VERTONE
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LEADERSHIP TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
PRESIDENT: Steven Banker
Keith Harris
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: John Fotia
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
SECRETARY: Ian Tellis
Al Fennell
TREASURER: Milton Steinberg
Scott Kruse
MUSIC VP: Bill Kruse
Stash Rossi
SHOW VP: John Fotia MARKETING VP: Stephen Bartell
OVERTONES STAFF
OPERATIONS: Joel Willett
EDITOR: John Fotia
MEMBERSHIP VP: Joe Dempsey
PRODUCTION EDITOR: Stephen Bartell
YOUTH IN HARMONY: Al Fennell
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS: Connie Delehanty
MEMBERS AT LARGE: Steve Schwartz, Howard Sponseller
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
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We aspire to become one of the best musical organizations in the barbershop tradition. We embody and share the joy of quality singing, entertaining, performing and community service. We strive to increase the awareness and appreciation of our art form locally and worldwide. We achieve this through a commitment to musical growth, mutual support, fellowship and fun!
Do you need to hire a quartet for a special occasion, like a birthday or a wedding? Would you like our chorus to perform at your next corporate event? Would you like to do a concert fundraiser for your charitable organization or cause? Barbershop music can be just what the doctor ordered! Call us today with any and all your questions 914-298-7464 or visit chordsmen.org and fill out our contract form and we will call you right away. Contact us via ‘snail mail’ at: The Westchester Chordsmen, 159 Underhill Lane, Peekskill, New York 10566. THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN is a non profit 501(C)(3) performing arts organization.
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OVERTONES
2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FROM THE PRESIDENT — STEPHEN BANKER
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ON WITH THE SHOW! — JOHN FOTIA
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A MAJOR PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY — KEITH HARRIS
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FIVE FAVORITES — JOHN FOTIA
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OUR BUSINESS IS SHOW BUSINESS — STEVEN DELEHANTY
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SHOW MUSINGS — AL FENNELL
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THIRD A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL SHOWCASES CREATIVE TALENT
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FREE SINGING LESSONS
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WALTER PEAK SCHOLARSHIP
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IKE, MICKEY MANTLE AND OUR FIRST YEAR
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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PHOTO SPREAD
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NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE
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OVERTONES
2017
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OVERTONES
2017
FROM THE PRESIDENT STEVE BANKER
WELCOME TO THE THIRD EDITION OF OVERTONES. Our magazine will give you
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a great picture of the joy of singing with the Westchester Chordsmen. The first time I saw the Chordsmen at a performance, I was swept off my feet by the joy, the spirit, and the beautiful harmonies. These men come alive on the risers, and it’s infectious; I knew I had to be a part of this. And frankly, it’s changed my life. Once a week, I get to spend three hours on the risers with my new friends, singing our hearts out. Our director, Keith Harris, teaches us all to sing better, in his relaxed and friendly style, and it all works beautifully. The real bonus is the chance to perform, and share our joy. That’s what we’re all about – bringing joy and beauty to our members, and to our audiences. We’d love to share all of this with you as well. To learn more, please take a look at the articles on the following pages, and check out our website: www.chordsmen. org . On our website, you can enjoy one of our performances, and see the schedule for our upcoming appearances. We hope to see you soon.
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OVERTONES
2017
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OVERTONES
2017
ON WITH THE SHOW! JOHN FOTIA
IN PAST EDITIONS OF OVERTONES, WE SHOWCASED OUR MUSIC TEAM, OUR MEMBERS AND OUR DIVERSE AUDIENCES; last year, we looked at the com-
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petitions and conventions that we have participated in over the past 62 years. This time, we focus on shows. All kinds of shows. Annual shows, bi-annual, touring, and holiday shows, benefits and gigs. We are a performing organization. Tributes or satires, our shows feature a wide range of entertainment. They aim to make you laugh and cry; to inspire you and move you. THE LUNATIC FRINGE It all started for me in the late1980s when I was asked to sit in on a meeting of the Lunatic Fringe. These are the guys who come up with the concepts, bat around notions and write the scripts. John Finkbiner and Steve Delehanty were two of the major contributors to those scripts. Two particular favorites: What’s Alien You? and Crime and Punishment. In that one, I got to play Columbo and sing with my quartet buddies Dick Tracy (Jim Micik), Sherlock Holmes (Scott Jones) and Charlie Chan (Steve Herte). The next year we did a show about Columbus. The opening number was a rousing piece that led up to the dramatic entrance of Christopher Columbus. But instead of the Italian explorer, I entered as the Italian Detective Columbo. The guys set me straight (“That was last year’s show”), I went off
Columbus (1992) Alice Fennell as Queen Isabella and Jerry Blum as King Ferdinand (Photo by Connie Delehanty)
What’s Alien You? (1989) Sterling Prospects: Scott Jones, Jim Micik, John Fotia, and Steve Herte.
Crime and Punishment (1991) Sterling Prospects
and came back as Columbus. Alice Fennell was Queen Isabella in that one. We love it when members of our talented family join in on the fun.
In this edition of Overtones, you’ll read about some of our favorite shows and from some of the people who wrote and performed in them.
OVERTONES
2017
Name: _________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ ________________________________________________
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________________________________________________ Email Address: ___________________________________
CD Recordings of the
Westchester Chordsmen A great gift to yourself or a loved one.
CD Title
Quantity
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The Joy of the Season
_____ @ $15.00
___________
Encore!
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Swinging with the Rat Pack
_____ @ $15.00
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Shipping: $3.00 (free if purchasing 2 or more)
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Total Due:
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We accept personal checks, cash, or credit card (via phone) Mail your check (made out to WESCO) to: The Westchester Chordsmen, 159 Underhill Lane, Peekskill, NY 10566 Allow 3 weeks for delivery
Questions? Call 914-298-7464
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We do not share our email list. We email notices of upcoming performances and events only.
