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The Grand Rapids Barbershop Chapter Great Lakes Chorus and Baker Family Annual Corn Roast Aug 26th 2008. 2765 Bauer Rd - Jenison, MI 49428.


Barbershoppers from all over Western Michigan attend. Last year we had reps from Muskegon, Holland, K-Zoo, Bay City, Battle Creek, and of course Grand Rapids. I haven't heard what chapters were in attendance for this year (except for Lansing who made a strong showing) but I think the count was 80-100 voices with singing from quartets like Grand Rapids quartet The Extension Chords- 1951 Bush League and District Champs (according to the Lansing Woodshedder "In the 50's this popular Grand Rapids quartet used to sing radio jingles for Archway Cookie Co."), Grand Rapids quartet Showtime- 2007 Bush League Champs, Grand Rapids quartet Shades Of Grey- 1999 District Senior Division Champs, Lansing quartet Weekend Agenda- 2007 Pioneer District Senior Quartet Champions, Holland quartet No Rehearsal Band, Grand Rapids and Muskegon quartet Harmony Transfer, Grand Rapids quartet Barbershop Style, and Grand Rapids quartet Wildcard- 2008 Pioneer District Quartet International Representatives.


It's a rustic backyard party with lots of grass and trees. It's stag and $5 at the door for all you can drink plus the hot dogs and ears of corn boiled in metal trashcans over a wood fire. While everyone is eating and drinking they wander around singing tags with groups looking for a pickup quartet to sing with in front of the others.


The evening highlight is an outdoors informal quartet performance. Any quartet can sing especially pickup quartets. They sing just a tag or a couple songs, whatever you like. A total of 21 quartets sang.


It was beautiful weather and lots of fun eating, drinking, singing, and catching up!


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The Grand Rapids Barbershop Chapter Great Lakes Chorus sang the US National Anthem on Wednesday Aug 13th 7:00 pm at the Grand Rapids Fifth Third Ballpark for our home team the Whitecaps vs. Lansing's Lugnuts game. 4500 West River Drive, Comstock Park, MI 49321 We extended an open invitation for any area chapter members to sing and root for their favorite team.


It was also Special Olympics Night. For Pregame, two teams of Olympians from Special Olympics Michigan of Southwest MI played a softball game. They were still down on the ball field in yellow t-shirts and gave the chorus high-fives as we entered the field. They then took places at each base and stood at attention as we sang the National Anthem while the park fired loud fireworks during the "bombs bursting in air" part.


It was also Cheerleading Night. High School cheerleading squads from Grandville and Rockford MI each did a cheer exhibition. Grandville won by loudest applause.


There was even be a postgame performance by the Junior High School kids of the Willie Arthur Smith's Marching Cobras of Kansas City, MO.


A scary looking storm with black clouds rolled in but no rain. The evening ended with shutting down the large flood lights and lighting off the big fireworks display.


Whitecaps website report "On an 0-2 pitch with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Audy Ciriaco broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single to left for a 2-1 Whitecaps victory over Lansing."


Want to hear the games online? go.eonstreams.com/?u=1687


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The Great Lakes Chorus rehearses every Tuesday night at the Forest Hills Presbyterian Church. We were honored with the opportuniyty to sing for them durring their Sunday Service Aug 10th

Aug 6th, 2008 the Great Lakes Chorus went to Holland Michigan's Camp Geneva for a weekend coaching retreat to get ready for Fall competition and Smores. We were coached by 2007 Pioneer District Quartet Champs Chordiology who did a fantastic job. Photos by John Trestrail


Here's a report from Mike O'Donnell, Lead, Great Lakes Chorus


Due to an unfortunate set of events for Al Fisk, who was supposed to be the coach, Chordiology agreed to spend their time with us in a coaching mode. The quartet initially wanted to share with us how they use Audiology to learn songs and improve their singing. The presentation itself was well worth the visit but the best was yet to come on Saturday.


After some S-mores and tag singing around a campfire Friday night most of us hit the sack about midnight and woke to a beautiful Saturday morning with a hint of fall in the air. After to much breakfast (what is it about buffet's that cause you to eat more than usual?) we headed to the chapel for warmups and coaching. What followed was 6 hours of excellent coaching by 4 guys who kept it simple, easy to understand and fun for all of us. The only thing which topped their work was the sudden arrival and departure of a jet which flew right over the rehearsal site causing many of us to loose it completely.


The coaching was as good as I've had the pleasure of receiving in my 30 years of being a part of this great hobby. Please don't be afraid to have these guys to your Chapter for help. You won't be disappointed!


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