TOOSDAY TOONS

Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, Westbury, Long Island, New YorkHome of the Long Island Harmonizers, Maurice Debar, Chorus Director

VOLUME IX, NO. 11 www.longislandharmonizers.org NOVEMBER 2011

B A R B E R S H O P H A R M O N Y S O C I E T Y

VOICES OF GOTHAM AND BIG APPLE CHORUS RUN NECK AND NECK AT MID-

ATLANTIC DISTRICT CONVENTIONTwo choruses from Manhattan separated by a mere six points

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the setting for this year’s annual Mid-Atlantic District Convention on September 30 and October 1. The climax of the two-day program was that The Voices of Gotham chorus, representing the Hell’s Kitchen Chapter, narrowly eked out a win by outscoring The Big Apple chorus from the Manhattan Chapter by a scant six points.

A small delegation from the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, consisting of George and Pat Seelinger, Wayne a n d C a r o l L a z a r a n d S t e v e S t o j o w s k i , f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s somewhat in a quandary as to which chorus they should support because of the fact that our chapter has dual members who belong to three of the competing choruses, Five Towns College Chapter’s Long Island Sound ( 4 t h p l a c e o v e r a l l o u t o f 2 3 competitors) being the third.

Placing three chapters in the top four speaks well for the health of barbershop singing in the New York City metropolitan area. The largest chorus on stage was the Chorus of the Chesapeake from Dundalk, Maryland, which placed third with 73 men on the risers.

T h e N a s s a u M i d - I s l a n d delegation, being the impartial people that they are, had a great time suppor t ing the th ree New York chapters . Our director, Maurice Debar, and Bill Grieshaber were spotted in the Big Apple Chorus. Similarly, Hell’s Kitchen’s Voices of

Gotham had Kevin Montevirgen and Gerald Tabaosares on the risers. Rounding out the Nassau Mid-Island representation on stage was Steve Marrin, who sang with the Five Towns Chapter and also appeared in t h e q u a r t e t c o m p e t i t i o n w i t h Quatrain, one of our chapter quartets, which included Bob Kelly, Al Fennell and Paul Santino.

Twenty-three quartets entered the q u a r t e t c o m p e t i t i o n . T h e aforementioned quartet, Quatrain, was our sole entrant. They earned third place in the Senior Quartet Finals. The order of finish for the quartet finals was as follows:

1.MAD Hatters2.Frank the Dog3.Limelight4.Mayhem5.Flatiron Four6.Up All Night7.Escapade8.Legacy9.FridayAtOmalleys10.Why Not?

Turn to Page 8 for more

Features insidePAGE 2

President Hal’s Message, VERILY VERITY

PAGE 4NASSAU NOTES

PAGE 5DEBAR AWARDED 15-YEAR

CERTIFICATEPAGE 6

“Buying Into It” --Bob Heim

PAGE 7YOUR CHAPTER BUSINESS“Un-learning Wrong Notes”

--Steve StojowskiPAGE 8

MID-ATLANTIC CONVENTION

PAGE 9TUNE THAT “OFF THE

SHELF” NOTEATLANTIC HARMONY

BRIGADEPAGES 10 - 13

INTERCHAPTER MEETING

Mid-AtlanticDistrict

JON AYERS

elected to the

presidency for

2012

See page 3

PAGE 2 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

The Nassau Mid-Island Chapter meets Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent, 555 Advent St., Westbury, New York.

Toosday Toons is the monthly publication of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, a nonprofit, charitable and educational society.

All articles not accompanied by a byline have been written by the editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the members nor of the officers of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter. Opposing points of view are welcomed and encouraged.

Editor and PublisherCharles Bell

chizbell@optonline.netAssociate Editor

Robert Heimheimbob@aol.com

Assistants to the EditorBess Bell

Wayne LazarSteve Stojowski

PhotographyRobert Heim

Eva Milauskas

MISSION STATEMENTThe Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, in order to enhance the enjoyment of music in the barbershop style for our chapter members and our audiences, participates in both quartet and chorus singing as a means of experiencing the thrill of barbershop singing and helping others to do the same. Our aim is also to support the Barbershop Harmony Society and the Mid-Atlantic District in their efforts to perpetuate our art form, to warmly welcome other singers into our hobby, and to contribute to the cultural quality of our community through our charitable activities.

