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Thank you for the music
By Gaye LaCasce, International President
Your recent social media posts have been full of news about busy chapters and quartets spreading musical holiday cheer at venues of all kinds. Coming right on the heels of our IC&C, the preparations for and intensity of this holiday music-making may feel daunting (in addition to personal and family commitments!)
So why do we do it?
These gigs epitomize what we love about our hobby. Sharing that familiar holiday music touches the hearts of audience members and fills our souls in the bargain.
In a practical sense, holiday music may be easier to master than some of our other repertoire. It’s often familiar and recognizable to our audiences. Those two factors combine to make your plethora of December gigs a great opportunity for musical and performance skill-building.
And… drum roll, please… those performances are FUN!
Thanks for giving so much of yourselves to the music over the past two months. My hope for us all, as 2023 draws to a close, is this – that we celebrate the power of singing, of musical progress, of human connection, of harmony, and, of course, Harmony!
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Many thanks to all
Post-convention high lingers on
By Allison Thompson, Convention Manager
As I sit in front of a cozy fireplace on a chilly winter night, I reflect on 2023 and all the fantastic experiences I had and the wonderful people I met along the way. A majority of those were because of Harmony, Inc. and I can’t help but be grateful to this organization and all those who serve it for providing such an open environment for doing what we love, with the people we have come to love!
I don’t know about you but I still have not come down from the high of this year’s IC&C. What a thrilling, enriching, and exhausting experience! From the fantastic performances to the enlightened education and every laugh, smile, and hug in between. I am in awe of what a great week it was!
I would be remiss if I let the year end without expressing my sincerest thanks and gratitude to so many people who made it all possible.
First and foremost, to my amazing Convention Team who spent countless hours planning and thinking through every detail to ensure a great experience for all of our members. I may be the one at the helm, but you are the ones that make it all happen! You make me proud every single day!
And we would not be able to do what we do without the support of our fantastic IBOD. They listen, they acknowledge, and they make decisions based on what is best for our members and our organization. We thank you for your leadership.
To our volunteers - you step up in so many ways and this event would not be possible without you! Thank you for being there, year after year, with a smile on your face.
And what can we say about a judging panel that agrees to give so much of their time to not only sit through three days of contests but to offer feedback sessions and teach education classes on top of that! Did any of you actually sleep? How fortunate are we to have such dedication among our peers!
A special thanks to the AHQ for providing direction, guidance, support, and more. Your presence is seen and felt in so many ways including Sing with the Queens, the Parade of Champions show, the crowning ceremonies, and the Medalist Fanfare. You are a true representation of what those crowns stand for.
The Communications Team plays such a critical role in the execution and marketing of ICC. From creating websites to building forms, sending out information internally and externally, and providing their expertise in so many ways. They are important partners to our team.
I also want to thank all our vendors and partners: Acaville and Markey’s for your AV, tech, and livestream support; Read Photography and all our Harmony Mall participants; the Equity and Diversity Committee for providing our Zen Zone and Harmony Hub; and Anne Colt and all of those who taught education sessions. You all played an important role in the success of our event.
To our outgoing champions - your humble spirit and grace really shone through at this year’s event. Your performances embodied what this organization is all about and you showed us what true champions look like.
Finally, to every member of Harmony, Inc. - thank you for your support; whether you participated in person, watched the live stream, or simply offered encouragement to your favorite competitors – you are the reason we do this.
I love what I do. But I love even more who I do it for.
May your holidays be filled with the love and music that make us all Harmony Strong!
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| Opening & Closing Ceremonies Reports Available |
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READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Opening and Closing Ceremony reports from the International Convention and Contests are completed and uploaded to the Harmony, Inc. website for your reading pleasure.
Annual Meeting Minutes have also been posted.
Associates/Delegates Meeting minutes will be posted shortly.
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| Associate Member Coordinator Position Open |
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Associate Member Coordinator Vacancy
Tessa Walker will soon be retiring as our Associate Member Coordinator. She has thoroughly enjoyed kicking off this brand new position and is now ready to pass the torch to someone passionate about Associate member involvement in our organization. Tessa will be available to train and support our new Associate Member Coordinator. Thank you, Tessa, for developing this new volunteer position!
