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The oft-repeated classic reply about getting to prestigious Carnegie Hall (see cartoon below) reportedly is attributed to violinist Mischa Elman, who is said to have offered it in response to the question posed by a tourist visiting the “Big Apple.” However it came about, there is no disputing the fact that it has been hard study that has brought the world’s truly great artists to the Hall’s stage since 1891 to perform in what has been called an acoustical gem. The finest orchestras from around the globe have taken bows and heard the cheers and thunderous applause from audiences, as have renowned artists such as Judy Garland, Vladimir Horowitz, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Itzhak Perlman, and Luciano Pavarotti. So have Maria Callas, Enrico Caruso, Pablo Casals, Jascha Heifetz, and jazz notables including “Fats” Waller, W.C. Handy, Louis

Armstrong, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, and Sarah Vaughan. Today, Carnegie Hall presents more than 180 concerts and over 500 independently produced events each year. Now it will be the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter’s turn to have that honor on Monday, November

18, as part of a free-admission USA-Japan Goodwill Concert beginning at 8 pm. We’ll sing four songs in the international music of barbershop, proud as proud can be. We have practiced. We will be ready. And we will be standing tall as excited performers in this legendary setting that continues to be a strong “voice” in the cultural fabric of New York City and, the world.

TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER-2013

Toosday Toons A monthly publication of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, a nonprofit, charitable and educational society. Chapter meetings are held 8 pm on Tuesdays at Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent, 555 Advent St., Westbury, New York. All articles not accompanied by a byline have been written by the editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the members nor of the officers of the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter. Opposing points of view are welcomed and encouraged. All editorial submissions must be received no later than the 21st of every month prior to the upcoming issue in order to be considered for publication.

Editor In Chief Bob Heim

[email protected] Editor At Large

Chiz Bell [email protected]

Assistant Editor Bill Ruth

[email protected]

Editorial Assistant Wayne Lazar

Photography

Bob Heim, Eva Milauskas Bill Vesely, Marvin Goodman

Cover Header Design

Dan Gilmartin, Chapter Webmaster

Chapter Census (as of October 31, 2013)

Life 1 Regular 31 Senior (L) 18 Senior (N) 5

Total 55

www.LongIslandHarmonizers.org

FROM THE CORNER OFFICE Jon Ayers - Chapter President

PERFORM VS. SING

Your memory is fine; I did devote an earlier column to this subject, and it still holds true. This month we’ll consider this subject with a slightly different slant. Like many of you, I was underwhelmed with our chorus turnout for the Long Beach festival, except of course for the basses, who vastly outnumbered our brothers who sing those other parts. In the next twelve weeks we have five performances on our plate. That’s five opportunities to enjoy the fruits of our weekly labors. And spread joy among the population. When you get right down to it, isn’t that why we practice? Man, this is the fun part! Singing for a live audience and seeing the smiles on their faces is a heck of a lot more fun than singing six bars at a time to three rows of empty seats and hearing that the bari’s need to sing the third a little higher. We’re very diligent with our practices; attendance is good, and yes, we are improving. It would be wonderful if the whole chorus could make every performance, because our performances would be significantly better, and both we and our audience would enjoy them even more. We know that’s not likely to happen; the world gets in the way. Don't tell Maurice, but some of us have other obligations than barbershop. On the other hand, the backstage attitude during our annual show just isn’t the same when only half the guys show up for Long Beach.

NOVEMBER-2013 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 3

WHEN IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?

Good enough is a plateau. It has no goal. It is a line drawn in the sand that is set up for others to reach and then surpass. As we gain in maturity, we lose some agility. We retain our skills but our senses slow and numb. We must work harder to get out of a chair. We need to talk slower and listen harder. It is also a time to enjoy.

