System reboot: If we’d started the Society today, what would be different?
Posted by Lorin May | Posted in Chapters, Chorus, Contests & Judging, Just for Fun, Leadership, Members, Music, Uncategorized | Posted on January 8, 2010, 10:23 AM
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Here’s something for all you snowed-in barbershoppers to chew on: How would we have structured things if 30,000 barbershop singers had somehow gotten together just today to form a singing Society? How would we be structured? What would we do that we don’t do now? What would we modify or drop that we are doing?
On balance, we’re far too critical of ourselves as barbershoppers. We’re so intimately aware of our own warts and unrealized hopes that we rarely realize that the outside world is far more impressed with us than we are. Ever heard the “Wow!” from a sharp music professional once he starts to become familiar with our educational system, our contest and judging system, our organizational structure, youth outreach, fraternal culture, etc.? (Maybe that’s a post or Harmonizer article for another time!) So I don’t want this to devolve into a gripe session of “What’s wrong with the Society,” cuz frankly we hear plenty of that already.
That said, organizations can be like computers. After you’ve had one for a while, installed this program, tweaked that, added this data, both a computer and an organization can start become sluggish. There’s really no way to avoid it, but all those necessary tweaks and changes can build up “lint” that can hamper system performance. For all the customizations you can’t live without anymore, you still wish your machine were operating the way it did when it came out of the box.
Here’s an example, based on a conversation I was having with our Education Department staff just the other day. We have so many programs to help directors, train chapter leadership, boost chapter performance that even I can’t keep track of all of them. What if all these Leadership Academies, COTS, CDWIs, chapter coaching, etc. were all under the umbrella of one of our crown jewels, Harmony University? Would that make it easier for chapters, quartets and individuals to comprehend where to get help? Would we offer an associate’s degree in chapter PR? Bachelor’s degrees in chapter leadership? Masters degrees in choral conducting?
It was all thinking out loud there, so don’t think we’re necessarily going that direction. The idea was, “We’ve got all this great information out there in programs and formats that might be a bit unwieldy. Could we be more efficient and effective if we repackaged it? Reorganized it? Delivered it at District Conventions? Offered distance learning courses? Whatever?
Anyway, what do you think we would be doing differently if we had all the accumulated knowledge, wisdom and personnel we have now, but not the organizational legacy that got us here? Would we be organized differently? Compete differently? Fraternize differently?
Inquiring minds want to know!
p.s. A future post will ask a different question: “What would we have never dropped from years past had we known the consequences?”
Fire away!
Before I answer the main question, let me say that I do not believe that putting the various educational events under the HU umbrella is an answer to anything.
It would definitely linit the number of people attending since many (I am now one) could not afford the expense.
Now, to the key question.
Knowing what we know today, I believe we have everything to gain from a consolidation of the administrative functions of the three bhs harmony organizations, including educational events; lower costs, fewer events, more people, centralized resources, etc.
In my opinion, the pendulum has swung too far to the right (being competition mode)…too little emphasis on excellence of performance versus the narrow focus of competition excellence. This has resulted in not enough chapters providing the variety and companionship which attracted so many new (singing) members in the past.
As a new member in 1964, I was attracted…AND KEPT…by, first and foremost, my love of close harmony singing, followed closely by the love of ‘fellowhip’ achieved not just by my immediate bbs ‘family’, but by associating regularly with other nearby chapters. I knew many more people in the 60s, 70s & 80s because of this and it made me want to attend conventions more regularly just to spend time with these people.
The past 15-20 years have changed. Not just for me. For the hobby.
I don’t believe for a minute that people join AND STAY for reasons that are any different today. However, it’s harder to find. I know. I have tried.
That’s enough from me. I trust I have made it clear what I would like to see. There’s not enough space for a commentary on how to achieve it. Perhaps a future discussion?
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, the casual brainstorm on that topic had nothing to do with moving all the content to the Harmony U LOCATION or TIME, but more to do with a simplified Harmony U branding — reducing complexity and improving the mental accessibility was the only point.
Great comments!
Take the content of the Directors College curriculum and make it available via multiple channels which are less costly (in terms of money and blocks of time) than spending a week in St. Joseph, MO.
While DC is great, the cost and time commitment is pretty big. I’d hazard a guess that the time commitment is actually the bigger roadblock.