OVERTONES
2017
A MAJOR PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY KEITH HARRIS
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Praised for the distinctive warmth of his voice and exceptional musicianship, Keith Harris is captivating audiences with his performances on both operatic and concert stages throughout the world. He has put in more than 20 years as a voice teacher and more years as a Barbershopper than his appearance would have you believe. Keith will be recognized at this year’s district convention as he mark’s his tenth anniversary as director of the Westchester Chordsmen.
EACH SEASON A MAJOR FOCUS OF OUR ENERGY GOES INTO LIVE PERFORMANCES. One of the great joys in being part
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of a musical organization is performing. Performing serves the needs of the organization and provides a very important service to the community. The Westchester Chordsmen have set our sights on being a major presence in our community. Each fall we host a number of fantastic high school a cappella groups in concert. This concert is free to the public and promotes camaraderie between the schools. The environment is electric and everyone (Chordsmen included) joins for a rousing finale. Last season, the show was broadcast across Westchester County and won an award for best individual program. Each November we can be seen at the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx as the featured entertainment for the Holiday Lighting Ceremony. December brings us to a host of concerts that many mem-
bers call their favorite event. We split our chorus into two smaller choruses (of 20 or 30 each) and donate concerts to nursing homes and care facilities throughout the county. Each chorus sings about four concerts, often meeting back up at the Burk Rehabilitation Center for a grand finale performance. Community service is at the center of our performance goals, which is why we developed the Ready Set Sing Program. We wanted to create an opportunity to get more men singing in our community. Ready Set Sing offers men six weeks of
group voice lessons and a performance with the Chordsmen. We have had close to 50 men come through the program in the past year alone and we look forward to creating new opportunities for men to sing in the coming years. Many of our members have been with the Chordsmen for 20, 30 and even 60 years! Our members range in age from 14 to 90. It does not matter your age, education, financial position or race… singing is good for the soul and adds years to your life. That’s why we are so dedicated to being a positive force in our community.
OVERTONES
2017
Glen Allen TO THE WESTCHESTER
Ben Banker Stephen Banker
CHORDSMEN
Stephen Bartell
ON THEIR
Erik Contizeus
THIRD ANNUAL
Al Fennell
ISSUE OF OVERTONES MAGAZINE
Richard Greif Nick Hodnett Lyn Kaufman Steve Schwartz Joel Willett Bob Wyker Richard Vernon
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CONGRATULATIONS
OVERTONES
2017
FIVE FAVORITES JOHN FOTIA
ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, PETER KELLOGG, RECEIVED TWO TONY NOMINATIONS FOR BOOK AND LYRICS TO A MUSICAL OF ANNA KARENINA. He also wrote a wonderful script for us called, A Westchester Christmas Carol in which I got to play Scrooge. It is one of my favorite shows. Others who have penned Chordsmen shows include Steve Delehanty, Fred Steinkamp, John Finkbiner, Eric Contzius, and Howard Sponseller among many others. Over the years, I have had the great pleasure of writing dozens of our shows. These are five that were received well and remain among my favorites. 10
NUMBER FIVE — WILD, WILD, WESTCHESTER (1993) We had so much fun with our first Wild, Wild Westchester show that we brought the theme back for a sequel a few years later. Our first time at the rodeo, was in March of 1993 when the cast of cowboys, cowgirls and villains included Alan and Alice Fennell, and Margaret Callery Jackins who stopped the show with her rousing rendition of Buttons and Bows. There were plenty of Western songs like Cool, Cool Water, Red River Valley, Happy Trails, (sung by Bob and Susan Seda), Home on the Range and Wagon Wheels (featuring Al Fennel’s incredible bass voice) all within the very western Dry Gulch saloon.
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NUMBER FOUR — IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, M-AD WORLD (2011) The last M-AD in the title was a subtle nod to our home base, the Mid-Atlantic District. Our Halloween show paid tribute to four Halloween icons: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and The Invisible Man. Key players in the first
Wild, Wild Westchester (1993) Margaret Callery Jackins stops the s how with a rousing, “Buttons and Bows”
scene included Frank Einstein (Milt Steinburg), Igor (Jim Micik), MetaMorphississi (Howard Sponseller), and The Monster (Neal Fasolino). It featured a parody It’s Not Where You Start, It’s Where You Finish which was sung while Milt and Howard assembled Neal. To add authenticity to the scene they used pork chops for lungs, and strings of sausage for the intestines. Adam Samtur’s encounter with the invisible man was hysterical and Glen Allan made us believe in Werewolves.
NUMBER THREE — SWINGIN’ WITH THE RAT PACK (2014) In this show we turned our attention to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., otherwise known as, The Rat Pack. The concept for this show was that we were in the studio of a popular
radio show. Dom Paradise (Adam Samtur) and sidekick, Uncle Frankie (Jim Micik) were the hosts. Slappy Cunningham (Tony Weiner) provided the live sound effects. The show was recorded live and a CD is available (LIVE: Swinging with The Rat Pack). The radio format allowed us to exploit opportunities that would enhance the CD listening pleasure. Special added feature: Classic Sounds (Gabe Dassa, Al Fennell, Julie Seda, Bob Seda and Steve Aversano) brought the house down with Never and At Last.
NUMBER TWO — A SALUTE TO THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS (2004) Master of Ceremony duties for this show were shared by Benjamin Franklin (Bob Seda), Mark Twain (Irv Flamer)
OVERTONES
and Bob Hope (Jim Micik). The last moments of the first act in A Salute to the American Presidents has a spot at the top of my list. The risers were empty. One by one the men entered and took their place. The first man was dressed as George Washington, the second as John Adams until the last man to enter was dressed as current president, George W. Bush. Every president was represented. It was uncanny how much some of the men looked like the presidents they were portraying. The rest of the guys were costumed as secret service and stood at the top and edges of the risers. Once they were all in place, they sang “God Bless America.” And what show about the presidents would be complete without a Rushmore Quartet? Ours featured Washington (Paul Couhglin) Jefferson (Chet Miechkowski). Teddy Roosevelt (Steve Delehanty) and Lincoln (George Stockbridge); and what better song for them to sing than America the Beautiful?
