Ted's Tune-Ups

Ted’s Tune-Ups (The times . . . they are a’ changin’)

Yes, the times are a changin’.  However, as we all remember, this isn’t a new song!  Our society is now SPEBSQSA functioning as the Barbershop Harmony Society. There has been a significant reduction in society staff with an emphasis on serving the Districts and chapters more effectively. The society appears to have given chapters the freedom to exercise their own initiative and future development. YMIH policies have been revised somewhat but the commitment stays the same.

The Society’s Marketing Task Force has defined men 35-54 years old with previous singing experience as the target for our quickest success in recruiting new members; they will be focusing much of their outreach efforts toward those individuals and the feeder collegiate market. That means change, particularly where it involves music department staff members at Harmony Explosion Camps or at high school events. For instance, their work with Young Men in Harmony will be two-fold:

1. For collegiate-aged men, Rick Spencer will focus his energies 100% on activities that speak to this important audience; and
2. For high-school-aged men and younger, we will assist chapters and districts with training through education and resource materials for implementation on a local level.  Staff members will not be participating onsite with high school projects.

This implies that our middle and high school youth activities are even more the responsibility of our chapter and the District.

Harmony Foundation funds are ear marked for chapter and District needs with the society urging all chapters to utilize grant writing for major projects.

 We have a new temporary society logo:  which should help simplify public identity

There is encouragement to arrange “new” music in barbershop style to go along with our traditional barbershop standards. 

On our local level we are striving for better quality performances with set music packages, more coaching, and striving to give our best image to the public.  Our Kokomo Board of Directors is posing internal membership recruiting questions and striving for membership growth.

Publicity committee to gain exposure in the community:  Tom Rhodenbaugh, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations has established a publicity committee to gain exposure in the community.  The committee consists of: Colin Craig, Tom Gillam Gary Denton, Amos Blakeslee, Ted Hinkle, Frank Ridoux, and Charlie Rose. Tom Gillam’s patron list continues to grow with over 300 names. Speaking of logos, we are looking to incorporate the barber pole  more and more into our chapter PR for easy identity.

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