I have visited many retirement and nursing homes in my travels singing in a quartet. I have never heard a group discuss “dark mater” or Newtonian physics. They do word searches and bingo. Maybe they enjoy being treated like children. American Indians treasured their elders and sought their advice as they had the knowledge and experience. I retired over 15 years ago and I fell I am at the top of my game. I

learned so much from my many mistakes I made in 40 years of teaching. I just can’t work an 8-hour day and I really appreciate an afternoon nap.

I want a challenge. I need a challenge. I don’t want arts and crafts. I want to know the latest theory of evolution. I want to know about “dark matter and dark energy.” I want to keep growing. What I have learned will never be enough. I have not read enough books. I have not tasted enough fine wine. I know I can sing a song better if I try and I know you can too.

By Maurice Dubar

TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER–2013

Following the voting by Nassau Mid-Island Chapter members on October 22, here is our incoming Board, effective January 1, 2014. (Formal installation ceremonies are to be conducted in early January.) Administrative staff is also listed below.

NASSAU MID-ISLAND CHAPTER BOARD - 2014

President – George Seelinger VP Music & Presentation - Hal Verity

VP Chapter Development - John Brolly VP Program – Vincent Colonna

VP Marketing and Public Relations - Bob Heim Treasurer – Michael Creaney Secretary - Steve Stojowski

Immediate Past President - Jon Ayers

Board Members At Large

Bill Spencer (2014-2016) Bob Merrill (2014-2016)

Wayne Lazar (2014-2015) Don Rausch (2013-2015) Ray Shotter (2012-2014)

Ken Wunsch (2014)

Administrative Personnel

Chorus Director – Maurice Debar Assistant Chorus Director - Steve Stojowski

Chorus Manager - John Brolly Attendance - George Seelinger

Bulletin Editor-in-Chief - Bob Heim Librarian - George Seelinger Chapter Website - Bob Heim

Uniforms - Tony Leone Chapter Counselor -Steve Marrin

Section Leaders

Tenors: Harold Verity

Leads: Steve Brausa & Vincent Colonna Baris: George Seelinger & Robert Miraglia

Basses: Steve Stojowski

Annual Show - 2014

Show Chairman - Hal Verity

ELECTION RESULTS FOR YOUR 2014 BOARD


QUESTIONABLE ANSWERS ‘BOUT BARBERSHOP

Bob Heim

Q. What do I do if those high notes are out of my range? A. Do what I do, pull your pants up to your chest. Q. What if I am uncertain after the pitch is blown? A. Start anyway, but be sure to do it louder than anyone else and glare at the guys on either side of you. Q. What if I keep raising the wrong hand in a stage move? A. Duct tape holding the offending arm to my belt, always works for me.

As we turn our thoughts at Thanksgiving time to blessings that have come our way, we include the friendships, camaraderie, and the shared pleasures of song that our Chapter brings to us so bountifully.

-Editor

Offered to Joel Trent, Bess Bell, Bob Roth, Bob Heim, Dave D’Antonio, as well

as (former member) Don Paris.

We’d be hard pressed to think of anything that has achieved more public awareness about the pleasures of barbershop than the songs in four-part harmonies from Music Man. Those delights were offered to 1,375 audiences on Broadway, additional listeners through a Grammy-winning original cast album, reached countless numbers of movie-goers via the screen version of the hit play, and performed not on-ly by the show’s stars but other notable foursomes along the way. Songs like the likeable Lida Rose. For websites taking you to some of the quartets that told Lida Rose they were “home again,” we direct you to your editor’s choice of just a few: First, we invite you, if you will, to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWCNiIikbFw in your browser. You’ll hear how Storm Front , the BHS 2010 International Quartet champs, won convention laughs and cheers with a truly memorable perfor-mance. Then, listen to how “music men” (in this instance it’s boys), The Osmonds, did it in a TV sweet blend ren-dition sung with Andy Williams. You’ll also see an on-camera appearance of a tiny Osmond sister, Marie. It’s found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duwklfM7Qg8. Finally there are the incredible Buffalo Bills them-selves. Hear them sing Lida Rose at the opening of a radio show about “Great Quartets” hosted by the il-lustrious BHS historian, Grady Kerr. Start with your browser at: http://tinyurl.com/nb97ssq.

TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER–2013

Our Roots Actually Go Back to 1950! --Salvaged from the Summer 1974 Edition of The Voice, Ray Maddock, Editor

George Waldmann, Mr. Money Collector for Every Occasion Regardless, wrote the following column in the above-referenced edition of The Voice in 1974. First, however, I’d like to point out what particularly struck my interest, was how George delineated the evolution of the format of annual shows in that era from a concert performance to the themed format we see today. This is how George described it:

“When the Nassau County Chapter, which was chartered in 1950, and thereafter, for at least ten years, our annual shows were called, “Parade of Quartets,” “Spring Festival of Harmony,” or whatever. It wasn’t until the mid-fifties that the show was tied in with a Carnival, Gay Nineties, etc. Then, in the early sixties, we started to have dialogues, ultimately going into themes, the masters of which were Chuck Soderlund and Charlie Michaud. The importance of a theme became evident when we started to have full houses and, on some occasions, standing room to boot. “Show themes seem to be coming into vogue as the March/April 1974 issue of The Harmonizer carries a request for show theme programs by Dan Lyons, Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic District Show Advisory Service, who is developing a catalogue for use through out the Society. “Chuck and Charlie were deeply involved in most of the themes, writing scripts, production, etc., beginning with “Harmony in Hawaii" in 1964, followed by “Harmony in the Firehouse,” “Freeport’s

Diamond Jubilee.” “Under the Big Top,” “Shamrock Songfest.” “Surf side Songfest,” “Salute to the Girls,” “Way Back When,” “Kollege Kapers,” “Memories of My Home Town,” and this year’s “Happiness Is.” These guys are fabulous and I wish them many more years of good hard work, which they enjoy. Each year the response was terrific and, on several occasions, there were standing ovations at the conclusion of the show. “Unfortunately, while I know that Mid-Island Chapter) also had some show themes, I am not cognizant of the titles nor who developed them, but in the meantime, my hat is off to them, also. “There are two more gents, among others, who deserve a lot of credit for our shows: Harry Cames for getting us the Maria Regina Diocesan High School and the fabulous Afterglows only 20 feet or so from the auditorium, and Ed Ramsteck for his terrific art work on the flyers, program journals and the stage scenery.”

1.

2.

3.

HOW @BOUT TH@T>

Answers on pg. 11 Bob Heim


TOTAL “ECLIPSE” - Called the world’s tallest barber pole, it stands in a Forest Grove, Oregon park, the brainchild of longtime resident and barbershop enthusiast Chuck Olsen, who came up with the idea after seeing what had been billed as the tallest of them all, stretching all of 40 feet into the sky in front of The Alamo. Said Olsen at the time: “If treeless Texas could have the world's tallest barber pole, we should be able to outdo that." And they surely DID by a lot, invalidating the boast at the “Lone Star State” attraction.

“When they asked us to sing at the ballpark earlier this year, they also wanted our lead to throw out the first pitch. So we dropped it down a third.“

(Hint: It’s a musical notation.)

A VINTAGE CERAMIC VASE From the 1950s

GIVE YOURSELF A HAND

Last month, in listening to the Emmy Awards on TV, I heard many, if not all of the honorees, thanking their writers, their directors, their parents, significant others, and so on. What I didn’t hear were any thank-yous to themselves. Why not? After all, the actors and actresses did a great deal of the hard work, in their preparation, engaged in years of study in improving their skills, in applying their craft to a TV series or specific show. So it’s time. Overdue, in fact. Time to give yourself a round of applause (or maybe one clap as we do at our gatherings). Sit back and take a well deserved moment or two to acknowledge your own efforts. Forget that that trophy is still waiting in the wings. Or if a golden medal is still a hope as yet unrealized. You know it; I know it too. Your effort has been there. The zeal to improve. The dedication to strengthen our Society and improve as one of its missionaries of the future. So DO IT. Give yourself a hand.

