proud to be a nassau mid islander - long … · design & wiz ‐bang dan ... when i ﬁrst...

Show Photos by Tom Seelinger

(Additional Show Photos on Pg. 3 & 12)

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano thanked and honored the Chapter for contributions to the local Community.

(Proclamation text on Page 9)

Proclamation From Nassau County

PROUD TO BE A NASSAU MID‐ISLANDER

Chapter Thrills Its Audience at 65th Annual Show

The 65th Annual Show cast of singers take their final bow before a grateful audience.

Toosday Toons ‐ ‐ May, 2015

A publication of the Nassau Mid‐Island Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, a nonprofit, charitable and educational society.

Chapter meetings are held at 7:30 PM on Tuesdays at Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent, 555 Advent Street, Westbury, New York.

All articles not accompanied by a byline have been written by the editors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the members nor of the officers of the Nassau Mid‐Island Chapter. Opposing points of view are welcomed and encouraged.

All editorial submissions must be received no later than the 21st of every month prior to the upcoming issue in order to be considered for publication.

Editor Bob Heim

[email protected]

Assistant Editor Bill Ruth

[email protected]

Additional Contributing Team George Seelinger Maurice Debar Eva Milauskas Bill Vesely

Design & Wiz‐bang Dan Gilmartin,

Chapter Webmaster

Chapter Census (February, 2015)

Life ‐ 1 Regular‐ 28

Senior (SL) ‐17 Senior (SN) ‐ 9

Youth ‐ 1 Total ‐ 56

www.LongIslandHarmonizers.org

We are a 501(C)(3) Not‐For‐Profit Organization

Moving Ahead With Resolve Another year, another great show! Thanks go out to Wayne Lazar and all of his committee for helping to make Barbershop Anytime a rousing success.

Although the final figures have yet to be tallied, it looks as though the financial results will be disappointing. Too bad, too, because there’s little doubt that year after year we continue to improve our singing. We sound better and better, but somehow fail to promote ourselves as much as we should. If we are to continue to grow, we need every member to pitch in and spread the word; not only about selling tickets and ads, but about what a wonderful wholesome adventure this hobby is!

Now that the show is behind us, we need to start looking ahead at what’s next. This is a perfect time to promote new membership. As we begin to add new music to our repertoire, our guests will find themselves on a more equal footing with the rest of us while we all start a song from scratch. We also will be able to give them more attention since we won’t be so intent on polishing our show songs. Bob Heim has come up with a recruitment flyer centered around the theme of "It's Springtime, time to 'Plant Yourself' on our Risers." Please take a few of these flyers and spread them around.

How many times has someone said to you that "You don't want to hear me sing!" It's a typical reaction and one I might have said myself ten years ago. Most people don't like the sound of their own voice when they hear it played back. It took me years to get used to the sound of my own voice and accept it for what it is. The important thing is not how good you think you are, but how much you love singing. I'm sure most of you have improved your singing since joining us and why wouldn't you want to share that experience with your friends.

Financially, as we’ve said before, we’re having a hard time. Although we’re a non‐profit organization, we do have considerable expenses that must be met, and we rely heavily on singout fees. If anyone has contact with a social organization, a senior facility or a library that provides entertainment at their meetings, please bring our chorus to their attention and have them contact Bob Merril about bookings.

Toosday Toons

From the Corner Office George Seelinger, Chapter President


We offer abundant thanks for the hard work of our tireless director, show committee chairpersons and helpers, chorus members and the cooperation from Friends Academy and guest entertainment.

A special thanks, too, to all who were in attendance.

When You’re Sixty‐Five At Presstime: First Photos From The 65th Annual Show

‐Our Thanks to Tom Seelinger‐


Recalling Thoughts Over a Glass of Wine

M any years ago I sat drinking wine with one of my fellow musicians with whom I had graduated Hofstra. We were trying to decide when

we could call ourselves men. We agreed that certainly we would achieve this when we had children. We both were married and lived adjacent to each other for the first years of our marriages. That discussion is now moot. Now I wonder when will I become a senior citizen. Much to my chagrin the answer to the question is the same as my previous question. I already am one! At least I am not debating if I am old which is something that we all need to address someday.

