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B A R B E R S H O P H A R M O N Y S O C I E T Y
TOOSDAY TOONSMonthly publication of the NASSAU MID-ISLAND CHAPER of the Mid-Atlantic DistrictThe Long Island Harmonizers meet every Tuesday at Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent
555 Advent Street, Westbury, Long Island, Nassau County, New York at 8:00 P.M.
www.longislandharmonizers.org
VOLUME VII JULY 2009 NO. 7
NOVICE QUARTET NIGHT is an evening of “pure fun” for the Long Island Harmonizers
--by Steve Brausa, Program Vice PresidentThe first novice quartet contest in a number of years occurred at the weekly chapter meeting in
Winthrop Hall on Tuesday, June 9th. It produced a variety of reactions from participants:
“I could just sense the excitement mounting and the pressure building as my first quartet prepared to take the stage, I was so afraid!” recollected Bill Ruth. Post performance, Steve Marrin worried, “Was it tasteful to show so much leg?” Maurice Debar described his performance as “an uplifting experience.” Judge Nancy Massaro, radio and TV personality, saw her husband take the stage with a shiny gold dome on his head and wondered, “When did he get a new hair cut?” Bob Heim opined, “I believe that my performance created a beacon of hope for future generations.”
THE FOUR PLAYERS, First in Musical Performance - Left to right: Steve Stojowski, Tenor; Steve Brausa, Lead; Wayne Lazar, Baritone; Bill Ennis, Bass
See pages 3 through 5 for more Novice Quartet Night coverage
PAGE 2 TOOSDAY TOONS JULY 2009
TOOSDAY TOONS
Monthly Publicationof the
Nassau Mid-Island Chapter (J-084)Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent
555 Advent StreetWestbury, NY 11590
www.longislandharmonizers.com
Chapter Meetings at Winthrop HallTuesdays at 8:00 p.m.
Editor and PublisherCharles F. Bell
Assistant News EditorRobert Heim
PhotographersRobert Heim, Eva Milauskas
William Vesely
ProofreaderBess Bell
All articles, not accompanied by a byline, have been written by the editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members nor of the officers of the chapter. Opposing points of view are welcome and encouraged.
MISSION STATEMENTThe Nassau Mid-Island Chapter, in order to enhance the enjoyment of music in the barbershop style for our chapter members and our audiences, participates in both quartet and chorus singing as a means of experiencing the thrill of barbershop singing and helping others to do the same. Our aim is also to support the Barbershop Harmony Society and the Mid-Atlantic District in their efforts to perpetuate our art form, to warmly welcome other singers into our hobby, and to contribute to the cultural quality of our community through our charitable activities.
PRESIDENT GEORGE’S SPACE
As most of you know by now, I may not be a very good golfer, but I love the game. During the third week of June, I spent an awful lot of time watching some of the best players in the world ply their trade in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Park. E v e n t h o s e w h o h a v e n o chance of winning are capable of hitting shots that are truly amazing!
The difference between the winners and losers at events
like this are incredibly small and usually determined not by what they do so much as how consistently they do it! In fact, one of the appeals of golf to me is the fact that I am capable of hitting shots that the best in the world would have trouble matching. The difference is that I may do such a thing once every six to eight weeks while they do it scores of times every day.
You often hear that the reason they’re so good is because of how much they practice. “After all,” you hear, “they hit three to five hundred balls a day!” I’m sure that’s part of it, but there’s also an inherent disparity in natural ability that no amount of practice can compensate for.
But it doesn’t bother me in the least that I’ll never be as good as the professionals or top amateurs. My enjoyment comes from the occasional thrill of giving it my best shot. Some of the best times I’ve had on a golf course have been competitions where I’ve played my best and lost to an opponent who played just a little bit better!
How striking the similarities are between my two great hobbies! Both take a lot of practice and concentration, and both can occasionally yield impressive results. The main difference is that golf is more of an individual sport while ensemble singing is a team effort. But I know that if I’ve done my best to learn my part, our team’s chances are just a little bit better.
