We just got back from this year's competition, and our hat is off to the Mt. Baker Toppers, who managed to successfully organize a competition in a different *country*!  (The Mt. Baker Toppers are from Washington State, and the competition was in Abbotsford, BC)

This year's Evergreen Division One champs are The Squares.  Our quartet managed to increase our scores slightly to place 4th out of 13 quartets (last year we were 6th out of 9 quartets).

However, it isn't all about the scoring, or even the wonderful coaching we receive from each of the competition judges afterwards.  This weekend is a great opportunity to fellowship with other barbershoppers from BC and Washington State, and of course, to sing, and sing we do, whether it's in the Duke Of Dublin Olde Irish Pub, or at the Afterglow (see our newly posted videos for a sampling of that), or in the hospitality suite provided by the Naniamo Tidesmen, who will be hosting the next competition in Naniamo next year.

So, buoyed by the encouraging responses by those who watched the quartet competition, and strengthened by the helpful direction of the contest judges, we are ready to bring the best of what we have to share with you, our appreciative audience.  Look for our name on in the billing wherever good music is scheduled! :-D
 
With spring officially here (tomorrow), it's time to look for what the new year is holding for us.  We had a wonderful time at Boston Pizza, serenading numerous couples and families on Valentine's Day, and having a wonderful time at it, and we just finished welcoming Paul Hunter's mother, Dorothy, to her 85th year with harmony and song.  So, what does the future hold for us?

If you happen to be in the Lower Mainland during the last weekend of March, you may catch us and many other talented singers as we compete at the Barbershop Society's Evergreen District Division One competition in Abbotsford, March 30th and 31st.  We'll be at the Abbey competing with 13 (!) other quartets for a shot at the title on Friday night, and we have choruses from BC and Washington State also competing Saturday, with a Show of Champions on Saturday Evening for the top placing choruses and quartets!  If you want to hear some of the best singing BC and Washington have to offer, you would be well served to be there!  Wish Us Luck!
 
So, we're now back from Abbotsford, where we performed our two best songs before a crowd of our peers and judges from the Barbershop Harmony Society.  There were 10 choruses and 10 total quartets (one was from "out of district" so they didn't factor in to the division scoring), and out of 9 quartets, we placed 6th, with a very narrow lead between the 4th and 6th placed quartets.  We felt very good about our performance, and we believe the scoring represents the growth we've made as a quartet over the last two years, which is when we last performed at competitions, as a novice quartet.


When we first competed, nerves definitely got the better of us.  The number one critique of our quartet was weak, quiet, tense singing (Hello Nerves!) and the remedy was to sing out and be more confident of what we had to offer.  This time, there were no comments of that sort - our singing was solid, our musical interpretation was thoughtful and for the most part accurate, and everything we practiced, we brought to bear at competition.

Now, we've entered into the next phase of our performing, that of working harder to engage the audience in our vision for the song we're singing.  This involves clearer body language (both unified and separate) via choreography, as well as being aware of different visual elements we can employ to draw the audience into a deeper sharing of the interpretation of the song.  We'll be working on this as we prepare for next year's competition.

Fortunately, all of these things we practice in preparation for competition are directly relevant for public performances, as one of the hallmarks of the Barbershop Harmony Society is engaging and entertaining public performances.  Every time we tweak and twiddle, it's all for the goal of bringing you the best entertainment we can muster.

You can see what we're capable of now by attending the Vernon Community Singer's spring show, called "Classics to Country", Friday April 15th at 7pm and Saturday April 16th at 2pm.  Things are only getting better!
 
That time is upon us once again, when the Evergreen District of the Barbershop Harmony Society holds its Division 1 competition.  You may recall that it was 2 years ago that Some Other Time got its start, as we joined together as a novice quartet to compete, placing in the top of our category.  While we have no aspirations of placing in the top of our new category (non-novice, meaning everyone else), because there are some EXCELLENT quartets in our division, we still look forward to a weekend of enjoyable singing and rubbing elbows with some really great people.

If you happen to be in Abbotsford during the April 1st weekend, be sure to check out the competition at the Abbotsford Arts Center.  Details available at the competition website http://www.divisiononecontest.com/

In preparation for competition, we are also getting out there in the public, singing our stuff.  Next week we'll be at the Vernon Performing Arts Center, welcoming the Windwood Theatricals production The Music Man.  We'll be singing in the lobby before the performance and during intermission, as well as enjoying the production with the rest of the theatre-goers.  It promises to be a fun time for all.  Tickets are available at the Ticket Seller (http://www.ticketseller.ca/) and a write-up of the performance from the Vernon Morning Star staff can be found at http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/entertainment/118276144.html
 
First off, we're ready to sing.  We've been practicing weekly (few exceptions) on a number of new songs, and are looking forward to performing some really great tunes for you.  We're looking to sprinkle some laughter into our performances, so expect a chuckle or two next time we sing for you.

Also, we're getting ready for the Evergreen Division 1 competition, which will be held in Abbotsford on the weekend of April 9-10.  This is an annual gathering of people who sing the Barbershop style, and draws a crowd of singers from as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Oregon.  To prepare for this, we're looking through and adding to our repertoire three songs that we will practice, hone and sharpen until they're the best they can be.  When we're done, they'll be a part of what we do, and you'll be able to hear them too!

So, until next time we perform for you, keep a melody in mind, and harmony in your heart!