VERILY VERITYOh, What A Night!

What do you get when you add 9 barbershop choruses, two international qualifiers, a number of quartets, one a district champion, and over 150 men? You get Inter-Chapter 2011. It was a great night for us and all the

local chapters from Manhattan to Brookhaven. As president of our chapter I am proud for a job well done and a great evening for all who attended. I would like to thank Wayne Lazar and his committee for their help. Who can forget Gene K. and the kitchen committee splitting hot dog buns and putting over 300 hot dogs on them? So many men worked hard to get the job done, going back again to my motto for the year, “No man left behind.” We all worked together lightening everyone’s load.

We are now entering the time of the year when we are taking an inventory of our lives and the things for which we are thankful. As a chorus we have been blessed with a director who works tirelessly to help us perfect our singing, taking us to our Plateau A championship, and with a dedicated board who oversees all the chapter business. Most importantly, we have a chorus of members who attend practices every week, who work on their music, and make all of our performances a great success.

On a personal note, I would thank all of you for allowing me to be president of this great chapter and for the support I receive from everyone in the chapter. I know you will give Jon Ayers the same help you have given me. I ask also at this time of year that you remember some of our members who have not been with us on a regular basis due to health issues, work schedules, or anything else that keeps them away.

In closing thanks for a great inter-chapter and a blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Hal

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 3

JON AYERS TO LEAD CHAPTER AS PRESIDENT FOR 2012

New Board of Directors elected unanimously to lead Team 2012

Election Night 2011 resulted in a landslide victory for the slate of unopposed candidates, presented by the Nominating Committee, chaired by Wayne Lazar with the support of committee member Bob Roth.

With Jon Ayers elected to lead the chapter through 2012, the chapter is getting a thoroughly EXPERIENCED barbershopper.

Jon was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, long before becoming a barbershopper. He is a graduate from Western Reserve Academy and received his BME from Cornell University in 1951. He served in the U.S. Navy as deck officer aboard the aircraft carriers USS F. D. Roosevelt and the USS Hornet. On August 25, 1951, Jon took Cynthia Ann Smith as his bride and they raised two children.

Following release to inactive duty in 1954, Jon was employed by the Engine Division of Fairchild and moved to Huntington, New York. Subsequently he worked at Grumman until his retirement in 1989.

Jon is currently completing his 40th year in the Barbershop Harmony Society, having joined the Huntington North Shore Chapter in 1971. In the ensuing years, Jon has sung, at one time or another, lead, tenor and bass. By his count, he has been a

member of approximately a dozen quartets, one of which included our director, Maurice Debar. For 32 years Jon sang with the Twin Shores Chorus of the Western Suffolk Chapter. During that time he served the chapter as a board member, VP Music, President (twice) and served the Mid-Atlantic District as an area counselor and VP Northern Division. Along the way, Jon picked up five Man of Note pins and a couple of Barbershopper of the Year awards (BOTY).

In 2003, Jon switched his membership to the Big Apple Chorus of the Manhattan Chapter, thanks to his quartet experience. While with the Manhattan Chapter, Jon served on the Board of Directors and as their President for two years.

Jon’s last chapter move occurred in 2009, when he joined the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, “thinking I would just relax and enjoy the ride. I’m apparently genetically inclined to do otherwise.”

In addition to becoming our President-Elect, Jon has been assisting Maurice in the area of chorus choreography, based on his many years of experience on the risers.

For a report on the balance of the 2012 administrative team, please turn to page 8.

President-elect Jonathan Ayers

PAGE 4 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

♬ NASSAU NOTES CHAPTER MOURNS THE

PASSING OF PETE KENNYPeter J. Kenny, a versatile member of the Long

Island Harmonizers, suddenly succumbed to a weakened cardiac condition on Monday evening, October 3.

In Memoriam

PETER J. KENNYBeloved husband of Patricia

Adored father ofJames (Colleen)

Patricia Anne Reilly (Timothy)Christine Goettelmann (George)

Kevin (JoAnne)Cherished grandfather of 14

May God rest his soul and grant him Eternal Peace.

