Newsletter of the Danbury Chapter, Yankee Division, Northeastern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society

Meeting every Tuesday, 7:15 p.m. at Church of Christ, 90 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, Connecticut Volume 22 Number 6 www.madhatterchorus.org Late-summer 2015

Harmony College Reflections

Home Away from Home - by Andy Bayer I’ve made the time for so MANY years to be a student at Harmony College Northeast that I’ve actually lost track of exactly how many years I have been in attendance. However, I can attest to the fact that regardless of whether you are a beginner or veteran barbershopper, there are courses for you! This year I decided to challenge myself by participating in the adult chorus. Prior to our weekend program, I received both the sheet music and learning tracks “in the (e-)mail” and set out to learn both songs. This was a challenge for me----not just due to the varying rhythms and notes; those I can eventually master (?), It’s the darn words! However much of a challenge it had been to commit them to my feeble memory, it was well worth the effort! Our world class director from Harmony University, Donny Rose, was outstanding. In just between three and four hours time (two major instructional rehearsals), he was able to set a professional, respectful, warm and supportive “esprit de corps” among this good-size group of performers. In addition, he knew what he wanted from our execution (in a good way!) of each song and, more importantly, how to get us to internalize the emotional mood and perform each with enthusiasm and joy. It was truly a highly enjoyable and non-threatening part of the weekend! In addition, I took several courses including “Find your Funny” (Nooooo, Dr. Bob did not teach that one), Audacity Training, and private voice instruction. FYF was intended to develop patience and acceptance in the quartet performer, teach him/her how to “go with the flow” of the unexpected audience reaction or performer error and make lemonade out of potential lemons. It was entertaining and instructive. Audacity Training introduced the participant to an on-line program that allows one to record one’s own voice along with another voice (learning track voice?) on a different track so that one can hear either the congruence or blend.

Continued on the next page

Worchester State University – home of

Harmony College Northeast.

Top Ten Reasons for Attending Harmony College - by Art Cilley

Now that David Letterman has retired from late night television, who knows when we will see another top ten list again? Well, in case you were worried about that, here’s my list of the top ten reasons to attend Harmony College. 10. The campus – Relive your college days. The dorm, dining hall, campus center, and classroom buildings are all new and easy to walk to once you find the campus in Worcester (bring GPS). You stay in a suite with as many as five other guys that includes four bedrooms (two doubles, two singles), two showers, two bathrooms, a kitchen with a refrigerator and a sitting area. The worst part about the dorm is pronouncing its name, Wasylean hall. Some people want to say Wesleyan. I privately refer to it with a German-style W in which case it comes out close to Vaseline. 9. The courses – There’s always something to learn. You choose not only the subject matter but also the length of the Saturday classes (all day, two three-hour periods, or four 1.5 hour periods). Subjects include sight reading, private voice lessons, barbershop music theory, arranging, directing, presentation, sound engineering (Daryl’s course), quartet coaching and more. Even if you have taken all of them, there’s always singing with the adult chorus.

Continued on the next page

The Danbury Mad Hatter Barbershop Chorus

Hatter

Chatter

- 2 -

Home Away from Home – A. Bayer

Continued from previous page Audacity Training introduced the participant to an on-line program that allows one to record one’s own voice along with another voice (learning track voice?) on a different track so that one can hear either the congruence or blend. This has a lot of potential to help the performer improve pitch, vowel matching, blend, etc. Unfortunately, I had to leave this course early due to the Adult Chorus mic check and could not personally experience the hands-on demo portion of the class. The private voice instruction was highly beneficial and provided me with specific practices that will help improve my voice resonance and breath control. All of the courses were well worth the price of admission! I would like to highlight, as well, both the opening session and Saturday (following lunch) session, the first with the main speaker, Amy Englehardt, and the second with the teaching quartet, Masterpiece. They were both entertaining and insightful and definitely NOT a waste of time! Finally, although you may have heard this so many times before, the Saturday night show was spectacular. It was incredible to hear all of the performers, especially the “kids,” our next barbershopper generation in whose hands the future of our hobby rests. It was truly reassuring to know that this is not a dying craft. If you don’t have a home away from home, consider making this one yours every August! It is educational, heart-warming, and downright FUN!!

