Having problems viewing this e-mail? Click here.    Prefer Text only? Click here.
December 2006 / Fall Edition

In this issue:

" R25 Winners Circle
" Holiday Shows
" Quartet Retreat & SMC
" Angelix
" Region 25 Quiz
" SAI Convention
" IES - San Antonio
" Chorus News
" Housing Explained
" Classifieds
" New EvC
" Join the Team!
" Calendar
" RMT
" Message from TC
" RMT Changes
" International News

REGION 25 Winners Circle


REGION 25 Well Represented at INTERNATIONAL!!!


Congratulations to:


Rich-Tone Chorus

The Rich-Tone Chorus, under the direction of Dale Syverson, with a score of 2942, are the 2007 International Chorus Champions.

 

 

 

OK City Chorus

OK City Chorus, under the direction of Jim Massey, received the 2007 International Harmony Achievement Award.

 

 

Rendition
Rendition placed 13th

 

 


Cabaret
Cabaret placed 18th

 

 


 

Kismet
Kismet placed 26th

Enjoy the Holiday Season with Region 25 Chorus Shows!

Dec 2
Prairie Winds Christmas Show
Lubbock, Texas

Dec 5
OK City Holiday Show
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dec 9
Red River Valley Christmas Show - Sherman, Texas

Dec 9
Palo Duro Metro Christmas Show - Dalhart, Texas

Dec 9
Sooner Sensations Sing-A-Thon - Moore, Oklahoma

Dec 10
Show-Me Harmony Christmas Show - Pittsburg, Kansas

Dec 16
Oklahoma Jubilee Christmas Show - Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Dec 16
Sooner Sensations at OK Chorale's Annual Christmas Show - Moore, Oklahoma

Regional Calendar
2007
Feb 2-3

Quartet Retreat
Addison, TX

Mar 23-24
Regional Competition
Richardson, TX

Jun 22-23
Summer Music Camp
Texas Woman's University

Oct 9-13
International Convention
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

2008
Feb 1-2

Quartet Retreat
TBA

May 15-18
Regional Competition
Richardson, TX

Jun 20-21
Summer Music Camp
TBA

2009
Nov 11-15

International Convention
Honolulu, Hawaii


Special Congratulations!

to Astound Sound who placed 1st at the Buckeye Invitational in August 2006

 



IES - SAN ANTONIO - JULY 11-14


Join us at a truly international IES this year as choruses from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Sweden participate in the Harmony Classic Competiton! Meet other Sweet Adelines and take classes from some of your favorite role models at San Antonio's Trinity University campus.




International Competition


International Convention and Competition
October 9-13, 2007
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars! More details to come...

Tony DeRosa   Tony DeRosa!
Quartet Retreat
February 2-3, 2007

Note - New Location!
Crowne Plaza Hotel
14315 Midway Road - Addison, TX

Jean Barford   Jean Barford!
Summer Music Camp
June 22-23, 2007

Texas Woman's University
- Denton, TX

WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER
Charla Esser's new music venture 'Angelix' is winning awards at LA Music Online's 16th Annual Music Awards. See the complete list of awards at : http://www.lamusiconline.com/newnom.pdf

CHRISTIAN CONTEMPORARY

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
IMMORTAL EYES, Angelix


FEMALE SINGER/SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
CHRISTAL'S PRAYER, Angelix


OTHER

FEMALE SINGER/SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
CHRISTAL's PRAYER, Angelix

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR - unanimous choice award
CHRISTAL'S PRAYER, Angelix
Her songs, Immortal Eyes, Pure Love, Fold Me and Christal's Prayer can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/musicangelix
Congratulations, Charla!
WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER -- WINNER
 

Do you know Region 25?
See if you know the answers!

