2008_YIH_COTS_Advanced.ppt - Barbershop Harmony Society

							COTS 2008
  Youth In Harmony
  Advanced Course
Chapter Vice President/Chairman
      Latest Draft: 10/11/07
 Course Overview & Objectives
  • This course provides detailed information about various
    Advanced topics
       –   How   to   organize a one-day choral festival/workshop
       –   How   to   promote and support the Collegiate Quartet Contest
       –   How   to   organize a District High School quartet contest
       –   How   to   establish a "Westminster clone" in your area
       –   How   to   organize an in-class presentation
       –   How   to   participate in the new Int’l Youth Chorus Festival
  • There are far more topics and information than what
    we can cover in this two-hour session
  • You may have additional topics that you wish to cover
  • Which topics should we discuss today?

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Index of Topics
• One-Day Clinic/Festival
• Collegiate Barbershop Quartet Contest
• District High School Quartet Contest
• How to establish a "Westminster clone" in your area
• How to organize an in-class presentation
• How to participate in the new Int’l Youth Chorus Festival
• Summary & Miscellaneous
• Questions & Wrap-Up
 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Objectives
       – Provides a “peak musical experience” without requiring any
         overnight accommodations
       – Morning and afternoon clinic/rehearsal
       – Evening public performance for families and friends, ideally
         with guest quartets and a local chapter chorus
       – Concludes with one or two combined songs with all
         performers on stage
       – Provides an opportunity for barbershoppers to serve as
         positive adult male role models
       – Demonstrates that singing can and should be a life-long
         recreational activity
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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Before You Begin:
       – You should already have established a relationship with
         one or more Music Educators
       – Work with the Music Educators to determine if your
         festival should be young men only or mixed (young men
         and young women)
       – If your festival will be for mixed voices, you should
         already have established a relationship with your local
         Sweet Adelines or Harmony Inc. counterpart who will
         take care of the young women


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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Advance Planning:
       – Identify a date for the event that does not conflict with
         other school activities – allow plenty of time in advance
       – Find a venue that is centrally located, with adequate stage
         size, lighting & sound facilities, separate rooms for sectional
         rehearsals, dressing and meals
       – Arrange for two or more guest clinicians (refer to the
         Society’s list of approved festival clinicians)
       – Allow the clinicians to select the songs, and order the sheet
         music from Society headquarters (don’t photocopy)
       – Be sure to get Parental Consent/Medical Forms signed by
         each singer’s parent or guardian (refer to the Society’s
         Student Policy)
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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Advance Planning (continued):
       – Work with the Music Educators to determine if pre-recorded
         audio learning CD’s are desired
       – Arrange for adequate adult chaperones (1 adult for every 10
         students)
       – Arrange for one or two good quality quartets to serve as
         section leaders and role models (youthful is good, but
         quality is more important)
       – Send all materials and communication through the Music
         Educator – not directly to the students
       – Arrange for commemorative t-shirts or hats for the students
       – Arrange for name-tags for students and music teachers


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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Advance Planning (continued):
       – Prepare a printed show program that includes the names of
         all schools, choral music teachers and singers
       – Arrange for on-site meals for students and staff
       – Arrange for a photographer and/or videographer
       – Prepare and distribute a survey to the students at the end
         of the day requesting feedback (what did they like, what did
         they not like, would they participate next year, etc.)
       – If possible, arrange for complimentary CD’s as gifts for the
         singers




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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Day of the event (sample schedule)
      –   9:00am    Registration Opens
      –   10:00am   Introductions, Rules of the Day & Demo of the Style
      –   10:15am   Vocal & Mental Warm-ups
      –   10:30am   Rehearsal (all singers on risers); short break at 11:15
      –   Noon      Lunch
      –   1:00pm    Section Rehearsals for singers
                    Breakout session with choral music teachers
       – 2:30pm     Rehearsal (all singers on risers); breaks as needed
       – 4:00pm     Final polishing; add some minor presentation plan
       – 5:00pm     Dinner and dress for performance
       – 6:00pm     Rehearsal with Chapter Chorus
       – 7:00pm     Doors open
       – 7:30pm     Showtime
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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • On the day of the event
       – Be organized; start on-time and stick to your schedule as
         closely as possible (but be flexible)
       – Have students sign-in, distribute name-tags and t-shirts,
         and assign one or more Hosts for each school
       – Set a good example through appropriate language and
         behavior (remember, these are minors!!)
       – Be prepared for any unexpected problems, and have staff
         available to handle any emergencies
       – Wear your casual chorus uniform, so students can quickly
         identify you if they have questions or problems
       – Sing tags with the students during meals and breaks
       – Clean up after yourself – leave the facility in better shape
         than you found it
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 One-Day Festival/Workshop
  • Follow-up after the event
       – Send thank-you letters to all of music teachers, and request
         feedback about how you can improve next year
       – Publish a success story in your chapter or district newsletter

