2011 Class Descriptions
Below are the descriptions and instructors for the HCNW 2011. We've added several new ones!. Classes are listed by category, such as Chapter Development, Directors, Visual Focus and Singing Skills. You can "mix and match" your classes, even if they are in different categories.
While the curriculum for 2012 will change some, for now please feel free to take a look at the sorts of classes we hold during our HCNW weekend.
You can also get a PDF listing of the classes by session (without descriptions).
Chorus Coaching Sessions: Register and bring your ensemble. Tap into a wide array of coaching talent. These people are eager to help you sing better, and have more fun and success as you do it. Coaching in Sessions #1, #7 and #8 can be arranged by special request, if coaches are available. Coaches: TBA
Chapter Leaders One-on-One: Special working-lunch sessions for Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, and Membership roles. Faculty: COTS Instructors.
Finding the Identity of Your chorus or Quartet: Who are you? Chorus and quartets often don't consider choosing an image for themselves, while highly successful organizations spend millions on marketing, branding, testing, refining, re-branding, and then spend more! In this course we will discuss group culture, rehearsal practices, music selection, lead/director behaviors that help and hurt, and ways to make your quartet or chorus elicit the reaction you wish from an audience and your members. Faculty: Don Rose
Membership Tips and Tricks: This class will talk about how to get guests in the door, convert guests to members, develop an orientation plan, and keep members energized over the years. Tips will be shared from the “Ready, Set, Sing” program (SAI), the popular Chuck Greene’s workshop, and other great barbershop resources. Faculty: Judy Galloway
Chorus Coaching Sessions: Register and bring your ensemble. Tap into a wide array of coaching talent. These people are eager to help you sing better, and have more fun and success as you do it. Coaching in Sessions #1, #7 and #8 can be arranged by special request, if coaches are available. Coaches: TBA
The Coaching Apprentice Program: How to Build on What You Know or Learn from the Master Coaches: Do you want to be a better coach? Are you interested in the psychology of coaching? Would you like to spend the weekend at HCNW immersed in the coaching culture? Then become a coaching apprentice on Saturday. On Friday evening, we'll get together for orientation and introductions and assignments. Then Saturday we'll talk about what coaching sessions are, and how they can be better. Then we'll go on "field trips" to actual coaching sessions and watch how the masters do it, then get back together and share what we've learned. If you're interested in advancing your coaching game, from your current level to a higher one, come join us. Plan on being in this program all of Saturday. Sorry, but floaters and drop-ins are discouraged. Program will end Saturday evening, so you will be free to take classes on Sunday morning. Faculty: Jim Kahlke, Music Judge Category Specialist
How to Give Personal Vocal Instruction (PVIs): "PVIs are not a contagious disease...but they COULD be a cure!" How to give PVIs to yourself and to others. This concept is talked about a lot, but few people really know how to use it effectively. Come explore the way to use this method of teaching to get great results. This class is for anyone who is ready to be an active participant. Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Self Coaching: Learn how to use this skill with your quartet, your ensemble, your section, or your chorus on a night that the director is not available. Faculty: John Burri
Directors and Assistant Director
Arm-Waving 101: Leading the Barbershop Chorus with Physical Gestures:As directors we are charged to give clear and direct information to our singers. Everything we do from our own body alignment to how we breathe to the way we hold our hands has direct impact on the way our singers sing and therefore on how they sound and look. This very practical class will experiment with and experience effective tools for leading a barbershop chorus. While no previous directing experience is required, this class will be valuable for veteran as well as novice directors. Faculty: Rich Lapp