1. How many states comprise Region 25? Answer
2. When was Region 25 created? Answer
3. Which state in Region 25 has the most choruses? Answer
4. How many International Contestants represented Region 25 this year? Answer

Region 25

1. 5 - Oklahoma, Arkansas, Northern Texas, Southwest Missouri and Northern Louisiana.
back to quiz
2. 1981. Prior to that year Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and all of Texas were included in Region 10. Southwest Missouri was part of Region 7.
back to quiz
3. Texas with 10.
back to quiz
Arkansas - 2 - Crystal Chimes and Top of the Rock
Louisiana - 2 - Southern Accent Show and Piney Hills Harmony
Oklahoma - 8 - Heart O' the Hills, OK City, Oklahoma Jubilee, Lawton Harmony, Sooner
Sensations, Spirit of Oklahoma, Talk of Tulsa Show and Prospective Cherokee Strip Chorale.
Missouri - 3 - Ozark Showcase, Queen City Sound, Show-Me Harmony
Texas - 10 - Abilene Star, Note-Ably North Texas, Lake Country Harmony, Palo Duro Metro,
Prairie Winds, Red River Valley, Rich-Tone, Sweet Sensations, Twin City Sensations and
Prospective Santa Rosa Belles
4. 6 ! ! ! (total of 252 individual contestants!)
back to quiz
1 chorus at Harmony Classic Competition at IES (Oklahoma Jubilee 4th place Division A Chorus), 3 quartets at International Competition in Las Vegas (Rendition 13th place, Cabaret 18th place, Kismet 26th place), 2 choruses at International Competition in Las Vegas (Rich-Tone 1st place International Chorus, OK City 16th place International and winner of the Harmony Achievement Award) Plus, don't forget 1 quartet at Buck-Eye Invitational (Astound Sound 1st place), making a grand total of 7 groups / 256 individuals representing Region 25 this year!

Go Region 25!
Suggest or ask questions: contact Gwen Zylks at gwenz@aol.com


Everything You Wanted to Know About Regional Competition Housing and More

Every year, there are questions as to why some choruses are assigned to the Renaissance hotel and some are assigned to the Richardson hotel. With the Renaissance being right across the street from the Eisemann and the main location for all competition events from the RAMM meeting to the Harmony Bazaar and everything in between, the Renaissance seems to be the hotel everyone wants to be assigned for the weekend.

As much as we would like to house everyone at the Renaissance, there just aren't enough rooms to accommodate all of us; therefore an alternating system is used along with taking into consideration the spacing requirements from hotel to hotel. To be fair to all choruses, the housing chairperson tries to alternate choruses from one year to the next, rotating between the Renaissance and the Richardson. As an example, if the OK City chorus stayed at the Richardson this year, we would do everything possible to assign them to the Renaissance in the upcoming year. Hotel space is always taken into consideration, and not always is the housing chairperson able to accomplish alternating the choruses between the hotels, but ultimately it is our goal.

Another question that is frequently asked is "why are quartet members from my chorus staying at the Renaissance and the chorus is assigned to the Richardson?" In order to save the region thousands of dollars in additional bussing cost, all competing quartets are most often assigned to the Renaissance. Also, the quartet competition can begin later in the afternoon on Friday without the timing constraints associated with bussing, allowing many of us to attend the competition and support our quartets.

In future years, the alternating method of assigning choruses to the hotels may change. Beginning in 2007, our nightly hotel rates are going up. Both the Renaissance and the Richardson nightly rate will increase from $89.00 per night to $95.00 per night. The hotel rates will continue to increase each year, toping out in 2011 at $135.00 a night for the Renaissance and $110.00 a night for the Richardson. In the past 4 years, we have had the privilege to stay in two of the best hotels in Dallas at a very low rate. The excellence we have come to expect from the Renaissance and the Richardson has been outstanding and the next 5 years will be just as wonderful. See you in March!

Liz Brite Region 25
Events Coordinator

Classifieds

Note-Ably North Texas, located in Allen, TX is looking for a Director. We are a small, but growing chorus. If you are interested in applying for this position, please e-mail me at, president@nntchorus.org or you can call me on my cell phone at 214-707-9121.