When I first became director of the Nassau chorus, I celebrated the ninetieth birthday of one of the members of the baritone section by taking him out to lunch. He was as feisty as Chiz Bell. Bob told me as we entered the restaurant not to tell anyone that he was 90 as they will treat him differently. I guess he meant that people thought you were feeble, hard of hearing and addled of mind.

There was a famous artist who when he could no longer take care of himself was interred in a nursing home. As therapy for his shaking limbs, he was given paint by numbers. Fortunately or unfortunately, my personal trainer doesn't know how old I am. She pushes me to efforts that I thought (actually I know) I can't do. I am not coddled. It is sometimes painful but I would have it no other way.

When Chiz was given piano lessons in his nineties, his instructor decided to use the chord method as this was easier. I will not make it easier on you! I will demand of you because I am demanding of myself. We all need something to strive for. Maybe a goal beyond our attaining. Life if not a victory, it is a struggle. The struggle makes us keep moving and remind us that we are alive. When are you old? When you act it. You decide this, not your birthday!

Learning and memorizing becomes harder with the passing years. I personally have an investment of 73 years to life and I want it to pay dividends so I struggle onward. We all know that music making keeps people young and that the struggle to learn keeps the mind fresh. Obama care may not work but Debar care will!

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no

pain.” ‐ Bob Marley

Celebrations in May Birthdays:

Bess Bell (2), Eva Milauskas (2), Laura Leone (3), Ed O’Connor

(4), Gene Chang (6), Bill Ennis (11), Susan Szlauta (30).

Anniversaries:

Bill and Florence Schlageter (4), Will and Mary McCoy (5),

Dennis and Judy Novick (13),

Marvin and Marilyn Goodman (20),

Steve and Kathe Stojowski (25).

Bess Bell, Dave D’Antonio, Marilyn Goodman,

Gene & Dorothy Kammerer, Jane Marrin, Mary McCoy,

Sally O’Connor, Joan Rampolla,

Bob and Mo (Muriel) Roth, Bill Schlageter, Jim Schlegal,

Duffy Spencer, Steve Stojowski,

Jack & Susan Szaluta, Joel Trent, Diane Vesely


I n 2014, Something Special, the only Barbershopera in music literature, was

accorded a first place gold medal in a global competition sponsored by the Boston Metro Opera.

The libretto and music for the approximately 50‐minute‐long production featuring barbershop harmonies and singers, was written by skillful composer Wallace Earl De Pue.

Here’s what music critic Boris Nelson said, in part, in Ohio’s Toledo Blade newspaper (May 24, 1976) following its first performance that combined the talents of the Maumee Valley Chapter of SPEBSQSA, Bowling Green State University Men’s Chorus plus guest quartets:

Sudsy Story Of ‘Super‐Beer’

Opera Barbershop‐Style Debuts

“Something Special”

You wouldn’t have believed it ‐‐ at first I didn’t ‐‐ but the world premiere of the first barbershop opera proved a smashing success Saturday evening at the packed Masonic Auditorium, where Wallace De Pue’s sudsy tale about a super‐beer created a lot of laughter, good fun ‐‐ and some tidy harmonizing barbershop‐style.

I, for one, had difficulty imagining a solo‐less opera in barbershop harmony when I first heard of it, but leave it to a very astute composer who certainly knows his way around operatic traditions to come up with a work which does not sacrifice any operatic tradition, including the use of a solo voice, nor the traditional way of barbershop genre.

What De Pue has done is, first of all, concoct a viable libretto onto which to hang enough action to make it visually interesting and to fill it out with singing. Since such an opus does need the connective line, he unhesitatingly uses straight dialogue (they call it parlando when you get to fancier grand opera).

