement by Craig Hella Johnson. This is a lively song, if you are not familiar with it you might like to check it out on YouTube.

Stay safe, were ‘Zooming'

Yours in harmony,
Lionel Eastwood
Events Coordinator



The Blenders

The Blenders
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Apr 2020
As I write this I’m listening to a song on Spotify with the lyrics ‘ It’s the end of the world as we know it’! It was written before the age of Corona Virus but how appropriate for these times. I hope it’s not the case as I’m sure like me, you are missing rehearsals and interaction with your fellow barbershoppers. 

Rehearsals for the Blenders has taken a new direction with the use of ZOOM for rehearsals. It is a new experience for us and not without initial challenges. A lot of new comments can now be heard from the virtual risers instead of the usual comments’ for example:

‘Can you see me – we can only see the top of your head!’
‘Why can’t I hear you’
‘Move your camera so we can see you’
‘How do I get this to work’?
‘Do I mute myself or will you do it?’
‘You’re in the dark’
Use the chat button  - where is it? etc. etc.

ZOOM is a new experience for us, and I’m sure many of you who may be using ZOOM will be experiencing the same. ZOOM is also good for maintaining contact and interacting with your mates which is very important in these days of social isolation.

We have had to cancel Voices in Paradise for this year which was disappointing but understandable.

There’s not much else to report from The Blenders. Stay safe and well everyone.

Cheers
Ian Mackey


Wollongong

Wollongong
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020
Just letting you know that like many other clubs, Wollongong and its members are in voluntary isolation.  No member that I know of has the virus, and we are looking forward to the future whenever it happens. 

To everyone in Barbershop have a Great Easter, don’t eat too much, but drink heaps, and most importantly, as they used to say when I was a child, Wash your hands Jeffrey, with the solvol Jeffrey…. Some of you might remember the advert.  Seeya

Claudio 
WMBC

Sydney Harmony

Sydney Harmony
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Apr 2020

This has been a testing time for all of us and we know that our fellow barbershoppers across the country and around the world are all dealing with the same problems and hardships. No challenge has been tougher for any of us as ensemble singers than trying to exist as a chorus or quartet at a time when we are unable to meet up in person and sing together in the same room. We know it is the only way for us to stay safe but inside it is slowly wilting our musical souls, going against everything we have known and loved about being harmony singers.


Our chorus made the decision to suspend regular rehearsals after our last Monday together on the 9th March. We had the following week off while we made plans on how we were to go forward in this new era. Our fearless MD Vicki Dwyer, with full support from our Excom and Music Team, resolved to run Virtual Rehearsals in the interim period.


For week one of our Virtual Rehearsals we used Facebook Live and streamed the video direct to our private chorus Facebook group, The Tag Room. It was a pretty good experience for us – Vicki instructed us with the help of some recent chorus recordings that she played as well as her singing and playing piano. We could listen and sing along at home, but we were only able to communicate with each other by typing comments in the chat field.

From week two we have been using the Zoom video conferencing program. This gives us face-to-face contact and the chance to communicate directly with audio as well. So far we have held three Zoom rehearsals. Each week we’re getting better at utilising the technology and getting more adventurous in pushing the boundaries of the platform. In a typical Virtual Rehearsal our MD presents vocalese exercises in warm-up time, goes into detail analysing new and old repertoire and runs reps of our songs using teach tracks and recent chorus recordings as “backing tracks” for us to sing along with at home.

Our Assistant MD Gareth Hearne presents a music theory lesson - sharing his screen and using Powerpoint and PDFs to illustrate his class - while other members of the team assist by giving physical warm-ups and playing video and audio recordings to embellish the rehearsal. We even get to learn a Tag each week! Next rehearsal we will be having Sectionals, using Zoom’s “breakout room” function. And we always take the opportunity to have some fun with the process by singing all together “unmuted” at least once each week – with hilarious results!


Most importantly, at the start and end of each rehearsal we get to hear from each other how we all are doing, what’s happening in our lives with our families and loved ones and who we need to send out hopeful thoughts to. Sydney Harmony has always had a tradition of singing “The Irish Blessing” at the end of each rehearsal and now, more than ever, this tradition has become an essential bond for us in these strange and troubling times.

Sure, rehearsing over the internet is not the same… but it is keeping us together.

Stay safe everyone.

Tony Sykes
Sydney Harmony VP Music


Festival Statemen

Festival Statemen
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Apr 2020
Festival Statesmen Adelaide Fringe 2020

How the world has changed since the last In Harmony Newsletter.  Just a quick note from the Festival Statesmen.

Unfortunately, due to current events, we are no longer heading to International in Los Angeles in June 2020 to compete in the Barbershop Harmony Society Chorus Competition.  We would just like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Barbershop Community for your support and care in our preparation for what was to be our first international tour.

Festival Statesmen Adelaide Fringe 2020

On a positive note though, we would like to let you know that we have been offered a spot to compete at International Competition in Cleveland for 2021. We hope to make our dream of representing Australia in an international competition a reality!

We are using this time to take a break from activities but plans are already in motion for a big year once things settle down.