For most chapters, you have one director. If he can’t take the time off from work to attend DC (even if the chapter is paying), then he has no access to that curriculum. Make it easier to access by delivering it in as many ways as possible, especially ones that don’t require a week long time commitment and $1000 (airfare plus tuition).
Possible delivery methods:
1. Make video recordings of every DC course every year and make them available on DVD (and online) to directors who couldn’t make it to DC.
2. Hold weekend DC training sessions in each district (using local talent, if possible) to deliver the DC curriculum over a period of time.
3. ??? I’m sure there are more suggestions out there.
I agree with with the ideas in some respects. As DCC for my district I can say that much of what is offered within the district in the way of education for directors, and others, is very under utilized. When districts struggle to get great programs off the ground, even when districts make them virtually free to the participant, the fault doesn’t lie with the Society or district. It is more the individual that needs to take ownership of that.
I would love to be able to go to Directors College, but other things get in the way. If I choose to attend International, there is no way I can afford in either time or money to go to DC. In the past couple of years I have been afforded the opportunity to teach as a guest conductor at the International Music Camp on the North Dakota/Canada border. It spans eight weeks and teaches fine music skills to Jr. High/Middle School and High School students, along with one camp just for adults where we offer both men’s and women’s barbershop. Unfortunately that camp comes at the same time as DC. Do I teach barbershop to brand new converts and help spread the joy of singing our form of music, or do I leave that position and go to DC?
Speaking just for myself, I would love to see DC courses offered by either DVD or online. Like Jim Henry’s fabulous speech at HU, it classes could be put on YouTube in sections so they are accessible. I know there are some classes that are available now to be done on your own, but it would be of great advantage to be able to view the instructor actually giving the class. If on DVD, then I would have that information handy to refer back to when I needed to review something.
I’m not sure putting everything under the umbrella of HU would be the best thing. It might, but then again… If we can’t get people to take part in district Harmony Colleges, HEP Schools, Leadership Academies, COTS, or even conventions, will they take part in any of the educational things offered through the Society? Past experience says probably not. I wish it weren’t so. I’m a life-long learner, and will continue to be as long as I’m alive. Others seem to have become lifelong leaners, depending on others to get educated. Again, I wish it weren’t that way.
John and Allan,
Thank you for your thoughtful posts on this topic. You bring up some great points regarding the excellent education provided at Directors College and the fact that we are not able to reach all barbershoppers to receive that education is something we look to correct. There is no doubt money plays a role, but I agree with Allan that it is probably time that is more of a deal breaker for most of our barbershoppers.
As most of us are well aware, we do have scholarships available for DC attendees. Also, as you probably know by now, that process has been recently revamped to try and get many new folks to DC…it has worked. We have seen a spike in attendance of new attendees due to the fact we are opening the doors a little wider to allow for not only front line directors, but also assistant directors and aspiring directors, and as a nice side effect, a spike in those enrolled in our recently revamped Director Certification program.
Although not a DVD or video of footage of DC, we do have several resources already available through the Harmony Marketplace regarding director education. One that comes to mind is a great directing techniques video that features Dr. Greg Lyne and Dr. Don Campbell (Stock #004029). There are several other great resources on the Harmony Marketplace site…I encourage everyone to look into those.
Additionally, many resources exist online that have been produced by non barbershop entities. Videos on leadership, directing, motivation, etc. can all be very valuable resources to those wanting to learn how to be a more dynamic leader. Just Google it! Rest assured, however…the Education Department is looking to produce more training videos and interactive educational resources. In today’s world, it would be an oversight if we didn’t do something like that.
Currently we have several programs in place that serve the needs of many different levels of directors, during weekend training sessions. We have the Outstanding in Front program, the CDWI program, the Next Level program, and HEP schools often have some sort of director training available as well. Feel free to browse the Director Education portion of the BHS website (www.barbershop.org/education/director-education.html) to learn a lot more about each opportunity offered. As John suggests, those programs exist but are often underutilized. Any suggestions on how we can appeal to more folks?
All of that being said, there is nothing more valuable than being in a class, with instant feedback and interaction. So to that I say to everyone, do all you can to clear your schedules to come to Directors College!
Thanks for your care and passion for our hobby. You guys are great assets to have for our organization.
I have always been charmed by the original reason that O.C. Cash and Rupert Hall had for hosting the first singfest.
They grew up with parlor singing and barbershop singing. But, the steady changes caused by progress were reducing the oportunities for parlor/barbershop singing. In desperation, they entreated friends and acquaintences to join with them and resurrect those happy friendly days of song.
Luckily for us, many other people wanted to preserve THEIR opportunities to sing in a friendly, safe environment.
THAT is what I would encourage as the backbone for a fledgling Society. I would create “closed/private” places where men could feel free to sing without fear of censure.
I would require a cadre of “teachers, to teach music and encourage good technique.
Find/train good organizers to orchestrate each meeting, to achieve maximum involvement and fun.
Make sure every attendee has opportunities to sing in a performance mode (not just classroom/rehearsal).
Get as many people “Up Front” as possible. Teaching, Directing, Quarteting, Telling Jokes/Stories. discussing what the Society has to offer; History, Neighboring chapter events, schools conventions etc.
Give everyone a job (dont just ask for volunteers) and praise those who are doing their jobs.
Encourage everyone to “look out for one another,” If someone seems to be overlooked, bring it to the chaptreer’s attention…and bring him into the activities or find out what he would like the chapter to do.
Make a point of announcing people who are absent. And, if no one knows why atey arent there, appoint someone dto check on them…Be your brothers kee3per.
Over the years, we have stopped catering to the singers desire to be loved and involved, in favor of selling barbershop to the genderal public and developing costly “systems” for cataloging what should be fun into clinical music, to entice new members. It has taken a lot of the Love” out of participation for me…and many of our potential members.
I have not been on an inter-chapter visit in twelve years.
I have not been invited to sing at a convention in ten years.
The only times I am invited to sing in a pick up quartet (at chapter meeting), is by “old timers.” Members with less than ten years service – think its just chorus rehearsal.
We no longer have breaks with snack…and atime to fraternize. (The music team says…”too many people leave at halftime if we have a break.”)
I MISS THE OLDE TIMES.
Larry the Legend
I believe the idea to have/maintain a centralized “distance learning” media available to chapter leadership (or any membership) is interesting. Given the broad expanse of membership both state side and abroad, certified on-line society training/education could be a valuable resource. Anyone who has taken any on-line education could atest to the comfort of completing course work according to one’s own schedule. Draws backs would be limited observed (graded) practical application.
To the question of “what would we have done differently?”: I have not the years of experience to accuratley answer.
What would we do differently? Where to start? How about with the district and competition organization that has been pretty much static for several decades?
Instead of having competitive groupings based on district lines that may or may not make geographic or population sense over time, smaller district groupings could be established with clusters of chapters whose boundaries are flexible over time to give approximately equal numbers of chapters access to centralized services and events with competitions designed to perculate the best chapters and quartets up to the championship rounds. It seems to me that this type of model encourages maximum chapter participation at some level while preventing over or under representation from small or large districts in higher competitions. As boundaries shift around with chapter populations, it also seems that it discourage the calcification of districts in their ways of doing things and necessarily makes the districts more attuned to the chapters in proximity to each other.
I do like the idea of establishing an on-line Harmony University. I was able to attend DC for the first time last summer and found it exceptionally useful. For me, the $1000 spent on tuition and air-fare isn’t as much an issue as the week away from my work life, though the fellowship there was great too. While live class time is generally superior, much of the curriculum such as music theory would lend itself well to on-line instruction with a proctor to help students thru the course work. That would let students progress at their own rates as well. If there were resources available with experience with a University of Pheonix type model, the society could develop an effective profit center by putting certification programs on line. It would be wonderful if the live session topics could be offered regionally, but I imagine that the time limitations of the society’s top resources make that difficult.
Just thinking out loud here – thanks for the forum to do so.
When we started I suspect most chapters were about the same, most were social as well as singing clubs, with many non-singing members. I think that eventually evolved into the one-size-fits-all chapter model that was being promoted for most of our history. Of course all of us sat back and said “Gee, the VM probably doesn’t do woodshedding every week and they don’t seem to have a problem getting members” (as one example of an “atypical” chapter experience).