Pete Kenny joined our ranks in 2004, possessed with a most pleasant tonal quality, befitting a lead. However, two or three years later, when it was apparent the baritone section required reinforcements, Pete willingly obliged and became known as a lead/bari.

Pete was the baritone in All In A Chord. He was a faithful member of the St. Mary’s Roman Catholic choir in Manhasset; also, at times, he worked with “The Glee Club of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick” in New York City.

The Long Island Harmonizers were honored to sing at Pete’s wake on Thursday evening, October 6 at the Fairchild Funeral Home in Manhasset.

Visit our website at www,longislandharmonizers.org for more information on Peter.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

November 1 Karel BoersmaNovember 5 Steve RitzNovember 9 Joel TrentNovember 17 Don ParisNovember 19 Marlene MuscarneraNovember 25 Bill RuthNovember 30 Adriana Paris

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

November 26, 1949 John & Pat LaughlinNovember 26, 1949 Harry & Agatha Ruvolo

“BARBERSHOP BEHIND THE GLASS” EXHIBIT MOVED TO LEVITTOWN FOR OCTOBER

THE “SHOW” GOES ON: “Barbershop Behind the Glass” — an exhibit developed by the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, moved to the Levittown Public Library (1 Bluegrass Lane) for a month-long run in October, following its appearance in several sister libraries during 2011. Here, Jacklyn J. Nogan, Levittown Libraryʼs Public Relations Director, discusses the exhibit with its creator, Bob Heim, Nassau Mid-Islandʼs VP Marketing and Public Relations. The more than 40 visuals draw attention to the origins, growth and place of barbershopping in the musical culture of today. ♬

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 5

DEBAR HONORED AT MID-ATLANTIC DISTRICT CONVENTION

I n A u g u s t 1 9 9 6 , Maurice Debar, a retired music educator in secondary school education, became the second chorus director of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter ’s Chorus of the Mid-Islanders (now called T h e L o n g I s l a n d H a r m o n i z e r s ) s i n c e t h e chapter was chartered in 1970. Maurice succeeded Tom McElraevy, who had directed the chorus for the first 37 years of its existence.

Dick Powell, President of the Mid-Atlantic District, conferred the award to Maurice, following the conclusion of the

q u a r t e t c o m p e t i t i o n Saturday evening a t the M i d - A t l a n t i c A n n u a l Convention in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on October 1.

M a u r i c e ’s 1 5 y e a r s w i t h t h e L o n g I s l a n d Harmonizers chorus can best be characterized as a never-ending effort, on his part, to raise the level of

t h e c h o r u s ’s q u a l i t y o f singing. To that end he has been truly successful. Audiences at our recent performances have remarked on the vast improvements they have noticed, both in our singing and in our staging.

A hard-earned, r ichly deserved award

PAGE 6 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

BUYING INTO IT...(WHAT DOES IT COST?)

Bob HeimNassau Mid-Island Chapter

VP - Marketing and Public Relations(A Public Relations Practitioner For Close to 60 Years)

Let's face it. In our 287 square miles of Nassau County bordered on north and south by water, we're all in the same boat. Struggling to meet the challenges of an economy that forces us to fork out higher percentages of income and savings at the 500 gas stations here, looking more closely at menu prices in some 1,200 full-service restaurants and watching our spending at our major shopping malls.

Happily there are some things that have largely remained unchanged. Where the "buying power" still remains firmly in your hands. Where your investment is GUARANTEED to bring positive results. You guessed it. In barbershopping. YOU are the key to what that "buying power" can bring. On YOUR shoulders are the make-a-difference  positive consequences. And I'm not talking about dollars  here. It is as simple as buying INTO something. A plan, an idea, a campaign, a concept. YOU are  the all-important link in the chain that leads to  success and progress. From a marketing perspective there is a story that is often told to illustrate the importance of that final link in the chain.  A number of  years a g o , a l e a d i n g M i d w e s t d e p a r t m e n t store  decided on a window display to unveil a Fall collection  of an internationally famous designer. Memos went out and the preparations to showcase the collection started  quite a number of weeks in advance. The fashions arrived, elegant mannequins set aside, window dressers scheduled, creative backgrounds and theme set and so on. Everyone (or so it seemed) was on board. Print and TV  media were alerted.  On a Thursday night in late Summer after store closing, the window was dressed. The team went home. At three in the

