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News Notes Four Freshmen Music Foundation, Inc. – www.FourFreshmenMusicFoundation.org

FFMF : THE VISION

Trudy Feigum is chair of the board of directors of the Four Freshmen Music Foundation.

Vision, enthusiasm, energy, effort. That’s what the Four Freshmen Music Foundation is madeof!

When I attended my first Four Freshmen Society convention in 2000, I knew there was a way to fill a void I saw within the Four Freshmen community; a way to help ensure the legacy of this remarkable music and the talented men who developed it. Even more, I knew there was a way to help students learn about this great sound, a way to bring younger people into our midst.

In 2015 Neil Lantz grasped my vision and made it possible for me to pursue it. With aid and encouragement from stalwart Four Freshmen enthusiasts who served on a Steering Committeeand others who gave needed legal and financial guidance, the Four Freshmen Music Foundation (FFMF) became reality last September 17. Within a matter of weeks, we incorporated in Indiana and obtained the needed 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. Generous contributions from Four Freshmen fans who believe in the FFMF’s mission are helping us launchin grand fashion.

Our fundraising goal is $100,000 this first year—vision, indeed! Already in the works are a Gala Reception in Louisville to honor our first major donors; a twice-a-year newsletter to spotlight where we’re going and what we’re doing along the way; a very special event in 2017 at Butler University (watch for news!); the appointment of a grant application development committee;development of master class/clinic curriculum; and so much more! Energy, enthusiasm, excitement and much effort abound!

I particularly want to recognize Wayne Corey and Dave Bentley who are going above and beyond measure to help move the FFMF from start up to fully functioning. Chaz Cone’s tech skills are superb—he gets the accolades for developing the FFMF’s website(www.fourfreshmenmusicfoundation.org).

Serving as chairman of the Four Freshmen Music Foundation is an honor, a privilege and apleasure. It is also an enormous responsibility, made lighter by having equally dedicated people working hard right alongside me. Even better is that I know with certainty they share the same vision for this organization and the music we love. Every day is truly reFRESHing!

you know a vocal music instructor who might like to know more about the Freshmen, theharmonies and the legacy please let us know. The FFMF can be reached via e-mail at the “contact us” link at http://www.fourfreshmenmusicfoundation.org/. The music of the Four Freshmen is wonderful and important. We invite you to join us in celebrating the music and perpetuating the legacy of the Four Freshmen.

The original Four Freshmen:

Don Barbour, Ross Barbour.

Hal Kratzsch, Bob Flanigan

“THE SOUND WAS REVOLUTIONARY” – THE FF LEGACY

We still thrill to the “sound” of the Four Freshmen. It was created by four first-year college students in 1948. Almost seven decades later those remarkable chords are still being sung. It is the goal of the Four Freshmen Music Foundation to put those chords into choirs everywhere.

Founding Freshman Ross Barbour wrote, “We weren’t especially trying to make musical history. We were attempting to entertain ourselves, to do things that hadn’t been done before….The sound was revolutionary to us.” That vocal sound revolution didn’t just happen. It took brilliant musical inspiration and a lot of hard work to create this “sound” that the FFMF seeks to perpetuate for future generations.

The open harmonies, the peg chord and the moving middle voices are all key parts of the Freshmen sound, as Ross detailed in his book “Now You Know.” They became key parts in 1948 and still bring new excitement today to the Great American Songbook.

The unparalleled music and history of the Four Freshmen provides the very reason for the FFMF. The music lives! And the FFMF wants it to be heard in schools everywhere. The traditional four-part male harmonies will be converted to arrangements that can be sung by

mixed choirs with a soprano lead. The foundation’s goal is to help vocal groups, swing choirs and concert choirs learn about and master these harmonies.

The music of our beloved Four Freshmen can live on for future generations. Four Freshmen fans can help this great musical cause by sending a check to:

Four Freshmen Music Foundation, Inc. c/o David Bentley, Treasurer 41 Parish Road New Canaan, CT 06840-1916

THEY ARE SINGING “OUR” SONGS The Four Freshmen Music Foundation is devoted to teaching about the Freshmen and their music “among music educators, music students and music fans.” That work is underway!

The JAZZMIN Vocal Band joined the College of Southern Nevada Jazz Singers October 30th in singing new charts for “It’s a Blue World” and “Graduation Day” before a Las Vegas audience of nearly 300. 20 voices were singing new Freshmen-styled charts. JAZZMIN, a project of former Freshman (and FFMF board member) Dr. Rod Henley, introduced the first modified charts at a Las Vegas Jazz Society picnic in early October. The CSN Jazz Singers became the first mixed choral group to do the charts a week later. The FFMF has supported both pilot projects.

The Freshmen charts have historically been written for men only:

December 2016 Vol. 1, No. 2

Four Freshmen Group #4 hits the road. L-R Bob Flanigan, Ken Albers, Bill Comstock & Ross Barbour. That’s young Geoff Comstock, a member of the FFMF board, saying “goodbye” to Dad at the airport.

College of Southern Nevada Jazz Singers directed by Dr. Mark Wherry (seated front).

see “Our” Songs on next page

The CSN Jazz Singers are led by Dr. Mark Wherry who Rod said was “excited about the project from the beginning.”

This is the vision of the FFMF: high school and college jazz vocal ensembles singing Four Freshmen arrangements. And this won’t stay in Vegas! FFMF has an “opportunity to help fund and participate in a newly-established choral component of an international music education program,” says Trudy Feigum, FFMF board chair. That program is under discussion by the board. “This 2018 venture holds promise for hundreds of students to sing Four Freshmen charts arranged for soprano, alto, tenor and bass,” adds Trudy. The musical legacy lives!

FOUR FRESHMEN MUSIC FOUNDATION – 41 PARISH ROAD – NEW CANAAN, CT 06840

Contact: newsletter@fourfreshmenmusicfoundation.org Wayne Corey, editor

tenor-tenor-baritone-bass. But those arrangements can be modified. Dr. Rod is modifying many Freshmen songs for soprano-alto-tenor-bass. Dr. Rod said the young singers combined with JAZZMIN to create “a beautiful blend of that glorious Four Freshmen harmony.” He saw tears of delight in the eyes of some audience members.

CSN Jazz Singers bass singer Kevin Cervantes gets it! “It’s such fun to sing jazz with a group. The sounds are so dynamic!” he exclaimed. Lead soprano Jenelle Magbutay raved about the “creative freedom in the Four Freshmen harmonies.” Soprano Kaila Gay says there is “such a feeling of longing” in “Blue World.”

Trudy Feigum (front center) chairs the FFMF board. The board, L-R is Rod Henley, Christian Rank, David Blackwell, Gil Peterson, Marlene Lobsiger, Wayne Corey, Trudy, David Bentley, Kathy Feese, Neil Lantz & John Emerson. Missing is Geoff Comstock.

Sally Childs-Helton, Ph.D.

“Our” Songs from previous page

FFMF: THE MISSIONBy Trudy Feigum, Chair FFMF Board of Directors

Do you remember the first time you heard the Four Freshmen? Do you remember how their thrilling sound was so different that you stopped to listen, really listen?

The Four Freshmen Music Foundation wants to help today’s students have this same experience: to listen to the Four Freshmen, learn about their harmonies and actually sing their music. Placing FF charts in usable arrangements and making those charts available are first, big steps toward meeting this goal.

The FFMF Education & Grants Committee chaired by Dr. Rod Henley is getting this project underway. Kirk Marcy, another former Freshman, serves on the committee with Dave Blackwell, Geoff Comstock and Dave Bentley,

Meanwhile, the FFMF is researching a large musical event slated for Butler University in 2018. It could introduce Four Freshmen music to hundreds of student singers from across the country.

The FFMF board is focusing our collective and diverse skills, talent, and knowledge to reach foundation goals. Fundraising, newsletters, networking, grant application development, and so much more are all being pursued.

Development of the FF archive at Butler University continues under the superior guidance of Dr. Sally Childs-Helton. Dr. Childs-Helton

recognizes the mammoth impact the FF have had on American music. Archival items are reviewed for appropriateness, exhibit potential and long-term preservation. Development of traveling exhibits is being discussed.

We hope you share our excitement. On behalf of the FFMF board, thank you for your ongoing financial and moral support to make all this possible!

RECEPTION HONORS MORRISONSThey came to honor Jack and Mary. Nearly 300 people joined the Four Freshmen Music Foundation at a reception honoring Jack & Mary Morrison, the much-loved Grand Rapids (MI) couple noted for their unstinting support for the legacy and music of the Four Freshmen. The Morrisons were the original major Ross Barbour Founding Members of the FFMF. Sadly, Mary’s health issues caused the Morrisons to miss their reception but their spirit was very present.

The reception gave guests an opportunity to learn more about the foundation, which was incorporated in September, 2015. The 501(c)(3) corporation is designed to support education about the music, harmonies and history of the Four Freshmen from their beginning in 1948.

Sally Childs-Helton, PhD, discussed the historical Four Freshmen artifacts being archived under her direction at Butler University’s Irwin Library. Professor Childs-Helton oversees the Special Collections, Rare Books & University Archives at the Indianapolis university where the Four Freshmen were first, actually, four freshmen. The FFMF will assist with access to these materials, which tell the story of the development of the Freshmen and vocal jazz in the mid-20th century.

Attendees heard the current Four Freshmen debut “Sometimes,” a Henry Mancini song originally recorded by the Carpenters in 1971. The new gem is arranged by lead singer Tommy Boynton.