Thanks,

Helen Gagliano
Team Coordinator
Note-Ably North Texas
president@nntchorus.org
214-707-9121

7. Sooner Sensation Update

Hello from Moore, Ok.

What a wonderful SMC!!!! We learned so much in all the classes and our "instructors" were the best. Meeting so many members of other choruses and singing with them until the wee hours of the morning was fantastic. But like always it was so good to get home and get caught up on our SLEEP. There were 15 of our chorus members attending including our members (South Sooners) from Texas.

Over the 4th of July weekend, Moore Chamber of Commerce and Arts Council held a 2 day celebration at Buck Thomas park. Our chorus had a booth in the arts counsil area where we sold sno cones, pop and water. On the 4th we performed for the public twice in 2 different areas of the park. Of course, like all 4th of July celebrations, the evening ended with an outstanding display of fireworks. Sereral women came by our booth and inquired about our type of music and from that we acquired a new member.

On July 29th, we held our monthly all day rehearsal. It is so much fun getting together with our Texas gals. We held a weekend retreat on August 18th-19th at Lake Sharon Texas. After two days of rehearsing, we were treated to a wonderful meal in the beautiful home of Martha Gallager (one of our So. Sooner members). Her husband, Bob, had prepared a meal that would put a 5-star restaurant to shame. Of course the evening ended with many songs (don't they always?).

Our 2nd annual "TEA WITH THE QUEEN" membership drive was held Sept. 24th. We had a great turn out with 60 attending. Many were former members. The chorus sang several songs and our 4 quartets, Casual Sound, On the Road Again, Star Shine and Singcerely also performed.

We have been invited to sing on the OK Choral men's chorus christmas show Dec. 16th. Until then we will be busy working hard on our christmas music as well as our contest music for next years regional competition.

Several of our gals are excited about going to Las Vegas to cheer for our 2 choruses. Also there are many of (and our husbands) already planning to go to Canada for international next year. There are very exciting times ahead and we are all looking forward to them.

Hope every enjoys the coming holidays and keep a song in your Heart.

Carolyn Goldbeck
Sooner Sensations Heartbeat Reporter


FROM:
Red River Valley Chorus
Sherman, TX


We have Christmas Divas! On Monday, October 31, eleven ladies from the North Texas and Southern Oklahoma area came to their first rehearsal with the Red River Valley Chorus for the next six weeks. By learning three songs, these singers will join us onstage for part of our Christmas Show. "Holiday Harmony" will take place Saturday, December 9 at a Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman, Texas. While there will be a lot of wonderful Christmas music at our performance, a unique part of the show will be that the audience will be served coffee, tea or cocoa along with homemade treats prepared by the chorus members. The attendees get music, beverages and goodies for the price of admission. Food and music, what a wonderful way to experience the Christmas season! A great deal of publicity with everything from newspaper articles, a billboard, flyers, changing the website, radio spots, television taping, and paid newspaper ads should bring in a capacity audience to the Red River Valley Christmas show. One of the main goals of the PR/Publicity committee is to increase community recognition. The ripple effect will be increased membership and performances for the chorus. Another milestone for the chorus will be on Thursday, December 14. At this special rehearsal, Nancy Bergman, internationally famous Sweet Adelines arranger, will be coming to Sherman, Texas to mentor our director, Erica Gage Deweber. Nancy will be there to assist Erica with her directing skills. Since the chorus is planning to present two of Nancy's arrangements for competition, the help should be evident when the Red River Valley Chorus meets to compete with other choruses this spring. Next, will be a fundraiser December 15 through 17 when the Red River Valley Chorus provides gift wrapping for donations at the local mall. And naturally, there will be a bit of singing done by the chorus and quartets to entertain the shoppers as well. -- Barbara A. Hotze