The friction between musical excellence and “fun” (defined as fun activity not involving musical excellence) has been our biggest source of internal strife ever since “excellence-oriented” chapters started appearing in the 70′s (VM, Sounds of Concord to name a couple, were there chapters like this in the 60′s or earlier?). Of course musical excellence and “fun” are concurrently possible in all chapters but most usually emphasize one over the other. And that’s great!
If we started from scratch I’d love to see emphasis on having more chapters, each with narrower focus, and less worry about having chapters in neighboring towns because they might steal members from each other.
I wonder if the way we are organized now has more to do with the way we grew as an organization, city by city and chapter by chapter without a full Society staff. How would things have been different if there was a strong “corporate office” in place along the way? We should certainly consider that when imagining a reboot.
The HU discussion is a great example. We’ve recently moved back to a district governed model for chapter leadership training. Does every district possess the instructors of the same expertise and proficiency? If we assume that is not the case, are we then embracing a system that will weaken some areas because they don’t have the resources that others do?
If the Society was rebooted under the assumption that there is a strong corporate office, which we have, then that organization could be responsible for developing courses and certifying instructors. That central organization could also be responsible for offering these classes at times and locations that serve the highest amount of chapters with the lowest cost. This would likely include offering classes at International, Midwinter, and HU. The technology for online courses has been around for years now, and that should be explored as well.
If we offer these classes at our major schools and conventions, offer them online, and offer them regionally at regular intervals, wouldn’t it be fair to require participation on a regular basis to maintain a chapter’s charter? Wouldn’t we have stronger chapters if we did, and wouldn’t that make the Society stronger as a whole?
How about contests and conventions?
–Mike
Wow, a great and thought provoking question. Lorin, you stated “Here’s an example, based on a conversation I was having with our Education Department staff just the other day. We have so many programs to help directors, train chapter leadership, boost chapter performance that even I can’t keep track of all of them. What if all these Leadership Academies, COTS, CDWIs, chapter coaching, etc. were all under the umbrella of one of our crown jewels, Harmony University? Would that make it easier for chapters, quartets and individuals to comprehend where to get help?” We really do have many valuable programs and an array of talented people to present them.
Please allow me to get out of the box and jump into the think tank with all the others who may respond to this article. I am a thirty-six year member and have attended many of these events.
Our Society is blessed with top-notch people who are capable of educating us effectively in just about any subject related to our hobby. We hold conventions, leadership forums, schools, etc. both at the Society and District levels and invite everyone to come and be better educated and to become better singers. BUT, a major segment of our Society membership never attends these events for a variety of reasons.
Today, holding these events, hiring venues, flying staff in, providing lodging and meals and all the other costs, not to mention the cost to individual members to get to these events is taking a toll on attendance.
Here is how we may be able to take one thing — musical technique or craft– and bring it right into every chapter meeting room and available to EVERY member of our Society. Develop a series of CDs or even better DVDs which would contain fifteen minute segments of craft sessions (or any other subject for that matter) prepared at the Society level by our very best and talented musicians and experts and carefully formatted and presented so that everyone can learn how to sing better. All the chapter would need is a projector and screen. No expensive auditoriums, hotels, airfare and the rest. Might even be able to borrow the projection equipment. And if someone didn’t quite understand it the first time, play it again, and again.
Our top talented people are constantly involved in coaching situations and could be digitally recorded in an actual coaching session on location. Our Society leaders and staff members could be digitally recorded right there in Nashville in our own facilities. Then take these sessions and create an audio/video DVD crammed full of craft sessions. Imaging having the best of the best right there in our chapter meeting whenever we needed help solving any problem. The only cost, that of developing the media and making it available. With today’s technology, it is much less expensive than it once was, and the media can be marketed through Harmony Marketplace.
Apply the same thinking to all forms of barbershop education. Bring it into the 21st Century. I can just see it now, an orientation DVD with our Society President or Exec explaining how our Society is structured, explaining our code of ethics and dozens of other valuable bits of information. Chorus Director tips built right into a craft session. Apply it to Harmony Foundation information as well.
The key is “fifteen minute segments”. Most barbershoppers want to sing at their meetings with a minimum time spent on business, sectional rehearsals and craft sessions.
I am afraid that if we bring all of this under the umbrella of HU, we would continue to be reaching the small percentage of core, die hard members and leaving the majority of our membership out of the loop.