morning it rained and turned unusually humid. The new day dawned with everything in readiness. Well maybe NOT everything. There was no window washer to ensure a clear view of the extraordinary creative display that had been affected by Mother Nature. Perhaps the window washer had not gotten the memo. For sure, he had not bought into the program. One individual became an ingredient to failure. My point? Apathy is unacceptable when it comes offering YOUR "grains of sands" that spell success. Buying into suggestions for improvement, meeting responsibilities as urged by our musical director in his weekly memos, spending time (not money) in song preparation, in backing promotional campaigns to attract new members, taking flyers and posting them, selling tickets, doing your part along with others to make a concept, an idea work, is vital to it all.  Sitting comfortably back in rehearsals does not foster good vocal production. Sitting back in terms of support can be counted on in affecting production as well. What is asked? To avoid being  that window washer. By responding to our programs whether they be vocal or promotional...and "buying into" t h e m .  T h e n , f e e l g o o d a b o u t y o u r contributions  to barbershopping and to our Nassau Mid-Island Chapter. ♬

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 7

Your Chapter Business -- by Steve StojowskiSteve is a CPA specializing in accounting for exempt organizations. He is the Assistant Musical Director of the Long Island Harmonizers, former Treasurer and Secretary of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, a current member of the Board of Trustees of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, an instructor in the Society’s Leadership Academies and Harmony College East, and was just recently asked by BHS President Alan Lamson to serve a second year as Chairman of the Joint Audit Committee of the Barbershop Harmony Society and Harmony Foundation, International, Inc.

Were you shocked to learn that you had been singing some wrong notes in the familiar Keep The Whole World Singing? It’s harder to un-learn wrong notes than it is to learn correct notes of a completely new song. Learning a new song puts us into a state of alertness that makes us aware that we might not yet know everything. We’ve all been there, and we’ve all gotten past it to the point where the unfamiliar eventually became familiar.

We have also all faced the challenge of having to un-learn wrong notes and re-learn the right ones. When we sing something familiar, our minds want to go on automatic pilot, and that level of heightened alertness goes out the window. We need to remember on which parts of which songs to take back conscious control of what we’re doing. If we’re driving a car on cruise control, a slight tap on the brakes puts us back in full control. When singing an old familiar song, we may be most likely to wake up only after singing through the problem spot the wrong way. Is there any way to set the alarm clock to go off a few seconds earlier?

We have been making increased use of sectional rehearsals to help us identify and correct wrong notes. Mental alertness is triggered when we are aware in advance that there’s more than one option for how something goes, and that a choice needs to be made. Perhaps similar passages are sung one way the first time and then differently the next time they pop up later in the same song. We have all figured out little tricks to remember which comes first. (In My Wild Irish Rose, “sweetest” comes before “dearest.” OK...“S” for “sweetest” before “D” for “dearest” as in “South Dakota.” Got it.)

It should be no surprise that the answer is practice, practice, practice — but you may be surprised at how

quickly and painlessly you can squeeze that practice in. Sing the problem part the new correct way, maybe ten times in a row, while looking at the music. Then sing it once the old wrong way, saying to yourself (almost shouting to yourself) “No!” Then sing it ten more times the correct way, throwing in a wrong way with “No!” Hold the sheet music at your side or behind your back to prove to yourself that you don’t need it.

This repetition will help you consciously recall both that the right way is right and also that the old wrong way is wrong (two ways to remember). If the problem passage is only a few words and notes, all of these repetitions will only take a few minutes or less. Do this a couple times a day for at least a week, and before long, your automatic pilot (which used to lead you astray) will disengage. Your mind will pay attention to the upcoming passage before it’s too late.

You will soon evolve from singing it wrong without thinking… to introducing some healthy doubt about how that part goes… to ever-increasing confidence that you know the difference between the right way and the wrong way… to being fully aware that you are now always doing it right… to eventually completely forgetting that the passage ever was a problem. This approach should help not only with un-learning wrong notes, but also with un-learning taking breaths in the wrong place, forgetting to energize the ends of phrases, un-learning bad habits about the tallness of your vowel sounds, etc.

How much drilling and practice is enough? Some would say they’ve arrived when they can sing it right. How about continuing until you can’t sing it wrong? Thank you for your support. ♬

UN-LEARNING WRONG NOTES

How many things do we do without giving them much thought? Driving a car, walking, chewing gum, singing a song we have always sung the way we have always sung it (right or wrong)? As our coach, Scott Brannon, has observed, “There is no substitute for the right notes.” Let me add to that, “There has got to be a substitute for wrong notes.” The trick is in making the substitution.

PAGE 8 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE MAD CONVENTION

George Seelinger, Mid-Atlantic District Delegate

Earlier this month, I attended yet another District Convention, an event that never fails to astound

m e a t t h e l e v e l o f performance attained by men not so different from us. By now, you probably know that Larry Bomback’s Hell’s Kitchen chorus edged out the Big Apple Chorus for first place by an eyelash, and that

our other friends at Five Towns College finished fourth! Three of this year’s top four choruses, so close and part of our Interchapter evening!

The 23 quartets that competed included a couple of them that were of International caliber. Although they didn’t finish as high as we thought they might, we can be proud of our own Steve Marrin’s Quatrain for their showing. Just qualifying for this event is an accomplishment! If you’ve never been to a District convention, you just can’t believe how good these quartets are!

The Jamboree on Saturday night included the International champion quartet, OLD SCHOOL, the Sweet Adelines International champion quartet MAXX FACTOR, and our 2009 Distr ict champions, ROUND MIDNIGHT! It was an amazing show! To think it was included in the low price we paid for the entire weekend makes in an unbelievable bargain and typical of everything run by the District. I can’t believe so few of our members took advantage of it. Our chapter’s attendance this year was the lowest in my memory, and it’s a shame!

If you’ve never been to a District Convention, this would have been the one to go to, if for no other reason than to see how it works, so that next year won’t feel so strange when we qualify and compete! ♬

AYERS TO LEAD CHAPTER(Continued from page 3)

President-Elect Ayers will be ably assisted by a very formidable Board of Directors. Harold Verity, outgoing President, is stepping into the Music & Presentation VP position, which is being vacated by Gene Kammerer, after many years of serving in that capacity.

Program Vice President Wayne Lazar will continue to perform the functions of that office. John Brolly, Chapter Development VP, will also continue to act in that capacity.

One glitch in the completion of the board was the failure to come up with a successor to Bob Heim as Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. After several years in that position, Bob has decided to devote his efforts to the job of Web Master, an essential cog in the chapter’s functioning. Bob also is completing Steve Stojowski’s term as Trustee, along with Rudy Eckhardt. Their terms expire at the end of 2013.

Steve Brausa and Bob Miraglia are carry-over trustees, who will serve on the board for one more year.

Steve Stojowski is returning to the position of Treasurer after a year’s absence, replacing President-elect Jon Ayers. Steve’s term as a member-at-large on the board is being assumed by Bob Heim, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Charles Muscarnera and Ray Shotter were elected as trustees with terms expiring at the end of 2014.

KenWunsch, now in his second year as Secretary, has been returned to that office for another year, thus contributing a sense of solidarity to this excellent board.

A future issue of this newsletter will pay tribute to the two sole departing members of the board—Gene Kammerer and Will McCoy. ♬

George Seelinger

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 9

Tune that ‘off the shelf’ noteBY J. MARK ROBERTS, MUS. & PERF. Des Moines, Iowa Chapter, as seen in The Voice of Rushmore, October 2011, John Elving, Editor

