Volume 41, Issue 1 January 2010

News and Views from the

Greater Indianapolis Chapter

Circle City Sound’s mission is to perform with excellence in the barbershop style and encourage singing within the community, because singing enhances life.

THE BEAT

Well, it is now 2010! It is so hard to believe that the

past year went so quickly. Circle City Sound has a lot of things to be thankful for, that's for sure. I

believe CCS has even more to look forward to! With the new year upon us, there is much to do and

more milestones to reach. Are you all prepared to step up your commitment level and sacrifice for your

brothers? That is what it will take to get us to the next level.

There are many of you who have gone above and

beyond to help CCS become what we are now. That poses a question, who are we now? What is our

purpose? What kind of image do we want to portray? These are all important questions we need to ask

ourselves, both as a chorus and as individuals. Everything we do in the coming months can and will

affect where we go and what we accomplish. Each and every one of you needs to take stock in yourself and

what it is that you will bring to CCS. We need you—not

only your ever-improving voice and performance, but also your commitment off the risers.

I will personally do everything in my power to make sure that you will all become the best singers/performers that

you have ever been, long before we go to Philly. I honestly believe in my heart that you have it in you to

become one of the best male choruses in the world. Now, what will that take? It will take your absolute

110%. The days of some of you ―sort of‖ knowing your

notes and words, or giving just enough to not draw

attention to yourself, have been over for quite a while

now. (Just in case you haven't noticed.) The fact is, you stick out like a sore thumb now, and you know who you

are. All I can say is, NOW is the time to fix it. We can't do it for you, gentlemen. Enough said, right?

I hope that you all will join me in stepping up your game this year. With all the new members coming in and more

to come, I want to make sure that every week they are

challenged and inspired to be a part of CCS. If each and every one of you eliminates all of your excuses and

brings your A-game every week, it will be the best year CCS has ever had! Do you believe that? I sure do! Like

the Nike slogan says, "Just Do It!"

I am honored to be your director and to call you all my

family.

Garry

Garry Texeira MUSIC DIRECTOR

Tenor of Gotcha! and Forefront

“...you have it in you to become one of

the best male choruses in the world...”

The New Year Calls CCS to a New Level

Announcing: Circle City Sound’s Annual Barbershopper of the Year Banquet Friday, February 5, 2010, 6:00 p.m. in The Roosevelt Room, Fort Harrison State Park Inn

Reservations required—see Jim Sauder

Page 2 January 2010 THE BEAT

THE BEAT

Jerry E. Troxel, Editor 129 Yorkshire Blvd. E

Indianapolis, IN 46229 317 891-1634

jtroxel@ameritech.net

The BEAT is published monthly by the Greater Indianapolis, Indiana,

Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society,

a proud member of the Cardinal District.

Chapter Leadership 2010

President Jerry Troxel

VP Chapter Development Steve Cline

VP Music & Performance Duane Henry

VP PR & Marketing Randy Freeman

VP Operations Larry Anthony

Secretary Tom Bradley

Treasurer Jim Sauder

Board Members at Large Jeff Boyd, David Fouts,

Andrew Myer

Immediate Past President Jim Rosenau

Director Garry Texeira

Assistant Director Andrew Myer

Greater Indianapolis Chapter

Membership Statistics

Chapter members as of December 1, 2009: 100

Average member age: 56.6

Average years of service: 17.3

Number of active members: 65 (65%)

Craft Corner

Singing In Tune First in a series of nine articles

by Fred King

(from the Dundalk, Maryland chapter’s Charivari, Tom Wheatley, editor)

Chapter 1

Perhaps one of the biggest problems faced by coaches is the quartet or

chorus which continually, or even occasionally, sings out of tune. It is interesting to note that Brahms gave up directing a choral group of ladies in

Hamburg, Germany, because they could not stay on pitch. This article will not attempt to deal with sharp singing. Even though sharp singing is an

occasional problem, the overwhelming preponderance of tuning problems has to do with flatting.