CSI: Music -- Uncovering the Mysteries Hidden in the Song and Arrangement: Students will take close inventory of the choices the composer of the original song made when crafting the song, then look at how the barbershop arranger used his/her skills to help bring the song to life in a barbershop setting. This information will guide us as we interpret a song for performance in the barbershp style. Tempo, rhythmic feel, dynamics, phrase shaping, articulation, diction, etc, will all become evident as we study the original song and arrangement. A good class for chorus directors, assistant directors and quartet members, or any barbershppper for that matter. Faculty: Rich Lapp
Director's Body Language: We use words to tell our chorus what we want from them. Often, we have little idea that they are getting other (and sometimes stronger) messages from us, as we use our hands, faces and posture, our entire body. Explore all of the ways that we visually communicate with our chorus. Learn the things that we show that defeat our intentions, and learn the techniques that will reinforce what we say. Faculty: Ron Black
Directors Discussion Group: An opportunity to have an open forum with fellow directors. Ask questions about problems you are encountering or concerns you are having. Get a list of resources for directors and music teams. Find out what classes are offered for Directors by the BHS and Evergreen District, and SAI and the Regions. Faculty Panel: Bob Robson, John Rettenmayer, Mac Dallman, John Burri, Rich Lapp
Forward Motion: Musical forward motion...what is it? Why do the judges keep talking about it? How do you get it? What do we do in our singing to kill it and how can we use simple strategies to achieve it? Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Problem Solving for Directors: "I'm not JUST waving my arms up here!!! Or, am I?" This is a high-level class for directors, music educators and music team members. We will a) use the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Directors and, b) clarify the mission for you, and for your chorus. Then figure out what you are doing that is helping you achieve the mission, and what is getting in the way. The course will examine the things that you as a director can control, and the things that you can’t. Finally, it will look at the “soft skills” you can use. Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Rhythm in My Bones: Are you a downbeat or an upbeat person? Straight-time or swing-time? Come and find out! We’ll figure out where the rhythm is in your body. You’ll learn simple tools to feel different time signatures and more complex physical exercises to feel beat subdivisions and syncopations. Got a piece that’s rhythmically challenging for you or your group? Bring it to this class and we’ll figure out how to get that song’s rhythm in your bones! Faculty: Donya Metzger
The Science of Sound: This class will revolve around the kinesthetic approach to singing. You will experience and learn how to produce different vocal qualities by using your hands and body. The knowledge you will gain is beneficial in both the quartet and chorus atmosphere. This class focuses on how to take individual voices and blend them together as one. Don't plan on sitting in a chair and taking notes the whole time; we will be on our feet doing fun vocal experiments. Stop by and join us for your chance to experience...The Science of Sound! Faculty: Jonny Moroni (Vocal Spectrum)
Sound Management: Listening skills, teaching tools, and kinesthetic experience. Target audience: directors, section leaders. Faculty: Ron Black
Strategies for Directors: A template to use to select repertoire, and then strategies to know and prepare the music for teaching it to the singers. Bring a piece of music you will be teaching to notate for the purpose of mining its riches. Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Synchronization 101: Every time the ensemble is out of sync--starting, ending, or delivering both vowels and consonants at different times--you surrender the opportunity to ring a chord. Learn to recognize and fix sync issues. Faculty: Ron Black
