[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 61-02, April - June, 2007 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

Great Society plans

Barry Towner, Society Paired District Board Member, ONT and NED

What a great Ontario District convention! Congratulations to all of the competitors, and particularly Mirage who will be representing Ontario in Denver, The Gin And Tonics, who will be in the MBNA College Quartet Contest in Denver, and new Ontario District Chorus Champions, Simcoe Gentlemen of Harmony, and Ontario District Seniors Quartet Champions, Vintage.

I thought it would be a good time to give you a brief update on the impending move of the Society headquarters to Nashville in a few months. Construction of the offices is going very well and most of the other aspects are also on track for a late summer move in.

The building is in a wonderful location in downtown Nashville, on Seventh Avenue. It is around the corner from both the Nashville Arena, site of the 2008 International convention, and the Ryman Auditorium.

A recent article in the Nashville business magazine talked about the move of the headquarters of the Barbershop Harmony Society to Nashville, so they know we’re coming. Plan on attending the International next year so you can see the headquarters first-hand. You will be impressed.

But before the 2008 International we have this year’s International in Denver. It is the first time that Denver has hosted the convention and they are pulling out all the stops to make it a memorable one. Hope to see you all there supporting The Gin And Tonics, Mirage, Toronto Northern Lights and Greater Toronto MegaCity Chorus.

Following International will be Harmony University in St. Joseph, Missouri, at the end of July. There are three colleges associated with HU, Harmony College, Directors College, and Quartet College. The programs in each are top-notch with the cream of the barbershop world on faculty.

Ontario had one of the largest contingents last year and I trust I’ll see another great Ontario group there this year. If you haven’t already made plans to go, there is still time to register. If you can’t go for the whole week, there is a weekend ‘taster’ offered this year for the second year. It offers many of the same courses in a shortened, more condensed form. It was a great success last year.

Thanks to all of you who spoke with me at the spring convention about the Society and the programs. If any of you have any questions about the Society or its programs, do not hesitate to drop me a line. If I can’t answer your question directly, I will get an answer for you.

Have Fun!
BARBERSHOP — FOR LIFE. k