NUMBER ONE — THE CHORD OF THE RINGS (2005) If I had to choose one favorite it would have to be, The Chord of the Rings. At the opening, the chorus was positioned behind an opaque scrim dressed as hobbits, wizards, orcs and such. They stood on multiple sized platforms which were used and moved throughout the act. Instrumentals rem-
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iniscent of Lord of the Rings filled the hall. At the appropriate moment the curtain became transparent, revealing a colorful, frozen tableau. Grandoaf, the grey wizard, and our narrator was played by Paul Coughlan, whose velvet voice really set the scene. The irrepressible Jerry Blum played the mayor. His opening line was met with tomatoes from the cast and the first big laugh of the show. GRANDOAF (V.O.) Sing us a Song of Courage and Kings! Of Hobbits, and Dwarves, of Elves and Things. Oh, Sing us a Song of Evil and Good; Of Magic and Rings that do More than they Should MAYOR Thank you Paragon, Prince of Men. Two Orcs walk into a bar… Cue the tomatoes. And with that The Chord of the Rings took us on a journey along with Frito (James Micik), Singwise, (Josh Filipowski) Bartels (Steven Berkwits) and James (Howard Dunscomb) on a quest to open the “Gates of Harmony”. The golden doors had been shut tight by the evil wizard, Discordon (Ed Kane) and until the gates were reopened, there could be no harmony in the land. Following an epic battle between Discordon and the Good Wizard Diletante (Steve Delehanty), they succeed in restoring harmony to the middle
earth district. The audience loved the show. Among the songs we chose to help us tell our tale were, Almost Like Being in Love, RazzApple, I’ll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time (sung in the Big Apple Orchard), and I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (staged deep in the mines of Alexandria). Those last two were shoutouts to our barbershop friends in New York and Virginia. The show was a hit and word of mouth spread as far as the west coast. I received a request from a chapter in California asking permission to use the script. A few months later I got another request.
AND IF I COULD CHOOSE FIVE MORE BROADWAY MELODIES (2006) There’s more than one reason why this one made the list, but the one that stands out for me is that I got to play Chico to Jim Micik’s Groucho. We re-created the ‘Why a Duck” routine from the Marx Brothers’ Broadway smash, Coconuts.
WILD WILD WESTCHETSER II (2008) Because we got to do it all again and even invited Margaret back to reprise her Buttons and Bows number. THE BEATLES SHOW (2013) What a trip! Here Comes the Sun, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Saw Her Standing There, Good Day Sunshine, Something, Eight Days a Week, A Hard Day’s Night, Ob-LaDi, Ob-La-Da, Yesterday, When I’m 64, This Boy, I Fell, Michelle, and Hey Jude. We built our own Yellow Submarine and dabbled in Beatlesque multi-media with our rendition of Imagine.
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great pleasures of being a Chordsmen is that as we prepare for our annual shows we develop a year-long relationship with great songs. Maybe that is why we often devote the first act to a single composer, giving us the opportunity to explore the many facets of a singular voice.
OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY: THE MUSIC OF GEORGE GERSHWIN (2012) with
Steve Delehanty as the Good Wizard and Ed Kane as the Bad Wizard in The Chord of the Rings.
songs like Strike Up the Band, Summertime, Embraceable You, The Man I Love (Alice Fennell and Nancy Kellogg) Swanee, S’Wonderful, I Got Rhythm, and Our Love is Here to Stay! Exhilarating.
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THE SWEETEST SOUNDS: THE WONDER AND COMPLEXITY OF THE ENTIRE WORLD AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF RICHARD RODGERS! (2011) One of the
OVERTONES
2017
OUR BUSINESS IS SHOW BUSINESS STEVE DELEHANTY Well known in the international barbershop community for his wonderful songs and arrangements and, dare we say, his quirky sense of humor, Steve is a member of the Mid-Altantic District Hall of Honor.
WE LOVE TO SING AND SHARE A CAPPELLA MUSIC WITH AN AUDIENCE, SO WE SING IN PUBLIC EVERY CHANCE WE GET. Each year since our founding in 12
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1953, we have put on an annual show. Now, a show is more than a concert. It involves costumes, scenery, sometimes a plot, or sometimes a group of songs around a theme with a story. The competition for an audience is great. With TV, movies, and being close to Broadway, we have to create an entertaining evening at a reasonable price. Well, that’s what we do. I’ve been involved with creating the shows since 1979 and I believe our shows are the best G rated, live entertainment bargain to be found in Westchester or anywhere else for that matter. Let me tell you about some of these shows. There was The Time Machine which took us back through the ages, a show about dancing called The Agony of Da Feet, a visit from outer space called What’s Alien You? There was The Chord of the Rings, and a baseball show complete with Yankee and Mets uniforms; there were several shows that concentrated on a particular composer like Richard Rogers, George
Steve Delehanty as Superman with The Notewits. Audience roared when the muscles on his biceps suddenly drooped and sagged under his arms.
Gershwin, and others. We celebrated the Statue of Liberty in 1986 and Christopher Columbus in 1992. One year, everyone dressed as a U.S. President in a show called A Salute to the American Presidents and in another we spoofed politics in a show called Politically Incorrect. The creation of these shows is a team effort and for years, we have called that team “The Lunatic Fringe.” The plot or scenario was written, scenery designed and built and music selected to advance the action. All of these shows had appropriate familiar tunes sung in four part
harmony, featuring the chorus or a quartet. In addition to quartets from the Westchester Chordsmen, we have brought in guest quartets, often the International Champions. We also featured new music composed especially for the show. A new opener to set up the theme of the show was composed each year. So that’s a quick look back. We are not done. We are developing a show to present to our audience in the spring of 2017. Let this article be a formal invitation to all who read it to come and be entertained.