The Talent Code: How talent is created, and excellence is achieved. If you are hungry to achieve excellence--in barbershop, or in any field--there are some amazing techniques that will get you there. Charlie will walk you through some of the ideas in this recent popular book, and give you a chance to practice them. Note: The approaches to practice and coaching in The Talent Code will be attractive to those who are prepared to struggle to achieve at a high level, not for those less committed. Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Basic Barbershop Theory..."Non-Theory Theory!": This class is focused on the singer who has a FEEL for music, but maybe doesn't read music or has little understanding of chords and chord structure. We will explore the very basics of how barbershop music works and demystify the circle of fifths, tri-tone movement and other terms we use that make your eyes glaze over! Come FEEL the fun by seeing and hearing and feeling how these barbershop basics work! Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Invitation to Song Writing: Pique an interest in the pursuit of the craft. With motivation and an appropriate course of study, you could become a songwriter! Start your path toward creating new music that is meaningful to today’s generation of barbershoppers. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Singing in the Barbershop Style: "How To Succeed In Barbershopping Without Really Trying! Ok, you have to try a little." Just because the chart is arranged "in the barbershop btyle" doesn't mean you are performing it "in the barbershop style." Help people understand what barbershop is and dispel what it is not. How to have a great time singing in the barbershop style--avoid being note and part singers. Learn to use the style to help your performance come to life. Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Tag Writing: Students in the class will actually create two new tags. This class will be different from the songwriting class. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Theory of Barbershop Harmony, Part 1 and 2: We all love those barbershop chords; now find out WHY we do. How are chords constructed and how do they function to make the barbershop sound? This class is open to those who comfortably read music and understand scales. This class spans two class sessions. Faculty: Mel Knight
The ABCs of Showmanship: A step-by-step class showing how to formulate a total visual plan correlating costume, image and attitude, choreography and creativity to effectively present the musical intent of the composer and arranger, and the goals of your ensemble. Faculty: Jenn Edwards (Moxie Ladies)
CSI: Music -- Uncovering the Mysteries Hidden in the Song and Arrangement: Students will take close inventory of the choices the composer of the original song made when crafting the song, then look at how the barbershop arranger used his/her skills to help bring the song to life in a barbershop setting. This information will guide us as we interpret a song for performance in the barbershp style. Tempo, rhythmic feel, dynamics, phrase shaping, articulation, diction, etc., will all become evident as we study the original song and arrangement. A good class for chorus directors, assistant directors and quartet members, or any barbersh0pper for that matter. Faculty: Rich Lapp
Interpretation: The Care and Feeding of Your Audience: This class is designed to expand your understanding of how to open your heart so that an audience gets truthful entertainment. Whether you plan it or not, you are communicating something! Come learn how to be purposeful, directed, and powerful in your connection with an audience. Faculty: David Leeder
Owning the Stage, Parts 1 and 2: A review of performance concepts from the popular blog of the same name, including how to use "Story" to get authentic performance, and how to tackle stage fright. This class spans two class sessions. Faculty: Tom Metzger
Gospel Sing: Join the 2000 International Senior Quartet Champions, OverTime, in a Sunday morning gospel sing. Lots of songs both new and old, and lots of fun too! Faculty: OverTime Quartet
Learn the Song of the Weekend: Didn’t get a chance to practice? Bring your downloads of the sheet music, and spend 90 minutes getting up to speed, so that you can enjoy all the fun. Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Personalized Vocal Coaching: (Also known as PVI / Personal Vocal Improvement or Instruction) We all want to know how to sing better, fuller, with more resonance and better breath support. This is your chance to get a 15-minute, one-on-one personal vocal coaching (PVC) session with one of our coaches. A coach will be available during every class session on Saturday. Several additional coaches will be available for PVCs during the long dinner period on Saturday. You will have an opportunity to sign up for your Saturday personal coaching session during Friday evening. Faculty: Various. Coordinator: Matthew Crandall NOTE: Sessions 2, 5 and 6 are full! Please choose other sessions.
