We noted last week that a major a cappella festival was hosting a barbershop clinic, with hopes of spreading good impressions of our style and capabilities. Well, the clinic was a HIT, with great attendance and impact. (Don't take our word -- listen to these happy attendees!)
Matt Gorman reports:
We had a successful event and hopefully a future fruitful relationship with CASA/SoJam. Here's the run-down.Best part was the Q and A session. You groups asked questions about how to help incorporate this into their singing, some women asked if we can have examples of female a cappella singing, another asked for coaching and training in regards to barbershop singing and style. We had a class room full of 50+ students, and it ended up being standing room only. Barbershoppers from Virginia, Raleigh and some NSC district leadership were even there in the class watching along with the rest. After the class broke we had a few stick around to sing tags, and I gave away a GQ cd, Musical Island Boys, and a love notes CD (note the 50/50 split male/female attendance.)
- Intro – walk in a blast ONCE UPON A TIME to the class to show the barbershop sound, and also so establish some credibility as singers.
- Show the Music Man – “Ice Cream” scene to confirm that is what they think barbershop is
- Show “Love being here with you” from Ringmasters Portland contest video to show what barbershop has become
- Matt read the article from Deke Sharon – Martial Artists of A Capella
- Dr. Bill went into the science of the sound. The Barbershop 5th, and made some great references the class got, kept it light and humorous and really got the class engaged with how the chords are created
- Taught the tag, Once upon a time to the class – have an instgram video, will find link
- Dr. Bill went over rehearsal techniques, vowel matching, voice placement, identified the 4 parts of the chord
- Brought up guest quartet to perform the tag for the group
- Gary took over presentation/emoting/performing the songs. Made great references about standing in a circle looking at your feet while your collegiate a capella counterparts perform their solos. Made great notes on eye contact, selling the song, telling a story and then showed MUSICAL ISLAND BOYS – Childhood video to the audience
- Matt G went over unison singing in rehearsal and how it helps create a unit sound. Unison being the most boring way to rehearse but helps matching and building on the core of the sound