OVERTONES
2017
It was a great three years!
Thanks for the memories! John
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OVERTONES
2017
SHOW MUSINGS AL FENNELL
Al Fennell has over 30 years of musical experience. He is a professor of music and teaches music in upper Westchester County. He was the director of the Westchester Chordsmen for 10 years; and has performed nationally and internationally for captive audiences. His music has been heard in the mountains of Italy and on the Great Wall of China. He sings bass with one of the great doo wop groups on the scene today, Classic Sounds.
Al Fennell Al directs the Golden Chordsmen in Seasons.
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I REMEMBER HEARING OUR LONGTIME FRIEND AND NUMBER ONE STAGE MANAGER, JOHN FINKBINER DECLARE, “ITS 8:02!” and then “8:06!” and finally,
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“Places!” Then it was, “Curtain Up!” and The Golden Chordsmen led by Dave Schuman would sing our show opener to a packed house. In those days that opener (along with the show closer) was always written by Steve Delehanty — not an easy task to do each year. But then, there has never been a shortage of talent when it comes to the Chordsmen. The Chordsmen shows have always highlighted their members’ talents – whether it’s the actors portraying well known or original characters, or the chapter quartets, soloists, piano, guitar, saxophone players and drummers. We’ve even got a resident yodeler. And, of course there is the ever-popular Wesco Dixiecats, who love to jazz it up during the intermissions. As a former music educator, I always
John Finkbiner with 1994 International Champions, Marquis
looked forward to the fun of directing 65 Barbershoppers on Monday evenings. Yes, I have many proud memories directing men dressed as Yankees, dummies,
leprechauns and (believe it or not) birds. And every year it’s great to hear the audience proclaim, “This was the best show ever!”
OVERTONES
2017
We Salute the WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN Chorus and Quartets * * * *
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OVERTONES
2017
THIRD A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL SHOWCASES CREATIVE TALENT JOHN FOTIA
Our Third Year (2016) Participants from Mamaroneck, Peekskill, Pleasantville and Rye Neck, High Schools gather with the Chordsmen to rehearse the finale, “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor” written and arranged by Chordsmen director, Keith Harris.
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IN THE FALL OF 2014 THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN PARTNERED WITH THE MASTER SCHOOL IN DOBBS FERRY TO PRODUCE THE FIRST WESCO A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL. It was held on a Sunday afternoon and was open to the public. There was no charge for admission. Through the efforts of Chordsmen president John Fotia, the enthusiastic support of Mamaroneck High School Director of Music,
Dina Madden, and the expert networking efforts of Alan Fennell, WESCO Youth in Harmony Vice President, the second festival took place on Sunday, November 15, 2015 with Mamaroneck as the co-sponsor. The partnership proved so successful that the two groups joined together in 2016 for the third, and are already planning on this year’s fourth. The festivals were established to cel-
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Chordsmen director, Keith Harris rehearses the combined chorus for the finale.
ebrate the joy of a cappella singing and to spotlight high school groups that engage in this exciting and creative hobby. Participants are encouraged to cheer each other on in a spirit of fellowship. The festival is open to all a cappella groups (male, female, or mixed voices) and there are no limitations on style. The only requirement is that the singing be a cappella. Hosts for this year’s festival were Joe Macaluso, Curtis LeFebvre and Rob Scholl. Mamaroneck’s Intrebel started things off with the Star Spangled Banner, and followed up with White Winter Hymnal and Shambala. The group was under the direction of Dina Madden. Next up, two groups from Pleasantville under the direction of Kathleen Warren. The ladies’ group Camerata offered the rousing hymn, Will the Circle Be Unbroken? and the challenging and well-executed Helpless from the Broadway smash hit, “Hamilton.” The men’s group, Razor’s Edge brought an inspir-
OVERTONES
Rehearsing the finale.
Rehearsing the finale.
Chordsmen Steven Delehanty. The program ended with the combined chorus singing “Give Me Your Tired Your Poor” arranged by Chordsmen director, Keith Harris. For more information about this year’s festival visit our website at chordsmen.org.
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MAC from Mamaroneck High School rocked the house with Ding a Ding a Ding and In the Still of the Night.
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ing rendition of God Bless America and a swinging Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Mamaroneck High School’s MAC rocked out with Ding a Ding a Ding and danced to a 50s beat while crooning In the Still of the Night. Rye Neck Uproar covered Bruno Mars’ Treasure and then offered their mash up of California Dreamin’ and Round Round Get Around led by Chordsman, Ben Banker, the student president of this talented group. Music director for Rye Neck is Scott Harris, who expressed his regret at having to miss “the first festival in three years” because of a conflict. Weaving rhythmic patterns of rich harmonies The Peekskill City Singers presented Nice Work If You Can Get it and followed with a spellbinding rendition of Blackbird arranged by Paris Rutherford. Larry Delcasale is the musical director of this talented group. Closing out the first segment of the show was Swing Choir from Mamaroneck with Love Walked In and a hilarious and wellchoreographed Zombie Jamboree. Before the combined chorus took to the stage, the Chordsmen offered a set that included their recent contest entry, “The Technology Package” written by
2017
OVERTONES
2017
FREE SINGING LESSONS! STEPHEN BANKER
LAST YEAR THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN INSTITUTED A PROGRAM OF FREE SINGING LESSONS, AVAILABLE TO MEN AND BOYS OF ALL AGES. This is yet an-
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other public service provided by the Westchester Chordsmen. The purpose is to foster a love of singing, and to help the participants improve their singing skills. The program, entitled Ready, Set, SING! provides six weeks of lessons with no requirements and no commitments. You don’t need any prior experience, and you don’t need to read music—just show up and have fun. After our music team determines whether the student is a tenor, lead, baritone or bass, the student is paired with a member of the chorus in his section, who will be his “riser buddy” for the duration of the program. At each class, the students join their riser buddies and warm up with the full chorus, learning our warm-up exercises. After warm-ups, the formal lesson begins. The students leave the risers and Keith Harris, our music director and fabulous teacher, gives the students instruction in various elements of singing, including pitch, projection, articulation, breathing, air flow and alignment. After the lesson, the students rejoin the chorus and we all learn a song together, in four-part harmony! Of course the riser buddies help their students as we learn the song, phrase by phrase. In our winter session we learned Jeepers Creepers, and in our summer session we all learned Sha-Boom. Each student was given a recording of their part, together with the sheet music, so they could practice their
The WESCO Ready, Set, Sing! 2016 Graduating Class.