Polecats Practice Session: After the show is over, Friday evening is the perfect time to polish up or learn some of the popular Polecats. Faculty: John Rettenmayer and Mac Dallman
Tag Singing: What more needs to be said? You want tags? Paul has them, and you can sing them. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Woodshedding 101: Come and learn the very basics of this ancient and participatory barbershopping sport. Be ready to sing every part and search for that elusive "Lost Chord". Faculty: David Leeder
CSI: Music -- Uncovering the Mysteries Hidden in the Song and Arrangement: Students will take close inventory of the choices the composer of the original song made when crafting the song, then look at how the barbershop arranger used his/her skills to help bring the song to life in a barbershop setting. This information will guide us as we interpret a song for performance in the barbershp style. Tempo, rhythmic feel, dynamics, phrase shaping, articulation, diction, etc, will all become evident as we study the original song and arrangement. A good class for chorus directors, assistant directors and quartet members, or any barbershppper for that matter. Faculty: Rich Lapp
Forward Motion: Forward motion...what is it? Why do the judges keep talking about it? How do you get it? What do we do in our singing to kill it and how can we use simple strategies to achieve it? Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Invitation to Song Writing: Pique an interest in the pursuit of the craft. With motivation and an appropriate course of study, you could become a songwriter! Start your path toward creating new music that is meaningful to today’s generation of barbershoppers. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Learning to Read Music, Level 2: Continuing from what was learned in Reading Music, Level 1, this class will help you understand what key the music is in, how to find your part’s starting note, and will apply what you’ve learned to barbershop tags and songs. Bring a pitch pipe, if you have one. Enjoy success in applying these new skills. Faculty: Sandy Detroit & Judy Galloway
Learning Styles and Strategies For Learning Music: Discover your personal learning styles and strengths, and learn strategies that use those strengths to help you in your Music Learning Process. Learn how to approach that new song more readily in a relaxed manner! Students are encouraged to go take an online assessment of their learning style before arriving at class by taking this online test. Faculty: Sandy Detroit
Rhythm in My Bones: Are you a downbeat or an upbeat person? Straight-time or swing-time? Come and find out! We’ll figure out where the rhythm is in your body. You’ll learn simple tools to feel different time signatures and more complex physical exercises to feel beat subdivisions and syncopations. Got a piece that’s rhythmically challenging for you or your group? Bring it to this class and we’ll figure out how to get that song’s rhythm in your bones! Faculty: Donya Metzger
Synchronization 101: Every time the ensemble is out of sync--starting, ending, or delivering both vowels and consonants at different times--you surrender the opportunity to ring a chord. Learn to recognize and fix sync issues. Faculty: Ron Black
Tag Writing: Students in the class will actually create two new tags. This class will be different from the songwriting or tag singing class. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Arm Waving 101--Leading the Barbershop Chorus with Physical Gestures: As directors we are charged to give clear and direct information to our singers. Everything that we do from our own body alignment to how we breathe to the way we hold our hands has direct impact on the way our singers sing and therefore on how they sound and look. This very practical class will experiment with and experience effective tools for leading a barbershop chorus. While no previous directing experience is required, this class will be valuable for veteran as well as novice directors. Faculty: Rich Lapp
How to Give Personal Vocal Instruction (PVIs): "PVIs are not a contagious disease... but they COULD be a cure!" How to give PVIs to yourself, and to others. This concept is talked about a lot... but few people really know how to use it effectively. Come explore the way to use this method of teaching to get great results. This class is for anyone who is ready to be an active participant. Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Sound Management: Listening skills, teaching tools, and kinesthetic experience. Target audience: directors, section leaders. Faculty: Ron Black
Finding the Identity of Your chorus or Quartet: Who are you? Chorus and quartets often don't consider CHOOSING an image for themselves, while highly successful organizations spend millions on marketing, branding, testing, refining, re-branding, and then spend more! In this course we will discuss group culture, rehearsal practices, music selection, lead/director behaviors that help and hurt, and ways to make your quartet or chorus elicit the reaction you wish from an audience and your members. Faculty: Don Rose, quartet singer and chorus director