Hey, Everyone! Top of the Rock Chorus is excited to announce its "first." We have given birth to "Harmony," a 32-page magazine who looks just like...you guessed it...US! Our magazine was the brain child of Nancy Loney, our public relations team leader. From this idea grew a professionally published full color magazine with photos and articles written by and about Top of the Rock. The chorus was divided into teams which competed for weekly top ad sales. 95% of our member participated, selling ads to approximately 150 supporters. We exceeded our goal by more than 10%! Each advertiser will receive up to 5 copies and each chorus member will receive one. The balance of the magazines will be used in recruiting and some will be distributed to facilities frequented by women...doctors' offices, gyms, beauty salons, etc. For others wishing to receive a copy, the cost is $5. Please email drdail@sbcglobal.net for your copy.

Rich-Tones Celebrate the Gold!

This will always be a year to remember - the year when all the gold-winning giants came together for the ultimate International Competition! And needless to say, the Rich-Tones are still reeling from the excitement of winning that competition and returning home to Region 25 with that very special, shiny gold medal!

After placing 2nd and 3rd in our two previous International Competitions, we chose to sit out a year to regroup, re-evaluate, re-organize and re-energize. And it worked! The Las Vegas Rich-Tones, with 118 onstage, did what we set out to do - capture the hearts of our audience, perform like we have never performed before, and sing that good old barbershop sound!

We are always so grateful to Region 25 for your constant support and encouragement! The chorus truly appreciated your visit and presentation in Las Vegas, and just knowing you were in the audience cheering for us meant more than you know! We are proud to represent you, and oh so proud to have brought home the gold! Upon our return from Las Vegas, and following our victory celebration, the Rich-Tones entered the studio to begin recording our 9th album. This latest CD will include all our International contest songs, plus other popular numbers, and is scheduled for release in the spring of 2007.

It seems the excitement never ends! Our very own Master Director, Dale Syverson, has announced that Ruth Ann Parker, who brought a special spark to the Rich-Tones in the final weeks before contest, has agreed to serve as Co-Director of our chorus. With an impressive Sweet Adelines resume of her own, Ruth Ann's credits include Master Director, Showmanship Judge, Sound Judge, and a Queen of Harmony crown! As partners in leadership, she and Dale will work together in exploring the future for the Rich-Tones, and we are thrilled at having the opportunity to benefit from their combined talents and areas of expertise. While the future knows no bounds, the Rich-Tones plan to relish every moment as your current International Champions, and we promise to represent and serve you well!


WE ARE FAM-I-LY ! ! !

Yes, Sweet Adelines around the world are a FAMILY!!! Don't we know wherever we go we can connect with a Sweet Adeline Chorus and be AT HOME?AND SWEET ADELINES within REGIONS AND STATES are ALSO FAMILY as proven by two choruses in bordering regions - i.e. Regions 7 and 25!!!

Oklahoma Jubilee, Region 25 and Sound of the Heartland, Region 7 are joining forces to Harmonize the STATES in two joint Christmas Shows.

It started when chorus member from Region 7 was TRANSPLANTED to Region 25 due to her husband's new job in Tulsa!!!! This member was leaving her first chorus (and we ALL KNOW how painful THAT is) PLUS her Region 7 CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTET ZING!!

There's ALMOST no separating a regional championship quartet so the 3-1/2hour drive between Kansas and Tulsa became commonplace for ZING! But at the same time, this transplanted member joined OKLAHOME JUBILEE CHORUS in Tulsa and thus began a friendship with ZING! AS WELL as her previous chorus SOUND OF THE HEARTLAND, in NEWTON, KANSAS!!!

It was instantly a mutual admiration society.

The "merger" began when with ZING! singing on some OK Jubilee shows and the two choruses supporting each other's mutual member for their respective shows and Regional Weekends. Our directors felt an immediate "kinship" and a genuine friendship developed.