Top Ten Reasons – A. Cilley

Continued from previous page 8. Late night singing – Practice what you learn. Spontaneous singing occurs throughout the weekend but my favorite time is Friday night. It’s like a giant inter-chapter get together where you can sing with old friends or people you don’t know, from quartets to large groups to everything in between. Choose a Polecat from either of the two collections of old favorites, or sing any society arrangement or Harmony Brigade selection that four or more singers know or are willing to woodshed. Sleep can wait until you get home on Sunday. 7. BHS leaders and legends – Meet the people you hear about who are experts at what they do. Talk to Society/District/Division officers (like Bob Bradley), chapter presidents and directors, arrangers, coaches, judges, and administrators. Ask them why and how they do what they do. You will gain a better understanding of all the organization and talent necessary to support barbershop singing and may even want to volunteer someday. 6. HXNE enthusiasm – See what the Society is doing to promote our hobby to the next generation. Harmony Explosion is a program for high school men and women that

runs separately from but concurrently with Harmony College. Our chapter has a scholarship fund to sponsor Danbury area students who want to attend. Once you experience their enthusiasm for this four day program, it may change the way you think about the future health of barbershop singing. 5. Adult chorus – Perform two songs in the Saturday evening concert. Join fellow barbershoppers from our district to learn and rehearse new songs under the direction of some of the Society’s best arm-flappers. Mad Hatters who have participated say they like singing for directors who often lead award-winning choruses in International competition. 4. Mad Hatter pride – Represent our chorus at this popular District event. When we show up at meals, classes and the Saturday night show in our summer blue shirts, other barbershoppers know that we care about our chapter and are striving to improve and grow. You never know when someone will move to our area or mention our chorus to a friend who lives here. 3. Top quartets - Learn from the guys who have won it all. On Friday night, each member of the headline quartet for that year holds a class on How to Be a Better _______ for his voice part. The entire quartet also participates in a Q&A dialog during one of the General Sessions on Saturday. You may even be able to sing with some of them during the course of the weekend. The three years I have gone to HCNE, the headline quartets were Acoustix, Crossroads and Masterpiece. Everyone can learn something from gold medal winners like that. 2. The Saturday Night Show – Be amazed at how good barbershop singing can be. This year’s show included performances by the men’s, women’s and combined HXNE choruses, the 2014 NED quartet and 2014 BHS International Collegiate quartet champs, the Adult Chorus, the 2014 Sweet Adeline International quartet champs (Lovenotes) and the 2012 BHS International quartet champs (Masterpiece). It’s not just the singing either. The enthusiasm, energy and excitement are all exceptional. And the Number One reason to attend Harmony College is: Be Inspired. Each year I come away thinking the show was the best yet. How can it be equaled next time? The weekend can make attendees want to improve their own singing, do something to help their chapter, find a new member or bring a guest to a rehearsal, sell more ads for the Annual Show, or be a better more active barbershopper generally. At least it does for me. If you have not been to one yet, please consider trying it next year and see what it does for you!

Baritone Deep Thought

Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.

- 3 -

Harmony College A Different Experience for Everyone - by Robert Golenbock Harmony College is an opportunity to see old friends, to hear great performances, to sing with A-level performers, to learn aspects of our passion (C'mon, you all know the word hobby never really fit.), to improve at what we consider important, whether it's singing technique, performance, or administration. My experience at HCNE will always be different from everyone else's. But since you asked, here's my story: For the last several years Harmony College starts with a two-hour ride with Jimmy Hopper. We sing with learning tracks, we listen to Sinatra, we talk about our families. We checked in, found the incredible outdoor barbecue, talked to old friends from around the District. After the general meeting, where we learned a song in 20 minutes, I got to hang out with master arranger Tom Gentry, who led a small group in woodshedding. Of course the day was far from over. I found enough other guys to spend another two hours singing. Blue Moon met up to serenade a small group willing to listen to our set. Were we good? At that hour everything sounds great! The next morning Worcester State served an excellent breakfast. We had another general session so we could hear Masterpiece up close and personal. My first class was with a professional singer-comedian teaching Finding the Funny. We never laughed harder! My next class was helping Daryl get the sound system ready for the big show. Daryl is such a font of knowledge. While we didn't have the time to do a formal class, it was still a great experience. Lunch was incredible -- one of the four or five best meals we had that day. After lunch I took a private voice lesson with Debra Lynn and then spent some time talking to Matt Mercier, who has been a District champ and International competitor many times. Masterpiece answered questions and sang for us again. Afterwards I tried not to eat too much dinner. Saturday night is always about the show. Daryl saved us special seats with him by the sound booth, where we heard an amazing group of young men and women shock us with their performances after only three days of actual rehearsal. The adult chorus sang two songs (They got two short rehearsals!). The headliners were last years's Sweet Adelines Queens, Love Notes, and the 2013 BHS International champions, Masterpiece. If we had gone home at that point, we would have had our money's worth. But, of course, there was more to come. We gathered for the pizza party, where the Mad Hatters did their share of singing. As the party moved to the dorm, I got to sing for a few more hours surrounded by people talking, listening, eating, drinking, and singing as loud as they could (I'm talking to you, SUREFIRE!).