  • Resources for more information
       – “How Your Chapter Can Start Building a Youth Program” by
         Mark Freedkin – Harmonizer, Nov/Dec 2005 issue
       – District YIH Vice President or Chairman
       – YIH COTS Faculty Members




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      College Quartet Contest
  • Objectives
       – To provide a highly-competitive contest environment and
         prize structure that encourages participation by college-age
         young men
       – To maintain and nurture interest in barbershop singing by
         that age group, so they can spread their excitement and
         enthusiasm to fellow students and friends




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      College Quartet Contest
  • Eligibility
       – Open to quartets comprised of young men 17-25 years of age
         (inclusive) at the time of the contest (Society membership?)
       – Quartets must sing 2 songs sung in the Barbershop style
       – An individual may sing in only one quartet for any given
         contest cycle
       – Previous College Quartet Champions are not permitted to
         compete; no more than two members of a past champion
         quartet may compete in a new collegiate quartet
       – Preliminary qualification rounds are held in the Spring at
         District-level contents (Int’l Prelims and Divisionals)
       – Final round is held at the International Convention in July
       – Quartets are responsible for their own travel expenses, but
         may receive assistance from their home District
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      College Quartet Contest
  • Prizes
       – Cash prizes are awarded for the top five finalists:
           •    $4,000 for first place
           •    $1,500 for second place
           •    $1,200 for third place
           •    $1,000 for fourth place
           •    $800 for fifth place




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      College Quartet Contest
  • What Can You Do?
       – Establish contact with your local community colleges and
         universities (especially for non-Music Majors) and help them
         become aware of the College Quartet Contest
       – Assist college quartets with music selection, coaching and
         financial assistance for travel expenses
       – Help the college quartet to register for a Preliminary contest in
         your area (contact James Estes at Society Headquarters for
         dates and locations; also check the Society website)
       – Invite the college quartet to perform at your chapter meeting
       – Contact your District CQC Coordinator to see if any inquiries
         have been received by Society Headquarters from prospective
         college quartets in your area
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 High School Quartet Contest
  • Objectives
       – To expose the barbershop style to high-school aged young
         men and their choral music teachers
       – To provide a positive competition-based activity, with
         coaching and feedback
       – Participation rules and prize structures are coordinated on a
         District basis, and may vary from one District to another




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 High School Quartet Contest
  • Before You Begin:
       – You should already have established a relationship with
         one or more Music Educators
       – If possible, coordinate the date for the High School
         Quartet Contest so that it coincides with another District
         or Division competition, so that the students can observe
         the adult contest and mingle with other barbershoppers




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 High School Quartet Contest
  • Advance Planning
       – Prepare a simple registration process for the students (no cost)
       – Arrange for a venue (high school theater with adequate lighting
         and sound, dressing rooms, warm-up rooms, etc.)
       – Arrange for a judging panel (need not be certified judges)
       – Arrange for an MC
       – Arrange for back-stage personnel to guide quartets through the
         pipeline to and from the stage
       – Prepare a printed program that lists the quartet names, singers’
         names & voice parts, and the schools they represent
       – Arrange for trophies for the top finishers
       – Arrange for an A&R session at the end of the contest for all
         participants
       – Can you thing of any others?
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 High School Quartet Contest
  • What Can You Do
       – Assist the quartet with music selection, coaching, costuming
         and transportation & meals
       – Identify and assign a responsible member of your chapter to
         serve as the host and chaperone for the young foursome
       – Be sure to get Parental Consent/Medical Forms signed by
         each singer’s parent or guardian (refer to the Society’s
         Student Policy)
       – Invite the quartet to sing at your chapter meeting before
         the competition
       – Invite the winning quartet to perform on your chapter show
       – Keep the Music Educator informed all along the way

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        How to Establish a
  “Westminster-clone” in Your Area
  • Objectives
       – To provide an environment where young men (in their late
         teens and twenty’s) can form their own barbershop chorus
         of their peers
       – To provide a chapter/chorus atmosphere that is uniquely
         suited for the busy lifestyles of young men (school, work,
         social life, etc.)
       – To develop a fraternity of young men to socialize and sing
         together