I would like the chorus to go to next year’s Northern Division Contest in early May. If we all work hard at improving our performance, I’m sure we can do fairly well. We may not be the best chorus there, but that shouldn’t discourage us from being the best team we can be. An added bonus would be the chance to enjoy watching the performance of those who do it better. Just like at
President George Seelinger
Bethpage!
JULY 2009 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 3
NOVICE QUARTET MEN CAUGHT IN THE ACTBEST PRESENTATION
Howie Bailin, Dave D’Antonio, Bernie Genzer, Bob MiragliaTHE OTHER ONES
2nd PLACE - PERFORMANCE
Bob Heim, Vinnie Colonna, Bill Grieshaber, Chiz BellTHE FOUR TUNE HUNTERS
BEST LOOKING QUARTET
Bob Heim, Harry Ruvolo, Stan Squires, Maurice DebarTHE PLUMBERS
THE BEST COSTUMES
Bill Ruth, Ed Kaplan, Joe Massaro, George SeelingerTHE GOLD DERBIES
Photos by Bob Heim or his designated camera man
THE NOVICE AIRS
Itʼs the judgesʼ turn to sing
Aaron Dobin, Steve Greenblatt, Gary Buchwald, Alan Stern Hal Verity, Wayne Lazar, Joel Fairman, BJ Worsham
PAGE 4 TOOSDAY TOONS JULY 2009
THE DOWN AND OUTERS
Bill Ruth, Wayne Lazar, Ken Wunsch, George Seelinger
HERE COME THE JUDGES
Nancy Massaro, Alan Stern, Aaron Dobin, Gary Buchwald, Steve Greenblatt
THE UMBRELLA MEN
Howie Bailin, Bart Peluso, Bill Hardman, Bob Miraglia
THE IRISH ROVERS - 3rd Place Performance
Tommy Barone, Steve Marrin, John Brolly, Bob Roth
THE DON HOʼS
Bob Roth, Steve Stojowski, Steve Brausa, Tommy Barone
This is the last picture because they areTHE LATE COMERS
Hal Verity, Gene Kammerer, Marv Goodman, Ed O’Connor
JULY 2009 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 5
Wrap-up of Novice Quartet Night (Continued from page one)
In total, 33 chapter members participated in 11 quartets. Quartet performances were adjudicated by Nancy Massaro, and the Meshuga Daddies, a Long Island barbershop quartet hired at great expense strictly for this event.
Refreshments followed and were of sufficient caliber that I (Steve Brausa) had to fend off three proposals of marriage. Altogether, the enthusiastic participation of so many chapter members made the evening a tremendous amount of fun.
Highlights of Board of Directors MeetingMonday, June 8, 2009
• A chorus performance at the Milleridge Inn on December 9 was changed to December 16.
• Preliminary plans for the 2010 Annual Show include a travelogue-type presentation of a tour through the United States.
• Program Vice President Steve Brausa announced that “the excitement had reached fever pitch in anticipation of the Novice Quartet Contest scheduled for June 9.”
• Invitations have been sent out to Western Suffolk, North Brookhaven, Jamaica, Brooklyn, Manhat tan and Gotham Chapters for an Interchapter Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, October 20.
• Agreed to poll the members on the feasibility of holding Installation Night on a regular chapter meeting night in January rather than the current practice of a dinner-dance, which, in turn could be scheduled for a night after the Annual Show plus another in the Fall.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:Bob Miraglia July 3Bill Grieshaber July 11Dave D’Antonio July 23Marie Hardman July 25
CONGRATULATIONS ON THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES TO:Joe and Nancy Massaro 7/4/1959Steve and Jane Marrin 7/4/1969Dave and Caroline D’Antonio 7/18/1987Tom and Dolores McCormick 7/18/1998Maurice and Mary Jane Debar 7/20/1964George and Patricia Seelinger 7/21/1962George and Mary Pavlicin 7/22/1945
Joe and Nancy Massaro have extended invitations to all the members to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary mass at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park at 11A.M. on July 4. Their son, Rev. Thomas Massaro, S.J., Professor of Theology at Boston College, will officiate.