In preparation for our weekly rehearsals, it is important that we continue to work on our individual skills. A focus that our director has had over the last few weeks is for us to visual- ize picking the r ight note. While this is something that he can teach us, he can’t do it for us.He has provided the visualization of selecting the right note “off the shelf.” We need to think about picking the note, not scooping to the note, knocking down other notes on the shelf. I have noticed, though, that the note selected by some people is not quite in tune.I would like to offer another visualization to help tune the note that we pick “off the shelf.” Since we have just started working on a song arranged by Joe Liles, it seems fitting to introduce a visualization method that I learned from him a couple years ago at Harmony University.To create your own visual representation, hold your left hand up in front of you in the shape of the letter “C.” All of the space inside the letter C can be the range of that particular note, depending on tuning. If you are playing a perfectly tuned piano, for example, your notes would strike pretty much in the center of this open space.Movement down would be flat; movement up would be sharp.In barbershop, it’s pretty common that we need to tune our notes on the sharp side. To provide this image, take the index finger of your right hand and place it inside the open space, resting at the top, just under your uppermost knuckles.This is where you need to tune the notes as you take them off the shelf.So, as you are singing, visualize picking the right note off of the shelf. Then, as you pick that note, tune it to that point at the top of the C. Once you have done this for a while and continue to visualize tuning your note to this spot, you will find that you will improve your tuning, and you will be less likely to go flat. ♬

Scholarships Availablefor "eXtreme Quartetting"

--LiveWire, October 20, 2011 Ten expense paid scholarships are available for qualified men ages 18-22 to attend the Atlantic H a r m o n y B r i g a d e ' s 2 0 1 2 " e X t r e m e Q u a r t e t t i n g T M " i n v i t a t i o n a l w e e k e n d convention in Wilmington, Delaware August 17-19, 2012. The application deadline is February 15, 2012.

Applicants need not be highly experienced quartetters or in a quartet, but must have alternative musical and/or performance training and/or experience and references sufficient to meet AHB qualification standards otherwise.

The program is for highly motivated, disciplined, intermediate singers with more than a keen interest in quartetting. The scholarship includes a two-night hotel stay, meals, first class learning materials (sheet music & learning tracks for 12 champ ionsh ip songs ) , i n fo rma l nons top quartetting and quartet partner switching, an adjudicated random-partner quartet contest, a s taged show per fo rmance , and genera l barbershop fraternity and mayhem.

PAGE 10 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

INTERCHAPTER — WOW!WHAT A STIMULATING NIGHT!

Oh, how the chords did ring! Oh, how the guys did sing!

Nassau Mid-Island’s Long Island Harmonizers open the program with “South Rampart Street Parade.”

Picture, if you will, 154 barbershoppers milling around Winthrop Hall on Tuesday evening October 25, raising their voices in a mixture of cacophony and musical exuberance, as they put on a two-hour show at an Interchapter Meeting, hosted by the Long Island Harmonizers of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter. Program Vice President Wayne Lazar d id a mas te r fu l job o f o rgan iz ing and administering a rather large committee of co-workers, thus making the proceedings more enjoyable for their guests from eight other chapters. Many hands certainly did make the work lighter.

The presence of Oley Olson, Mid-Atlantic District Northern Division Vice President, added luster and prestige to the gathering. Oley took a moment to describe the aims and

objectives of the distr ict , including the upcoming Leadership Academy on November 12, the Harold Hill Membership Program, Ambassadors of Song and the fact that the 2012 Northern Division Convention would be a two-day event, replacing the one-day program.

The afterglow following the program was unbelievable—looking up old friends from other chapters, joining in extemporaneous polecat s inging, tags and woodshedding between bites of hot dogs, sauerkraut, chips and soft drinks, swapping jokes with lots of laughs and hilarity (good for one’s health they say).

Suffice it to say, barbershop singing in the New York City metropolitan and suburban areas took a tremendous step forward in advancing the hobby we have come to love. When can we do it again? ♬

