Barbershop harmony was in abundance at the Arizona Music Educator Conference held at the Mesa Conference Center over the weekend of January 7th through 9th. This year’s annual conference was attended by approximately 700 educators.
This was the 6th consecutive year that Ron and Annie Hayes have operated exhibits for Sweet Adeline International and Barbershop Harmony Society. We had the opportunity to speak with countless music educators and mingled with other exhibitors. Educators were asked to fill out an information questionnaire for follow-up. Some even had a chance to sing a tag within a barbershop quartet. At our exhibit, we were assisted by other Barbershop and Sweet Adeline chapter representatives from the Phoenix area.
Each year, at the invitation of AMEA we have provided clinicians, and, performing groups, to include quartets, ensembles, and choruses. This year it included The Good Vibes, a girl’s quartet from Flowing Wells HS in Tucson; The Treblemakers, a girl’s ensemble from Chandler HS who were assisted by a boy’s quartet(unnamed); and, The Mix, a Sweet Adeline quartet from Scottsdale, who opened the Awards Luncheon with their rendition of the National Anthem. This all occurred on Friday. On Saturday, PHX, a men’s barbershop quartet from Phoenix (shown in these pictures) performed in addition to The Good Vibes, who stayed over to sing a 2nd day. In addition, The Spirit of Phoenix BarbershopChorus also performed, in concert, on Friday night.
Lucky music educators received a CD or DVD of a medallist quartet in drawings held during the conference. They also received sheet music, brochures, music educator kits, and other barbershop information.
Each year we receive compliments for the fine young and older experienced quartets who grace the halls of the Annual Conference. It is our hope that the music educators bring this same music back to their own classrooms to allow their students to experience this thrill we continue to receive at each and every chapter meeting.