Actually, there are two kinds of flatting problems. The first is where the voice parts stay in tune with each other, but the entire quartet or chorus flats

uniformly from the starting pitch. The second is where the voice parts sing

out of tune with one another as well as flatting the given pitch. What are some of the reasons singers tend to sing flat, and what can the coach do

about them?

First of all, many singers fail to start on pitch. This is due to lack of attention.

Each singer must learn to hear the correct pitch before he attempts to sing it. It is very important for the singers to learn to listen to each other. The

greatest degree of pitch accuracy occurs when a singer develops a concept of the way his voice sounds to others, because it is then possible to tell when he

is singing out of tune.

Once the quartet starts on pitch, insist that each member energize himself. Listless body attitudes will cause flatting. Correct posture is essential, but not

enough. There is a vast difference between erect and alert. The singers must have a good mental attitude and look happy in order to sing in tune. If the

quartet consistently flats, try raising the pitch one-half step or even a whole step. The added energy required to produce their voices may keep them on

pitch.

Secure the future of barbershop harmony through your generous gifts to the Founder’s Club, President’s

Council, Ambassadors of Song, and Tribute Gifts. www.harmonyfoundation.org

Page 3 January 2010 THE BEAT

Calendar

of Events

COTS Leadership Academy Holiday Inn, Columbus, Indiana

January 9, 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Singing Valentines Kickoff January 11 (at rehearsal)

Coaching Session

with George Gipp January 18 (at rehearsal)

CCS Leadership Retreat Steve Cline’s house

January 30

BOTY Banquet Ft. Harrison State Park Inn

February 5, 6:00 p.m.

Singing Valentines February 12, 13 and 14

CCS Cabaret March 19, 6:30 p.m.

Cardinal District Spring Convention and Contests

Fort Wayne, Indiana April 9-11

Chorus Retreat and

Coaching Session with Mark Hale

May 21-22

For detailed information on all chapter performances check

our weekly bulletin,

SOUND BYTES or go to:

www.circlecitysound.org and visit the

Members Only section

The deadline for the February issue of The Beat is

January 22. Send articles to:

jtroxel@ameritech.net

Strolling Down Memory Lane A monthly look back at our chapter’s history

by Lew Gillespie, Chapter Historian

Five Years Ago

As a new year started, the fol-

lowing men served as the

chapter officers for 2005: Jerry

Troxel, Presi-dent; Gene

N e w c o mb e ,

PR & Marketing VP; Richard

Treptow, Membership VP; David Bjork, Music & Performance VP;

Don Brown, Program VP; Jim Rosenau , Secretary; Jeff

Whiteley, Treasurer; Larry An-thony, Immediate Past President;

David Bloomer, Adrian Oleck,

and Brad McAlexander, Board Members at Large; Bryan Hughes,

Director; Drew Stainbrook and Kurt Vogel, Assistant Directors;

John McQuiston, Quartet Activi-ties Chairman; Steve Cline, Cos-

tume Chai rman; and Dan Pritchard, Music Librarian.

Chapter President Jerry Troxel

summed up the following as goals for 2005: Attend COTS training;

gain more income from annual

show ads, ticket sales, and Singing Valentines; and increase the use of

sectional rehearsals. Four goals presented by Chorus Director

Bryan Hughes for 2005 were: Relax and enjoy yourself, Emote

and show some emotion in your face when singing, Sing (all chorus

members should resolve to become

better singers in the coming year), and Visit or talk with your fellow

chorus members. David Bjork, Music VP, shared his goals as fol-

lows: Sing together as a team, work on your music more at home,

and stay focused on the main plan of the chorus director. (material

taken from The Beat, Vol. 36, Issue

1, January 2005, R. Duane Henry, editor).

Ten Years Ago

Chapter President Duane Henry said he would like to see the chap-

ter become more committed during 2000. Henry stated, ―commitment is

a word somewhat like morality, it cannot be mandated or legislated.

