New Dimension Chorus

Cabaret

ndchorus — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:19:01 +0000

"Let's celebrate, no don't hesitate! Why not drive all your cares away!" starts the delightful ditty from the musical Cabaret, set in the horror of Nazi Germany. Throughout 2010, the New Dimension Chorus aims to make the happiness a crowd pleaser and show stopper.

Chorus members, remember that you need to log in to the site for access to the learning tracks. Right-click on the file, and click "Save As…"

Holiday Show 2009

jharris — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:18:20 +0000

The New Dimension Chorus Presents our Holiday Show!
Friends and Family 2009!

Guest Night Thursday August 13, 2009!

RayTheBari — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:29:33 +0000

Do you sing in the shower? In the living room when you think no one is listening, are you humming tunes from way back when? Do you know all the words to "Melancholy Baby" or whatever your favorite song may be? If this describes you then you should be aware of our special guest night on Thursday August 13, 2009.

From Out Front

Demaster — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:11:44 +0000

When life gives you lemons...ring some chords. I believe life is designed to be one challenge after another. If you don't take a moment to reflect on how you live...you'll realize that you spend your life battling challenges without take a breath to have a little peace. Even though singing (and directing now) has its own challenges, it brings me peace.

SBlendid Tonics June 2nd Gig!

bhorwitz — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:59:40 +0000

The newest New Dimension Chorus Quartet (SBlendid Tonics), including Bob Horwitz as Lead, Ed Graff as Tenor, Kevin Smith as Bass, and Kurt Hornbacker as Baritone, had its first gig on Tuesday, June 2nd, at the Elks Lodge in Livermore, and we actually survived. We performed for one-half hour and included some of our quartet repertoire, some Polecat songs, and some New Dimension Chorus songs. With cute comments and jokes interspersed between songs, we managed to easily fill the allotted time. We were well received, with lots of applause and an invitation to come back again in the future.

Rock Around the Clock

Demaster — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:23:52 +0000

"Rock Around the Clock," originally titled "We're Gonna Rock Around the Clock Tonight!" is a 12-bar-blues-based song, from 1952 according to documents uncovered by historian Jim Dawson, written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight"). The song is ranked #158 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Silver Bells

ndchorus — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:10:53 +0000

"Silver Bells" was introduced by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in a motion picture called The Lemon Drop Kid in 1951. The first recorded version was by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards in 1952, which also became a hit in late 1952. The lyrics are unusual for a Christmas song in that they describe the holiday in the city, and not a rural setting. The song was inspired by the imagery of Salvation Army bellringers standing outside department stores during the Christmas season.

To Fresno…And Beyond!

vashuttle — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:51:30 +0000

I don’t like competitions. I hate dressing up. And, I hate the heat.

And yet, I put on a full tux in the heat, and performed at the Far Western District–Northwest Division competition on Saturday in Fresno for the first time.

Also Sprach Ray (Thus Spoke Ray)

RayTheBari — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:42:04 +0000

What does it take to keep a chorus together? The eight years that I have been a member have brought many changes.

April Barbershopper of the Month - Kurt Hornbacker

khornbacker — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:35:52 +0000

“99% percent of success is just showing up.” Well, that saying was clearly evidenced in the New Dimension Chorus’s selection for Barbershopper of the Month for April 2009. Kurt Hornbacker was April’s honoree. Kurt has collected his second BOTM in his two year tenure with the chorus, and was the first to recognize the fame that comes with writing a biography for the New Dimension Notes. He joined New Dimension in August 2007 singing Lead.

New Dimension Chorus Friends & Family Night

khornbacker — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:33:49 +0000

On Thursday evening, May 14, 2009, the New Dimension Chorus invited its members to bring family and friends to their weekly rehearsal for a mini show to celebrate the support received all year long. The turnout was pretty good, with close to 25 people filling the seats to listen the Chorus’ regular repertoire.

The evening was a good rehearsal for the Chorus as they prepared for the Northwest Division of the Far Western District Convention in Fresno the following Saturday. Early guests were treated to the inner workings of the chorus’ warmup and tuneup exercises.