parts between classes. In each successive session, following the singing class led by Keith, the students continued to learn the song together with the chorus, practicing harmonies and blend. In this way, the students were able to not only sing better, but also learn the basics of group singing, and worked toward a polished (and rewarding) finished product. The program was capped off by a graduation ceremony, including diplomas and a concert for friends and family. As the last song in the concert, the students joined the chorus to sing the song we learned together. And then a party! A good time was had by all. Best of all,
the chorus and the students all learned together, learned from each other, and shared the joy of song. The Ready, Set, SING! Program has proven extremely popular. We had an average attendance of 15 in each class. Between the winter session and the summer session, nearly 50 students participated. Our students loved the experience so much, ten of them have joined the chorus and are preparing to sing with us at our next performance. The best news is that we plan to continue our program of free singing lessons, with sessions in the winter and the summer. Check our website for details and schedule. www.chordsmen.org
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The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus invites men who like to sing to audition for us! We meet every Monday evening from 7-10 PM. You may bring a prepared audition song, but it is not required. Music will be provided. Prior vocal experience or music reading ability may be helpful but not essential for chorus membership. An experienced mentor will be assigned to each new member. Visit <chordsmen.org/audition> to complete an application to arrange for an audition time. A Cappella Broadway | Barbershop | Doo-Wop | Gospel | Pop | Rock
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Are you man enough to sing with us?
OVERTONES
2017
2016 WALTER PEEK SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO JAMES McCARTHY
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The Walter A. Peek Memorial Scholarship was named for a Chordsman who spent much of his time giving back to the community. Walter loved to sing, and was responsible for putting together our annual nursing home runs during the holidays. The award provides a check in the amount of $1,000 to a recipient who shares that love for singing, has shown a talent for vocal performance, and hopes to pursue that interest.
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
James McCarthy, the 2016 recipient, accepted his award at a recent Chordsmen show, Johnny Mercer, In His Own Words. Kathleen Donavan Warren, director of chorus and theater at Pleasantville High School put it this way, “This young bass is the ‘real deal’ as the saying goes, a remarkable talent that should be carefully nurtured and coached, so that his gifts can be shared for years to come. In the four years I have taught and directed James the following accolades are evidence of others’ acknowledgement of his talents.” In 2015-2016 he was selected by the Julliard School of Music as a student in their pre-college program; In October, 2015 he was chosen by audition to participate in the National NAfME Honors Mixed Chorus in Nashville, Tennessee. He has been a member of the All East-
ern Chorus in Providence, Rhode Island; the NYSSMA All State Mixed Chorus in Rochester, NY; and the Area All State Chorus here in Westchester County. For two years in a row, he received Metropolitan High School Musical Theater awards, a competition in which four New York and New Jersey counties compete. He was awarded the Best Leading Actor Award as Emile DeBeque in South Pacific and Don Quixote in Man of LaMancha. Other leading roles included Horton in Seusssical with the Summerfliff Players, Pleasantville, NY, and Billy Bigelow in Carousel. He was hired as a ‘ringer’ in the St
Johns Episcopal Church Choir in Pleasantville and has served as president of Razor’s Edge a select men’s a cappella ensemble from Pleasantville High School. He has also served as vice president of Pleasantville’s Performing Arts Club, holds membership in the National Honor Society, Pleasantville’s Science Honor Society and Foreign Language Honor Society and is a member of Pleasantville’s Wind Ensemble and Jazz band (four years saxophone). As we go to press James is currently studying Audio Music Engineering at the University at Rochester and Voice Performance at Eastman.
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2017
The Westchester Chordsmen
Tenor Section In memory of our dear friend and tenor in harmony
Alan Ferris. You are in our thoughts and hearts.
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Any celebration or event is better â&#x2122;Ş with music from â&#x2122;Ş The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus
4-part A Capella in the Barbershop Style chordsmen.org
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Quartet, Small Chorus or Full Chorus
Schedule of Westchester Chordsmen Performances/Activities MARCH 2017 OVERTONES MAGAZINE published and distributed via Westfair Communications MAY 20, 2017 ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE Chordsmen Spring Show at Irvington High School, featuring CLASSIC SOUNDS Quintet JUNE 2-3 2017 DIVISION CONTEST in Cherry Hill, NJ. We compete against 25 other choruses for the right to move to the District Contest level in September. We are currently ranked 38th out of 800 choruses in the Barbershop Harmony Society READY, SET, SING Twice a year ( January and June) we offer free singing lessons to the men in our community. See the article in this issue for more details.
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SEPTEMBER 15 MIDDLE ATLANTIC DISTRICT CONTEST, Reading PA OCTOBER Fall Show (date TBD) MID NOVEMBER, 2017 4TH ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL. The Westchester Chordsmen presented their third festival, and second with Co-Sponsor Mamaroneck High School, in 2016. Plans are to continue this successful event annually going forward. LATE NOVEMBER 2017 TREE/MENORAH LIGHTING at the Bronx Botanical Gardens DECEMBER 2017 SENIOR CARE FACILITIES: We sing holiday songs to seniors at 12 locations all over Westchester County and Western Connecticut.