WHATʼS COOKING? - NO. 3 President George offers the following:
MY WILD IRISH SODA BREAD
4 cups bread flour 1 cup raisins or currants1 tsp salt 2 tbsp caraway seeds3 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup melted butter1 tsp baking soda 1 & 3/4 cups buttermilk1/4 cup sugar 1 egg
Mix all dry ingredients & add raisins. With egg and buttermilk at room temperature, mix together with melted butter and add dry mix. Knead all in a bowl for 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Add more flour if the mix ix too sticky.
Grease a 10 1/2 inch skillet and pour batter to a depth of at least 1/2 inch. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. (Pan may be covered with a lid when placed in the oven.)
Thump pan on bottom. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done. Let cool for 4 hours.
PAGE 6 TOOSDAY TOONS JULY 2009
H.H. - A BIT OF HEIM HUMOR
A GOLF LESSON FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE
A young man is playing golf with a priest. At a short hole the priest asks, “What are you going to use on this hole, son?”
The young man says, “An eight iron, father. How about you?”
The priest says, “I’m going to hit a soft seven and pray.”
The young man hits the eight iron and puts the ball on the green. The priest tops his seven iron and dribbles the ball out a few yards.
The young man says, “I don’t know about you, father, but in my church when we pray, we keep our head down.”
Classified AdsPositions Available:Chorus positions open in the tenor, lead, baritone and bass sections. Others need not apply.Physical Qualifications:Must be able to carry musical tones part way across the room.
Experience:Must have sung, hummed, or whistled in the bathtub, shower, or car at some time or other.Beginning Wage:Limited satisfaction and enjoyment in creating four-part harmony.Social Security Benefits:The security of fellowship with chorus members.Hours:Tuesday evenings from from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. with o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r o v e r t i m e d u r i n g p u b l i c performances throughout the year.Retirement:Recommended only when you stop having fun.
Adapted from the Concho Capers, Paul White, Editor, who stole it from the Voice of Rushmore, who stole it from the Hatter Chatter.
Temptation:Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values - and witnesses. Franklin P. Jones
JULY 2009 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 7
Vinnie Colonna, our Immediate Past President and the chapter delegate to the Mid-Atlantic District, has assumed the responsibility of registering members who would like to attend this yearʼs annual convention on October 2 & 3, at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Vinnieʼs advice is for interested parties to make their reservations for seating in the auditorium early so that he can purchase them in a block, thus affording the chapter delegation to sit together.
Additionally, Vinnie plans to make a scouting trip to Lancaster in the first week of July to ascertain suitable lodging for our conventioneers, which they themselves must make once he has secured the details and a reservation number for our group.
For further information about the convention or about Lancaster, go online at Mid-Atlantic District<[email protected]>
FOUR BEAUTIFUL REASONS FOR LADIES’ NIGHT
PAGE 8 TOOSDAY TOONS JULY 2009
Type to enter text
‘FIRST LADY” Pat Seelinger (wife of our dedicated Nassau Mid-Island Chapter President) joined a large assemblage of other “first ladies” at the organization’s annual “Ladies’ Night dinner in June at the Swan Club, Glenwood Landing.
OTHER CELEBRANTS
Vida Brausa and Nancy Massaro
June 18
at the
SWAN CLUB
Hal Verity, who directed the chorus and his wife, Lois
Clockwise from top left:Long Island Express: Bill Ruth,
Gene Kammerer, Bill McCoy, Bob Roth You-Four-A-Ya: Bob Heim, Bart Peluso, Bill McCoy, George Seelinger
Long Island Express performing double duty.
You-Four-A-Ya, not to be outdone, doing likewise.