Music Basics - Part 2

ndchorus — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:28:01 +0000

explained by Tom Wheatley, editor, Dundalk, MD Charivari

Last month, this column addressed one of the functions of those markings on sheet music called notes. Specifically, we covered the length of time a note is to be held. There is a second major function that notes fulfill. This involves how high or low the note sounds. In effect, it fleshes out the melody and harmony parts.

The First Noel

Demaster — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:12:32 +0000

"The First Nowell" (sometimes The First Noel or just Noel) is unknown in origin but is generally thought to be English dating back to the sixteenth century, or possibly as early as the 13th century.

Town Square Harmonizers Update

psparaco — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:00:33 +0000

Town Square Harmonizers have a few singouts to report.

The Santa Clara Kiwani's Club invited the TSH Quartet to sing at their Feb. meeting at Marianni’s Resturant in Santa Clara. They were having a dinner meeting with their wives, and TSH did a mass singing valentine for them. We performed this show with our alternate lead, Ted McCall. We went in and did four songs, including “Red Hot Mama” to one of the wives. We were well received by the audience and we left knowing that they enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed singing for them.

Also Sprach Ray (Thus Spoke Ray)

RayTheBari — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:47:31 +0000

The New Dimension Chorus is a chorus made up of members of the Fremont-Hayward Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
For those of you who have never attended a chapter meeting/rehearsal, I thought I would try to put into words what goes on at a typical meeting. First of all, the meetings begin promptly every Thursday at 7:00pm. There is a very brief series of stretching exercises designed to ready us for singing properly. This is followed by vocal exercises. We are supposed to have proper posture and to bring excitement in our faces right from the start - not an easy thing to do after a hard day of work but thanks to the enthusiasm of our director Demaster Survine, we manage to get there.

Music Basics - Part 1

ndchorus — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:33:46 +0000

explained by Tom Wheatley, editor, Dundalk, MD Charivari

Most things I’ve read on how to read music dive right in and start swimming. If you’ve never even been in the water, you are lost from the get-go. As I think back to when all that music fol-de-rol was just so much hen scratching on paper, I recall the frustration as I tried to figure out what the paper had to do with the sounds I was to make. In a rehearsal the other day, I heard people talking about roots and fifths and the third degree of the scale. It occurred to me that others must be facing the same frustration that I experienced in high school.

Free Music

jharris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:26:02 +0000

The Barbershop Harmony Society has released 64 arrangements from the Heritage of Harmony Songbook, a great collection of Public Domain music compiled and arranged by the Society in the late 1980s. Go to the "Get Music>>Free Download" section of the Society website and scroll down to the "Heritage of Harmony" section.

Showtime 2009

psparaco — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:09:18 +0000

Every year, the Santa Clara Woman's League presents an "Old Fashioned Melodrama" and Vaudeville show at the Community Center in Santa Clara's Central Park, Community Recreation Center, 969 Kiely Blvd. Santa Clara, Calif. on Bowers Ave. near Homestead Road (across the street from the old Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara).

Let’s Talk Craft - Vowel Matching

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:57:37 +0000

Tom Raburn, Big D Bulletin, September 1998

Question: When does 2 + 2 = 5? Answer: When barbershop harmony is sung correctly, creating harmonic overtones and “expanded sound.”

Swearing in the New Board

vashuttle — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:53:06 +0000

Saturday, January 31, 2009 was the annual installment dinner/show for all of our Barbershoppers! And what a time we had! After much consternation from the 'crew,’ our ever-resourceful Kevin found a most quaint place called the Papillion, nestled in the foothills of Fremont. The decor looked like it was last remodeled in the 80’s but the food received rave reviews by those in attendance.

“The Old Songs” and “Down our Way” opened up the evening and what a merry sound it was! Our Fearless Leader, Ray, introduced what seemed to me to be the most dressed-up barbershopper, our MC for the evening, Larry Weiss! Black tie and tails! As Rod Stewart would say, you wear it well.

Larry opened with a few challenges for us: primary goal should be to make the chorus larger! And without too much bereatment, he presides over the swearing-in (not swearing at) of our officers for the New Dimension Chorus for the current year. Kevin, Ray, Bill, Gordon, Gary,Arnold and Dave, you guys are the best!