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
FEBRUARY 2018 SINGING VALENTINES Our quartets, dressed in tuxes, deliver a rose (or a dozen), sing two love songs and present a Valentine card and two tickets to our next show to surprised recipients whose spouses/friends have purchased them to support this annual fund-raiser for the Chorus. Funds are used for on-going operations and for scholarships for aspiring singers in Westchester County. For changes, updates and other information please check dates and times by visiting our website at https://chordsmen.org
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Classic Sounds If you can think back to the Brooklyn Paramount, Alan Freed, Frankie, Dion and Dem Bums, then you will know why a Surgeon, a Plumber, a Chef and two Teachers can lean in together to sing those feel-good harmonies that put a smile on your face.
Winner Sing Strong Acapella American Idol Nominated for ACA Award Winner Don K Reed Acapella Meadowlands Competition 2009, 2011
FOR BOOKINGS: 914-242-8721 classicsoundmusic.net
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
ACAPELLA ENTERTAINMENT
OVERTONES
2017
IKE, MICKEY MANTLE AND OUR FIRST YEAR JOHN FOTIA
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The following is an excerpt from the notes of Bill Rowell, an early and longtime member of the Golden Chordsmen {with some tweaking by the editor}. Bill was editor of the chapter Bulletin long before we became the Westchester Chordsmen. We are grateful that Bill preserved the history of the earliest days of our organization. It all began 65 years ago when Eisenhower was president and Mickey Mantle was just becoming to become a legend. CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
JIM EDMONDS SAW A NEED AND FILLED IT. For a long time he had dreamed of belonging to an organized group in his home town where guys just like him could experience the joy of ringing chords while singing the classic songs. Home was Hawthorne, New York where he had been sharing his dream with neighbors and friends. He attended ev-
ery SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America) function he could get to and found others who shared the same dream. It was there that he learned how to make his dream come true. He had the 20 potential members lined up and the details were cleared with the International Headquarters. And so it was that on Jim’s birthday, March 9, 1953, the Westchester County Chapter was born. Charter members included: Reinhold and Walter Arvidson, Harry Banks, Jack Bonacci, Hugh Brown, Leo Burns, Charles, Cuccia, Bill Danker, Leo Delotta, Jim Edmonds, Ralph Gollner, George Helwig, Willard Helwig, Graham Hubbel, Joe Jordan, Henry Miller, Walter Oestorawn, Joe Oths, Gardner Peene, and Everett Sarles. Three days later, an organizational meeting was held at the Morgan Inn on
South Broadway in White Plains and the following slate of temporary officers was elected: Jim Edmonds, president, Charley Cuccia, treasurer. Jack Bonacci, Secretary and Gardner Peene, Director. Delegations from the chapter’s co-sponsors, The Bronx and Manhattan chapters were present. John Salin of Manhattan, president of the mid-Atlantic district welcomed us as new district members and Rowland Davis, represented the international headquarters, The Buckingham Four, (Gardner Peene, Tenor, George Cline, Lead, Larry Sherwood, baritone and Ted Murphy, bass).entertained the crowd. 1953 WE MAKE IT OFFICIAL The chapter application was presented at a meeting in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and following formal acceptance, the new chapter’s charter was received
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on June 26, 1953. In the meantime a regular slate of officers had been elected for a one year term: Jim Edmonds, president, Gardner Peene, vice president, Walt Arvidson, sectretary and Will Helwig, sergeant-at-arms. Graham Hubel was elected delegate, but claimed that Jim did all the work. Regular meetings were scheduled twice a month at the Morgan Inn but were quickly changed to weekly as interest increased. The first major event that year was held on Friday, September 28th and was dubbed: “Charter Night.” That also marked the occasion of the chapter’s very first show. The venue was the Rochambeau School on Fisher Avenue in White Plains and the show bore the imaginative title, “Barber Shop Quartet and Chorus Singing.” It boasted a chorus of 25 voices. Appearing on the show were the Stagecoach Four of Cranford, New Jersey; The Notables, from Manhattan, the N.V Four from Northeastern College and Union City and Harmonizers. The master of ceremonies for that first show was “Pom” Pomroy who brought
CARTOONS BY HERB FENNELL
Herb Fennell was a member of the Golden Chordsmen. And he was much more. He was the dad of director Alan Fennell and he drew cartoons. All the time. Wherever the Chordsmen went, Herb was there with his trusty pad and pencil. His drawings would appear in the monthly bulletins and on the covers of our programs. And now we bring them back here. Thanks for the memories, Herb.
was not represented in an official singing capacity, most of the members were in attendance. The chorus title went to Washington’s Singing Capital Chorus who went on to win the international crown in 1954 bringing honor and recognition to the district. Look for more articles looking back at our early days in the next issue of OVERTONES.
