Our History
Our History - (reverse chronology - From recent to ancient)
FUTURE HISTORY:
Our 2014 SPRING SHOW, featuring MCFly, a re-emergence of a District Chamion Quaret, will held on Saturday, MJune 14th, at the First Baptist Church, located at 800 South 1300 East, in Salt Lake City, UT. In the fall, in our very own Midway, UT, to be held September 26th and 27th, 2014, at the Zermatt Resort, theRocky Mountain District Chorus Contest, during the Fall 2014 Convention, we will again work hard to improve the vocal quality of our sound, and recapture our title as the MOST IMPROVED CHORUS.
December 1st has been set as the Date for our CHRISMTAS BARBERSHOP SHOW, in connection with the UCCC's Winter Market Concerty Series. Favorite Christmas music, in the Barbershop Style, will high light this festive program as we open the 2014 Christmas Season. Plan on joining us.
Then our 2012 Christmas show will be Monday Evening, December 10th, again at the UCCC. Follow the links on the HOME PAGE Page for a show Flyer, and ticket information.
Our motto is keep the whole world singing! And we have a lot of fun while we do it.
WEEKLY PRACTICES:
Every Wednesday evening, for 60 years, we as a chorus have gathered to sing and improve our talents in singing.
Our present practice quarters are located at:
Utah Cultural Celebration Center (UCCC)
1355 West 3100 South, West Valley, Utah (Go east from Redwood Road)
Phone/e-mail (801) 965-5100 www.culturalcelebrationcenter.org;
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
Check this website under HAPPENINGS to check on our current rehearsal schedule.
The chorus presently consists of about 50 men with about 25 plus singing at any one performance. Our director since June 2016 is Penny Peshell. She is a wonderful person with a big heart and smile, with lots of musical skills. Check out OUR DIRECTORS on this website.
OUR CULTURE: (Submitted by Scott Allred)
Ownership
I accept and affirm that I am responsible for my actions as a member of the chorus and its outcome. I buy into the 7 points of culture and see that it creates an environment were all members of the chorus, my brothers, can thrive. While on the risers; I own the space under my feet and responsible only for that space. My space is ‘sacred ground’. I do not have the responsibility or authority to correct my chorus brothers for their perceived infractions or to converse, discuss what I believe is an important matter. I only speak with loving eyes. While off the risers, I can be playful and goofy.
Team Work
I focus my attention on the successful outcome of the entire chorus. I believe in the Beehive ‘Swarm’ (blob), which is the belief that my brothers in the chorus will figure out what they did incorrectly or didn’t do correctly, without my input, by following the loving ‘Swarm’. My team of brothers has the skills necessary to follow and add to his section and chorus, to become a part of the ‘Swarm’. I will display pride, competence, and personal confidence at all times. If asked, I will coach and lead others in the section or chorus. I will ask for help while off the risers when I need it and not drag the chorus down because I fear to ask. I will seek for and feel the influence of the ‘Swarm’.
Singing Group
I believe the Statesmen are a singing group, not a fraternity group that likes to sing. Meaning that fellowship, service, refreshements, brotherhood, and other business are by-products of our barbershop harmony singing art, not the other way around.j I sing as if one with the Chorus. I don't sing to "carry" the others in my section. I believe that there are no heroes in the Chorus. I seek for vocal quality in my section and in the Chorus
REHEARSALS
I take our rehearsals seriously. It is silly to believve that I can TURN IT ON for a performance. I rehearse like a musician; stand like a champion; perform like a professional, with a Statesmen 'swagger.' I believe that everything that happens is because I know and trust the PLAN. I come weekly and on time. I call to let others know if I am going to miss a rehearsal. If I am late, or leave the risers during rehearsal, I will wait for an invitiation to join the Chorus, and take my appointed, sacred space.
BELIEF
I believe in my Director, and trust that she know what is best for the Chorus. I trust the Director's plan and know that she will teach us and take the Chorus far towards its goal. I believe my Chorus brothers will do their best, and follow the same poionts of 'culture' as I do. I love my membership in the Chorus. I believe I contribute to the Chorus; my energy and support makes the Chorus better as a whole.
MUSICALITY
I will sing the words and notes correctly as written, or as modified by our Director. Lyrics, word/vowel ceation, harmony, temp, tone flow, proper mouth position, and wall of sound singing is imporatnt to me, and I strive to sing the barbershop style at all times. Again, I trust our Director. I sing from the heart and others can feel it. I love to 'lock & ring.'
PRESENTATION
My singing is believable and creates a mood for the listener. I perform with energy and my facial expressions display my love for barbershop harmony. I maintain character no matter what is going on around me. I know my presentation is suitable to the audience and believe the Statesmen will not ask me to do something that I don;t have the ability to perform. I keep my uniforms clean and presentable.
RECENT HISTORY:
2013:
Our 2013 SPRING SHOW, featuring Mountain Jubilee Chorus, from the Sweet Adelines, Inc, was held on Friday and Saturday, May 3th and 4th, at the Utah Cultural Celebrations Center (UCCC), 1365 West 3100 South, West Valley City, UT. In the fall, in Cheyenne, CO, In October, 2013, at the Rocky Mountain District Chorus Contest, held during the Fall 2013 Convention, we had 28 men on Stage, captured 7th place. Alas, we were not able to regain our title as MOST IMPROVED CHORUS. Our Christmas Show, again at the UCCC, featured Hang Time, a District Quartet Champion, that hails from our Sister Chapter in Utah Valley.
2012:
Our 2012 SPRING SHOW, featuring REPRISE (2003 Rocky Mountain District Quartet Championsfrom Sugar House - duh) was held on Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th, at the Utah Cultural Celebrations Center (UCCC), 1365 West 3100 South, West Valley City, UT. Then, in the fall, in Albuquerque, NM, at the Rocky Mountain District's 2012 Fall Convention and Chorus Contests we worked hard to move up and be recognized as one of the Top Three Choruses in the District. And regain our title as MOST IMPROVED CHORUS, of course.
Then our 2012 Christmas show was held on Monday Evening, December 10th, again at the UCCC.
Rocky Mountain District’s FALL 2010 Contest
5th Place - Rocky Mountain District 2010 Chorus Contest
At the Rocky Mountain District's FALL 2010 Contest, held in our own Layton, UT, on September 25th, amid some very strong competition, the Beehive Statesmen Chorus earned 5th place, with an overall score of 69.6 points (out of 100.) It appears that the judges were just a little bit stingy in their scoring. While we had also been aiming for Most Improved Chorus again, alas, it was not to be. Our chorus is growing, however, we had 42 men on Stage singing at the Contest this year, which is 6 more than we had last year. (Perhaps holding the Contest in our back yard, so to speak, helped to bolster our On Stage Presence.)
One of our Contest Songs was I WANT TO BE A FRONT ROW MAN, which was written and originally arranged by Jimmy Wheeler, one of our Chorus' long time Members. This Song was used as a Contest Song by the Chorus in the Rocky Mountain Contest at St. George, UT in 1964. Jimmy has gone to the Great Chorus in the Sky, but his family was kind enough to allow us to modify the arrangement, and to perform the song in Jimmy's memory in this year's Layton Contest. We will sing it again, it is fun to sing.
Rocky Mountain District’s FALL 2009 Contest
4th Place - Rocky Mountain District 2009 Chorus Contest
At the Rocky Mountain District's FALL 2009 Contest, held in Cheyenne, WY, on September 26th, amid some very strong competition, the Beehive Statesmen Chorus earned 4th place, with an overall score of 70.7 points (out of 100.) We had also been aiming for Most Improved Chorus again, and for the 3rd time in 4 years, the RMD awarded us that recognition. And our chorus grew, we had 39 men on Stage singing at the Contest, which is 7 more than we had the previous year.
Rocky Mountain District’s FALL 2008 Contest
6th Place - Rocky Mountain District 2008 Chorus Contest
At the Rocky Mountain District's FALL 2008 Contest, held in Colorado Springs, CO, on September 27th, amid some very strong competition, the Beehive Statesmen Chorus earned 6th place. We had been aiming for most improved chorus (3rd time), but alas, it was not to be this year. But our chorus is growing, we had 11 more men on Stage singing at the Contest this year than we had last year. So, we will fall back, and re-assess our goals for the September 2009 Contest, which will be held in Cheyenne, WY.
HARMONY JUNIOR COLLEGE:
Our 2009 Chapter Contest Retreat was held at Snow College, Ephraim, UT on July 16-18th.
Great trip! Great experience! What we lacked in amenities (dormitory, food, etc) was more than made up by the Coaching from our Very Own Beth Bruce, the inimitable Anna Lisa Glad, and our VISITING EXPERT, Don Rose.
Those who went enjoyed a very productive chorus enhancing experience:
Those who could not make it: DON"T WORRY, You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Reprinted here is the entire email from Don Rose, following the retreat
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hello mighty Beehive Statesmen!
Greetings from the West...sitting here, looking at the water, late at night, thinking about our retreat, and I just wanted to share my joy for you. You know, it's a weird dance being a visiting coach to a chorus...you are lucky to have a fine director in Beth, but she sees you every week, so she is unable to say stuff that the guy from far away can say...he doesn't have to deal with the fallout! :-)
Like Beth, I direct a chorus of lovely men...some of them are white collar, blue collar, recently unemployed, and frankly LOOK like you...except I don't have 3 cool kids under 14! We have the same discussions you have...we have the same hopes you have...we have the same challenges you have...we have the same fights you have...we are pretty much the same. As you may suspect, we DO have a difference...CULTURE...not genetics...not age...definitely not talent...but CULTURE.
I don't want to change your core, which is so lovely it makes me tear up...your talent show...your coffee pot prepared for me...Beth having a stash of Diet Coke ready to roll...I was treated like a king, and I really felt cared about and listened too. What more could a visitor wish for?
Well..I do have about 4 major wishes...think of me as gently pushing you into to music pool...you may sputter and spit, but Beth will not let you drown!
Donny's wish list...
1) The risers are sacred ground.
This is where we make art. This is where Beth, Anna-Lisa, and outside pals lead us towards something bigger than each of us. When we step up onto the risers, we look down at the floor and remind ourselves to take care of the person who owns this chunk of real estate. We don't need to speak, except with loving eyes. We may be goofy and playful off the risers, but not on sacred ground. We don't really ask questions that we can figure out on the risers...if anyone is freaking out, they know that it's totally great to speak to Anna-Lisa or Beth when they are off the risers.
2) The Beehive statesmen are a singing group.
All the fellowship, service to community, refreshments, paperwork, RMD official business is a lovely by-product...the Statesmen are indeed a family, but they grow out of singing INTO this fraternity...not the other way around.
3) Our musical level is determined by what we do in rehearsal.
Don't turn it on for a performance, silly...it's too late, and it makes a worse. Rehearse like a musician, stand with a little more swagger, and start rehearsing like a Champion...everything will happen because you trust and know the plan...this will help you feel relaxed and confident! Be on time...come weekly...call when you are going to miss a rehearsal. Just replay every coach speech you have in your mind about practice...that ought to do it!
4) You must believe in your director, your chorus brothers, and you!
It sounds like an ABC after school special, but...it's true! You should overtly believe in your director...if you don't, you hurt us. Your should love being in the chorus...if you want to mostly be in a quartet or be in a bowling league...do it! If you don't care about helping your chorus brothers, go somewhere and be part of something you DO believe in. If you think you are unable to contribute YOUR voice to the chorus, YOUR energy to make things better, YOUR work to sing notes and words correctly, YOU should find a place that brings you joy! Directors know that men will come and go...some will stay for longer periods of time, but most of us will at some point pull ourselves out prior to death. Who do you wish to stay? :-)
So...thanks for reading, listening, and considering a few hopes from the boy from Tacoma. Drop me a line as you move forward, and thank you for letting me be part of a lovely weekend.
Donny
[email protected]
Rocky Mountain District’s FALL 2007 Contest
5th Place - Rocky Mountain District 2007 Chorus Contest
The RMD Fall Contest was held in Albuquerque, NM, on September 29th, where the Beehive Statesmen Chorus earned 5th place (again,) but was also named as the Most Improved Chorus for 2007. This is the second year in a row that the Chorus has been named as the Most Improved. So, Question: How can you be the most Improved (Score) for the year, yet remain in 5th place? Maybe last year we were a low-5th place, and this year a high-5th place. Wait until Fall 2008 at Colorado Springs. You ain’t HEARD nothing yet.
Rocky Mountain District’s FALL 2006 Contest
5th Place - Rocky Mountain District 2006 Chorus Contest
At the Rocky Mountain District’s Fall 2006 Contest, held in Layton, UT, on October 7, 2006, the Beehive Statesmen Chorus was named as the Most Improved Chorus for 2006. And this with a new director, Ms Beth Bruce (See Our Directors,) who had only been directing our Chorus for 4 months, since June. We also placed 5th among the 9 competing choruses.
2005: The Barbershop Harmony Society held it's 2005 International Convention at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, UT.
The Salt Lake City Chapter, home of the Beehive Statesmen Chorus, was the Host Chapter, and the members of the Chapter
spent a busy week with all of the Hosting activites. We were invited to be the Mike Testers at the Chorus Contest, where we sang
I'll Always be Mother's Boy.
We reprised this song later in the fall, at the RMD Chorus Contest:
ANCIENT HISTORY: (Notes from Glenn Gold)
CHAPTER QUARTETS: (Some of their pictures are in OUR QUARTETS
There were many great quartets who shared the microphone with the chorus over the years. Other than the Evans Quartet names such as: The Salt Flats, One More Time (1985 district champs and the first International Seniors Champions, a competition having started in the last few years) and an up and coming new quartet from the chapter Unita Barbershop having placed as high as 10th place at the district level. Each name of the many quartets not only bring memories to the members of that quartet, but also to those of us who heard them perform many times over the years.
CHAPTER FORMATION:
During the summer of 1948, Roger Fruend attended a conference in Wisconsin. While there he spent hours between conference sessions "harmonizing" with a gentleman from Chicago named George Campbell. He poured into Roger's mind the story of O.C. Cash, the Tulsa organizer and founder of the Parent Chapter of Barbershop. He urged Roger to try his hand at organizing a chapter of SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America) in Salt Lake City. It has been said, "as O.C. Cash and others sat around the hotel room and talked about the future society, he wanted the name of the society to be the biggest acronym in the nation, during the time in the United States, when acronyms were being developed wholesale on a daily basis."
One evening Roger was approached by a gentleman who introduced himself as Wilfred LeCavalier. These two gentlemen lunched together the next day, and decided that a chapter should be organized in Salt Lake City. They set the date, place and hour for the first meeting. The evening arrived and the first stranger to come into the Club Room and extended his hand was Joe Kopesec. The second man to come in was Frank Zachrison. Altogether a group of fourteen men assembled that night. A few weeks later there had been some growth. A young man named Munson Hinman played a major role in the organization. He was a four part man and sang well. The Evans Quartet Came in one night. They joined that night and all four were charter members of the Chapter. The Evans Quartet was the first chapter quartet to become International Champions, Gold Medalist, and Turk Evans from the quartet was the first chapter director. Thus the creation of the name SPEBSQSA and the creation of the Beehive Statesmen Chorus. The chorus was formed from a group of men who loved to sing and enjoyed the fellowship. In those days the lead would sing melody and the other three would sing harmony as there was no printed music available. Now the Barbershop Harmony Society, which is the new term for SPEBSQSA, has hundreds of musical arrangements in the barbershop style, perhaps even thousands.
HISTORIANS NOTE:
As the writer of this short history many of these names are only names. In March, 1986, with my arrival upon the barbershop scene, I had the opportunity of singing baritone with both Roger Freund and Max Lloyd, the last two charter members of the Beehive Statesmen Chorus to actively sing with the Chorus! Max did receive his 50 year pin just prior to his death. The only other 50 year pin I remember being given was November 1, 2006, as Jimmy Wheeler, the tenor of the Salt Flats, One More Time and most recently Senior Class Reunion, received this longevity, as well as a lot of work, award. He is the most loyal person I have met over the years in barbershop and has served the chapter in many p ositions including president. (I have a history about 50 pages long of the Beehive Statesmen Chapter by Max Lloyd if anyone would like to review it.)
"Doc" Glenn Gold
