Our 2015 Spring Convention was a great event and was enjoyed immensely by all who attended. The quartet competition was spectacular with 16 quartets performing on Friday evening. Congratulations to our 2015 Sunshine District International Quartet Representatives, Main Street, who qualified with a total of 2142 points with an average of 89.3 points per judge and Signature who qualified with a score of 1893 or an average of 78.9 points per judge. Throwback, our current Sunshine District Quartet Champion previously qualified out of district as a Sunshine District International Quartet Representative with an average of 87.3 points per judge. The Sunshine District International Quartet Representatives will all represent the Sunshine District in Pittsburgh, PA in July of 2015. All contest score sheets are below:

All competition results (score sheets) are here.

In the Sunshine District Chorus Championship contest, there were nine choruses competing for honors and the quality of singing was high. The Jacksonville Big O chorus won the Sunshine District Chorus Championship with a score of 999 points or an average of 83.3 points per judge. Jacksonville was also winner of Most Improved Chorus Award and they achieved a grade improvement from B+ to A-. The Sunrise THX Chorus took second place with a score of 967 or an average of 80.6 points per judge. The Sarasota Chorus of the Keys achieved a grade improvement from B- to B. The Winter Haven Sentimental Journeyman Chorus achieved a grade improvement from C+ to B-. The Cape Coral Cape Chorale Chorus achieved a grade improvement from C to C+.

In the Sunshine District Senior Quartet competition, congratulations go to Equinox who took top honors with a score of 763 points or an average of 63.6 points per judge to become our 2015 Senior Quartet Champion.

In the Sunshine District International Collegiate Quartet Championship competition, congratulations go to The Institute who took first place honors with a score of 892 or an average of 74.3 points per judge to become our 2015 College Quartet Champion. The Institute will represent Sunshine District in the Harmony Foundation Collegiate Quartet Contest in July in Pittsburg, PA.

Thanks go to the whole convention team for putting on a great event. Special thanks are in order for District VP of Events, Chuck Steiner, Convention Chairman Bruce Checca and the members of the Harbor City Harmonizers for hosting the convention. Thanks guys, for a job well done!

Click below to download a copy of the Spring Convention Program.

2015 Spring Convention Program

The sign-up process for the Spring 2015 Convention webcast is live! For all the information on cost, technical requirements and links to the sign-up page, please click HERE

Click here for Competition Results

Information for 2015 Spring Convention contestants including timing loops, singing order, etc will be posted HERE as they become available.

Hello, Sunshine!

It’s that time…We’re hoping that YOU are planning to join us for a wonderful weekend of song, fellowship, and the best barbershop competition in the land at the Orlando Airport Marriott, April 10-12, as only the Sunshine District can host!

Early Bird All-Events-Pass pricing is available now as well as Single Event Tickets by pressing the “CONVENTION REGISTRATION” button on the side panel on the right.

Hotel rooms at The Orlando Airport Marriott are $99/night (plus tax).
That special group rate is now open, but MUST BE BOOKED BY MARCH 19th.

Please be aware that the hotel has stated that if you book later than 03/19/2015, you may have to pay parking/internet fees at the normal guest rates stated on their website.
Click on this link to book your room:
Book your room for 2015 Sunshine District Spring Convention

See you in Orlando!

In Harmony,
Chuck Steiner, SUN VP Events

Visit our conventions page for updates, information, and all booking links.

Quartets!

It is that time again to plan to compete this Spring at your Convention! The CJ-20 process is live on the BHS web site and just waiting for your name to be entered. Just go to the members only site and select the “Contest Entry” drop down. Cut off date for your entry is March 13th so don’t wait – do it now. We look forward to all of you entertaining us for Convention weekend – April 10th – 12th.

Action photos of all competing quartets and choruses have been posted on the Sunshine District Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunshinedistrict/collections/ There are separate collections for the quartet semis, chorus contest, and quartet finals.

Many thanks to our action photographer, Cindy Partlow.

Certified Director Award

Tom Roan, director of the Greater Pinellas “Florida Suncoast Chorus” completed the Society’s Director Certification program and now has the title “Certified Director”.   He was presented with his Director Certification certificate and lapel pin at the convention. In the future, he will be listed in the convention programs as “Tom Roan, Certified Director” when his chapter competes.