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 11

VISITING CHORUSES DEMONSTRATE THEIR WARES

Hell’s Kitchen Chapter’s The Voices of Gotham Chorus under the direction of

Larry Bomback

Western Suffolk Chapter’s Twin Shores Chorus under the direction of

Wayne Grimmer

North Brookhaven Chapter’s Harbormen under the direction of

Gary Wilson

Manhattan Chapter’s Big Apple Chorus under the direction of Justin Miller

Brooklyn Chapter’s The Kings Chorus and Queens Chapter’s Queensmen combine

under the direction of Sal Iorizzo

Double duty Wayne Grimmer directs the Five Towns College Chapter’s

Long Island Sound Chorus

PAGE 12 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

QUARTETS ON PARADE

AfterGloWormsT-Hal Verity; L-Bob Miraglia

Bs-Steve Stojowski; Br-Maurice Debar

The BrigadiersT-Bill Lundy; L-Pat Kelly

Bs-Neal Siegal; Br-Paul Santino

Up All NightBr-Joe Hunter; Bs-Justin Miller

L-Cecil Brown; T-John Ward

‘Round MidnightBr-T.J. Carollo; BS-Jeff Glemboski

L-Wayne Grimmer; T-Larry Bomback

CREDITS DUE FOR A CHORDBUSTER EVENINGWayne Lazar, Program VP and General Chairman

Chefs: Gene Kammerer and Vinnie Colonna Food Shopper: Steve BrausaCake Cutters: Bill Vesely and Steve Brausa Beverages: Steve StojowskiCleanup: Bill Vesely and many othersReception and Registration: Will McCoy, Ray Shotter, Chiz Bell, Marvin Goodman, Tony Leone, and Bob Roth Dishwashers: Vinnie Colonna and Gene KammererGreeters: Joel Fairman, Joe MassaroSetup: Hal Verity, George Seelinger, Wayne Lazar, Decorations: Maurice Debar

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 13

Bill Ruth doing his usual impeccable job as

Master of Ceremonies

Oley Olson delivering hisState of the District address

Host Director Maurice Debarpreparing the audience for a

busy night of singing

An apparently “focused” audience Hungry “dawgs” on the hot dog line

Marv Goodman signs in the first arrival from the North Brookhaven Chapter

All Interchapter photos courtesy of Bob Heim

Flyer of trivia questions, distributed throughout the

audience, created by Bob Heim and produced by

Steve Stojowski

It’s time to apply the brakesYou probably remember some of the thrills you

got when you rode on a roller coaster, or a pool slide, or maybe even a parachute jump. Some downgrades are fun, but recent chapter census figures reflect a precipitous drop in membership since September of last year (68) to the present (59), a decline of 15.3%, that definitely is not fun. It should ring a bell to all of us.

Added to that is the fact that currently five of our remaining 59 members are currently overdue in their dues payments, and some of those are not projected to renew, either due to health issues or changes in educational status (the BBQ boys).

Speaking of the latter situation, an alternative remedy to declining membership would be an outreach, on our part, into the Youth in Harmony movement, which has gained momentum over the past few years. (See Youth In Harmony article, page 9, Mid’l Antics, November/December 2010 by Mike Fasano.) This would require the input of either a former teacher or school administrator—someone familiar with school systems, both public and private—to lead such a program.

Membership and the retention of members should be the concern of every member in the chapter. It calls for salesmanship, and now would be an appropriate time to try your hand at it. By wearing the SING badges, like the ones Jon Ayers handed out this past summer, you have a perfect entree into talking up our barbershop singing hobby.

GO GET ’EM! ♬

FRANK MURRAY KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH US

In what is a rarity these days—a beautiful handwritten letter on lined paper–Frank Murray upda ted us a s t o h i s hea l th . H i s macu la r degeneration is being retarded due to exercises prescribed for him, but he realizes there is no sure cure for the affliction.

He thanked me for the faithful delivery of the newsletter, thus keeping him up to date on chapter activities. Frank not only had kind words to say about Toosday Toons, he also enclosed a generous donation to defray some of the publication’s expenses.

Frank’s phone number and home address is listed in the chapter roster, so why not give him a call or write him a note to keep his spirits up? ♬

COLONNA AND STOJOWSKI ASCEND THE HIERARCHAL LADDER

Northern Division Vice President Oley Olson broke the good news at the Interchapter Meeting.The news involved our own Vinnie Colonna, who has been appointed Chapter Counselor for the Five Towns College and Western Suffolk Chapters. Now Nassau Mid-Island can boast of two Chapter Counselors—Vinnie and Steve Marrin—who are serving on the district level.

On the other hand, Steve Stojowski has been requested by Barbershop Harmony Society President Alan Lamson to serve a second term as Chairman of the Joint Audit Committee of the Barbershop Harmony Society and Harmony Foundation, Inc.