One either has it or not. My per-sonal wish for this new year is that

we will see a renewed commitment

on the part of all chapter members in numerous areas.‖

Some of the songs the chorus was

learning 10 years ago were: ― G e o r g i a O n M y M i n d , ‖

―Chat tanooga Choo Choo ,‖ ―Carolina in the Mornin’,‖ ―Under

the Boardwalk,‖ ―The Lion Sleeps Tonight,‖ ―Let’s Get Away From It

All,‖ and ―What a Wonderful World.‖

Larry Anthony, Music VP, stated

his main goals for 2000 by saying, ―the first step we must take, as a

chapter member, to succeed, is to

have the right frame of mind. When we come to practice on Mon-

day nights, we should come pre-pared both vocally and mentally, so

that we can give our director, Howard Foster, the effort he de-

serves.‖

Chapter officers for the upcoming year, 2000, were: Duane Henry,

President; Dick Nyikos, PR & Mar-keting VP; Kevin Curry, Member-

ship VP; Larry Anthony, Music &

Performance VP; Jim Patterson, Program VP; Vic Kendall, Secre-

tary, Mark Shapiro, Treasurer; Steve Cline, Immediate Past Presi-

dent; Steve McPherson, John McQuiston, and Bill Schlosser,

Board Members at Large; Howard Foster, Music Director; and David Hiner, Assistant Director. (articles

taken from Inside The Pride, Vol. 31, Issue 1, January 2000, Brad

McAlexander, editor).

Lew Gillespie

Page 4 January 2010 THE BEAT

Around the District

2010 Leadership Academy (COTS), January 9

The Cardinal District will be

hosting its annual leadership training academy on Saturday,

January 9. It will be held at the Holiday Inn, 2480 Jonathan Moore

Pike, Columbus, Indiana. It’s a

one-day event, fil led with entertainment, interesting classes, and chances to sing and interact with fellow barbershoppers from around the district.

Your chapter officers will be attending, and the event

is open to all barbershoppers. If you are interested in meeting others who enjoy this hobby as much as you

do, you should be there. If you are interested in becoming a leader in your chapter and your district,

YOU SHOULD BE THERE!

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., and sessions start at

9:00 a.m.. The event will conclude at 7:00 p.m., following entertainment by district quartet champions,

Anthem. A buffet lunch and dinner are included in the registration price of $85. Registration information is available on the district website at

www.cardinaldistrict.org.

2009 was indeed an exciting year for Circle City

Sound in membership growth. As of the end of the year, we had grown by 25 new singers which

consisted of 10 first-time members, five transfers, and 10 new dual members. The 10 new first-time

members were the result of the efforts of nine of

our own, which from this day forward will be referred to as the Class of 2009 ―NOTABLES.‖

These nine men received a Man of Note award from the Society and were also recognized at our chapter

Christmas party, where they were presented with a rosewood pen inscribed with ―Circle City Sound

NOTABLE...I made a difference.‖ The men recognized were:

February - Dave Fouts for sponsoring Mark Lindgren

March - Steve Cline for sponsoring Dan Grant

April - Randy Freeman for sponsoring Steve Massengill

September - Bill Chisler for sponsoring Steven Harris Dan Grant for sponsoring Greg Emmanuel

Garry Texeira for sponsoring Adam Winans

October - Bob Whitacre for sponsoring Alec Whitacre

November -Brent Vaught for sponsoring Rick Batchelder Tom Bradley for sponsoring Chris Rathbun

Dan Grant for sponsoring James Thomas

You have until December 30, 2010, to become a member of this select group of men who ―made a

difference‖ for the Class of 2010. If you sponsor a new member before the middle of March, the new man

would be able to join us on the International stage in Philadelphia. Use that fact as a promotional tool when

talking with prospects. Not only will you be making a difference by adding one more singer to Circle City

Sound, but you will also make a difference by giving the new member the opportunity of a lifetime to sing on the

International stage. Go for it!

Beginning in 2010, if a guest shows up who was not invited by one of our members but found us on the

internet, Facebook, Twitter, etc., we need guys who would be willing to be his ―buddy/sponsor‖ and stay with

him through the process of becoming a member, which normally takes about a month. Let me know if you are

interested, and I will give you information on what you need to do. I will put you on a list, and as the guests

show up, I will assign them to the next man on the list,

first come, first served. If the guest becomes a member, you will be given the Man of Note and ―Notable‖

recognition as his sponsor.