THEREBY came a PLAN!!! We would do a joint show - in BOTH CITIES!!!!!

The shows were planned with the choruses sharing and learning each other's music to sing jointly and as well as separate songs. The choruses got together at a "middle ground" to rehearse TOGETHER (approximately 1-1/2-to 2 hours from each city) and THE OUTCOME was TWO FABULOUS HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES - a week apart - one in Kansas and one in Oklahoma!! This might become a HABIT!!

Now THAT'S FAMILY!! HARMONIZE THE WORLD!!!!

Barbara Moore, Publicity
Oklahoma Jubilee Chorus, Tulsa OK


O. K. City Chorus 50th Anniversary Celebration

Originally posted to the SING list, reprinted by permission.

Hi, all y'all,
Just got home from the Chorus' BIG party. We had planned on 240 and there were at least that many there, some of our members had no chairs. I think the furthest any of our former members came was right outside Washington DC in Virginia, and the next furthest was Salt Lake City. Some from Dallas, from Joplin, Springfield, and a couple from Arkansas,and nearly every town with an established SAI chorus and from a prospective chorus in Oklahoma.

I got through my speech on Mr. Foth (Henry Foth was the first director of O. K. City - I met Thursday with his daughter, Mae Ruth, who lives about 5 blocks west of me and, she loaned me a B I G picture of Mr. Foth, a caricature of him dressed as the Music Man, drawn by Jim Lange (The Oklahoman political cartoonist) and the framed certificate showing 25 years membership in the Oklahoma City Chapter of SPEBSQSA.(now the OK Chorale, BHS)

We had every kind of hors d'oeuvre you can imagine, even a huge bowl of shrimp with the hottest sauce I have ever put in my mouth! All kinds of homemade cookies and candies, Ikey Orick baked a six tiered cake which was absolutely beautiful, and besides that it tasted good. She used to be the pastry chef at UCO. All the tables were set with white satin table cloths, champagne glasses with candles, stems tied with a white net bows, sitting on a square of the
fabric of our new costumes. Old costumes and all the old chorus pictures from 1956 to 2006 were displayed on the walls. The husband of one of our newer members had put together a PowerPoint presentation with both old and new pictures.

We sang "Celebrate the Music", "I Hope You Dance", the new song "Oklahoma Rising" (Vince Gill / Jimmy Webb) and the all Sweet Adelines in the hall stood and sang "Harmonize the World." Then we cleaned up the hall, grabbed all our old costumes, pictures, etc. and went home.

And now I am going to get out of these uncomfortable clothes and go to bed. Every time I dress to suit an occasion, or someone besides myself, I swear I won't do it again. Jeans, t-shirts, and tennies for me! Yeah, I know - I should act my age!

Shirley Fine singing with O. K. City Chorus SAI for 48 of its 50 Years!

Region 25 Management Team

Team Coordinator:
Judy Dixon
dixonj@cableone.net

Chapter Coordinator:
Linda Richards
lrich25@juno.com

Communications/ Technology Coordinator:
Gwen Zylks
GwenZ@aol.com

Directors' Coordinator:
Mary Rhea
rmrhea@cox.net

Education Coordinator:

Annette Gary
bari@sptc.net

Events Coordinator:
Liz Brite
lizbrite@sbcglobal.net

Financial Coordinator:
Pat Brazell
PatBrazell@aol.com

Marketing/Membership Coordinator:
Sarah Montgomery
skmonty@earthlink.net


Would you like to help the Region? Region 25 has lots of opportunities for willing helpers! Run for a position on the Regional Management Team or offer your assistance to help with a committee!

Regional Management Team

New Events Coordinator
Liz Brite

Please welcome Liz Brite, our new Events Coordinator! With Pam Kaus leaving to pursue her dreams, we had a vacancy in the Events Coordinator position on the Regional Management Team. Sharon Hightower, our previous Events Coordinator, was awesome and stepped in during the interim, but we absolutely had to have the right person to fill this critical position. Liz Brite came to our rescue. Welcome, Liz!

