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Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade*

(*Please note: the Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade takes its inspiration from, but is not affliliated with, the wonderful Extreme Quartetting Harmony Brigades. Photos taken at the Indiana Harmony Brigade, 2008.)




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The response to the Polecat harmini Brigade has been incredible! Unfortunately we must balance the number of participants according to voice parts. With registration being open since mid-December, only the following slots remain:

Tenors: 2 slots left
Leads: closed
Baritones: 3 slots left
Basses: closed

Please send in a Registration Form if you are interested in singing tenor or baritone. Registration will remain open until March 10 or until all slots have been filled.

FLPhB Registration Form

It is my pleasure to invite you to register for the very first Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade (FLPhB). This will be a down-sized version of the popular Harmony Brigade Extreme Quartet rallies only based on traditional society polecat arrangements!

For those who have never attended a Brigade, it is a gathering of barbershoppers who pre-learn a collection of songs then meet and form instant note-perfect quartets. Harmony Brigades are held over a weekend, with uniforms and a show. The 10-12 song high-end repertoire for each brigade rally is selected roughly six months in advance. Sheet music and a professionally recorded learning CD are sent out after a registration is received. A contest, complete with judges, first and second rounds, and awards is held over the two nights. But most importantly there is singing going on everywhere since everyone knows every song perfectly!

The Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade will be far less ambitious but just as much fun! There will be two rounds of competition using 8 society polecat songs, without overnights, uniforms, or shows. The event will last 5 hours on a Saturday afternoon/evening.

Date:
Saturday, April 24, 2010

Registration deadline:
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Time:
3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Location:
The Holiday Inn, 222 S. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850, (607) 272-1000

Cost:
$15.Please make checks payable to The Ithachords, with FLPhB in the memo line.
Upon receipt of your $15 registration, the sheet music, CD with learning tracks, agenda, information, and directions to the Holiday Inn will be sent to you.

Mail your registration to:
Everett Nelson, 692 Ridge Rd #302., Lansing, NY 14882
If you don't receive your packet within a few days of payment it will be for one of three reasons:
a.) You have not registered for the FLPhB.
b.) We don't have your correct mailing address.
c.) The mail man is learning your music.

Balancing the Voice Parts
It is the goal in Brigade activities to have the same number of people on each voice part so the participants would make a complete set of quartets with no one appearing in more one group. This is difficult to achieve however, and some guys may have to sing in multiple quartets. So don't procrastinate. Sign up soon because slots will fill up fast!

Repertoire:
Down By The Old Mill Stream
Hello, Mary Lou
Little Pal
Sweet And Lovely
Sweet, Sweet Roses Of Morn
Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie
You Tell Me Your Dream
Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah

Agenda:
Check in 3:00 p.m.
Quartet formation, song assignments (2 songs)
1/2 hour practice session
Contest first round
Dinner break (5 minute walk to eateries on The Ithaca Commons)
Contest finals round (top 4 quartets, 2 songs)
Open singing throughout the ground floor of the hotel

Cancellation:
If you are registered and for some reason do not plan on attending, let us know immediately! Your $15 registration will be refunded. Also, we fully expect that if you realize, through your own self-evaluation you will be unable to meet the required level of preparation that you will voluntarily withdraw yourself.

Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade
When it comes to extreme quartetting, full preparation is everything. This is not a woodshed activity. Don't be the weak link! Be the reason why others will want to come back next year. Coming unprepared is not acceptable! It is unfair to those who are prepared and eagerly anticipating quartetting with other singers who are in good health and rock solid on the music. Besides, that's what the weekend is all about.Wall-to-wall extreme quartetting is the number one fun activity at Brigade Rallies and our Polecat harmini Brigade will be no exception. Imagine all the barbershoppers arriving fully prepared to quartet. The camaraderie is nothing short of magical!

Registration Form
A registration form for the Finger Lakes Polecat harmini Brigade can be downloaded by clicking here:

FLPhB Registration Form

We're looking forward to seeing you in Ithaca!

Sincerely,
The FLPhB Committee