The Entertainment Brigade
Photos by Bill Vesely
Photos by Bob Heim and Co.
JULY 2009 TOOSDAY TOONS PAGE 9
CHAPTER OFFICERS - 2009
President George Seelinger (516) 333-0803 [email protected] Music & Presentation Eugene Kammerer (631) 486-1270 [email protected] Chapter Development Robert Roth (516) 798-2783 [email protected] Program Steven Brausa (516) 921-8553 [email protected] VP Marketing & PR Robert Heim (718) 846-9446 [email protected] Secretary Charles Bell (516) 676-0448 [email protected] Stephen Stojowski (516) 747-4715 [email protected] Delegate Vincent Colonna (516) 593-1347 [email protected]
BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGEClass of 2011 Wayne Lazar and Willard McCoyClass of 2010 Bart Peluso and William VeselyClass of 2009 Robert Miraglia and Kenneth Wunsch
Chorus Director Maurice Debar (631) 587-8694 [email protected] Director Stephen Stojowski (516) 747-4715 [email protected]
SECTION LEADERSTenors William Ruth Harold VerityLeads Eugene Kammerer Alfred SchwabBaritones Robert Roth Robert MiragliaBasses Stephen Stojowski Stanley Squires
OTHER IMPORTANT JOBSLibrarian George SeelingerUniforms David D’AntonioShow Chairman 2009 Harold VerityAttendance Eugene KammererWeb Master Robert HeimVice President Northern Division William Ennis
2008 BARBERSHOPPER OF THE YEARSam Glicksman
CHAPTER QUARTETS
AfterGloWormsHarold Verity, TenorBob Miraglia, Lead
Steve Stojowski, BassMaurice Debar, Baritone
Contact: [email protected]
All In A ChordBill Ruth, Tenor
Steve Brausa, LeadBernie Genzer, Bass
Peter Kenny, BaritoneContact: Sbrausa@verizon,net
LighthouseHarold Verity, Tenor
Vinnie Colonna, LeadEd Andreassen, BassChiz Bell, Baritone
Contact: [email protected]
Long Island ExpressBill Ruth, Tenor
Gene Kammerer, LeadJohn Laughlin, BassBob Roth, Baritone
Contact: [email protected]
QuatrainBob Kelly, Tenor
Steve Marrin, LeadAl Fennell, Bass
Tom Brucia, BaritoneContact: [email protected]
You-Four-A-YaBob Heim, TenorBart Peluso, LeadBill McCoy, Bass
George Seelinger, BaritoneContact: [email protected]
CHAPTER CENSUS
06/30/09Regular Members 34Senior Members 28Student 1Life Member 1TOTAL 64
BACK PAGE TOOSDAY TOONS JULY 2009
TOOSDAY TOONS - JULY 2009
Charles F. Bell, Editor and Publisher67 Laurel AvenueSea Cliff, NY [email protected]
Forwarding and addresscorrections required
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The Nassau Mid-Island Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBERJUNE 28 - JULY 5 BARBERSHOP HARMONY SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION in
Anaheim, California
JULY 7 - 14 - 21 - 28 - AUGUST 4 - 11- 18- 25 - SEPTEMBER 1 - Chapter MeetingsCalvary Protestant Church, 2801 Park Ave., Baldwin, 8:00 - 10:30 p.m.
JULY 13 Barbershop Music Appreciation Day Board of Directors Meeting, Winthrop Hall, Westbury, 8:00 p.m.
JULY 18 - The Veritysʼ Annual Patio Party, 921 Southard Ct., Baldwin, 4:00 p.m.
JULY 26 - JULY 5 HARMONY UNIVERSITY, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, Missouri
SEPTEMBER 8 - 15 - 22 - 29 Chapter meetings resume at Winthrop Hall, Church of the Advent, 555 Advent St., Westbury, 8:00- 10:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 2 - 4 MID-ATLANTIC DISTRICT CONVENTION, Lancaster County Convention Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania