HOA quartets had a good time, and improved
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Fri, Nov 3 2023 |
"Sitting in the Lied Center, I was mesmerized by the quality of the quartet contest," HOA President Mike Schumacher said of the quartet contests at the CSD Fall Convention, Oct. 13-14 in Lawrence.
"As I listened, I realized there was an example of every concept of Barbershop we have tried to work on," he added. "What I took from watching every quartet was how the quality of the contest has increased every year."
Chris Walker, the new tenor with 2013 CSD Senior Quartet champion Homeward Bound, was blown away by his new experience with singers Carl Turlin, Don Fuson and Alex Tate. (Homeward Bound currently has eight members, with those four tapped to compete in the quartet semi-finals.)
"Wow! As a first-timer in a quartet performance, you've been coached, not only for the best rendering of all those judging sheet categories that (Director) Carter (Combs) discussed with us on subsequent weeks, but also by your co-singers, about getting on and off the stage, and exuding total confidence in the process," Walker said.
"You stroll out to your position and look out at the -- audience? All that exists there are bright spotlights in your face! And then the pitchpipe, and you're playing off your quartet colleagues, because that's all you've got -- and should have at that point -- making it all work together.
"I'm pumped. Let's do it again!"
The last time Homeward Bound competed at district was in 2015. This time out they scored 65.5, besting their 2015 score by more than 13 points.
Danny Anderson, lead of KC Common, noted scoring consistently shows the quality of Central States District quartets and choruses is much higher than in his previous experience in the Northeastern District. As a result, the competition is tougher.
"KC Common entered this year’s contest with two new quartet members (Marlin Weidler and Paul Camarata – plus Steve Keisker) and two new songs," Anderson said. "Marlin was the last to join and we only had a handful of rehearsals together. Our goal was to show improvement over last year’s performance."
Anderson noted the quartet raised its overall score by 10.6 points from the 2022 CSD Fall contest, to 61.1, which was a tremendous improvement.
"Needless to say, we were pleased with our performance," he said. "During the evaluations period, our standing positions were changed. We were instructed in volume control and the importance of each voice making the complete sound, with one voice not having to be too prominent."
When the quartet sang the contest set again, they could hear the improved sound, Anderson said. "Marlin’s statement was 'Wow.' Paul said he 'was pumped.'"
Swing Shift noted a similar improvement in its score in all categories from Spring 2023, up 6 points to 63.3. And, of course, they had a good time performing.
Of its two Nashville songs, the quartet found "Hey, Good Lookin'" scored a little better than "Crazy." Judge-evaluator Kevin Keller said the erratic melody line of "Crazy" made it a tougher song -- mainly requiring more work. You don't get better scores from singing more complicated songs unless you put more work into the execution, lead John Braden concluded.
Braden, Carter Combs, Charlie Hill and Eric Weber said they appreciated the feedback they received -- the lead singing, in effect, to a microphone instead of the back wall, while the bass drives the quartet, leaving the lead to concentrate on storytelling. All four had fun in a "party on stage" exercise in which, standing in a square, Braden would change off singing eye-to-eye with the other quartet members, trading singing (and visual expression) partners every few phrases.
"As I listened, I realized there was an example of every concept of Barbershop we have tried to work on," he added. "What I took from watching every quartet was how the quality of the contest has increased every year."
Chris Walker, the new tenor with 2013 CSD Senior Quartet champion Homeward Bound, was blown away by his new experience with singers Carl Turlin, Don Fuson and Alex Tate. (Homeward Bound currently has eight members, with those four tapped to compete in the quartet semi-finals.)
"Wow! As a first-timer in a quartet performance, you've been coached, not only for the best rendering of all those judging sheet categories that (Director) Carter (Combs) discussed with us on subsequent weeks, but also by your co-singers, about getting on and off the stage, and exuding total confidence in the process," Walker said.
"You stroll out to your position and look out at the -- audience? All that exists there are bright spotlights in your face! And then the pitchpipe, and you're playing off your quartet colleagues, because that's all you've got -- and should have at that point -- making it all work together.
"I'm pumped. Let's do it again!"
The last time Homeward Bound competed at district was in 2015. This time out they scored 65.5, besting their 2015 score by more than 13 points.
Danny Anderson, lead of KC Common, noted scoring consistently shows the quality of Central States District quartets and choruses is much higher than in his previous experience in the Northeastern District. As a result, the competition is tougher.
"KC Common entered this year’s contest with two new quartet members (Marlin Weidler and Paul Camarata – plus Steve Keisker) and two new songs," Anderson said. "Marlin was the last to join and we only had a handful of rehearsals together. Our goal was to show improvement over last year’s performance."
Anderson noted the quartet raised its overall score by 10.6 points from the 2022 CSD Fall contest, to 61.1, which was a tremendous improvement.
"Needless to say, we were pleased with our performance," he said. "During the evaluations period, our standing positions were changed. We were instructed in volume control and the importance of each voice making the complete sound, with one voice not having to be too prominent."
When the quartet sang the contest set again, they could hear the improved sound, Anderson said. "Marlin’s statement was 'Wow.' Paul said he 'was pumped.'"
Swing Shift noted a similar improvement in its score in all categories from Spring 2023, up 6 points to 63.3. And, of course, they had a good time performing.
Of its two Nashville songs, the quartet found "Hey, Good Lookin'" scored a little better than "Crazy." Judge-evaluator Kevin Keller said the erratic melody line of "Crazy" made it a tougher song -- mainly requiring more work. You don't get better scores from singing more complicated songs unless you put more work into the execution, lead John Braden concluded.
Braden, Carter Combs, Charlie Hill and Eric Weber said they appreciated the feedback they received -- the lead singing, in effect, to a microphone instead of the back wall, while the bass drives the quartet, leaving the lead to concentrate on storytelling. All four had fun in a "party on stage" exercise in which, standing in a square, Braden would change off singing eye-to-eye with the other quartet members, trading singing (and visual expression) partners every few phrases.