Making a UMaking a U‐‐Turn Turn On the Information HighwayOn the Information Highway

W ith the heart‐wrenching passing of Chiz Bell, this Chapter not only lost a revered

editorial master in connection with Toosday Toons, but someone who cherished the role as Chapter historian as well. Fortunately some of Chiz’s hard‐copy files will be able to be retrieved; others will be sadly lost. Many Chapters face the problem in preserving important moments in their past, as well.

How, then, can our members, especially our newer ones, discover what those legacies are? There IS a way, even if it is only a partial solution. They, and you, can make a U‐turn on the computer’s information highway. We invite you to do so.

Archived issues of our bulletin are valuable resources for inspection, and they can be found on your Chapter’s website. They go back more than five years. Then, there’s also an Annual Shows link that

takes members as far back as 2008. Our photos and archives pages, even though culled from time to time, reflect activities of the past, too.

When browsing for information about the Chapter on the web, click on “images” and videos” as well. They provide happy surprises, too.

Check on these ways to look back in the Chapter’s rear view mirror, and enjoy what has led up to its promising future.


B = BALANCE OF MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT From A2Z Smart Music Academy

Text Lifted From

The Voice—March 2015

Jerry Troxel, Editor

S inging is a mental, physical and

emotional experience as much as it

is an art form. What you know and your

mental focus, how you engage your

body, and how you feel all directly

impact your vocal tone and reflect in

your performance.

The first thing to realize is that when

any of these aspects— mind, body or spirit—is out of

balance, or out of focus, your voice will change

because of it. Our mind, body and spirit are very

closely wired to the tone of our voice, not just our

singing voice, our entire voice. What does that

mean? It means that whatever we are thinking or

feeling has specific vocal tone associations that

began at birth.

Think about these simple examples: If we are happy

or sad (spirit), tired or exhilarated (body), focused or

distracted (mind), they all have tell‐tale signs that

you can actually hear. Sometimes it is hard to see in

ourselves, so take a look outside to your family and

friends. Can you guess how they are feeling overall

by the expression in their voice? While these traits

are very individual, the imprint begins at a very

young age.

To experience the most freedom and ultimate

control over your singing voice, you need to balance

your MIND, BODY and SPIRIT. Take a moment right

now to meditate. Many people are so used to the

tension and bottled up emotions they carry around

that the imbalance actually feels normal

to them. How balanced are you?

ASK YOURSELF: Is there any emotional

stress, physical tension or lack of

mental focus that is stealing energy

from my vocal tone? Make SMART

singing choices: find the balance of

Mind, Body and Spirit and bring true

life to your singing tone. Enjoy your voice today!

Jo Fiehling, Director of Volunteer Services at the Medical Center, told this heartwarming story after our singout. Jo’s mother was the first person in a large immigrant family born in the USA. Jo’s grandparents were so grateful to be allowed to emigrate to this country they named her mother America. Jo told Michael Creaney that her mother was in attendance at the luncheon/singout, and further explained that her mom burst into tears with our singing of God Bless America. A special moment, for sure.

Nassau Mid‐Islanders Sing for Peconic Bay Hospital Volunteers

at a Special Luncheon at Georgio’s in Baiting Hollow


Let’s Hear It For Moms

A trio of links are offered this month as we pay homage to moms everywhere. Over the years,

they’ve held a special place in our hearts, and in melodies sung in glorious four‐part harmony. Though difficult to pick just three examples, we’ve taken up the challenge, and these are the result. We hope you applaud the choices in terms of message and presentation.