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his Teaneck Chorus along to help out. The chorus sang Coney Island Baby and After Dark for about 300 friends and relatives and a few die-hard Barbershoppers from nearby chapters. The night marked the debut of The White Plainsmen (Leo Burns, tenor; Ralph Gollnar, lead; Joe Jordan, baritone; Jack Bonacci, bass). The afterglow was at the Roger Smith Hotel. A short time later Gardner Peene resigned as director which was a terrific blow to the organization. However, the chapter persuaded the very capable Walter Arvidson to take over the job and he continued to serve as director for three years. To round out 1953, the first annual convention of the MidAtlantic district was held at Carnegie Hall in New York. It featured The Chordettes, who would make pop music history the following year with their smash hit, Mr. Sandman. Also on hand were the 1954 international champions, The Schmitt Brothers along with The Vikings, and The Lytle Brothers among others. Although the young chapter
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
ONE STORY ABOUT OUR SHOWS. I joined the Golden Chordsmen September of 1963 and the show that year was scheduled for November 23rd. You know what happened on November 22nd. We tragically lost a popular young president to an assassin’s bullet. That night (Friday) was our scheduled dress rehearsal. We all arrived at the Highlands School and instead of rehearsing, we discussed whether we could go on with the show with the nation being in mourning. About half said the show must go on and the other half, (me included) said absolutely not. Every-
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To Al Fennell, Benjamin and Stephen Banker: May your chords always ring true! CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Call (914) 328-0163 280 Mamaroneck Ave. or visit Suite 201 White Plains, NY 10605 www.Smiles4Families.com For more information
one is in shock. It would be disrespectful to go on as if nothing happened and very likely few people would show up. Luckily the latter prevailed but we didn’t cancel. We postponed the show one week. Fortunately, the guest quartet was available the following week, (I can’t remember who it was or what the theme was). I do remember the show was a success and afterward everyone agreed it was the right decision. Sometimes we get caught up in how important show biz is. All’s well that ends well.
— TOM LAMOTTE
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What does it take to be a Lead? Leads sing the melody. The melody must be sung with authority, clarity and consistent quality throughout his range. The lead sings with limited vibrato to add color and warmth to the sound. Too much vibrato and the chord will not “lock” or “ring” or produce the unique, “expanded” or full sound that is characteristic of barbershop harmony. The lead conveys the interpretation, emotion, and inflections of the song.
Have you got what it takes to be a Lead? Visit our website at Chordsmen.org 27
www.goldenapplechorus.com
www.facebook/goldenapple.chorus
Email: info@goldenapplechorus.com For info call: 914-224-7536 A Not-for-Profit 501 © (3) Organization
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Tuesday nights, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Hawthorne Reformed Church, 65 Broadway, Hawthorne, NY
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2017
THE SWEETEST SOUNDS (2011). Keith Harris leads the chorus in Richard’s Rodger’s “Oklahoma!” This number along with “The Farmer and the Cowman” were real crowd pleasers both at home and in competitions. 28
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
BROADWAY MELODIES (2006). The Bedford Road Quartet. (L TO R). Leo Tulchin, Dane Bishop, Fred Kauber, and Jackson Wong. Our Youth in Harmony 4th grade quartet offers their rendition of “Bill Grogans Goat.”
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NEW CONSTRUCTION ADDITIONS 29
RENOVATIONS Kitchens | Bathrooms Decks | Siding | Windows Doors | Closets | Basements
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LOU BONIELLO Contractor lou@jakhomes.com | 914.424.1570
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2017
CHORD OF THE RINGS (2005). Dusty Schleier director. Sing us a Song of Courage and Kings! Of Hobbits, and Dwarves, of Elves and Things. Oh; Sing us a Song of Evil And Good; Of Magic and Rings that do More than they Should. 30
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
AGONY OF DE FEET (1988). Al Fennell director. Those were the Golden Years. Gold Derbies, Gold Vests, Gold Spats and The Golden Chordsmen Chorus Line.
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2017
THE BOSTON COMMON sings “That Old Quartet of Mine” at Chordsman Afterglow for WILD WILD WESTCHESTER (1993). Hundreds attend to say good-bye and to hear the legendary international champions just one more time.
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
AGONY OF DE FEET (1988). Al Fennell director. Those were the Golden Years. Gold Derbies, Gold Vests, Gold Spats and The Golden Chordsmen Chorus Line.
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T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E AT C H O R D S M E N . O R G O R C A L L 9 1 4 - 2 9 8 - 7 4 6 4
A (SLIGHTLY)
SATURDAY
SILLY EVENING
MAY 20, 2017
OF
7:30 PM
A CAPPELLA MUSIC
IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
WITH SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY
PRESENTED BY
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CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
CLASSIC SOUNDS
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The Chordsmen kick up their heels at the annual A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL. Reaching out into the community has always been a hallmark of the chapter. For 63 years we have lived by our Motto “Keep the Whole World Singing.”
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CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
OH THOSE BEAUTIFUL DOLLS (1988). Al Fennell director. The legendary Dummy Package featured expanding heads and dummies that flew into the air. Each front row man had two dummies attached; they controlled the arms and legs allowing for fun-filled choreography.
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2017
WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN We love the Sound of your Music Keep singing. It makes us happy. Lynn and Charles Weiner
The Chordsmen congratulate the 20 graduates of our two 2016 Ready-Set-Sing programs. This program of FREE singing lessons drew men from all over Westchester for six consecutive weeks. Will run again in Summer 2017 & January 2018 Visit https://chordsmen.org for dates & to register.
chordsmen.org
check out wppac.com for all upcoming events and to purchase tickets
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
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A SALUTE TO THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS (2004). Dusty Schleier director. Surrounded by secret service, hosts Bob Hope, Mark Twain and Ben Franklin stand beside all the president’s men - From George Washington to George W. Bush
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CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
WHAT’S ALIEN YOU? (1989). One of the all-time great comedy quartets, The Notewits were regulars on the Westchester shows. From left to right, ‘Doc’ Richard Sauce, Ed Keller, Dick Devaney and Steve Delehanty.
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Distributed via the Westchester County Business Journal (circulation ~10,000 business professionals), given out at Chordsmen performance venues and other locations all over Westchester County. For ad rates and sizes, please contact: Stephen Bartell, VP Marketing at 914-833-8683, or email sjbartell3@gmail.com
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus will be proud to publish its Third Annual Edition of OVERTONES Magazine to be published in March, 2018. We are accepting advertising for your businessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or post a personal message for your student (or spouse) singer!
