Author: Cavan Potee

Hello, M-AD Members! 

What an incredible District convention we had in York this year! As your VP of Events, I am grateful for your enthusiastic participation and attendance. And where else but M-AD can you be treated to that level of talent from both the quartet and chorus contest in the District-level contest?! The performances were truly outstanding.

As you are aware, the District Board’s priority this year has been to find ways to make our conventions more financially effective and sustainable. While we are certainly not yet complete in our continued evolution, I am pleased to report that we were successful in turning around our negative trending from the past several years: we have improved from a $50,000 loss from events in 2022 to an expected net-neutral for our events in 2023! Our attendance numbers have also improved, going up by 12% from 2022 to 2023 with over 1,500 total attendees across all 3 conventions this year.

We also recognize and appreciate that work remains to be done to improve the accessibility and overall flow of the event. The concerns we saw in York mostly related to travel distances to the hotel, the lack of centralization of the convention block and afterglow locations, and parking concerns at the venue. We endeavor to continue to grow our attendance numbers and overall satisfaction by offering programming and events that YOU want to participate in, so we appreciate the feedback to help us balance financial priorities and the overall quality of the M-AD event experience.

I may be biased, but I truly believe we have the best Events Team in the BHS! That said, we are always looking for more support to continue our optimization. If you are interested in volunteering for any role to support the District or the Events Team directly, please reach out to our District Leadership Development Committee Chair Bill Colosimo or directly to me at braden.lynk@gmail.com. Your volunteerism is a big part of what makes the M-AD event experience enjoyable for all who attend.

As a reminder, here are our dates for 2024 – final locations will be announced soon. 

• March 22-23, 2024 – Central/Southern Division and Quartet Prelims
• April 12-13, 2024 – Northern Division and Quartet Prelims
• Sep 27-28, 2024 – Fall District Convention

In harmony,

Braden Lynk
M-AD VP of Events

WOW! What a thrilling and fulling M-AD Convention weekend!

As I write this, my body has yet to acclimate back to my normal internal clock – a phenomenon I call “post-convention, tag-induced social jet lag” – but all is good because I couldn’t be more proud of our district.

Here are some highlights:

• It was awesome to see such a full audience and catch up with so many friends.
• The concept of the M-AD Senior Chorus has been something District leaders have envisioned for several years. Kudos to Keith Harris, Rick Taylor, and the Westchester County chapter for making this such a successful reality.
• We held two open discussions – a Membership Matters round table with Tracey and Christian Hunter sharing ideas for each chapter; and a BHS Town Hall with Erik Dove sharing the current state of BHS and what to expect in the near future.
• Five choruses qualified for the 2024 BHS International in Cleveland: East Coast Sound, Parkside Melody, GOTHAM, Alexandria Harmonizers, and, our 2024 District Chorus Champions, Parkside Harmony.
• All 11 of the competitors in the quartet finals scored above a 76! The talent in this District is amazing and I commend all of you for sharing it with us. Congratulations to Smoke Ring as our 2024 District Quartet Champions on their historic win!
• I can’t say enough about Midtown, our 2023 International Champions. They were everywhere giving of themselves and their time. Beyond the ridiculous singing and performances, the “Gold Medal 45 Minutes” where they shared an authentic insight into their journey was so special.
• What a great job by our District Events team! I appreciate all the time and effort each of them put into the planning and execution for our conventions.

The talent in the M-AD is truly amazing and I am blessed to be a part of it.

It’s great to be a barbershopper, especially in the M-AD!

Steve Kirsch
M-AD President

Hello, M-AD Members!

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer! I am looking forward to another memorable M-AD Weekend at the Fall District Contest and Convention in September. Not only will we be celebrating our reigning District Quartet Champions First Take, but also recognizing the District’s amazing success at the BHS International Competition this summer, including our new International Champs (and previous M-AD District Champs), Midtown! We plan to feature both quartets throughout the weekend along with our other talented choruses and quartets – more details will be shared once confirmed. 

We are also excited to return to the Central York Middle School that hosted us so wonderfully this Spring. This promises to be a well-attended event, so secure your registrations now! Full details on M-AD website at the link below.

Information for the Fall District Contest & Convention (York, PA)

Registration:

• The registration cost is the same as it was for our Spring conventions:
  • Early Bird – All Events (purchase by 9/1): $47
  • Online Regular – All Events (purchase by 9/23): $57
  • At the Door – All Events: $60
  • At the Door – Single Event: $35
  • Youth (under 18): Free (available at the door only)
• Convention tickets can be purchased online through EventBrite or at the door:
  • https://madfalldistrict.eventbrite.com
• Everyone competing must have an all-events ticket (not a single-event ticket).
• All tickets will be General Admission with no specific assigned seating within the theaters.
• Tickets will be picked up at Will Call in front of the theater. We will have the list of pre-purchased tickets by purchaser name – you can also show your receipt either on your phone or with a printout.

Housing:

• Available housing options are listed on the M-AD website
  • The first option listed is the designated “Headquarters” hotel, which designates where M-AD Events Team and Judges will be staying.
  • All official programming will take place at the school.
• Deadlines are coming up quickly for the housing blocks, so please book soon! Some may already be sold out by the time you receive this note.
  • Please Note: You are not required to book within the M-AD hotel block – please secure whatever housing you find most appropriate for you
• Afterglows will largely take place offsite and not at the hotels or schools. We will publish a list of known afterglows to help attendees plan their Saturday evenings. If you or your chapter are planning an afterglow, please let us know so we can distribute details!

Other Items: 

• Program Ads are available once again! Please see further details here and reach out to confirm placement.

I hope to see you all soon at our Fall Event! I’m always open to feedback – if you have any suggestions or would like to support the events team, please reach out to me at braden.lynk@gmail.com.

In harmony,
Braden Lynk
VP Events

The Parkside chapter is partnering with Mobtown Brewing Company for an event we’re calling Parkside Brews and Barbershop! This social event / fundraiser will be held on Sunday, August 27 from 6pm to 9pm at Baltimore’s own Mobtown Brewing Company, and all barbershoppers from in and around the Baltimore area are most welcome to join us on this evening for fellowship and harmony!

A mic and speakers will be set up so pick-up quartets and ensembles may sign up to sing! There will be a 50/50 raffle, and there’ll be more raffle prizes to give away for attendees willing to make a donation!

And last but not least, the #12 quartet in the world – Secret Best Friends – will be making an appearance as our guests of honor!

Be sure to mark your calendar today!

Would your chapter like to advertise about your upcoming event in the district program? Want to wish your favorite ensemble good luck in print where they’ll see it? Would you like your name to be listed as a booster for the district? Look no further!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e-Z-pIdHipxS6AFJtfDt7dxcysZI085x/view?usp=sharing

This link has all the information you need about ads for the district convention program! Prices range anywhere from $20 for a single line of text to $340 for a two-page spread.

Contact Braden Lynk to reserve your spot today!