2010 is going to be a great year

for Circle City Sound. For these next three months, let’s put forth

every effort to achieve our goal of having 80 guys on the risers in

Philadelphia.

Steve Cline VP CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT

“...the Class of 2009 NOTABLES...”

Nine CCS Members Made a Difference!

Page 5 January 2010 THE BEAT

December Guests We had only one rehearsal in the month of December. Visitors joining us were

Carl Hinshaw and Scotty Randolph.

A wonderful evening of food and entertainment will

be provided by the men of Circle City Sound on Friday, March 19, 2010. Our new Cabaret will take

place at Christ Lutheran Church. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served by the

men of CCS at 7:00 p.m. This fun event is one of the many fundraisers that we will be doing this

year.

The theme of the evening is ―The Road to

Philadelphia‖ and the décor will be provided by the

women’s auxiliary. This event is open to our friends, family, sponsors and all people who enjoy good food and

lively entertainment.

The ticket price is yet to be determined but will probably

be in the range of $35.00 - $40.00 per person, which will include the meal and entertainment by the chorus and

chapter quartets.

A very important part of the evening is the ―Silent

Auction.‖ Your participation and help will be crucial to

make this event a success! We need contact names for business owner/managers and ideas for items that may

be donated to be auctioned off.

Here are a few ideas for items to be auctioned:

A spa package

Tickets to sporting events

Tickets to other events—ISO, Beef & Boards, IRT and any others you can think of

Free greens fees from golf courses

Retail items—tires, sporting goods, appliances, etc.

Overnight stays at downtown hotels

Gift certificates from restaurants

Retail services—carpet cleaning, pet grooming, duct cleaning, etc.

A case of wine from a local winery

If you have any contacts that could provide us with any

of the above items or an item that has not been

considered yet, please contact either Mark Lindgren or me right away.

Promotional materials for this event will be available for distribution by January 18, 2010. Advance sale tickets

will also be available by January 18.

Please do everything that you can to help make this

event a phenomenal success!

Coming Attraction: CCS Cabaret

Randy Freeman VP PR & MARKETING

“Your participation and help will be cru-

cial to make this event a success.”

Christmas Party 2009 Photos by Larry Tolle

Tom Bradley Carl Sipe Anthem

Page 6 January 2010 THE BEAT

The Greater Indianapolis Chapter Board of Directors met

on Wednesday December 9, 2009, in regular session. Seven of the 10 board members were present. The

meeting was held at the home of President Jerry Troxel. The following is a brief summary of the business trans-

acted at that meeting.

President The chapter’s bid to host the 2014 Interna-

tional convention has been submitted. The deadline for submitting bids has been extended, and there are a

growing number of bidders.

Secretary The minutes of the November 18, 2009, meeting were accepted as written.

Treasurer The chapter’s checking account contained a balance of $8,896.01 at the end of November. The IRS

has waived all penalties associated with bringing the chapter’s filings up to date.

Chapter Development The chapter has hosted three guests so far in December.

Music and Performance The learning tracks and

music for ―What Ever Happened To Melody‖ are on the website and members have been instructed to have it

learned by January 3. We will introduce ―Sold‖ some-time in January.

PR and Marketing No Report.

Standing Committees Singing Valentines: The kick-

off for the chorus will be on January 11. Annual Show: Efforts to identify the best venue are continuing.

Old Business The action items list was reviewed and updated. Several fundraising options were discussed. A

cabaret is scheduled for March 19. Requirements for

working at Lucas Oil Stadium were presented. The status of the car-wash fundraising program was up-

dated. Consideration was given to an incentive-based allocation of Philly travel funds.

Good of the Order The Barbershopper of the Month for November is Steve King for assisting in the success

of the 2009 Christmas show. The Barbershopper of the Month for December is John Robinson for securing a

very lucrative performance for the chorus.