OVERTONES
2017
NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: THE PERENNIAL HOSTS
A
B
C
D
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CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
(A) We owe so much to Walter Peek that we named a scholarship after him. Walter was the perennial master of ceremonies. (B) Irv Flamer can always be counted on to bring his special brand of charm to his hosting chores. (C) Jim Micik as Bob Hope chats with Miss USO before her moving rendition of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” In A Salute to the USO (2006) (D) John Fotia and Adam Samtur bring a barbershop perspective to A Chordsmen Christmas Carol. More hum, less bug (2013). There were others like John Finkbiner, Fred
Steinkamp, Frank Hendricks Doug Chapman and Michael Calhoun. We’ll have to do another issue featuring some of these others who contributed so much to our shows. We would also like to thank just a few of the many that have been instrumental both on stage and behind the scenes: Peter Kellogg, Howard Sponseller, Lyn Kaufman, Bill Kruse, Glen Allen, Bob Oppenheimer, Robert Scholl, Luke Busch, Erik Contzius, Dan Rendich, Ed Kane, Milton Steinberg, Bob Lohaus, Jodi and Wes Baldwin and Stephen Bartell. And a special thank you to the wives, sons and daughters and all those who help us make it all happen.
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BARBERSHOP: A CAPELLA’S MARTIAL ART DEKE SHARON
YOU’RE YOUNG, YOU’RE SCRAPPY. You want to be the best. You started singing in school, like everyone — choir, maybe a couple musicals. Karaoke with some friends, talent shows. Then some collegiate a cappella. But you don’t want to just be fine. That’s not enough. You want to be great. You want technique, you want moves. You need to learn karate... except contemporary a cappella doesn’t have a traditional refined martial art... does it? It does. It’s called barbershop. And you’re about to get the best schooling a young’un can, including: BLEND: There’s no blend like a barbershop blend. They don’t just match their vowels, they align their diphthongs as they sweep from one vowel to the next. Four guys (meaning men or women) sounding like one guy. Why does blend matter? Because each vowel has a very specific “fingerprint” — frequencies in the harmonic series — and when the vowels are perfectly aligned, it helps lock down... TUNING: You think four voices can only create four notes? Guess again. When you lock your voices into perfect tune with the same vowels you can not only create additional notes above yours, you can even create the perception of a
bass note below the human vocal range. That’s right, that’s the vocal equivalent of some kind of dark arts ninja magic. But it works and it happens every day, along with... DYNAMICS: Pop music on the radio has had the life squashed out of it. Learn how to sing quieter than you thought you could, and make a group sound that’s louder than you have, without microphones. Did I mention that a perfectly aligned chord also reinforces itself, creating a boost in volume? More ninja skills. But we’re not done yet, because you’ll learn... RUBATO: In a pop song, the tempo rarely varies. In a barbershop performance you’ll be pushing and pulling time, not unlike an orchestra. But there’s no conductor. You learn to feel the rhythm rise and fall, you learn to breathe as a unit as you perfect your... PHRASING: When everyone’s singing the lyrics, everyone’s singing and augmenting the melody as a unit. Like a finely tuned dance troupe, each person’s movements are linked to everyone else’s, in perfect synchronicity. This requires precision, so you’ll learn how to... REHEARSE: Barbershop is built on the finest traditions and techniques of classical choral music, so you know you’re learning proper vocal technique and centuries of good habits, which will lead to... PERFORMANCE: There’s no hiding in the back row in barbershop and no auto-pilot. Songs are short and every measure
is a litany of rhythmic changes, rapidly aligning chords, juxtaposed dynamics... all delivered with a larger-than-life performing style that will push you to be present in every moment. But it’s not all about performance, it’s all about... COMMUNITY: When you sing barbershop, you’re always only three guys away from a song, because there’s a common repertoire and a perpetual desire to sing. Everyone’s on the same team playing the same game and you always win. You might think Barbershop is only old guys singing old songs, but you’re wrong. Sometimes the songs are new, sometimes the guys are young, but you know what? There’s a lot to be learned from your elders and if a song has lasted a century, it’s still around for a good reason. I’m not saying you have to learn barbershop to be a great a cappella singer... but I am promising you if you do sing barbershop, you’ll be better than if you don’t.
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CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Deke Sharon founded CASA (and other stuff), makes TV shows (“The Sing-Off”), movies (“Pitch Perfect”), sings (The House Jacks), produces albums (Straight No Chaser, Street Corner Symphony, Committed, Nota, Bubs), wrote a book (A Cappella Arranging), publishes sheet music (Hal Leonard),and custom arranges music (over 2,000 songs). You can find him at www.dekesharon.com
OVERTONES
2017
Warm Weather and Mosquitoes! Many of these will be found in your yard! Aedes vexans, cinereus, canadensis, atropalpus, cantator, taeniorhynchus, grossbecki, stimulans, excrucians, fitchii, atlanticus, trivittatus, abserratus, sticticus, triseriatus, sollicitans Anopheles punctipennis, bradleyi, crucians, walkeri, quadrimaculatus Coquillettidia perturbans, Culiseta morsitans, inornata, melanura Culex territans, pipiens, restuans, salinarius Psorophora howardii, ciliata, ferox, columbiae, Uranotaenia sapphirina AKA Mosquitoes! Mosquito Magnets – Sales, Seasonal Rental, Service, Supplies It’s not too late to talk about monthly service! Let’s talk: Tony Weiner 914 698-3689 (tw@gobuzzoff.com) gobuzzoff.com
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Coupon only good once and cannot be combined. Buzz Off 2017
10% If you come to a rehearsal of the Westchester Chordsmen*. Get a total of 10% off any purchase of a New or refurbished Mosquito Magnet and/or supplies for the 2016 Mosquito season. Coupon can only be used once And not combined Buzz Off 2017
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*I am a member of the Westchester Chordsmen. So I look forward to meeting you. Tony Weiner
P r esents
BOOKS
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“Always Look on the
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Saturday, May 20th, 2017 at 7:30 PM Irvington High School Get tickets at: https://chordsmen.org or call 914-298-7464