Six members enjoyed singing favorite barbershop songs on the Farm Bureau Stage for many in the audience at the Kansas State Fair, Saturday, September 9.  Sam Kvasnica, Tom Fish, Loren Alexander, Harvey Kiser, Bill Bunyan, and Preston Chapel sang in an 83-member Kansas Men’s Barbershop Harmony Chorus.  Many of the songs have been sung by our chapter while others were new to some of us or were by different arrangers.  We were also able to renew acquaintances and make new friends.

     Our directors were Dave Norman, director of the Hutchinson Salt Miners and Joe Ellis, director of the Wichita Air Capital Chorus.  The lead of the WU guest quartet, Ben McDaniel warmed us up.  Ben is the lead in a newly-formed quartet known as WU.  This quartet sang two numbers during the fair performance.

     This writer had an ‘AH-HA’ moment when Ben warmed us up at the Tuesday, August 29 practice at Salina.  He showed us how to open up the back of our throats and sing those low bass notes – so much easier to sing with better sound.  Accomplished vocal music singers know this, but it finally ‘sunk in’ on me.  Ben also had the bass sing softly with intensity demonstrating how this contributes to a strong and full sound in the chorus.  The other two directors appreciated Ben’s technical and performance instructions in communicating a song’s message that they requested he direct “Heart of My Heart.”

     Abilene’s Fall Music Festival has invited for a second time the Kansas Men’s Barbershop Harmony Chorus to sing Saturday, September 30.  This is another opportunity for more of our members to have fun singing barbershop as well as to renew friendships and hone one’s vocal skills in another setting.
Harvey Kiser  VP, Marketing and Public Relations   ♪

Kansas Men’s Barbershop Harmony Chorus at the Kansas State Fair.  If you look closely you can fine Sam Kvasnica, Tom Fish, Loren Alexander, Harvey Kiser Bill Bunyan and     Preston Chapel from our chorus.                                                                                                                                     Photos by Janet Kiser, stitched by Editor

Kansas Men’s Barbershop Harmony Chorus  2006

      The Chapter will pay the registration fee for all members who go and sing.  Not only will we learn how to improve our chorus from the evaluation, but we will have the opportunity to see and hear some of our District's finest quartets and choruses, including the 2004International Champion Chorus "The Ambassadors of Harmony" from St. Charles MO. The Board also voted to investigate a contract for taking a chartered bus for the trip.  The bus would leave from some central point in Manhattan, no later than 7 a.m. that morning and

would return to Manhattan following the evening performance, probably sometime around 11:30-midnight. 
     We need your help to make the appropriate decision about obtaining the bus for the group transportation.  We need to know ASAP how many would be interested in riding the bus.  If your spouse would also like to ride, they are also invited.  Please come prepared to Chapter meeting this Thursday night, Sept. 14, with your answer, or email me at <sfisher@ksu.edu> if you and/or your spouse would want to ride a chartered bus to Wichita for the Convention.

Steve  Fisher      ♪

LAC to Compete at CSD

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