After four hours of sleep, Jimmy and I dragged ourselves to the car and bid farewell to HCNE 2015. Of course no one heard us because everyone was asleep! I sure hope everyone who attended had as much fun as I did.

from Hunterdon Harmonizers”In Tune”

Bridgewater Fair

By John Bradley On Saturday, August 12, the Danbury Mad Hatter Barbershop Chorus performed at the 64th Annual Bridgewater Country Fair. It was the chorus’ first appearance at the fair in many years. Gathering at Walt Barolow’s house, the chorus members were taxied to the venue by golf carts driven by Walt and his father, John. I was a little nervous riding in a cart driven by a baritone, but I was assured he had sufficint insurance. Traveling Men sang a tag over the fair’s loud speaker to announce our performance that was attended by a good crowd of friends, family, former chorus members and curious fair attendees. We were scheduled to perform simultaneously with the Pony Pull in the North Ring rght next to the bandstand, but the Pull was postponed. So after we finished singing, I walkd over and watched some little horses pull a few tons of conrcrete about 20 yeards. Reminded me of a typical day at work. I made a quick tour of the fair after the Pony Pull, stopping a little while at the Tractor Mac Show, then taking in the Hot Dog Pig Racing event.

Continued on the next page

- 4 -

Fair

Continued from the previous page I also had a chance to visit cows and rabbits, inspect vegetables and fruit and watch little kids bounce around inside some big plastic inflated “hamster wheels.” It was a good perfrmance and a lot of fun on a beautiful summer afernoon.

Wedding or barbershop event? Picture by John Bradley.

Mad Hatters on stage. Picture by John Bradley

Mingling with the audience. Picture by John Bradley

Bethel Health Care

By Dick Zang The Mad Hatters found a new venue in a familiar location in Bethel on Thursday night, August 20th. We are used to singing at the Cascades rehab facility, but this time we walked to the other end of the building to sing for a welcoming group at Bethel Health Care. We put on a good show with Lee Smeriglio again handling the emcee chores and solid quartet presentations by two quartets, in spite of deft personnel changes. The audience, including a good number of the staff, enjoyed the show and are looking forward to seeing us again.

Bethel Health Care audience. Submitted by Danny Anderson.

Inter-Chapter Night

By John Bradley and Dick Zang On Tuedsay evening, August 25, the Mad Hatters hosted an inter-chapter night. There were 75 singers from Danbury, Poughkeepsie (the Newyorkers); Hartford (the Insurance City Chorus); Bridgeport (Coastal Chordsmen); Central Connecticut; and Waterbury-Derby. After the group sing and choruses, the organized quartets sang, in order: Take Four from Bridgeport, Sound Policy from Hartford, then the Danbury quartets Real Chemistry, Traveling Men, Kismet, and Surefire! The pick-up quartet contest followed. Appearing, in order: The Leftovers; Give and Take Four (3rd place - 202.1 points); The Hummeroids (1st place - 211.6 points); Mount Rushmore or Less (with Andy); Refresher Course; We Don't Know But It Sounded Good (with Art); The Rolling Tones (2nd place - 195.3 points); Half Fast; Everything Nice; Bill's Boys. No typo, the third place quartet had more points than the second place quartet. That’s barbershop!.

