When my first-born came and made my husband and I a family of three, I started an analytical listening career. I didn't know it at the time, (at the mature age of 23), but, I began to listen to tones, vowel sounds and pitch.  When baby Shane cried, I could hear differences which told me what action to take.

About 17 months later, Cassie came along and I had a blubbering duet to listen to.  Hmmm . . . now I could interpret two sets of tones.  This baby girl voiced higher pitches, and, oddly, blathered her baby talk more frequently. I could tell, for instance, which one needed a diaper change, which was hungry, or that just didn't want to take a nap.

Fast forward seven years and two baby boys were added to the scene.  Ah Ha, now a quartet of sounds. This ability of investigative listening came in quite handy throughout the next 18 years. I could now tell who started a fight by tone of voice.  Or, the time when a bright yellow mustard stain appeared on the laminate kitchen table top, never to be scrubbed away.  Surprise, no one knew who did it.  After a few questions I could tell by the voice quality, which of the condiment-crazy kids did the misdeed.

We have all had similar experiences of analytical listening.   As I now apply this same skill to barbershop singing, I continue to listen to tones, vowel sounds and pitch.  Timbre gives specific meaning to a song.  Spread the same quality of these sounds across a group of singers, and you convey strength in unity of purpose.  Wow, what an accomplishment.  We've been practicing this type of listening for years and now we apply it to an art form:  a Section Leader listening to tapes, a Director looking for consistency, a Member working to blend.

Today when together, my college-age kids can still all talk at the same time.  But, these days their adult discussions with me are a chorus of music to my ears.

Each year following competition, the Judging Panel meets with the Regional Director's Coordinator, Education Coordinator and Events Coordinator to share their overall perspective of the competition.  Here's their input for the 2007 Competition.

Music

·        Good creativity and generally choruses backed with good vocal skills

·        Song selection - overall mostly appropriate.  Sometimes song selection was too difficult for the level of performer but generally good selections.  The melody line and register where some of the songs fall need to have a "higher" line that allows a higher pitch which ultimately creates more ring and overtones.  Look for songs that have more variety and music lines that don't "live-in" that mid-range consistently.

·        Four quartets at a high C+ which indicates the level of higher singing and musical energy that was present.  To elevate this level, more phrase to phrase singing - more lyrical delivery.

·        Tuning and musical units - still need attention and education.

Sound

·        Quartets were mostly pretty solid.  Eight contestants scored higher than 60 in each song.

·        Great creativity and joy in most performances however, vocal skills need to be elevated in order to achieve higher levels.

·        Continue to work on vocal skills for consistency - more individual singer education

·        Lower ranges sometimes got "dark".

·        Watch louds and highs so that do not get distorted or "pushed" in the sound category - sound can sometimes go beyond where singer is vocally ready

Expression

·         40% category is basics and 60% is right brain

·        Quartets were extremely impressive in this 60% creativity and most choruses were adept at getting past the basics or at least seemed aware of the basics

·        More characterization and lyrical interpretation - more heart and feeling

·        Higher level scoring choruses need to risk more and let go!!  This is the only was to get to a higher level which takes courage - sometimes the director is the one afraid to let go and sometimes it is the chorus - sometimes both.  Have to risk a lot to get a lot!

Showmanship

·        Since judge was last here (4 years ago) she has noticed a general elevation of skills and visual acuity.

·        Good costuming.

·        Choreography made sense to the musical performance generally.

·        Higher energy level needed overall - especially in the smaller choruses - both facially and body.

·        Lyrically - sometimes "telegraphing" vocal issues.   This detracts from both the sound and chord "ring" and overall visual package.

Overall comments

·         All competitors seem to have a great understanding of the craft.

·         Melodeers performance at competition was a real highlight for their judging career.

·         Midwest Crossroad had a delightful, creative and fun performance.

·        West Shore was a benchmark for what a chorus can do with the craft and the singers available and have a really clear understanding of barbershop and they hoped that the interim director would consider moving to full-time as she is doing a great job.  (Side note - CONGRATULATIONS to Marcia Shanken on your recent acceptance of the position!)

·         All agreed that they would like to be "assigned" to Region 3 permanently!!  Regional Competition coordinators did a phenomenal job in making their stay flawless.  Competition venue was superb and all aspects of contest are run in a superlative fashion.