We hope you are all staying safe and healthy.

Anthony Little
President Festival Statesmen



 


Welcome to our newest members

Welcome to our newest members
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Apr 2020
John Daly Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Ben McInnes Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Alex McKenna Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Ian Peak Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Dan Roberts Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Ian Scott Gold Coast Barbershop Harmony Club Inc
Pat Curbishley Southside Harmony Men Barbershop Chorus Inc
Vickey Annakis The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Sandy Beath The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Lynette Beech The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Yvonne Bourke The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Alison Brown The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Dinesh Chelvathurai The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Susie Conway The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
DC Da Costa The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Claire Dickinson The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Deb Elea The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Kerry Haddow The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Sarah Hanna The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Sharon Howell The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Tracey Jacob The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Joyce Liang-Ridley The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Margaret Millerd The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Debbie Neilsen The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Sue Owen The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Chris Rams The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Jennyne Stafford The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Dale Steel The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Margot Thorne The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Traci Voss The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Marion Webb The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Merrie Wong The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Cameron Walls Club at Large
James Strachan Club at Large
Jeremy Kerr Club at Large
Raymond Mansueto South Central Harmony Inc.
Job Samuel South Central Harmony Inc.
Steven Vaccarella Sydney Harmony Inc.
Molly Beaney The Baden Street Singers Inc
Tim Chang The Baden Street Singers Inc
Roshni Kaila The Baden Street Singers Inc
Robyn Molsher Adelaide Allsorts Harmony Inc.
Ngaire Naffine Adelaide Allsorts Harmony Inc.
Brendan Conlon Fleurieu Harmony Inc
Sonja Williams The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Natalya Babushkina The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Robyn Westwood The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Marty Brouwer Barbershop Harmony Club Of Canberra Inc
Josh Wrathall Sydney Harmony Inc.
Jeff Stokes Southlakes Harmony Chorus Inc
Graham Stevens Hills Harmony Chorus Inc
Grace Lau The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Penny Williams The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Annette Monningh The Melbournaires Barbershop Chorus Inc
Richard Bozza High Altitude Harmony Inc.
Stephen Brand Barbershop Harmony Club Of Canberra Inc
Nick Alexander barbershop Harmony Club Of Canberra Inc

We won't deny the Diggers

We won't deny the Diggers
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

We won’t deny The Diggers
© Howard Kennedy 12.04.2020
We won’t deny those Diggers who bravely marched to war.
We’ll stand out on our driveways as we’ve never done before!
We’ll all stand to attention and salute our country’s flag.
It may mask our way of life, but don’t let this bloody plague.
Stop us from respecting, all those who long have served.
They won’t get their Anzac Day, not in the way deserved!
But, we can still mark silence and read the age-old ode!
We can go out on our driveways, just not out on the road!
 
This year we’re not parading, no marching on the street,
But our Australian Spirit, just refuses to be beat!
We may not all have bugles, but we’ll hold our heads up high.
And remember all those diggers, from the years, that marched on by!
 
Driveways everywhere, will respect the ones who fought.
We have not forgotten. They’re always in our thoughts!
The ones who have fallen and the ones who have returned.
We’ll prosper from their selflessness, and that we all have learned!
 
So many deserve a medal, in the battle that we fight.
And if we stick apart, together, we will be alright!
So, come out on your driveways. Be out there at dawn!
Come in your pyjamas to stand out on your lawns
 
We’re all in this together, with those diggers by our side!
And when our hearts are in it, we’ll show some bloody pride!
And think about our Anzac Day we’ll march again next year!
But for now, stand in your driveway and give a grateful cheer!


The Corona Virus Barbershop Blues

The Corona Virus Barbershop Blues
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020
The Corona Virus Barbershop Blues
Copyright © - Andrew Wright – March 2020
  1. Singing with a chorus is a great joy as you know

        But in times like this we have to take a break

        Our Musical Director is in withdrawal now

        And no one’s sure just how much he can take

 

  1. He’s asked us all to practise every song that’s on our list

        And to work at home each day for just one hour

        So, when we get together in the future, he will hear

        The chorus sing both gently and with power

 

  1. If we don’t keep the standard up and do our best at home

        There won’t be anyone who wants to hire us

        So do your bit for all our sakes and keep the practice up

        Until we overcome this awful via-rus...! ????

 

  1. Now, for your information here’s some trivia that’s true

        But a useless fact no doubt you’re bound to think

        For in the country of my birth – that’s England – you may know

        Corona is a tasty, fizzy drink…!

Golden Memories and Silver Tears on Twitter: "Corona or Alpineā€¦ "

  1. So, if you want a cola or perhaps a lemonade

        Or a creaming soda’s one that really works

        Then do not drink the foreign stuff as you might get the bug

        Just stay at home and drink an ‘Ecks’ or ‘Kirks’ 

 

  1. Now, Corona is a drink in Oz as you would surely know

        It’s an alcoholic beverage over here

        So, I am drinking more than fifteen bottles every night

        Since you cannot catch the virus from a beer…!  ????

  1. But people seem to think this drink is going to harm their health

        And the sales now have fallen through the roof

        To save their reputation they have had to change the name

        But maybe this is just some silly spoof…!