- 5 -

Pictures From Inter-chapter Night

Representatives of the Poughkeepsie Newyorkers

Representatives of the Insurance City Chorus

Danbury’s Traveling Men with Joe filling in for Wynn

Take Four from Bridgeport

Yum!

SUREFIRE! a hands down favorite

All pictures by John Bradley.

- 6 -

Three Things On Satuday, August 15, the Mad Hatters had an all-day coaching session with Kirk Young,

Kirk has worked at the Barbershop Harmony Society headquarters as a Music Specialist. He sang with the quartet, The Management, with whom he won his first Northeastern District Championship. Kirk also sang with Matt in Club 406. He is an accomplished arranger and a Certified Music Category Judge. After each coaching session, chorus members are encouraged to submit three things they learned during the session, and/or three things they feel should be passed on to barbershoppers who could not attend the session. Following is a listing of “three things” submitted by the chorus members. x Singing a swing rhythm is more about feeling than

counting. Think “late” and “lazy” (or laid back) for a change. Don’t push the beat.

x Every note, but especially a held note, needs a destination. Make sure it goes somewhere.

x If you can’t make it all the way to a scheduled breath, take a short catch breath but do it without disturbing the ensemble.

x Breathe silently. Stop singing and resume singing without being noticeable.

x Make sure your chest is lifted when you sing because it allows the breathing mechanism to work properly... as opposed to when the chest is lowered and collapsed.

x Treat the notes that you sing like calligraphy... if you let the pen rest, you get a giant ink spot on the page... if you let a note rest, the audience loses interest.

x Treat the key change as a relaxing epiphany, not like a driving force to "get it."

x Move around to regain you singer's posture when your body starts sagging.

x Move your feet to become one with the rhythm. x Move your hands with the music to smooth out the sound. x Proper alignment for a singer is with a lifted chest and the

ear is in line with the shoulder. x Octaves are in tune when the higher octave note is slightly

higher in pitch. x Singing is connected word sounds. x Breathe on the vowel to be sung x Smile from the eye x Know your notes!

The Mad Hatters also had a coaching session over Skype with Realtime’s John Newell. Thanks to Jim Hopper for transcribing the notes taken by Daryl Bornstein during the coaching session. “ May I Never Love Again” x In order to make the lyrics have a natural flow and to

avoid accenting each note, first speak the lyrics to discover how you want to sing them.

x Conduct up beats while singing to help sustain pitch. x Get your body and face involved in the song- physicality

is important. x To aid in learning proper breathing technique, bend your

knees and hug a tree with your arms outstretched. x Place your hands behind your head to help relax your

neck muscles. x Have a relaxed tongue while singing. Stick your

forefinger under your chin while singing. If you feel your tongue pressing down, it isn't relaxed.

“Driving Me Crazy” x To feel and sing to a consistent beat snap your fingers on

beats two and four. x Get your voice inside the tempo and don't try to push it.

Keep it laid back. x Back off on the volume a bit an sing more easily.

Ringing a chord has nothing to do with volume. x Keep the sound going through all words by extending and

sustaining the vowels. Don't clip any words. x Feel each note coming out of your mouth and your nose

to produce a more pointed, forward, and resonant sound. General comments. The physical gestures greatly helped our singing. The challenge is to turn these breathing and singing techniques into habits that we always do without thinking about them. Breathe the same way without having to hug the tree. Stay up in pitch without moving our arms up. We seem to focus much better for a coach than we do for Joe. Let's give Joe the same focus and effort.

Kirk Young coaching the Mad Hatters.

Picture by John Bradley

- 7 -

The President’s Podium

By Danny Anderson I was just on Groupanizer and it was wonderful to see that most members had logged on this weekend and there were many on today. It is

