Hello Sunshine District members. It is getting to be that time of year again….election of officers for the year 2015. Remember to start thinking now of those current officers who are able and willing to come back for another year and also think about replacements for those moving on. Ever think  about training people as back-up to your current officer rosters…..those people who will learn the job from those already in that position ? It is for that reason that I am here to let all know, our next Leadership Academy is scheduled for January 9/10, 2015. Yes, you are seeing right, your Sunshine District Board voted to go back to a once-a-year format consisting of a weekend of fun.

Based upon class reviews from past leadership academies, some participants felt that there was not enough time to devote to the issues needed to be addressed. They felt that providing a weekend line-up would address those concerns. We therefore need your input. What classes are you willing to attend? Do you have ideas for class subject matter? What drives/motivates you? Any and all ideas need to be sent to me, care of my e-mail: mcgofftenor@centurylink.net.

As of this article, plans are being made for a location in the greater Orlando area. If you can not reach me, consider contacting someone else on your District Board. We are there for you.

Registration is now open (on the members only site at BHS) for our Fall Convention. Don’t miss out, the cutoff date for registration is September 12th. You must register before September 12th if you plan on singing this fall!. Remember, this is not only where we select our Chorus Representative for Pittsburgh in 2015 but we also select a Seniors Quartet for the Mid-winter Convention held this coming January in New Orleans. Or maybe you just want to be our next District Quartet Champ! It’s all there this fall but you must register for a chance to win!! So don’t delay, do it today.

Click here to register your quartet or chorus.

Sunshine District was once again well represented at the Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention and Competition this year.

It all began with two of our two collegiate quartet representatives in the medals after the Harmony Foundation Collegiate Quartet competition on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Congratulations to The Academy who took 1st Place honors with an average score of 80.9, followed closely by The Sunny Boys in 2nd place with an average score of 79.7. Frim Fram Productions made a respectable showing placing 20th in a field of 27 collegiate quartets with an average score of 70.7. Score sheets for the Harmony Foundation Collegiate Barbershop Quartet Contest are available here.

Just prior to the announcement of the Collegiate competition winner, Tenor Andrew Lujan of The Academy was featured by the Harmony Foundation in the moving video included below:

In the International Quartet competition, Sunshine District was again well represented. In the medals was Main Street who took 3rd place bronze medals with a score of 89.1. Throwback with virtually a new combination of voices placed 7th with an average score of 86.4. It should be noted that the “new” Bass of Throwback, Michael Skutt, is also the Bass of the 1st place Collegiate quartet The Academy. Also representing the Sunshine District well in a field of 53 quartets was The Society, who placed 46th with an average score of 77.1. Score sheets for all the sessions of the quartet competition are available below.

Quarter-Finals score sheets (21st – 53rd place)

Semi-Finals score sheets (11th – 20th place)

Finals score sheets (1st – 10th place)

In the International Chorus competition, our representative, T.H.X. from the Sunrise chapter, placed 18th in a field of 31 choruses with an average score of 83.2. The chorus competition was quite a show with the top 6 choruses scoring an average of 92.2 or better. Score sheets for the chorus competition are available here.

Hello there Sunshine District…
     At our recent Board of Directors Meeting held January 11, 2014, it was decided to limit our leadership academies to one(1) per year. The next one will be held sometime in the first two weeks of January 2015. I am currently looking for a venue possibly in the greater Orlando area to hold this event. It will take place over the course  of two days and consist of meals and room accomodations as part of the package. Look for future information and details as they become available. This can only benefit you and your chapter.

     Any ideas or suggestions are always welcome.

John McGoff      352-470-6230

What a great convention weekend! Kudos to the host chapter Central Florida, as well as all our convention team members for putting on a fantastic event.

Tony Fortune of the Daytona Beach Metro, FL chapter was selected as Sunshine District 2013 BOTY, congratulations Tony!

In the International Preliminary quartet contest, congratulations go to three Sunshine District Quartets who qualified for the 2014 International Quartet Competition to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 29 – July 6, 2014.

• Main Street, with a score of 2086 points or an average of 86.9 points per song per judge.
• Throwback, with a score of 2038 points or an average of 84.9 points per song per judge
• The Society, with a score of 1857 points or an average of 77.4 points per song per judge

Two quartets from out of district also qualified for the International Quartet Competition.

• Lunch Break, with a score of 1935 points or an average of 80.3 points per song per judge
• Overture, with a score of 1828 points or an average of 76.2 points per song per judge

Score sheet for the quartet competition is HERE.

In the Collegiate Quartet contest, this convention determined the Sunshine District Quartet Champions and also was the International Preliminary Collegiate Quartet qualification process. Congratulations go to The Sunny Boys who won the Sunshine District Collegiate Quartet Championship as well as qualifying for the Harmony Foundation Collegiate Quartet Contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 29 – July 6, 2014. The Sunny Boys scored 919 points in the single round of competition, or an average of 76.6 points per judge per song.

Score sheet for the collegiate quartet competition is HERE.

Sunshine District has another quartet, The Academy, who qualified for the Harmony Foundation Collegiate Quartet Contest out of district in Johnny Appleseed District earlier this year with a score of  929 points or an average of 77.4 points per judge per song.

This convention also determined our 2014 Senior Quartet Champion. The honor was claimed by Four More Guys with a score of 754 points or an average of 62.8 points per song per judge in the single round of competition for seniors quartets that was held on Friday night.

In the chorus competition, the Tampa, FL chapter, Heralds of Harmony took home Sunshine District Chorus Champion honors with a score of 959 points or an average of 79.9 points per song per judge.

The Sarasota, FL chapter, Chorus of the Keys, was designated as Sunshine District Most Improved Chorus.

Score sheet for the chorus competition is HERE.

The Sunshine District Very Large Quartet Championship was won by a Combination VLQ from the Miami, FL chapter with a score of 744 points or an average of 62.0 points per song per judge.

Score sheet for the VLQ competition is HERE.

From Society Executive Director, Marty Monson, here is a link to the 2014 Spring House of Delegates Bulletin for the Barbershop Harmony Society. Please click HERE.

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

Proceeds from the auction benefit the Harmony Foundation.

The Sunshine District and the Sunshine District Association of Quartet Champions (SDAQC) will sponsor a Quartet Coaching Clinic

April 12, 2014, 10 AM to 3PM North Stuart Baptist Church,1950 NW Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994 Education Building in the rear. Click here for a map.

No Charge. Free Lunch. Just get there.

Registration cut-off March 29, 5:00 PM.

Open to registered and non-registered quartets. BHS members and/or non-members.

Each quartet gets two coaches, one AM, the other PM. Each coach gets two quartets, one AM the other PM.

Contacts for registration:
Bart Van de Mark: roadwarriorbvd@gmail.com
Sean Stork: seans2576@gmail.com

We will be planning another this Summer before LDJ and the Grapefruit League Novice Quartet Contest. Stay Tuned.

What a great convention weekend! Kudos to the host chapters Tampa and Jacksonville Big O, as well as all our convention team members for putting on a fantastic event.

In the quartet contest, congratulations go to The Society for becoming our 2013 Sunshine District Quartet Champions with a score of 1857 points or an average of 77.4 points per song per judge. Score sheet for the quartet competition is HERE.

This convention determined our 2014 International Midwinter Seniors Quartet representative for the 2014 International Seniors Quartet competition to be held in Long Beach, CA, January 28 – February 2, 2014. The honor was claimed by Night Shades with a score of 696 points or an average of 58 points per song per judge. Score sheet for the Seniors Quartet competition is HERE.

The weekend also decided our International Chorus representative to the 2014 International Chorus competition to be held in Las Vegas, NV, June 29 – July 6, 2014. The Sunrise, FL chapter, T.H.X. took home the honors in the chorus competition with a score of 998 points or an average of 83.2 points per song per judge. Score sheet for the chorus competition is HERE.

The 2013 International convention in Toronto is history! Sunshine District was well represented by our competing chorus and quartets.

In the chorus competition, our representative T.H.X. tied for 8th place with a score of 2521 points which was an average of 84.0 points/song/judge and was one (1) point out of 7th place.

In the quartet competition, Main Street placed 4th with a score of 7825 which was an average of 86.9 points/song/judge. Throwback placed 7th with a score of 7693 which was an average of 85.5 points/song/judge. The Society placed 37th with a score of 2291 which was an average of 76.4 points/song/judge. It should be noted that of all the districts in the Barbershop Harmony Society, only Sunshine District and Far Western District had two quartets in the finals.

In the collegiate quartet competition, The Sunny Boys placed 2nd with a score of 1426 which was an average of 79.2 points/song/judge. Ballistic! placed 14th with a score of 1314 points which was an average of 73.0 points/song/judge.

Congratulations to all of our Sunshine District representatives!

Complete scoring sheets are available below:

Collegiate Quartet Contest

Quartet Quarter-Finals

Quartet Semi-Finals

Quartet Finals

Chorus Finals