Four very youthful Osmond Brothers are first up on a 1964 Andy Williams TV show, in which they assert I Wouldn’t Trade the Silver in My Mother’s Hair (for all the gold in the world). You’ll find the touching lyrics and in your browser at: https://youtu.be/_rOTpr7Evwo

And here’s another quartet of considerable distinction, The Rural Route 4, though by 2011 when this recording was produced, its original members had changed. They RR4 were tops in international competition in 1986.

https://youtu.be/V9ReigQt0Xs

Lastly, we invite you to listen to the soul‐satisfying harmonies of The Vocal Majority chorus as they extoll The Wonderful Mother of Mine. Worth a sigh or two, for sure. It is at: https://youtu.be/EZuS1UbqLVg

Pun Fun

T he engineer of a train passing through Poland could see no light because the power had been knocked out by a severe ice storm. “We’re running out of coal,” he said to his trainman, “but I think we’re coming to Gdansk or Danzig, whatever they call it now. Let’s stop and send the porter out to buy more fuel. Can you see a sign on the depot that says ‘Gdansk’ in this dim light?” “No”, replied the trainman, “it appears to be ‘Danzig’ in the dark.” “Buy Coal, Porter!” sang out the engineer.

Rehearsal Pronouncements

There’s a lot of fishing for notes. Might you try and catch at least some of them?

Our accompanist is playing on the black keys and playing on the white keys, but it appears that you all are singing in the cracks.

If you are wondering what the tempo will be, so am I.

FROM: Smoke Signals, Seneca Lake District, Nov/Dec ‐ 2014


Do you have the “write” stuff?

WHAT IF… Furnished to Toosday Toons By Grady Kerr, BHS Historian

R ecently, Logan Horn, a barbershopper from Marion, Indiana and a member of the popular

FaceBook group called Barbershop Enthusiasts posted this simple comment … “What if 76 trombones never led the big parade?”

This inspired the other 4000 members of the group to start playing a game called WHAT IF?

As you can see it got out of hand and inspired hundreds of humorous comments. Some refer to Barbershop songs, barbershop people and inside references. Some you’ll get ‐ some you won’t.

See how many YOU get (from this edited list). Enjoy!

What if I saw something other than blue skies? What if I remembered where and when? What if last night, on the back porch, I DIDN'T love

her best of all? What if the clouds don't go drifting by for Nellie? What if the chariot doesn't swing low enough? What if sweet and lovely wasn't all a girl should be? What if there had never been trouble in River City? What if you told me your dream and I didn't tell you

mine? What if I'm 64? What if I stopped saying Maria? What if Alexander's Band actually played Jazz? What if the Five and Ten Cent store had been closed? What if little Billy wasn't oh so silly and shy? What if their hearts were full of winter? What if the wedding bells hadn't broken up that old

gang of mine? What if love only had one splendor? What if i want to get you on a fast boat to China? What if she wasn't making eyes at me? What if her gown wasn't gingham? What if a picture only painted 999 words? What if Daisy had already given me her answer? What if you weren't the only girl in the world, and I

wasn't the only boy? What if my " Coney Island Baby" was really from

Asbury Park? What if men didn't name her Mona Lisa? What if I were sitting on the bottom of the world? What if it's a bicycle built for one? What if he'd said Goodbye Mary Lou? What if we knew how deep the ocean is? What if Sweet Georgia Brown wasn't so sweet? What if we found out Who is sorry now?

What if the Fascination Rhythm was only mildly interesting?

What if the Erie Canal were only 3 miles long? What if the South Rampart Street Parade was

actually on North Rampart Street?

Welcome to Our Chapter Family

Natalie Ann Henighan Born: March 7, 2015 10 pounds 2 ounces 21.5 inches long

Ellen & James Henighan ‐

Parents

Lois & Harold Verity‐ Grandparents

Our Congratulations to All!

All editorial submissions must be received no later than the 21st of every month prior to the upcoming issue in order to be considered for publication. - The Editor.

BACK WHEN

A headline in the June 9, 1938 Tulsa Tribune read. "Bing can't be here but will dedicate song." O.C. Cash had invited Bing Crosby to Tulsa to attend a national singing contest. The story continued, "However, next Thursday night. Bing will honor the newly‐formed Tulsa society on his radio broadcast. He will dedicate a new song, Mother Nature's Lullaby which is full of good, old‐fashioned harmony, to the Tulsa organization. 'My heart is with you. boys, but I can't come,' he telegraphed."

Noted by Grady Kerr, Historian


All editorial submissions must be received no later than the 21st of every month prior to the upcoming issue in order to be considered for publication. - The Editor.

Do you have the “write” stuff?

WHEREAS, the County of Nassau is proud to recognize those outstanding

individuals and organizations who render significant

contributions for the enhancement of our region and the

betterment of our residents; and

WHEREAS, the Barbershop Harmony Society, Nassau Mid Island Chapter, is

such an organization; and

WHEREAS, the members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, Nassau Mid

Island Chapter have worked diligently on behalf of causes

and ideals which uphold the principles of human decency

and brotherhood, and through the years, they have

demonstrated a selfless commitment to the community that

warrants attention and gratitude; and

WHEREAS, the Barbershop Harmony Society, Nassau Mid Island Chapter,

give of their time and energy to help save Barbershop

Singing on Long Island and selflessly donate a portion of

their proceeds to help support various community

programs;

WHEREAS, the County of Nassau is proud to extend this commendation to the

Barbershop Harmony Society, Nassau Mid Island Chapter,

as you celebrate your 65th Anniversary and are recognized

for your invaluable service to the residents of Long Island;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Edward P. Mangano, Nassau County

Executive, hereby proclaim this week of April 11-18 2015:

ftÄâàx àÉ UtÜuxÜá{ÉÑ [tÜÅÉÇç jxx~

Text of Proclamation Presented to the

Nassau Mid‐Island Chapter

By Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano

Recognizing the Chapter’s Contributions

to the Community for 65 Years

And Naming April 11‐18 Salute to Barbershop Harmony Week


Some of our NMI members also hold active memberships with other BHS Chapters. Here, from Steve Stojowski, is his listing:

Joe Cerutti, Jr. also belongs to J047 Alexandria Harmonizers and J118 Five Towns College Chapter; Maurice Debar also belongs to J118 Five Towns College and J100 Manhattan Big Apple; Bill Grieshaber also belongs to J100 Manhattan Big Apple; Stephen Marrin also belongs to J118 Five Towns College Chapter; Steven Ritz also belongs to J022 Cherry Hill Pine Barons; John Scholfield also has active memberships with D120 Laguna Hills and D037 South Orange County and Steve Stojowski also belongs to J035 Bryn Mawr Mainliners.

His horn playing was legendary, the singing voice unmistakable, his contributions to the jazz world achieved a preeminence associated with the “greats.”

Many barbershoppers know that as a child, Satchmo (Louis) Armstrong sang (and danced) with three other friends in the hopes of a handful of coins. But, do you have any idea where the nickname came from?

One story is that it had to so with the size of Armstrong’s mouth and early jazz musicians who referred to him as “Gatemouth,” “Satchelmouth” and “Dippermouth.” In the 1930s, Armstrong visited England, and a British magazine editor inadvertently and mistakenly greeted him with the shortened name, “Satchmo.” The name stuck.

Following it’s successful 65th Annual Show, Nassau Mid‐Island members will be ratcheting up efforts to attract additional members with the thought that springtime is the season for new growth. News releases, flyers and other ways to draw attention to the special push will encourage tenors, leads, baris and basses to “plant themselves” on our risers and grow with our active organization.

“The Spring is certainly an appropriate time to sow the seeds leading to an expanded roster,” says Bob Merrill, NMI VP for Chapter Development. “And, as we add new repertoire for 2015 it is a perfect time to get onboard.”

The months ahead , Merrill adds, afford many singers time off from other commitments, like church choirs as an example, and becomes an interesting way to keep voices in shape while flourishing in a different art form.