apparent that this is a useful tool. I applaud each of you for using this tool and I want to thank Joe Hudson for maintaining the site. The Saturday coaching session was a long but rewarding day. I appreciate the early sessions where we were reminded of the proper standing and breathing techniques. It was amazing to hear the difference in our sound when we put those techniques into practice. Now we have to remember not to fall back into our old slouching positions. As we moved to the rhythm of the song, it became apparent to all that this “white boy” could not move and sing at the same time. This is a challenge that I must work on along with others. When we do feel the rhythm, we will not be rushing the song or going slower. Joe did a good job Tuesday night reminding us of the timing issues. Our watching Joe’s directions will help keep us all singing together and not some of us running faster than others. This is a work in progress, and we have made great strides. Keep up the good work! All reports that I heard said that Harmony College was once again a success. I am sorry that a health issue kept me from attending. As I write this article, we are on the verge of several important singing engagements. We have been working to gain access into these different venues where we can perform for “live” audiences and possibly entice others to join our organization. We will be singing at the Bridgewater Fair, The Taste of Danbury and the Newtown Arts Festival. Two of these venues are new opportunities to perform for the chorus. I encourage each member to commit to attend, come prepared to perform and then spend some time after the performance visiting with the audience. Make sure you have business cards with you. Take a few minutes and reread the Standing Ovation Report of our annual show before attending these performances. Repeatedly, the report states that it would be good to see some engagement with the audience through the songs. Joe and others keep telling us the same thing. Show that we are enjoying the songs ourselves, smile, and move and watch the director. The time for competition is quickly approaching. We need to attend each rehearsal leading up to the competition. Each week we will be building upon what we learned the previous week. If you do have to miss please contact your section leader so he can provide you with any changes made or other information you might need to know. A big thank you to each member who provided items for the inner chapter night. Each year that we do this, the attendance

is greater and the time spent with other chapters is more rewarding.

Emails to the Editors Please e-mail your questions and comments to either the Hatter editor, John Bradley, at jbrad1313@earthlink.net, or the Chatter editor, Dick Zang, at jezang@charter.net. If your e-mail appears, you will receive an autographed picture of our 2008 Yankee Division Bulletin Editors Award My musical director always tells us to mark our music where we have to take a breath, but I’m not sure how to mark it. Is there a special symbol used to indicate breaths? Peter from Preston Pete, You need to mark your music with a breath mark, or luftpause. This is a symbol used in musical notation that directs the performer of the music passage to take a breath (for wind instruments and vocalists), or to make a slight pause (for non-wind instruments). For bowed instruments, it means to lift the bow. The symbol is usually placed above the staff and at the ends of phrases. Its function is analogous to the comma in several written languages. Indeed, the two symbols look identical.

Barbershop Dictionary Gut-Buster A robust up-tune. Hang Ten Standing on the risers with ten toes over the edge. Honker a person who sings loudly and/or in a garish manner, often a bass singer. Leaner A person that does not have the courage or ability to sing on his/her own, or is not well rehearsed in the music. Overtone A harmonic produced by proper intonation, tuning, and vowel formation. Patter A verbose variation on the theme of a refrain as in "Down Our Way", also jokes and stuff between songs. Ping Focused, bright ringing sound. Scissors Movement Two voice parts that cross each other, while the other two voice sustain, leading to an inversion of the chord.

- 8 -

Quartet Corner

News from our chorus quartets Traveling Men – by Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox As summer trips to Hawaii, India, Cape Cod,

and Las Vegas wind down, the Traveling Men have just returned to their usual pre-contest rehearsal schedule of rehearsing twice a week. The Traveling gentlemen are challenging themselves this year with more difficult repertoire, requiring even more rehearsal. They are grateful to Jimmy Hopper and Joe Hudson for filling in for absent members at several gigs this past month, and look forward to upcoming coaching sessions with Joe Hudson, Daryl Bernstein, and Steve Delehanty early this fall.

Repertoire Notes ""The Long and Winding Road" is a ballad written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney) from the Beatles' album,

Let It Be. It became the group's 20th and last number-one song in the United States in June 1970, and was the last single released by the quartet. While the released version of the song was very successful, the post-production modifications by producer Phil Spector angered McCartney to the point that when he made his case in court for breaking up the Beatles as a legal entity, he cited the treatment of "The Long and Winding Road" as one of six reasons for doing so. New versions of the song with simpler instrumentation were subsequently released by both the Beatles and McCartney. "The Long and Winding Road" brought the curtain down on the Beatles' seven consecutive years of domination in America that began with "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1964.

District Dirt

By Robert Bradley “You can no longer take the pillow

home with you.” With this announcement, Harmony College Northeast took off. When our quartet cannot all make it for coaching, I am stuck at the school looking at courses to fill the day as I have to be there anyway for Board meetings and House Of Delegate meetings. This year I have to say to the other three guys that I had a great time without them.

