Who
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WHO
This is a mixed event for experienced quartet singers of any gender. When you submit your application, we will try to check that your quartet singing experience is sufficient to enable you to participate fully and successfully. Once you are accepted, you will be responsible to learn the set of twelve arrangements thoroughly and fully to performance standard before the start of the event.
WHERE
Boxborough Regency Hotel and Conference Center
242 Adams Place
Boxborough, Massachusetts
WHEN
The event opens officially on Friday at 3 p.m. March 15, 2024 and ends after breakfast on Sunday March 17th. A number of people will arrive on Thursday, and there will be opportunities to sing with each other informally on Thursday evening and Friday during the day.
WHAT
The standard Harmony Brigade package of $340 includes accommodation in a shared room for two nights, breakfast and dinner, a music package including high-quality learning tracks, and use of the designated singing spaces in the hotel's conference center.
There are three main parts to the Rally, and a fourth, optional part. One event that takes place over the entire weekend is random quartet singing. You'll receive a name tag and colored lanyard that indicate your voice part, allowing you easily to find three others and start singing. You will receive a digital "dance card" so you can mark off who you have sung with. This dance card singing goes on the entire weekend until the wee hours.
Next is the Quartet Competition. After dinner on Friday, a random draw will determine your fellow quartet members and a random song you'll have to sing in the quartet competition; your quartet will choose a name and go away for a short rehearsal period, then you perform in front of a judging panel (and for the other brigaders). The top-ranked quartets will go on to compete in a final round on Saturday (with a new random song), and a champion will be named. The Champs usually get to sing on the big public show on Saturday night.
For those who can be available on Friday morning, there may be an opportunity to go out in the community and perform at several venues that have agreed to welcome a quartet (schools and care facilities usually feature in this activity). Some people come in on Thursday night so they can be available for this activity, and we have a dinner on Thursday night for those who can make it.
On Saturday, more random quartet singing, a Brigade membership meeting, and the formation of the group into a chorus to run through the repertoire songs. Quartet competition finals take place. Then in the evening, a Brigade show takes place that is open to the public at which the winning quartet(s) will perform as well as the Brigade chorus, invited musical acts, and possibly auditioned step-out quartets from within the rally participants.
This year we are joined by our top quartet-in-residence and local NED favorite Sweet and Sour. They will not only be the headline act on our Saturday show, but will also serve on the judging panel for our quartet competition. And most importantly, you may get to sing with them!
After the show, it's singing until dawn, probably interrupted for some pizza. Sunday breakfast may drag on; some need to leave early, others may not have been to bed yet. There will be quartet tramp awards for people who have managed to sing with the most people. And one award for "The person I most enjoyed singing with".
This is a mixed event for experienced quartet singers of any gender. When you submit your application, we will try to check that your quartet singing experience is sufficient to enable you to participate fully and successfully. Once you are accepted, you will be responsible to learn the set of twelve arrangements thoroughly and fully to performance standard before the start of the event.
WHERE
Boxborough Regency Hotel and Conference Center
242 Adams Place
Boxborough, Massachusetts
WHEN
The event opens officially on Friday at 3 p.m. March 15, 2024 and ends after breakfast on Sunday March 17th. A number of people will arrive on Thursday, and there will be opportunities to sing with each other informally on Thursday evening and Friday during the day.
WHAT
The standard Harmony Brigade package of $340 includes accommodation in a shared room for two nights, breakfast and dinner, a music package including high-quality learning tracks, and use of the designated singing spaces in the hotel's conference center.
There are three main parts to the Rally, and a fourth, optional part. One event that takes place over the entire weekend is random quartet singing. You'll receive a name tag and colored lanyard that indicate your voice part, allowing you easily to find three others and start singing. You will receive a digital "dance card" so you can mark off who you have sung with. This dance card singing goes on the entire weekend until the wee hours.
Next is the Quartet Competition. After dinner on Friday, a random draw will determine your fellow quartet members and a random song you'll have to sing in the quartet competition; your quartet will choose a name and go away for a short rehearsal period, then you perform in front of a judging panel (and for the other brigaders). The top-ranked quartets will go on to compete in a final round on Saturday (with a new random song), and a champion will be named. The Champs usually get to sing on the big public show on Saturday night.
For those who can be available on Friday morning, there may be an opportunity to go out in the community and perform at several venues that have agreed to welcome a quartet (schools and care facilities usually feature in this activity). Some people come in on Thursday night so they can be available for this activity, and we have a dinner on Thursday night for those who can make it.
On Saturday, more random quartet singing, a Brigade membership meeting, and the formation of the group into a chorus to run through the repertoire songs. Quartet competition finals take place. Then in the evening, a Brigade show takes place that is open to the public at which the winning quartet(s) will perform as well as the Brigade chorus, invited musical acts, and possibly auditioned step-out quartets from within the rally participants.
This year we are joined by our top quartet-in-residence and local NED favorite Sweet and Sour. They will not only be the headline act on our Saturday show, but will also serve on the judging panel for our quartet competition. And most importantly, you may get to sing with them!
After the show, it's singing until dawn, probably interrupted for some pizza. Sunday breakfast may drag on; some need to leave early, others may not have been to bed yet. There will be quartet tramp awards for people who have managed to sing with the most people. And one award for "The person I most enjoyed singing with".
Some more about WHO :
The Mixed Harmony Brigade of New England (MHBNE) is a is a 501 (c)(3) registered non-profit organization which is a subsidiary of the Barbershop Harmony Society and a member of the Association of Extreme Quartetting Harmony Brigades (AXQHB).
The organizing team consists of:
President: Lee Daum
Treasurer: Simon Landless
Membership VP: Fred Kingsbury
Registrar: Tom Fazekas
Music VP: Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox
Technology VP: Chantal Paré
Logistics: Jeff Forman
Preparedness: Richard Cook
Member at Large: Will Johnson
Member at Large: Sandy Kahn
Some more about WHO :
The Mixed Harmony Brigade of New England (MHBNE) is a is a 501 (c)(3) registered non-profit organization which is a subsidiary of the Barbershop Harmony Society and a member of the Association of Extreme Quartetting Harmony Brigades (AXQHB).
The organizing team consists of:
President: Lee Daum
Treasurer: Simon Landless
Membership VP: Fred Kingsbury
Registrar: Tom Fazekas
Music VP: Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox
Technology VP: Chantal Paré
Logistics: Jeff Forman
Preparedness: Richard Cook
Member at Large: Will Johnson
Member at Large: Sandy Kahn