Quartet Coaching Sessions: Register and bring your quartet, and tap into a wide array of coaching talent. These people are eager to help you sing better, and have more fun and success as you do it. Coaching in Sessions #1, #7 and #8 can be arranged by special request, if coaches are available. Coaches: TBA
Quartet Tool Box: Q&A and discussion for quartets. How do you get gigs? How much should we charge? What about mikes? How do we more effectively structure our rehearsals? What do we do if a person isn’t working out? How should we select music? Bring your questions, and your notepads. Quartetting will be different when you leave. Faculty: Paul Olguin
Rehearsal Techniques for Quartets: The Five “P”s; a guide for successful quartet rehearsals…EVERYTIME! This class spans two sessions. Part 1: Learn the Five “P”s. How to identify important “stuff” and develop a plan to move your quartet towards your goals. Raise your contest scoring level. Also some fun and wacky ways to spice up rehearsals. Creative ways to move forward with every member having a role in achieving the goals of the rehearsal. Part 2: Putting the rehearsal techniques into practice. Faculty: Jenn Edwards (Moxie Ladies Quartet)
Ring Chords Like Never Before: You’ll walk through some easy adjustments to barbershop singing that will leave you amazed. You’ll be ringing chords like a pro. Faculty: Ron Black
So You’d Like to Be in a Quartet: If you’ve ever thought you’d like to try singing in a quartet, here is the opportunity do it away from those folks that you see every week. Supportive and encouraging coaches will give you lots of opportunities to try your hand at quartetting. This class is for men and women. Bring your Polecat Book, if you have one. Faculty: Overtime Quartet
Care of the Aging Voice: Want to keep singing – in fine form – for another 20 or 30 years? It’s not as far-fetched as you think. Come learn the secrets, and enjoy those years. Faculty: Eric Dalbey
Free Body, Free Voice: New and improved to bring deeper understanding of 'Vocal Empathy': how your voice can either leave your audience tense and closed or free and open to experience your emotional performance. Want to access your A-level singing voice? There is only one thing that stands between you and your most expressive vocal performance: tension. The cure? Deep body release, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. With a free body, you can access free breathing, which allows for beautiful, expressive, easy singing. When you leave this class, you’ll have released tension you didn’t know you were carrying around, and your voice will reward you with greater flexibility, stamina and expression. What a great start to a weekend of singing! Wear comfy clothing and bring a yoga mat. Faculty: Donya Metzger
How to Give Personal Vocal Instructions: "PVIs are not a contagious disease... but they COULD be a cure!" How to give PVIs to yourself, and to others. This concept is talked about a lot... but few people really know how to use it effectively. Come explore the way to use this method of teaching to get great results. This class is for anyone who is ready to be an active participant. Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Learn the Song of the Weekend: Didn’t get a chance to practice? Bring your download of the sheet music, and spend 90 minutes getting up to speed, so that you can enjoy all the fun. Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Listen, Learn, Take Action: Want to Sing Better? Then Listen, Learn and Take Action. Do you understand the techniques being given to you, but wonder how to consistently apply the tools you've been given? Then, this class is for you! Learn how to be a better performer through your skills as a student (listening and doing) and as a teacher (listening and offering effective feedback). What do you listen for? It’s not just notes and words. Learn how to listen for – and create – rich, open, freely produced sound. Students will work on vocal placement, listening skills, and providing feedback to the singers they just heard. All participants will be used as performer and teacher since the most effective form of learning takes place when teaching. There will be lots of singing in this class. Please, bring a recording device to use as a sword! Faculty: Raymond Schwarzkopf
Ring Chords Like Never Before: You’ll walk through some easy adjustments to barbershop singing that will leave you amazed. You’ll be ringing chords like a pro. Faculty: Ron Black
The Talent Code: How talent is created, and excellence is achieved. If you are hungry to achieve excellence – in barbershop, or in any field – there are some amazing techniques that will get you there. Charlie will walk you through some of the ideas in this recent popular book, and give you a chance to practice them. Note: The approaches to practice and coaching in The Talent Code will be attractive to those who are prepared to struggle to achieve at a high level – not for those less committed. Faculty: Charlie Metzger
Tune It or Die: Does pitch matter? It certainly does, if you want to ring chords! Mike Menefee – he of the keen ear – will show you how better tuning makes more exciting chords, and magnificent overtones. High thirds, dirty sevenths, and all of the other great secrets are yours for the taking. Faculty: Mike Menefee