The Adult chorus was the highlight of the classes. Donny Rose was our director and with all kudos to Joe, he was a lot of fun. In a little over three hours he had us singing two new songs off paper with choreography. If you have never sung with the mixed group of men and women you are missing a new dimension to our hobby. The women know their notes and words and take to movement while singing better that we do. They aid the tenor notes and the men add to the bass. Women hold there own with any lead or baritione. For those who have heard the “Honeymooners” you can understand the blend of voices that can occur with male and female singers. The physics of barbershop was a course that everyone should take as it explains in terms that all can understand why the sound sounds as we make it sound, why notes lock and ring and how sound waves behave. The food is always good, company always fine and the AC is always on high. It took a shivering night to find that the fan could be turned down. In the room next to me was the new president of the Montreal chorus who was teaching me “ O Canada” in French. Since then, I learned that Kirk Young does a mean French version also. Saturday’s show is worth the weekend price. The kids are always terrific and mist fills most the the eyes in the audience. The girls did “Pitch Perfect” and “Bruno Marrs,” the guys did flips around the “Walls of Jericho” and both reprised Grease with the best of them. Sunday was our Board meeting and the talk was of the kids and thanks to Antonio Lombardi and Ed Fritzen for putting on a weekend to remember. For those who did not attend, shame on you. I always think that this event is the premier gathering that is done in NED, so next year sing with the adults and take a course or two to learn your craft and enjoy seeing the future of your hobby. Watch great quartets such as Masterpiece, Lovenotes, the Academy and Timepiece perform, and go for the kids.

Barbershoppers attending class

during Harmony College Northeast.

- 9 -

August Board of Directors Meeting

Respectfully submitted by Robert Golenbock, Secretary.

This month only – the abbreviated non-quorum version! Meeting called to order by Danny “Where the heck is everyone?” Anderson at 6:15pm on August 4, 2015 at the Church of Christ building. Secretary’s Report: I can’t tell you what the Board really thought about the report! No quorum! Treasurer’s Report: The money’s still there, but most of the Board disappeared. Membership Report: Don Sutherland is moving to Vermont to be with family. VP Public Relations: probably on a boat. Music Committee: Wouldn’t you like to know. Old Business: Here’s what we can tell you. We will be in the same venue for our next Annual Show on 5/7/2016. Next year we will use vouchers that can be exchanged for actual tickets. People will need to call before a certain date so we can tell Westconn how many comp tickets we need and who gets them. We also need to put a list of the songs and the quartets into our show book. New Business: We haven’t finished the old business. We are having an Inter-chapter night. Members Present: Wouldn’t that have been ironic? Officers Present: D. Anderson, J. Hopper, A. Bayer, D. DeMarche, R. Golenbock, E. Ness. Meeting never actually adjourned because we didn’t have a quorum to vote on it. We did kind of drift off at 7:06pm. Next meeting is September 1, 2015.

Reach over 1,500 men, women and youth - singers, supporters, chapter officers and committee chairs, and those friends and lovers of barbershop with a Display Ad or Line Listing ad in the NED's 2015 Fall District Convention & Contest Program! For quartets, chapters, choruses, members, affiliates and friends of barbershop harmony!

If you are a man who has some quartetting experience, the ability and the willingness to master twelve songs word and note perfect in about four to four and a half months, then this will be a richly rewarding experience for you. You will receive high quality learning tracks and music charts for each of the twelve songs, and you will have an amazingly fun quartet experience. Contact: president@nehb.net

- 10 -

Ye Olde Joke Boarde

Submitted by the Unknown Barbershopper

A barbershop baritone was in love with two women and could not decide which of them to marry. Finally he went to a marriage counselor. When asked to describe his two loves, he noted that one was a great poet and the other made delicious pancakes. "Oh," said the counselor, "I see what the problem is. You can't decide whether to marry for batter or verse."