Art, let me take a page out of your book and say WOW!, what a thoughtful answer to Lorin’s thought provoking question.
That 15 minute time frame is genius! Simple, effective and … why didn’t I think of that? Lorin, we need to listen to this guy.
I especially like the Orientation idea; it could be married to a local orientation package and shown to new members the same evening they sign up, maybe even earlier so they really have a clear picture of what we are as a Society and what the chapter they’re joining is all about.
Lorin or somebody at HQ needs to research this and find out costs and get this program rolling. Harmony Marketplace will probably be the best way to distribute the media (DVDs will be the way to go) at a reasonable cost to chapters.
Thanks for your post Art!
-Dave R
Thanks Dave,
All I did was make a suggestion, planted a seed if you will. If it sprouts, it will need to be watered, fed and pruned. That’s where all you guys with the talent come in. I think it has merit and will serve to provide a much needed Society and District presence in our chapters and chapter meetings.
I’ll bet there are plenty of guys out in the bushes who don’t even know we have a code of ethics; never been shown how important proper use of vowels and consonants are when singing; directors with hidden talents that need to be drawn out; and quartets that can’t afford to pay a coach but want to do a better job.
Soon, more seeds will drop and spread. It’s not a no brainer though, and will take some careful and thoughtful planning to implement.
So, hopefully others will chime in on this. Thanks again Dave for you encouraging words.
Art
OK. If we’re rebooting everything, would there be anything wrong with combining the functions of prelims and district contest, and have them once a year in more places? It would definitely save the Society money on judging travel, and if there were more locations they would presumably be closer for more members, which might encourage more participation.
Of course that would mean folks would only convene at a regional level once a year, and we’d lose out on camaraderie. Not so!
If we had the competitions in the Spring, then we could have regional jamborees on in the Fall. Each jamboree could include a quartet brigade for the extreme quartet singers, an all-star chorus for the extreme chorus singers, and a joe barbershopper chorus for guys who just want the experience of singing in a bigger chorus. Throw in some HU-style classes for guys who don’t want to sing in a chorus. Top the whole weekend off with a show, open to the public, that included the choruses, brigade winners, and maybe even the winner of the previous Spring’s quartet. The show would help defray the cost of the weekend and would also bring great barbershop performances to more areas of the country.
–Mike
Mike,
Wow, that’s thinking outside the box! Just the kind of comments I was hoping to generate! Sort of a “knowing what we know now, what would we do with a clean slate?” kind of question.
Great thoughts!
Lorin,
Thanks man! I think a lot of groups make the mistake of trying to be all things to all people at the same time. This approach would allow us to be unapologetic in focusing on contest for one weekend a year (with a bit of variety of course), and then the other weekend we can be unapologetic in not focusing on contest.
If I could take one thing back it would be the word jamboree. I’m not sure anyone born after 1970 would be excited about going to something called a jamboree. Maybe call it Spring Jam, or even Spring Break.
Oops… Contest is in the Spring. Make that Fall Break.
On my first visit the Chorus of Old York Road chapter of SPEBSQSA in Abbington, PA in 1966 I was welcomed warmly, introduced to the director, sand a duet with him for part placement ans was wood shedding in a quartet- all in the space of 20 minutes. Now , that’s barbershop as Hall & Cash intended. (IMO)
My love affair with barbershop that had begun so casually caught fire and burned ever brighter for the next seven years, surviving changes in chapters, choruses and quartets. Oh, I was eager to deepen this relationship-COTS, competitions, conventions, coaching, sing outs, you name it. I loved every minute of it. My disillusion came as quickly as my affection began. I was driving home one Friday night and realized that I had not sung more than 20 minutes in months. That’s when I quit.
Trying to find the right balance between the joy of creating hair raising harmony with friends and the exhausting work it takes to keep an organization growing and improving will always be just beyond our reach. I give a standing ovation to all who try. But maybe, just maybe, a re-commitment to singing with friends might reignite the spark in some of us jaded suitors.
Last night was spent singing with friends at a formal practice, followed by more singing with 30 or so friends at a most fun afterglow! It was quite fun…made moreso by the fact that we’re all looking forward to our first trip as a chorus to compete at International! I don’t think excellence and fun have to be separate…on the contrary, they make it fun for me. But, y’know, different strokes for different folks. That’s why we have many different kinds of chapters.