[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 59-01, January - March, 2005 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

Need a director?

By Don Pyper, Vice President Chorus Director Development

Our organization thrives on the creation, re-creation and  support of  people who are willing to stand in front of our chapters weekly, wave their hands, plan the rehearsal so its both productive and fun. They  help us to sing better, dress up for performances, show us how to smile while we’re trying to remember our notes and words. They give us the first word of each and every song and generally be a nice person.

You’ll be surprised to know that it doesn’t take a special person to accomplish all this, it just takes a little training.

The Ontario District of the Barbershop Harmony Society has been a leader among districts in setting out programs that will help willing “Wannabees” get started, willing directors get better, and willing assistants get ahead. There are three programs that all chapter music team people and chapter presidents should be  aware of. They are as follows.

• 1. CDWI (Chorus Director Workshop Intensive)
  This is an excellent program at three levels now which will help you, as a host chapter, to learn much about a lot of things. It will help some lucky directors hone their skills with you as their singing group. Your chapter can host one of these quite simply. The directors of Ontario will love you for it.
• 2. DOTF  (Director Of The Future)  
  This course is for a person who is interested in becoming a director. We have specially trained instructors who will seem to make the transition from “I think I can do it,”  to “I DID IT!” You absolutely can’t know if you can do it until you try.  “WE NOT ONLY NEED DIRECTORS IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED THEM NOW”.
• 3. The Ontario District also has access to district and Society funding to send directors and assistants to the famous, excellent Director’s College July 31-August 7, 2005, (this year in a wonderful new location at Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, a much easier drive from Ontario).

You, as a participant, will share experiences, information, ideas and stories with directors from all over the continent and the world. It really is a spiritual experience.

For information contact ASAP, Don Pyper, Ontario District manager, chorus director development, 2005, (519) 782-4425 or e-mail <dpyper @ Lweb.net>.  k