. . . Mitch, a hard-shell Southern Baptist and a barbershop baritone, loved to sneak away to the race track. One day he was there betting on the ponies and nearly losing his shirt when he noticed this priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold, this horse - a very long shot - won the race. Mitch was most interested to see what the priest did the next race. Sure enough, he watched the priest step out onto the tract as the 5th race horses lined up, and placed this blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for the window and placed a small bet on the horse. Again, even though another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race. Mitch collected his winning and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest bestowed his blessing on for the 6th race. The priest showed, blessed a horse, Mitch bet on it, and it won! Mitch was elated! As the day went on, the priest continued blessing one of the horses, and it always came in first. Mitch began to pull in some serious money, and by the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick stop at the ATM, withdrew big money and awaited the priest’s blessing that would tell him which horse to bet on. True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears and hooves of one of the horses. Mitchell bet every cent, and watched the horse come in dead last. Mitchell was dumbfounded. He made his way to the track and when he found the priest, he demanded, “What happened, Father? All day you blessed horses and they won. The last race, you blessed a horse and he lost. Now I’ve lost my savings, thanks to you!!” The priest nodded wisely and said, “That’s the problem with you Protestantsm you can’t tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last Rites.”

Current Mad Hatter Repertoire

Regular Repertoire Tonight, Tonight Come Go With Me Where Is Love Daydream Happy Together Blue Velvet Crazy Little Thing Called Love Shenandoah Bye-Bye, Love

You Were Only A Splinter As I Slid Down The Bannister Of Life Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Beach Boys Medley My Every Day Silver Is Plastic Contest Drivin' Me Crazy May I Never Love Again

Patriotic/Inspirational God Bless America I Believe Lord's Prayer Star-Spangled Banner This Land Is Your Land/ America the Beautiful Medley

- 11 -

The Danbury, CT Chapter SPEBSQSA

104 Lexington Blvd, Bethel, CT 06801 203-744-9480

President: Danny Anderson Musical Director: Joseph Hudson Assistant Director: Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox Director Emeritus: Don Sutherland Membership VP: Andy Bayer Public Relations VP: Art Cilley Music VP: Jim Hopper Secretary: Robert Golenbock Treasurer: Dickson DeMarche Program VP Vacant Member at Large: Peter Daubner Member at Large: Walter Barlow Member at Large: Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox Immediate Past President Robert Bradley Uniform Chairman: Andy Bayer Harmony Foundation

Chairman: Danny Anderson Music Librarian: Peter Daubner Sunshine Chairman: Don Smith Package Show Chairman: Dick Walter Chorus Manager: Robert Golenbock

The Hatter Chatter

Serving the Mad Hatter community since last Tuesday John Bradley, Hatter Editor Dick Zang, Chatter Editor 39 Beekman Drive 2 Camelot Crest Lake Carmel, NY 10512 Sandy Hook, CT 06482 Jbrad1313@earthlink.net jezang@charter.net

Proofreader: Miss Taralily

The editors of the Hatter Chatter welcome submissions from all chapter members and friends of the Mad Hatters. E-mail, mail, paper airplane us your thoughts, observations, opinions, singing tips and whatevers, and we’ll turn them into Pulitzer Prize copy

Mad Hatters practicing advanced singing techniques.

Picture by John Bradley

Mark Your Calendars Sing Out September 12, Taste Of Danbury, City Center, Danbury Green (186 Main Street, Danbury, CT). Warm-up 1:30 pm, sing, 2:00 pm. Sing Out Saturday September 19, 2015, Newtown Arts Festival, Fairfield Hills Campus (Mile Hill Road), Newtown, CT. Warm-up at 10:00am, Perform at 10:30am. NED Convention 2015 October 16 – 18. Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center (870 Williston Road, Burlington, VT). Quartet Contest on Friday night, Chorus Contest on Saturday. Annual Show May 7 2016, WCSU Visual and Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Ext., Danbury, CT. Details to be announced. August Milestones Birthdays: 2 - Bette Zlamany 3 - Ron Keith 8 - Bob Connolley 8 - Joanne Zang 13 - Jim Hopper 18 - Frank Fehling 28 - David McKee Wedding Anniversaries: 1 - Dick and Joanne Zang 7 - Wynn and Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox 8 - Dan and Patricia Griffin 8 - Paul and Janet Just 15 - Art and Susan Roberts 17 - Jim and Marti Hopper 31 - Charlie and Carol Rosa

Inter-chapter night. Picture by John Bradley