Vinnie and Steve: Our hats are off to you! Your achievements will put Nassau Mid-Island on the Barbershop Harmony Society’s map again. ♬

THE 2012 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

PAGE 14 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011OFFICERS:President Harold Verity (516) 208-3483 sanman99@optonline.net VP Music & Performance Eugene Kammerer (631) 486-1270

dcfefk@optonline,netVP Chapter Development John Brolly (516) 938-4272 brollys@optonline.netVP Marketing & PR Robert Heim (516) 652-0601 heimbob@aol.comVP Program Wayne Lazar (516) 292-0021 jwayne314@aol.comSecretary Kenneth Wunsch (516) 328-4716 kensroom@hotmail.comTreasurer Jonathan Ayers (631) 223-2911 jayers1@optonline.netImmediate Past President George Seelinger (516) 333-0803 gs1027@aol.com

TRUSTEES:Class of 2013 Rudolph Eckhardt and Steve StojowskiClass of 2012 Steven Brausa and Robert MiragliaClass of 2011 Charles Muscarnera and Willard McCoy

Chorus Director Maurice Debar (631) 587-8694 mjdebar40@aol.comAssistant Chorus Director Steve Stojowski (516) 747-4715 Stephen.Stojowski@gmail.comSection Leaders: Tenors: William Ruth and Harold Verity Leads: Vincent Colonna and Eugene Kammerer Baritones: Robert Miraglia and Robert Roth Basses: Stephen Stojowski

Librarian George SeelingerUniforms David D’AntonioAttendance Eugene KammererShow Chairman Harold VerityWeb Master Robert Heim Bulletin Editor Charles BellMid-Atlantic District Delegate George SeelingerChapter Counselor Stephen MarrinMAD Northern Division VP George “Oley” OlsonBHS Leadership Academy Instructor Stephen Stojowski

2010 BARBERSHOPPER OF THE YEARJOHN BROLLY

CHAPTER QUARTETS

AfterGloWorms Harold Verity, Tenor Bob Miraglia, Lead

Steve Stojowski, Bass Maurice Debar, Baritone

Contact: aftergloworms@aol.com

All In A ChordBill Ruth, Tenor

Steve Brausa, LeadBernie Genzer, Bass

George Seelinger, BaritoneContact: Sbrausa@verizon.net

BBQKevin Montevirgen, Tenor

Shawn Geller, LeadGerald Tabaosares, Bass

Andrew Jorquera, BaritoneContact: montevik@bxscience.edu

Long Island ExpressBill Ruth, Tenor

Gene Kammerer, LeadJoe Massaro, BassBob Roth, Baritone

Contact: bjr52@optimum.net

No Treble At AllTommy Barone, Tenor

Bill Vesely, LeadKen Wunsch, Bass

Wayne Lazar, Baritone

QuatrainBob Kelly, Tenor

Steve Marrin, LeadAl Fennell, Bass

Paul Santino, BaritoneContact: Smarrin1@aol.com

CHAPTER CENSUS October 31, 2011

Regular Members 30 Senior Members 25 Student Members 3 Life Member 1 TOTAL 59

NOVEMBER 2011 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 15

BACK PAGE TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER 2011

LOOKING AHEAD

Publ ic

Pub l ic Garden - Bos ton , Massachuset ts

NOVEMBER CHAPTER MEETINGS: Tuesdays, November 1 - 8 - 15 - 22 - 29

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14: Board of Directors Meeting, Seacrest Diner, 4 Glen Cove ! ! ! ! Rd., Old Westbury, 8:00 p.m. - Interested members may

! ! ! ! attend.

! THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24:! ! HAPPY THANKSGIVING

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1: The Long Island Harmonizers Chorus and its quartets bring their talents to Helen Butler, O.P. Hall at Dominican Village, 565 Albany Avenue, Amityville at 7 p.m. Arrive at 6:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4: LYNBROOK WINTER CELEBRATION (Dress warmly.)! ! !! 114 Atlantic Avenue, Lynbrook. Arrive at 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16: Chorus performances at Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, and St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn, times to be announced.

Thanks to the following contributors to this newsletter: Bob Heim (text and photos), Hal Verity, Jon Ayers, Steve Stojowski, George Seelinger.