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        How to Establish a
  “Westminster-clone” in Your Area
  • What Can You Do
       – Find an existing adult chapter to serve as sponsors for the
         new young men’s chorus
       – Identify a youth man with the musical skills and barbershop
         knowledge who can serve as the musical leader
       – Help to find a location and a meeting time when they can
         meet
       – Provide all necessary guidance and administrative support
         (including financial and legal issues) and whatever musical
         support and coaching are requested by the young men
       – Provide encouragement and a positive role model
       – Stay out of their way and watch it grow!!!
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        How to Establish a
  “Westminster-clone” in Your Area
  • Pitfalls to Avoid
       – Resist the temptation to be “one of them”
       – Refrain from forcing our concept of barbershop on them;
         allow them to find what gets them excited about singing
       – Make sure they are aware of all Society contest rules for
         eligibility and music selection BEFORE they compete (recall
         that Westminster was disqualified in their first District
         contest after being declared the winner)
       – Be mindful that some of these young men may be minors,
         and we have certain responsibilities (refer to the Society’s
         Youth Policy for details)


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       How to Organize an In-Class
              Presentation
  • Objectives
       – To expose students and their choral music teachers to the
         barbershop style during school hours
       – To help the music educator provide a broad range of
         musical experiences for their singers




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       How to Organize an In-Class
              Presentation
  • Before You Begin
       – The relationship with the music educator must already exist
       – Arrange for a convenient date and time
       – Arrange for a guest quartet (young is good, but quality is
         more important)
       – Select a song (or at least a few tags) to teach to the
         students, and have legal copies available to hand out
       – Be very well prepared with a plan for your presentation




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       How to Organize an In-Class
              Presentation
  • Sample Agenda (assumes a 30-minute class)
       – Welcome and introductions
       – Quartet sings an up-tune
       – Demonstration of barbershop harmony using the quartet on the
         first 8 measures of “My Wild Irish Rose”
           •    Lead alone
           •    Lead & Tenor
           •    Lead, Tenor & Bass
           •    Baritone alone
           •    All four parts together
       – Teach a Tag, and allow the students to sing as a double or trip
         quartet with the guest quartet (non-threatening)
       – Show a video of a top-quality quartet and/or chorus
       – Quartet sings a ballad to demonstrate interpretation
       – Leave some top-quality CD’s or DVD’s as a gift
       – Questions & Answers
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    Int’l Youth Chorus Competition

  • Objectives
       – To provide an opportunity for young singers to compete with
         their peers, without the pressure of singing in a quartet
       – Allows competition or adjudication-only (non-scoring)
  • Included as part of Mid-Winter Convention in San
    Antonio, TX at the end of January
  • For more information, please contact James Estes
    at Society Headquarters



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      Int’l Youth Chorus Competition
  •   Festival/Contest is open to male choruses of 12 or more singers
  •   Average age must be 25 years old or less, with no one over the age of 30
  •   Society Membership is NOT required; could be a school-sponsored group
      (High School or Collegiate Chorus), but this is also NOT required
  •   Choruses will be judged on 10 minutes of singing (with at least two songs
      being “contestable barbershop” – other selection must be a cappella)
  •   Society standards will be used, with some slight alterations to account for
      “non-contestable” selection
  •   Choruses will receive audio-taped evaluations from all of the judges, in
      addition to written evaluation sheets.
  •   Choruses arrive Friday, possible pizza party/master class Friday night,
      compete Saturday, attend Midwinter show Saturday night, depart Sunday
  •   Choruses can be given a rating, or they may choose to be rated AND
      ranked against other choruses. Awards will be given to all participants
  •   Each Chorus will critique (written) at least one other competitor to give an
      added educational opportunity to the participants.

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          Summary & Miscellaneous
  • Don’t be discouraged if you encounter a music educator
    who is not interested in what you have to offer – there
    are plenty of others whom you can reach
  • Continue to keep in contact – music teachers do retire
    or change schools and you will need to build a new
    relationship with their successors
  • For additional assistance:
       – Your District VP/Chairman for YIH
       – Other YIH Chairmen throughout the Society
       – COTS instructors for YIH
       – James Estes, Society Headquarters Staff
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          Questions & Wrap Up

  •   Questions that have not been answered
  •   Sharing your back-home planning ideas
  •   Please fill-out your evaluation forms
  •   Thanks for your attention – have a great
      year!!


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