What does the Harmony Achievement award mean to you?

As a member of the SLHC we had the distinct privilege of winning the 2009 Harmony Achievement Award in Honolulu, Hawaii.  This award is for chorus competing at the international level with under 70 members on stage.    Out of all the choruses, SLHC has the distinction of now being the best small chorus in the entire Sweet Adeline Community.

We asked our members what a privilege like this meant to them… their responses follow.

Carol McFadden

To win the Harmony Achievement Award was a special thrill to me as it was the first medal ever given for the award.  I will wear it proudly as a member of SLHC and especially to our regional contest in April 2009.  Our region consists mostly of choruses that would definitely be eligible for such an honor and reward for their very hard work.  It impacts why all the rehearsals, coaching sessions and educational events we have at our fingertips are so important and worth going the extra mile.

Sharon McCarron

“…you sit there watching all these fantastic choruses with 100+ voices move on and off stage and you listen with awe, then you start to wonder—even with great sound, how can we compete with that dynamic? It was extremely rewarding to be recognized for what we can do a small chorus. I think the recognition has to give other smaller choruses a huge incentive to keep working hard!”

Debbie Rimmel

My time with St. Louis Harmony Chorus has been the best time of my life.  Winning the Harmonize Achievement Award in Hawaii was the icing on the cake.  My very first time on any stage was in Indanapolis 2004 when we won the first Harmonize Achievement Award. I did not realize what it truly meant until this past November.  We actually won first place in the world as a small chorus, not just one time, but twice and I was part of it both times. I know now no one ever in the world has had this honor before. I feel so blessed to have so many women as friends who also enjoy my passion. This award and all my friends has given me a new out look of what life is all about.

Norma Owen

In an International contest for medals, the Harmony Achievement Award and medal for choruses of under 70 members, provides an opportunity for small choruses, who cannot hope to compete against large choruses, to be recognized. As Regional Contests now provide medals for small, medium and large choruses, it should follow that the same recognition is provided at International Competition.  The first time we won this award we received a ribbon.  This time when I got a MEDAL, I felt as if I won first place in my category!

Roseann Haven

The first chapter I joined had 26 members on stage at Regional Competition and we took 4th place that year.  I was disappointed that we didn’t win and was not too impressed with a 4th place finish until they explained that only a year before they had been on probation and almost lost the charter!  So my point is, it is all about your perspective.  I was thrilled to be on stage in Hawaii and ecstatic to have our name called from the International podium as the winner of this award.  We sang better than ever and showed the audience that 70 people can give an exciting, vibrant, entertaining performance.  It my first international medal and I intend to get a few more, so look out!

Becky McDuffee

The Harmony Achievement Award is the very first medal I have ever earned, in 29 years of being a Sweet Adeline.  When the topic of sleeping in the medal came up, it was a no-brainer. I told my roommates: “If I strangle myself with it in my sleep, tell my family I died happy.”

Shirley Roth

For 1872 Tuesday’s I have thought about earning an International medal.

When SLHC won the Harmony Achievement Award the first time, our ribbon found

a home on my notice board in my kitchen. It is still there. Since 2008 in Hawaii, it has

been joined by my 2007 Regional first place medal and the 2008 Harmony Achievement

Award Medal. I wear it often, along with my other members, proudly, and when I reach home, it goes right back on the board where I can see it daily, and tell the story of it to friends and family. There is another gold pin on the board, waiting for the next medal won on International stage. What does this Award mean to me?  To now dream the possible dream.

Kelly Jurotich

2 days before I was due in Hawaii, my grandpa passed.  It was a hard and tragic thing for me to attend his wake, and have the entire family tell me that I should still get on a plane to Hawaii, because Grandpa would want me to go.  They knew his support for the chorus, they knew how much he loved to hear us sing.  He would “oh and ah,” and try to add his own part to our chorus singing, and was a huge fan of the “pipes us gals have.”  The harmony achievement award medal performance was won for only hours after I finally arrived in Hawaii.  Red-eyed and weary and sad,  I woke up that morning with one goal, to say good-bye to my grandpa the best way I could, and give the performance of my life… When I stepped out on that stage, it was for my grandpa, and when I surprisingly had a purple medal, that i didnt even know was possible, put around my neck, it was further proof that something special had happened on that stage. It wasn’t just a personal achievement for me to give a performance that made me feel so satisfied with, but it was a realization that there was so much more that I could give.  It was so much to give it all up for my grandpa, but it would be so much more if all of this was just the start of something amazing… and so far, it has challenged me to be more, to be better, to raise the bar, and to dedicate every note to achieving a performance worthy of my grandpa’s approval.  That is a true harmony achievement- the recognition of the individual effort each of us put forth to make it the most memorable performance possible.