Putting a Spring Into Our “Steps”Putting a Spring Into Our “Steps”


N ow that the Long Island Harmonizers chorus has started learning a barbershop

arrangement of the well‐known folk song I’ve Been Working On the Railroad, it may be of interest in learning how that melody, and a barbershop quartet’s singing of it, gave rise to the Eyes of Texas, the official song of the University of Texas at Austin, considered by some as an unofficial state song.

According to information gathered by the Texas State Historical Association, the melody and words were first sung at a minstrel show to benefit the university track team at the Hancock Opera House in Austin on May 12, 1903.

William L Prather, an alumnus of Washington College (Lexington, Virginia) and president of UT from 1899 to 1905, had often in his student days heard Robert E. Lee, then president of Washington College, say to students, "The eyes of the South are upon you." Prather altered the saying for use at the University of Texas.

The best‐documented version of the song's origin, notes the Historical Association’s reportage, has Lewis Johnson, director of the band and the person in charge of the show, asking his roommate, John Lang Sinclair, to write the lyrics to a lively song. On the night before the show, Sinclair, recalling Prather's words, wrote lyrics fitted to the melody of I've Been Working on the Railroad on a piece of scrap laundry paper. The glee club quartet performed the song repeatedly at the show to great applause, and the band paraded the campus playing and singing the song the next day. Two years later Prather's family requested that the song be sung at his funeral. Sinclair had revised the words and the chorus to the revised version is the song now in popular use.

The song gradually became the students' favorite school song. It was translated into ten languages on order of university president Harry Y.

Benedict in 1930. The UT Students' Association copyrighted the piece in 1936.

In 1951 the association set up the John Lang Sinclair Eyes of Texas Scholarship Fund. Royalties were placed in the fund, and half went to the association and the other half to scholarships. When the copyright expired in 1964, the Students' Association, with the assistance of the Ex‐Students' Association and Congressman J. J. (Jake) Pickle, tried to renew the copyright, but the request was refused.

Even so, The Eyes of Texas continued to be recognized as the official song of the University of Texas at Austin and at times was mistakenly identified as the state song.

End Notes

IF IT SOUNDS FAMILIAR—IT IS

The Eyes of Texas

“Barbershop quartet singing is truly an American effort. It’s more American than

the Ford car or the can opener.”

- Quote attributed to O.C. Cash


Chapter Quartets

ERRATUM: In the April issue’s quiz, we called the original name of the Society, SPBSQUS. We find that it should have been SPPBSQUS, standing for the Society for the Preservation and Propagation of Barbershop Quartet Singing in the United States.

AfterGloWorms Harold Verity, Tenor

Bob Miraglia, Lead

Steve Stojowski, Bass

Maurice Debar, Baritone

Contact: [email protected]

All In A Chord Bill Ruth, Tenor

Steve Brausa, Lead

Bernie Genzer, Bass

George Seelinger, Baritone


Almost Famous Howie Bailin, Tenor

Tony Leone, Lead

Ken Wunsch, Bass

Bob Miraglia, Baritone


Just Duckie Harold Verity, Tenor

Steve Brausa, Lead

Maurice Debar, Bass

George Seelinger , Baritone


Long Island Express Bill Ruth, Tenor

Gene Kammerer, Lead

Joe Massaro, Bass

Bob Roth, Baritone


No Treble At All Bernie Genzer, Tenor

Bill Vesely, Lead

Ken Wunsch, Bass

Wayne Lazar, Baritone


Quatrain Bob Kelly, Tenor

Steve Marrin, Lead

Al Fennell, Bass

Paul Santino, Baritone


The verdict? Sounding fine, says judge, Maurice De‐bar, with new member Charles Kempton (left) and

Ray Shotter.

Ray Yeh sings “If I Were A Rich Man” at the 65th Annual Show.

Our newest quartet achieving fame at the 65th Annual Show.

65th Annual Show.

Just Ducky performs at the 65th Annual Show.

A Bit of Nostalgia. Did YOU Sing Along Too? >

proud to be a nassau mid islander - long … · design & wiz ‐bang dan ... when i ﬁrst...

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