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Included in Newsletter

Dating Can Lead to Barbershop

Steve and Debbie Kirsh

Let this be a warning to you youngsters

Hi! My name is Steve. I’m your Mid-Atlantic District EVP and I’d love to meet you. Unfortunately, our world of barbershop hasn’t allowed that for the last 18 months. Pretty depressing. If we had the chance to gather together, I’d introduce myself and share my barbershop story…

My first barbershop experience was the Bucks County Country Gentlemen Show in 1989. My girlfriend was playing a part in the show (that’s another story) and her father, David Dahlen, sang in the chapter. The Second Edition opened the second half of the show. I’m not sure if it was their rendition of Strike up the Band or the overtones in Almost Like Being In Love, but I know I was hooked. I bought their cassette and wore it out while in college.

Debbie (that girlfriend) is now my wife of almost 30 years and we have two amazing sons.

What a journey this has been! Ever since I joined BHS in 1995, I’ve been fortunate to find many great friends and sing in a couple of good quartets, in particular Frank the Dog and currently in Taylor Made. As EVP, I’ve worked with the District Board to restructure the Operations Team – our goal to provide each member better support in the ways we engage in the hobby – our community, our education, and our events.

Over the next several newsletters, I’ll share in more detail these changes and how each can impact you.

Steve Kirsch
District EVP

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Media

Oriole Four Tribute Video

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1970 International Champions Oriole Four ( Bob Welzenbach, tenor; Jim Grant, lead; Fred King, baritone; Don Stratton, bass) were shining lights in the Mid-Atlantic District.

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Ask MAD

When and where is the next CDWI training?

From Glenn Phillips:

Years ago the BHS discontinued the Director Certification Program and also discontinued all of the “train the trainers” instruction to provide a cadre for the program. Given that the CDWI was part of the Certification Program, the M-AD has not conducted a CDWI in several years, and as far as I know, we do not intend to offer a CDWI in the foreseeable future.

From Rich Gray:

I would like to see a chorus director workshop happen in the future, but right now unfortunately it’s not an active program. There has been much improvement over the last few years to the directors courses at Harmony College East. That’s the best option for education and training of directors we have right now and I’d highly recommend it for next year. Maybe I’ll try and push a little for some funding to do a workshop next year.

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Included in Newsletter Marketing

Marketing Director’s Message

A few months ago I made the fatal mistake of calling Anne Bureau, Director of the North Pennsmen, to tell her how much I enjoyed hearing a commercial of theirs on Philadelphia radio station KYW. Within a few weeks I found myself appointed Director of Marketing for the MidAtlantic District. The ordeal seemed rather painless, but I still don’t know what hit me. Dealing with Anne is like trying to lasso a tornado. You just can’t say no.

Wes Osborn

One positive by-product of this pandemic – and probably the only one I can think of – is that we get to begin anew. A fresh start, with a new team, new publication, and new focus: on you, the members. Past efforts at marketing the District’s efforts have been rather “top-down” – or “here is what the District wants you to know.” We want to adopt a “from you to us” focus: listening the Chapters’ needs and helping provide solutions. We will still run the contests, Harmony College East and other efforts. We realize that we have hundreds of members who do not compete or attend our educational events, but still like to get together and sing, which is sort of the point of it all anyway. We want to get back to that night in Tulsa in 1938 where the guys (and now, gals), gathered for the pure pleasure of making music together.

So this is our first effort in our restructuring. We are going to be very busy over the next few months, redesigning our website, creating blogs so you can get to us directly with your vast praise (and a few complaints, I’m sure), and oth-er hopefully useful innovations. We renamed this newsletter “Overtones” the technical name for “ringing a chord.” It’s the secret pleasure of all barbershop-pers to achieve that magical sound, but it isn’t necessary. It’s a bonus. Just en-joy singing and if you hear that “fifth note,” then enjoy. There’s no charge for the goosebumps.

Wes Osborn
Director of Marketing, M-AD
Lead: Cherry Hill Pine Barons, Palm Beach County Coastmen, Miamians

You can contact us through the Ask MAD link on the District Website: http://midatlanticdistrict.com/?Code=AskMAD. We promise to pay attention and respond.