The Postillon: Mexican beer rebrands as Ebola to avoid association ...

  1. Now here’s a thing which worries me that you might like to know

        My local bottle-shop has no more beers…!

        I said “Can’t people simply buy exactly what they need?”

        He said “You’ve been panic-buying here for years…!” ????

 

  1. There’s been a run on many things in all the shops and stores

        And several jokes are going ‘round the traps

        So, on the lighter side of things I’ll tell you some of these

        And bring a smile to your lips perhaps

 

  1. Now, we ran out of toilet paper several days ago

        So, we’ve started using lettuce leaves instead 

        There is no doubt that harder days are bound to come our way

        It’s just “the-tip-of-the-Iceberg” it’s been said

 

  1. If using lettuce doesn’t seem the smartest thing to do

        ‘Cos you really can’t afford the extra cost

        You need a Rocket up the rear of that there is no doubt

        As your Salad-Days are well and truly lost

        (Thanks to Will Hessler & Richard Fisher for their contributions to these last two verses.)

  1. My hearing isn’t perfect so I sometimes miss the words

        And I thought that all the crowds were ‘picnic-buying’

        So, I went to the Deli with a pocket full of cash

        And bought Scotch Eggs (500) – I’m not lying…!

 

  1. But I digress and maybe I am really boring you

        So, perhaps we should discuss the Melbournaires

        We love our genre very much – I hope you all agree

        But it’s hard to practise from our comfy chairs

 

  1. So, Messrs. Hudnott, Fisher, Wright and Mr Dougall too

        Decided they should practise songs on line

        They tried a software package known as ZOOM to do the job

        And we all agreed the video was fine

 

  1. The trouble started when we spoke as you will now hear told

        When any person sang, the microphone…

        …switched off the other voices who were trying to sing their part

           And one found oneself was singing all alone…!

    “The Zoomers Quartet”

 

  1. I’m sure we all sang perfectly with timing and in pitch

        And if you could hear the sound it would be bliss

        It’s such a shame the Tenor, Lead and Bass could not be heard

        But the Baritone we really didn’t miss...!

 

  1. There must be other software that will do just what we need

        And if you know one which works then tell the rest

        ‘Cos then the ‘Zoomers’ might get back together once again

        And I’m sure we’ll leave you totally depressed…!

 

  1. Enough of this tomfoolery, we really must go on

        As I’m sure this silliness is going to tire us

        So, let me finish very soon and get back to the point

        And address this awful “Covid-19’ via-rus…!

 

  1. Of course, it’s very serious and we haven’t seen the worst

        But all I’m trying to do is raise some smiles

        So, we must follow all the rules that PM ScoMo gives

        Then we’re sure to overcome these awful trials

 

  1. Now, in conclusion let me say I miss you all already

        And I hope that none us will come-a-cropper

        So, Let’s Get Together Again quite soon & Keep the Whole World Singing

        ‘Cos it’s really great to be a Barbershopper…!  ????

 

 

 


 

60th Wedding Anniversary

60th Wedding Anniversary
Type of post: "In Harmony" Newsletter
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 2020

David and Margaret Brown celebrate 60 years of marriage

This year, on 21 May, Margaret & I will be celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary. We had planned a small luncheon, but our dearest friends, who live in the UK, could not come then, but advised that they could come out in early March. So we decided to have our celebration on 7th March. We were lucky - our party went ahead just before the virus situation became significant!

I write this to illustrate one of the tremendous benefits of BARBERSHOP.
after nearly 20 years with SOUNDWAVES chorus, in Gosford NSW, we moved to SE Queensland last year.  A dear friend Ken Gardner - also of SOUNDWAVES - had moved up to the Dorigo area several years ago, and still gets to sing with SOUNDWAVES on occasions. Being the closest member of SOUNDWAVES to us, we asked Ken and Margaret to our celebration, both as old friends and for our old chorus association. We were delighted at their immediate 'yes, please'.

Now way back in 1989, after a year of introduction to barbershop - Harry Owen & I started the Canberra Chordsmen - I retired to Nelson Bay, NSW. NO BARBERSHOP within 200 Km! So I got some guys together, and  that quickly boiled down to a quartet. We registered for the first 'in the flesh' AAMBS Convention in 1991 as 'Four Crying Out Loud', and we were still together when I had to depart due to another move in 2002. So for those 11 years, Neil, Don, Richard and I sang together and taught ourselves Barbershop. The friendship and enjoyment we experienced has wonderfully lasted, and Margaret and I were honoured and overjoyed when Neil, Don & Ella, Richard and Narelle came to our celebration. Of course we just HAD to sing a few songs, including one that turned out to be a sort of theme song for us - 'Little Gomez'. A great, entertaining song written and recorded by that great Australian singer/song writer Eric Bogal, whose publisher gave us the right to arrange and sing it.

Certainly not great Barbershop, but we owe five awards as 'The Most Entertaining Quartet' at the Eastern Region's annual weekend workshop to it. And here we are at our 60th anniversary celebration. Happy singing!


David Brown
Life Member 10