Here are a half dozen of barbershop-related terms you may not be familiar with: 1. Ambigesturous The ability to perform the choreo moves from either side of the risers. 2. Borneo Barbershop An exercise where the bass is sung an octave high OR the tenor an octave low. 3. Cascade A musical device where a unison note spreads to form a chord, also called "waterfall". 4. Crow A self-confessed non-singer who performs mundane chores nobody else wants to do. See Invaluable. 5. Eagles A politically correct term for "Crows". 6. Hang Ten Standing on the risers with ten toes over the edge.

COMING TO TERMS WITH YOUR 4-PART PASSION

PAGE 8 TOOSDAY TOONS NOVEMBER–2013

“APPLICATIONS” HAPPILY RECEIVED Bob Heim

Chapter Vice President - Marketing and Public Relations

Our nominations for the Chapter’s 2014 Board have been acted upon, our members have exercised their right to vote, and next year’s leadership is now set in our continued efforts to make a meaningful impact on Long Island, as part of our Mid-Atlantic District and in the Society as a whole. We know that your new Board will be eager for that opportunity. Next year’s team is composed of a combination of “old-timers” and a few newer faces as well. Some of those involved will be tackling jobs they’ve never held before; pursuits brand new to them. But they’ve stepped forward, perhaps with a small bit of trepidation, yet ready for the tasks ahead. Successes are within their grasp. They bring with them a storehouse of knowledge that goes beyond abilities in singing. And they illustrate an important point: how “application” affects any responsibility. When it comes down to it, I think you’ll agree that all of us “bring to the table” far more than knowledge than gleaned from formal education. FAR MORE. Life experiences, the big and little things, all add to our “how tos,” give

us perspective, shape our vision, and provide application to tasks at hand. It is that knowledge

that will be brought to bear for significant strides in the new year. I’m sure of it. New ideas and decisions will surely break new ground for your Nassau Mid-Island Chapter. Not only generated by your Board members, Board Members at Large and the administrative support team, but by every one of us in making our organization stronger in every way. Applications mean so very much, and they’re happily received. Use them to the fullest extent you know. Draw on them day after day. Strengths such as tenacity, persistence, and creativity. Tap into those personal abilities and apply them in contributing to what we believe will be a bright future for us as well as our Barbershop Harmony Society. You will have the gratitude of us all.


Rehearsal E que e By Greg Seebart

as seen in Mountain Talk Steve Jackson, Editor

We all could use a reminder on rehearsal etiquette. Remembering these things will help us learn more and make our rehearsals more productive. Come to rehearsal prepared. Know your

music. Have it well organized so that you can find it easily.

Have a sharpened pencil (not a pen)

with an eraser with you. Use the pencil to make notes on your music to remember how the director wants it to be sung. We should not have to go over the same thing over and over again.

Turn your cell phones off. You will

survive without it for two hours. Don’t talk! We only have a short time for

practice so make the most of it. If you must talk to help your neighbor about the music, make it a short and soft conversation and do not disturb those around you.

Don’t interrupt the rehearsal. If you have

a point to make, or a question to ask, raise your hand. If the director has time to deal with it at that time, he’ll call on you. Otherwise, wait until our break.

Do not sing when other parts are

practicing on their part. The director must be able to hear the part he is working with. He cannot correct the problem if he cannot hear because others are singing when they are not supposed to be.

Have fun! You can still have fun and be polite.

All of this is common sense. Remember that you are making it possible for everyone to accomplish much more by using that common sense, and following these simple guidelines.

And from The Nugget Newsle er

Las Vegas Barbershop Chapter Fred Green, Editor


The picture above, taken earlier this year, has been designated as the new “official photo” of the Long Island Harmonizers chorus. It now appears on the Nassau Mid-Island Chapter's recently updated website at www.LongIslandHarmonizers.org, will be used in connection with promotional literature, disseminated as part of press release material, and enlarged to poster size for chorus singouts, among its applications.