Marsha Pierce

To be recognized for you hard work and diligence as a chorus was a thrill beyond compare.  The synergy in the St. Louis Harmony chorus and the drive for excellence is the reason we were honored with the chance to compete at the international level in Hawaii.  To win the Harmony Achievement Award was just the icing on the cake and we were delighted with the recognition and well wishes from hundreds of our sisters in harmony.

Twilla Duvall

My home chapter is a Division A chapter and without the dual membership option, I would not have had the opportunity to be on the International stage.  Singing with a “big chorus” and absorbing the coaching and learning that accompanies an international competition has been indescribable.

Sometimes it was a struggle to get home at 1:00 AM and then be up at 5:30 for work, but it was worth it when we heard St. Louis Harmony announced as the winner of the Harmony Achievement Award.  MY FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEDAL!!!  I wear it with pride and honor.  Plus I rekindled some old friendships and found new acquaintances.  I can’t wait to hug my riser buddies again.  This is an experience that I will cherish for a long time.

Thank you St. Louis Harmony for the wonderful ride!

Dixie Dahlke

Exciting!  What a thrill!  Even though, due to distance and expense, we left several members home, we achieved a difficult goal and I’m very proud of my medal — and my (new) chorus!

Joyce Greiner

Standing by the ocean in Hawaii singing The National Anthem, holding my first place medal ” just like at the Olympics” that is what my medal meant to me.

A message from Meghan Brown

Hello Ladies!

As a new member of the chorus, I just wanted to share a few things with you all!

First off, this is pretty much a dream come true for me! I love to sing, but being a violinist, I put all of my energy into training on it. I got my Bachelors of Music Education from SEMO in instrumental music K-12. I also was a dancer for 15 years, up until I went to college. In high school, I would always audition for the musicals, and only being good on the spot at singing (not so much acting, haha), I was always put in the chorus. Well, at least at my high school, you couldn’t expect the chorus singers to ALSO be good at dancing. All the good dancer/singer combinations (aside from me) were also good actors, and were the lead roles. So I was always a sad kid because I would only get to sing, but not dance. And here in SLHC, I get to be the chorus girl I’ve ALWAYS wanted to be! While orchestra and violin is clearly what I’m meant to be doing as my career, it is truly my passion to sing and dance. I guess I fit that “nerdy” musicians mold…I teach music, play my violin as a soloist and in chamber groups and orchestras, and then for fun I sing and dance! I don’t know about the rest of you, but that sounds like a good deal for me!

Secondly, and I mean this completely from the heart, this chorus is absolutely completing my life. Probably many of you remember moving away from home (for good) the first time, and how hard it was to find a whole new group of friends. My closest friends are all in St. Louis, and living in Washington has been a new experience. I live close enough to home in Florissant that I can still visit my church every weekend and see my parents. I have an AMAZING teaching situation out here in Washington, with incredible students! I have great friends near enough to see at least once a month, and I have an incredible boyfriend. But the one thing was missing that I had nothing to do for fun! And then I found out about you ladies!

My first week at the chorus, I left with a huge smile on my face. I practiced the audition material the whole way home and immediately knew this was something I wanted to pursue. I auditioned my second week and passed, and since then I have had the greatest time! This chorus has very much brought me out of the shell I have been under for many years. While I knew I could sing, you would be hard pressed to find me getting into the music as much as I have been, much less singing alone at all. Thank you so much for that.

Thank you ladies for all the wonderful things you do…I feel at home with such wonderful women. I look forward to many years in this chorus!

Musically,

Meghan Brown, tenor

Promotion for the September Show begins!