The Director Certification program exists for the purpose of encouraging continued education of our directors. By going through a specifically assigned curriculum, directors will better enhance the barbershop chapter experience for all of their members.  Certified directors have completed all required coursework, and demonstrated proficiency in conducting skills, music theory, sound management, leadership and teaching. The Director Certification program website is here: http://barbershop.org/director-certification.html

Sunshine District Hall of Fame

Arne Helbig was inducted into the Sunshine District Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon following the Chorus contest. Arne joined the Heralds of Harmony in 1983 and sang with a number of successful quartets including R.S.V.P., Bay City Sound, Breakthrough, Heatwave and Just for Fun.  In 1994 he sang with Cigar City Four when they were crowned Sunshine District Champs. He also competed with the Heralds in International competition for 15 consecutive years.

In 2000, he he began working with the Young Men in Harmony Program. He worked hard to start Youth Workshops throughout the State of Florida.  What started out as a local program, hoping to just go state-wide, turned viral and became a program that has been copied throughout the country. He has helped coordinate over 120 of these workshops in the years of his involvement.  He handles everything from helping secure a venue to ordering pizza and meals for the day, coordinating with local contacts, securing clinicians and teaching quartets, ordering music, marketing the event with teachers and local chapters and even at times renting a truck to go and pick up, deliver and set-up risers!  This program has touched over 30,000 students in Florida alone over the past years and Arne has been the driving force behind this accomplishment.   With the support of the Sunshine District and the Barbershop Harmony Society, he has pushed the Sunshine District’s Youth Workshop to become leaders in the country for this type of event. Additionally, he along with Ken Carter, has promoted and staged the annual the Sunshine Harmony Explosion, inviting 100 plus boys from across the State of Florida to our 3-day camp.  This event also encourages educator participation.  They have managed to secure some of the finest clinicians and teaching quartets in the country to lead the Explosion.  Last year the event was co-ed for the first time with teaching quartets Max Q and The Buzz.  He mentors not only all the Sunshine chapter YMIH volunteers, but he is in constant contact with the Society’s YMIH liaisons. He currently serves on the Sunshine District Board.

In his spare time, Arne is a Claims Specialist Manager with Allstate Insurance. He has been married to his Sweet Adeline wife Denise for 25 years.

President’s Award

Roger Smeds, Sunshine District Webmaster was awarded the President’s Award by Nick Schwob, Sunshine District President for bringing the district website up to speed by continually improving the content and making the whole operation more user friendly.

Our 2014 Fall Convention was a fantastic event and was enjoyed immensely by all who attended. The quartet competition had more contestants than in recent memory with 21 quartets performing on Friday evening. Congratulations to our 2014 Sunshine District Quartet Champions, Throwback, for taking first place honors with a total of 2035 points with an average of 84.8 points per judge. Signature took second place with a score of 1822 or an average of 75.9 points per judge, and One Time Out finished in third place with a score of 1761 or an average of 73.4 points per judge. Quartet contest score sheets are below:

District Quartet Contest – Semi Finals
District Quartet Contest – Finals

In the International Chorus Preliminary contest, although there were only five choruses competing the quality of singing was high. The Tampa Heralds of Harmony won the right to represent the Sunshine District at the International Chorus contest next July in Pittsburgh, PA with a score of 1015 points or an average of 84.6 points per judge. Tampa was also one of the winners of Most Improved Chorus Award moving from the B+ category to A-. The Melbourne Harbor City Harmonizers was also a winner of Most Improved Chorus Award moving from C+ category to B-.  International Preliminary Chorus Contest score sheets are below:

International Preliminary Chorus Contest

In the International Preliminary Senior Quartet competition, congratulations go to Gulf Coasters who took top honors with a score of 823 points or an average of 68.6 points per judge.  They won the right to represent Sunshine District in the International Midwinter Senior Quartet competition to be held in New Orleans, LA in January of 2015. Score sheets for the International Preliminary Seniors Quartet competition are below:

International Preliminary Seniors Quartet Contest

House of Delegates

In other news that occurred during the convention, the House of Delegates voted on the question of whether the Sunshine District should hold one or two conventions each year. The vote was resoundingly in favor of holding two conventions each year. Many of the delegates expressed thanks to the Board of Directors for the extensive research done and the analysis they provided to the House of Delegates which helped the group come to their decision.

Thanks

Thanks go to the whole convention team for putting on a great event. Special thanks are in order for District VP of Events, Chad Bennett, Convention Chairman Bruce Checca and the members of Sunrise Chapter (THX) for hosting the convention. Thanks guys, for a job well done!

Your House of Delegates has an incredibly important decision to make at the upcoming Fall Convention. Please visit the HOD page for all the latest info regarding the vote for one or two conventions – HOD Page

Once again, there will be an auction for the “Best Seat In The House” at our 2014 Fall Convention. “What’s that?”, you ask? Click HERE for more information, or HERE to enter a bid for our convention, or watch the video below:

Proceeds from the auction benefit the Harmony Foundation.