ANSWERS TO “NO BRAINERS” - 1. Holding Applause 2. Bow-tie 3. A Slur


HERE IT IS:

OUR “OFFICIAL PHOTO” OUR “OFFICIAL PHOTO” -- 20132013

WAYNE COHEN AND GARY WASSERSTEIN

Welcome We’re Pleased To Have You Both With Us

WELCOME ABOARD

Sharing Experiences NASSAU MID-ISLAND INTERCHAPTER NIGHT - OCTOBER 29, 2013

GREAT FUN! THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING!


And thanks to Wayne Lazar and the Chapter team that helped make this night a success.

Photos ‐ Bill Vesely

THOSE VERY REAL

CONEY ISLAND BABIES

The modern incubator, a glass-walled box, was brought to the US in 1898. Its popularity at American expositions persuaded Dr. Martin Couney to set up a small display of incubators in a small building on the Boardwalk of Coney Island. Since hospitals at the time lacked neo-natal wards, mothers from all over the city rushed their premature infants to Brooklyn where they were given the chance to survive. People paid 25 cents to see these remarkably tiny infants, amd many lives were saved before the facility, which had also been featured at the 1939 World's Fair, was closed. The sign at the exhibit read “All the World Loves a Baby,” and it became Coney Island’s longest-running show. The newborns received the excellent around-the-clock care for free, and their families were given complimentary passes to the exhibit. The results were miraculous. According to statistics at the time, of premature babies born without the use of an incubator, only 15 percent lived. Observed a story in the New York Times: “More than 6,500 of the 8,000 premature babies used in the Coney Island exhibit survived and were sent home to their families.” Couney kept his exhibit going for many decades, until the rest of the medical world finally caught up with the incubator sideshows and began opening hospital preemie centers of their own. Couney kept his exhibit going for many decades, until the rest of the medical world finally caught up with the incubator sideshows and began opening hospital preemie centers of their own.


CHAPTER QUARTETS A erGloWorms Harold Verity, Tenor Bob Miraglia, Lead

Steve Stojowski, Bass Maurice Debar, Baritone

Contact: a [email protected]

All In A Chord Bill Ruth, Tenor

Steve Brausa, Lead Bernie Genzer, Bass

George Seelinger, Baritone Contact: [email protected]

Cloud 9 Jon Ayers, Tenor

Vinnie Colonna, Lead John Brolly, Bass


Just Duckie Harold Verity, Tenor Steve Brausa, Lead Maurice Debar, Bass


Long Island Express Bill Ruth, Tenor

Gene Kammerer, Lead Joe Massaro, Bass Bob Roth, Baritone

Contact: bjr52@op mum.net

No Treble At All Bernie Genzer, Tenor

Bill Vesely, Lead Ken Wunsch, Bass

Wayne Lazar, Baritone Contact: [email protected]

Quatrain Bob Kelly, Tenor

Steve Marrin, Lead Al Fennell, Bass

Paul San no, Baritone Contact: [email protected]

SHOOTING THE BREEZE (ABOUT SANDY) - A chance meeting in Branson, MO brought a vacationing John Brolly and his wife Kathy (pictured at right) with Rich and Hazel Metcalf, two of the Southern Baptist Hurricane Sandy Relief Volunteers that were headquartered this summer at our rehearsal facilities in Baldwin's Calvary Protest Church.

"FAIR MAN" - The Chapter's Joel Fairman exhibited a combination of his singing and ukulele talents at a Cold Spring Harbor Street Fair in late September.


Photo—Eva Milauskas

“FALL GUYS” - Members of the Long Island Harmonizers chorus are shown strutting their stuff at the City of Long Beach 17th Annual Fall Festival 2013, including mustachioed Michael Creaney, a proud Long Beach resident.

Long Island’s major daily, Newsday, pictured the Long Island Harmonizers chorus hard at work in a “Weekend Part 2” story that appeared Dec. 17, 2004.

AND FROM OUT OF THE FILES

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