We’re looking for a full house in September 2009 and are planning a special treat with our current Queens of Harmony- Moxie Ladies.  We’re so excited to have two shows scheduled and to be bringing in such awesome talent to share the stage with.  We’re hoping this is the boost for our Seattle plan to come, as of course, that is our goal- to be in attendance in the Seattle Sweet Adeline’s International Competition.

As always, we’ll have our work cut out for us.  The new ballad is coming along swimmingly.  The feeling is oozing all over the chorus- this IS a song for us, and with a bit of finesse, I can’t wait to see where it is going to take us.

Work on the new uptune has started, and what an even it’s going to be.  Choreo rolls out soon… Can’t wait to post some rehearsal pictures as we work that one out!

How can we get the word out to more people about the September show, if you have ideas, please let me know!

Until next time!

Thoughts from membership.

Hi Everyone,

Reading the new issue of Region 5 monthly, ”Take 5″, prompted me to contact you all again, to remind you of the power of our chorus rehearsals, as the best tool, toward increasing our membership.

Since I lost my voice on Guest Night, I was not on the risers when you were all singing.
It gave me a rare look at the faces and body language of our guests who sang among you.
There was total concentration on the music books they held, and on Sandi, as their talents and YES, courage, let them sing along with you.

You have to acknowledge that singing along with our chorus is sort of like singing with the “Queens” at International.
When you performed for the them, with many active members absent, they sat in upright attention and you could see that many wanted to get back up there and do it too.

Getting guests to join the chorus is not our problem.

We need to get them into the rehearsal hall.
We are a dedicated group of women, with many working toward growth.

You have a Membership committee, i.e. Caralmae being totally prepared and constantly working toward chorus goals and keeper

of all our records.

Deanna, matching guests to Mentors in her busy book, getting ready for the 2nd visit, and introducing guests to everyone.

These Mentors are a guest’s first friends.

Judy Kuhl, always checking who needs guest books and CD’s.

The music books are prepared and new member books are always

ready when we sing for a new member. She drags membership stuff out so things are there for you and then puts it all back again after you are gone home. There are too many helpers to list you all, when

there are always members who step in to help when needed.

Our Section Leaders come early and drop everything to voice test.

They stay late to audition.

The many kindnesses of all of you, with welcoming attitudes,

talking to guests so they become comfortable friends, means everything to our guests and is the first thing they remark on.

Sandi coming an hour early to be there when they come in the door.
We all exceed in our endeavors.

What more can we do?
What we need is, getting the word out, from YOU, to every woman you come in contact with, who may be yearning to find a place to sing and have fun with other women.  A safe and rewarding place.
This is very evident when we find many who tell us that they have been looking for years to find such a chorus.

What can you do to help your friends and the stranger who sings along with the elevator music, to find a place to bring song into their lives.

What a gift you can give them.
The shy become confident, the confidence becomes the shine in their eyes and smile.

The hellos and conversation become the warmth that comes only from other women.

The place can be where they become the women they have set

aside for a time.
The bonus is the love and fun of singing and dancing and laughing and putting on stage makeup, learning and performing, as our chorus grows in numbers of dedicated members.

I ask that you make the effort every day to touch another woman’s life and invite them to come to rehearsal with you.
We are the fortunate who know the Secret, of how to become Sisters in Harmony.
We need to share it with other women.
..

hugs,
Shirley

St. Louis Harmony Chorus Proudly Presents: The Blog

Welcome to the blog devoted souly to St. Louis Harmony Chorus!

St. Louis Harmony Chorus is an 80+ woman chorus devoted to the craft of barbershop harmony.  Affiliated with Sweet Adelines International, SLHC is on a quest for an International medal. Starting now, starting here.  We are seeking talented women who want harmony, friendship, song and dance in their life.

What is this blog? This blog is just a way to get a glimpse at what your average SLHC member does for fun, thinks of rehearsals, has for breakfast.. ya know all those things that make us singers tick.. Mostly it’s to give you, the reader a chance at getting the real inside scoup on what makes a sweet adeline tick.

So come with me on this journey… it’s bound to be a fun one.

“The rhythm of life is a powerful beat!”