The Associate Member Coordinator works closely with our Area Associate Representatives and also serves as a liaison for Associate members in the expansion area. The Associate Member Representative reports directly to the Director of Membership as the voice of our Associate members. There is plenty of room for more growth and ideas to provide support to Associates and to ensure your voices are reaching our leaders. All members are invited to apply, although an Associate member is preferred. A detailed job description can be found in the Corporate Manual, page 147.
Please contact Taralee Lashway, Director of Membership if you are interested in finding out more about this position and/or applying. Tessa is also happy to answer any questions. Ready to volunteer? Use this form.
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Capital Chordettes pose in front of the iconic sign at the Byward Market in Ottawa, Ontario in July 2023.
Capital Chordettes celebrate 60 years in Harmony
By Laura Potter, Chapter President
The Capital Chordettes, under the direction of Lana Clowes, first became part of Harmony, Inc. in 1963. In only a few short years, they placed second at the 1967 IC&C. The chorus later went on to become International Champions in 1984 and in 1988, under the direction of Jerry Dunlop; and in 1996, under the direction of Carol Gardener.
The Capital Chordettes were originally members of Sweet Adelines. However, in 1957, that organization introduced and approved a corporate by-law amendment restricting membership to Caucasian women. When the Sweet Adelines board of directors discovered that the Capital Chordettes had named Lana Clowes, a black woman, as their director and a member of their executive board, their response was to send out an ultimatum: disavow her membership or leave the organization. Consequently, two members of the Capital Chordettes attended a meeting of Harmony, Inc. in Toronto and voiced their intent to stand for their values and their director, and join HI. Thus, Capital Chordettes became the seventh chapter to join Harmony, Inc.
Today, the Capital Chordettes is the oldest Canadian chapter in Harmony, Inc. and the fourth oldest chapter overall. In keeping with the organization’s motto, “A Blend With Friendship”, many members foster lifelong friendships that span generations and know no geographical boundaries.
Over the past 60 years, the Capital Chordettes has always met the scoring requirements at Area Convention & Contests (AC&C) held each spring to qualify to sing at the International Convention and Contests (IC&C) held each fall. The chapter has also hosted International and Area conventions several times. The Capital Chordettes has sung at Expo ’67 in Montreal, for Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip in 1972, and at many prestigious events over the years and has received many honours, awards, and recognitions.
To this day, the Capital Chordettes is an organization that fulfills the Harmony mission of empowering all women through singing, friendship, and education. The chapter brings joy through singing and inspires present and future generations through song and its commitment to the community.
Lana Clowes, in red sash and black pumps, leads the Capital Chordettes in a performance in the Canadian Pavillion at Expo '67 in Montreal, Quebec.
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Your donations to the For Love of Harmony program enable you to identify individuals or groups to receive special recognition, while at the same time providing a monetary gift to Harmony, Inc.
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Susanne Misunas in memory of Dorothy Hannaford
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| Condolences From The Membership |
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Need to post a condolence notice? Please have the information sent to the Corporate Office to be recorded. Thank you.
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31 JANUARY 2024 - Deadline for nominations for Honorary Member
26-29 FEBRUARY - Harmony Awareness Week
The next issue of the HI Note comes to your inbox January 5. With the holiday season in the rearview mirror, why not let your siblings in song know what your chorus or quartet did/is doing to help your community by sending a short story -- and pictures! -- for the HI Note to editor@harmonyinc.org . January deadline is December 28.
See you again, soon!
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| International Conventions & Contests |
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2024 NOVEMBER 6-9, GALT HOUSE, LOUISVILLE, KY
2025 NOVEMBER 5-8, HERSHEY LODGE, HERSHEY, PA
2026 NOVEMBER 11-14, GALT HOUSE, LOUISVILLE, KY
2027 NOVEMBER 10-13, NIAGARA FALLS CONVENTION CENTER, NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO
2028 NOVEMBER 1-4, HERSHEY LODGE, HERSHEY, PA
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