Liz has been a part of Region 25 since 2001 when she moved from Lone Star Chorus in Region 10 to the Rich-Tone chorus. Since then Liz has been a valuable member of the chorus, is one of our fabulous front row dancers and is a member of the Rich-Tone Management Team. Liz has been our facilities chair for the past 2 years at Regional Competition, filling in at a moment's notice when Pam Kaus broke her ankle.
In her real life, Liz and her husband own Brite Janitorial, which gives Liz many challenges as well as lots of experience in business, facilities and public relations. Liz is going to be an awesome Events Coordinator and we appreciate her willingness to help!

IS THIS A GREAT REGION OR WHAT?!!

As I sat in the audience in Las Vegas, I was so awed by the wonderful performances we kept seeing over and over. It occurred to me that one reason Sweet Adelines as performing groups keep getting better must be the high standards set by those at the top of their game. If we could only measure up to those, we think.

And there at the peak stands Rich-Tones, Region 25's very own. What an honor to watch them make it seem so easy. How exciting to realize that those who worked so hard to put on that almost flawless performance never hold back in helping the rest of us in the region strive for excellence as well.

And when the 2007 International Harmony Achievement Award was announced -- given to the highest-scoring chorus with less than 75 on stage -- it went to O.K. City, Region 25's wild card. How thrilling! Again this chorus is led by people who give and give of their time to help the rest of us get better.

Is this a great region or what?

Judy Dixon
Team Coordinator
Region #25

Join the Team!

Be a part of the Regional Management Team

Applications are being accepted for the 2008-2010 term for:

" Education Coordinator
" Events Coordinator
" Marketing Coordinator
" Membership Coordinator

Job Descriptions and Applicatons are online at www.sairegion25.org. Application deadline is June 30.



eHeartbeat info

The eHeartbeat is published three times a year; Fall, Winter/Spring and Summer editions

Next issue Mar 2007.
Deadline for articles is Feb 28, 2007
Ad prices are :

" Full page - $75 - 8X10.5'' or 800x600 pixels (72 dpi)
" Half page - $35
" Quarter page - $20
" Business Card - $10

Editor : Jett Rogers
Rodgersjett@hotmail.com

Regional Management Team Changes

With the 2007-2008 year, the structure of the RMT (Regional Management Team) is changing slightly.

We will still have a Team Coordinator, Directors' Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Events Coordinator and Finance Coordinator.

The Communications/Technology Coordinator title is changing to Communications Coordinator.

Marketing and Membership are dividing the responsibilities into two distinct positions: Marketing and Membership.

The new Membership Coordinator will take on responsibilities that used to be coordinated by the Chapter Coordinator, a position that is being eliminated. As a result - we will be losing Linda Richards, whose final term on the RMT will come to conclusion a year earlier than expected. Sarah Montgomery, who will be sliding into the Membership portion of her position, will be your Chapter contact.

Stay 'tuned' for announcements in the next issue as we complete the election process for our new Marketing Coordinator, as well as the normal election of the positions being filled this year: Team Coordinator, Finance Coordinator, Communications Coordinator and Directors' Coordinator.

If you would like to help out with any of the duties these ladies perform, contact Gwen Zylks, Communications/Technology Coordinator, at GwenZ@aol.com.


International News

Keep in touch with the latest goings on at International ---

Newsline - Minutes from the latest Board of Directors Meeting. Click here.

Diva Dialog Bulletin Board - Discuss all things Diva! Anything you wish to talk about relating to the Divas Wanted membership marketing campaign... Go ahead and post! Click here.

Newsletters - Sign up for eSing, the monthy newsletter from International, or view the archive. Click here.

Copyright © 2006 SAI Region 25                      sairegion25.org
If you wish to cancel your subscription to this newsletter contact Gwen Zylks @ gwenz@aol.com