Tom Bradley CHAPTER SECRETARY

The CCS Board meets the third Wednesday of each

month at 7:00 p.m. at Jerry Troxel’s house. All chapter members are encouraged to attend.

Greater Indianapolis Chapter Board Meeting Summary

December 2009

January

Birthdays

1/5 Steve Landau

1/7 Randy Freeman

1/7 Phil Griggs

1/7 Mark Lindgren

1/22 Jeff Boyd

1/27 David Hiner

1/30 Phil Fletcher

―Sh-Boom‖ (sometimes referred to as ―Life Could Be a Dream‖) is an early doo-wop song. It was written by James

Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, and James Edwards (members of the R&B vocal group The Chords) and published in 1954. It was a U.S. top ten hit that year for both The Chords and The Crew-Cuts. The Chords’

version was ranked #215 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500

Greatest Songs of All Time.

The record for most recordings of ―Sh-Boom‖ by a single

group probably belongs to the Harvard Din & Tonics, an a cappella men's singing group that has featured the song on 11 of their 12 albums (most recently ―A Hint of Lime‖ in

2008). —Source: Wikipedia

The Songs We Sing: “Sh-Boom”

Page 7 January 2010 THE BEAT

MEMBERSHIP 2008 2009 Comments (2009)

# members at end of year 87 99

# active members at end of year 49 65

# members with perfect attendance 5 3 Tom Bradley, Bill Chisler, Garry Texeira

# new members 10 25

PERFORMANCES

# ticketed shows 3 3 Annual show (2), Christmas show

# paid (hired) shows 2 3 Feast of Lanterns, Seymour show, NECA

# free performances 5 7 Artsgarden (2), Conseco Fieldhouse concourse, Indiana Fever game, Phil Miller memorial, Bloomington chapter visit, Carmel Rotary Auction

# contests 1 2 Spring district, Fall district

REPERTOIRE

# songs added to regular repertoire 9 6 Harmony, Yesterday I Heard the Rain, Fly Me to the Moon, American Trilogy, Viva Las Vegas, Put Your Head on My Shoulder

# songs added to holiday repertoire 4 2 The Christmas Song, O Holy Night

SPECIAL EVENTS

# guest nights, open houses 3 1 2/23/09

# all-day coaching events 1 1 Chorus retreat

# chapter social events— Thanks, ladies, for all your help with these events!

5 8 BOTY banquet, Bloomington chapter visit, Texeira baby shower, annual show afterglow, friends/family contest sendoff (fall), hospitality room (fall), Fall Party, Christmas Party

# promotional events 2 9 Singing for Life, American Harmony, Greenwood Freedom Festival, Penrod Arts Fair, WIBC (2), WICR (2), WISH TV8

# charitable events 1 2 Singing for Life, Carmel Rotary Club Auction

# leadership training events 2 2 Chapter leadership planning retreat, COTS

# special sessions 0 1 Revenue generation brainstorming session (Sept.)

CHORUS COMPETITIONS

# on stage (spring) — 42

Contest score (spring) 75.0 Plateau AAAA champion

# on stage (fall) 41 58

Contest score (fall) 75.3 81.6 District champion, Int’l rep, Most Improved Chorus

QUARTETTING

# active quartets with CCS members 7 10

# chapter members in active quartets 18 30

SINGING VALENTINES

# quartets deployed 7 6

# chapter members in Singing Valentines quartets

31 23

# singing valentines delivered 127 112

FUNDRAISING EVENTS 0 1 Mike’s Car Wash (Dec.)

2009, It Was a Very Good Year

Page 8 January 2010 THE BEAT

WANTED: Men who love to sing!

Circle City Sound meets every Monday at 7:00 p.m.

at Christ Lutheran Church 345 N. Kitley Ave.

Indianapolis, Indiana 46219

Guests are always welcome!

Jerry E. Troxel, Editor 129 Yorkshire Blvd. E

Indianapolis, IN 46229

THE BEAT

www.circlecitysound.org