Vocal Production with Erik Dalbey: This vocal production class will be geared towards all levels of singers. Eric will combine practical tips for vocal health and singing technique along with analysis of individual voices within the class in a public "mini-voice lesson" format. This class will give an opportunity for the student to not only be vocally evaluated, but will have an interactive format that uses a hands-on approach to vocal technique. We will explore useful warm up techniques, proper posture, common vocal problems and how to reduce vocal tension, as well as how to integrate these subjects into barbershop singing. Be prepared to sing as a group and/or volunteer to be a guinea pig for the class! Faculty: Eric Dalbey (Vocal Spectrum)
Vocal Production with Ron Black: Singing well is easier than singing poorly. Change your habits to sing with greater ease and higher quality. Faculty: Ron Black
Conversation with Vocal Spectrum: Ask them your questions. Four very approachable and enthusiastic champs are willing to share how they got to be champs, and what they learned along the way. Faculty: Vocal Spectrum
How to Use Barbershop Singing in Your Classroom: How do we get our music to young people? In this course we will discuss how to get barbershop harmony into your local choir classrooms. We will give you tools for both men's and women's groups that have produced youth barbershop groups, or at least plant a barbershop seed. This course is intended for people to reach out to local choir teachers, not choir directors (but choir directors are welcome to attend as well!). Faculty: Don Rose, high school music teacher
Making Learning Tracks: Learning track producer Tim Waurick will take you through the process of how he creates his learning tracks and how you may be able to do it as well. Faculty: Tim Waurick (Vocal Spectrum)
Owning the Stage (parts 1 and 2): A review of performance concepts from the popular blog of the same name, including how to use "Story" to get authentic performance, and how to tackle stage fright. This class spans two class sessions. Faculty: Tom Metzger
The Science of Sound: This class will revolve around the Kinesthetic approach to singing. You will experience and learn how to produce different vocal qualities by using your hands and body. The knowledge you will gain is beneficial in both the quartet and chorus atmosphere. This class focuses on how to take individual voices and blend them together as one. Don't plan on sitting in a chair and taking notes the whole time - we will be on our feet doing fun vocal experiments. So stop by and join us for your chance to experience - The Science of Sound! Faculty: Jonny Moroni
So you want to Host a Barbershop Harmony Convention?, Parts 1 and 2: Learn the ins and outs of hosting a Division, District or International Convention. Find out ways to make your convention a memorable experience for attendees and competitors. This short three hour session will go over the details of getting your chapter involved, putting together a great committee, working with community venues and hotels, coordination with the judging community, incorporating fun and family events, and answering your questions and concerns about what it takes to host a convention. This class spans two sessions. Faculty: Bob Cox, EVG Director of Events.
The ABCs of Showmanship: A step by step class showing how to formulate a total visual plan correlating costume, image and attitude, choreography and creativity to effectively present the musical intent of the composer and the arranger and the goals of your ensemble. Faculty: Jenn Edwards (Moxie Ladies)
Creating an Effective Visual Plan, Part 1: Feel like all your choreo looks the same? Want to learn more about designing movement that supports the music? The first class in this series will focus on the ingredients of a great visual performance. After reviewing some basic definitions and vocabulary, we will talk about face/body involvement, the benefits and pitfalls of planned choreography, and how to keep it all singer-friendly and musically driven. Not just for Choreographers! Faculty: Amy Rose
Creating an Effective Visual Plan, Part 2: Stuck on what to do for that ballad or up-tune? Need some fresh visual ideas? In the second class in this series, you will have an opportunity to workshop a visual plan! We’ll talk about the basic shape of a song and how to find opportunities for movement. Then we’ll unleash our collective creativity on some actual music. Students are invited to bring a piece of music that needs some visual pop... this works best if you have a recording in addition to the sheet music. Prerequisite: This course will work better for you if you have taken Part 1 – either this year or last year, or if you have more than a little prior experience working with visual plans. Faculty: Amy Rose
Gestures That Make Sense: Don’t fret about trying to remember – and execute – a host of moves befitting the Rockettes. Sometimes, less is more! Roger Mills explains how we use gestures naturally in our speech, and then opens the door to using those same gestures in our songs. Faculty: Roger Mills
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