The "official uniform" for May 13 show is...
Dark blue jeans (not light colored)
White dress shirt
Black suit coat
Dark shoes, dark belt

​FINAL REMINDERS: 

What:          First official KVU Vegas Tour rehearsal
Date:           Friday, April 7, 2017, 7:30pm
Location:     First Presbyterian Church (not St. Teresa in Louisville)
                    1016 Pear Orchard Road
                    Elizabethtown, KY  42701
Evals:          If you've not done so yet, submit your recordings for both contest songs  
                    before this Friday

HEADS UP brothers-

Do you plan to sing with us in Vegas and start attending our rehearsals next April 7?  In order to hop up on the risers, we expect every member to submit a full recording of both songs, using the timeline below.  

No recording?  No risers.

If you have errors, it's OK.  If you burp, we will mention it, but accept your recording as "you have submitted" and  can hop up on the risers.  The icky moment that we anticipate will come (always) is a great guy will show up and say ah shucks, I didn't send in a recording.  KVU leadership will count this persons attendance as one of his blocks of time, but they will not be invited on the risers to sing.  If this person departs in a huff, they have lost their attendance block.  

I had the great displeasure of this moment in Seattle, rehearsing 8 guys while 60 guys watched for an hour and a half behind me.  A few guys let me know they were angry after rehearsal.  I listened, nodded, and shared we had expectations that they did not meet.  Some shared they were district champions and this was childish...for THEM.  Some guys quit.  It reminded me of people who get mad about getting a ticket on a road they ALWAYS speed on.  They know the rule, but they choose to not follow it.  We are not trying to trick you with a speed trap...honest!


To re-state:  KVU believes that your preparation of music must be demonstrated overtly.  This must happen before we rehearse because we are built on a very fast learning timeline.  If we got together every week, we might not be this hard core, but we know the fastest way to make any group not rewarding is to have unprepared people singing wrong notes and words.  Our leadership question becomes, who do we please?  The guy who did the work, or the guy who didn't do the work?

Because this has an "enforcement" tone, I don't want to be Dr. Downer.  I want to have a great rehearsal on April 7th...these standards ensures our leaders can give you feedback BEFORE we get together.  It's not based in catching you being bad...it's about building us all up to be good.

=================
Reprint from March 13
=================

Hi team-

Thanks for a  great retreat last Saturday.  I was sorry to be working out of town and Amy was stuck in the snow in Franklin, but the recordings looked and sounded fantastic!  Personal favorite:  disco dancing Conover!

For clarity, we are requesting both contest songs recorded and submitted for evaluation before our Friday, April 7th rehearsal.  You don't have to pass, but we want to see how you are coming along.  It helps us know if any one particular passage is tough for everyone, just your section, or if it lays poorly in your vocal range.  We can give you other voice parts (or even have you rest for a few bars) if that helps.  Recordings don't lie and help us all be accountable to each other.  You are welcome to submit one or both recordings as early as you wish, but we spread each recording out so you (and our evaluation team) have some time to listen and give you feedback, and your don't have to blow a huge amount of time on ONE day. 

DUE DATE         MUSIC                                   
March 25             How Deep Is Your Love?
April 1                  Boogie Fever Medley
April 7                  Both songs memorized on the risers


As a reminder, our hope is that you record yourself, listen back, learn where you need to improve, and do it again.  The assumption is you learn from each recording and catch little errors until you can "live" with the recording you send in.  My guess is this will be after recording # 5.  It might be after recording # 20.  Send us a take you are really proud of, and we understand it will have imperfections... just like everybody else!

Send your recording to​ evals@kyvocalunion.org.  We will give you feedback...we'll even be nice!

As we have shared, watch this Youtube tutorial on HOW to record your music... HERE.

Thanks men.

-- 
Donny Rose

​Music and tracks for Boogie Down Medley are available on the website members Repertoire page.

Music and tracks for How Deep Is Your Love are available on the website members Repertoire page.

Music and tracks for One More Last Chance are also available ​on the website members Repertoire page.

And here we go guys! Next contest set officially underway....

The Learning tracks for "boogie fever reprise" are on the website. 

You'll notice some new options this time. The idea is to give you many different ways of learning and practicing the music. Here's what you'll see:

Sheet music for the last two pages
Your part left
Your part omitted
Full mix

… But each is offered WITH and WITHOUT a drum track. The drum track is there to provide you a stable steady beat which is in the style of the song.   We won't use it obviously during performance… But it is a great tool!

AND….you’ll find slowed down versions of each Part Left track! - Pretty handy eh!!!

So on February 18 we will rehearse this portion for memory. It is about 35 seconds long and is the end of the song… So ring it with pride!

​--Aaron

​Hi team-

You saw Michael's great recap about how we are going to Vegas, and how we begin our competition rehearsal on Friday, April 7th.  Our goal remains 50 guys on the risers... not because we want 50 guys, but because this will give us more stability with all our movement, and...it's fun to be bigger!  

Did you fill out our Vegas Tour Application?

:-)

As your education director, I want to encourage you to join us THIS MONTH for our Saturday retreat  It only 2 weeks out!  I'll be sending out our agenda and music timelines in a few days... but for today, save the date.

KVU Rehearsal
When
Sat, February 18, 9am – 5pm
Where
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, 903 Fairdale Rd, Fairdale, KY 40118

​Thanks brothers!​
​Donny Rose

Gentlemen,

     The Leadership team convened last night and we have decided to make it official, We're going to Vegas!   We are currently standing at 38 men who have committed to Vegas and who have filled out the Vegas Tour Application. The leadership team is continuing to recruit more men for this incredible journey. You can do your part and invite friends as well. But you need to hurry!  New repertoire and song choreography will have to be learned outside of rehearsal prior our first dedicated competition rehearsal on Friday, April 7th. 

Below is a checklist of information that ALL MEMBERS attending the contest should read and heed:

**ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS WHO HAVE FILLED OUT THE VEGAS TOUR APPLICATION**

      All members attending the International Convention must fill out the Vegas Tour Contract.  This is to confirm the dates that you have submitted in the tour application and to pay your Chapter Dues. Your Chapter dues are $120 for           the year.  This helps us pay for expenses that we incur for contests, music, copyrights, coaches, etc...  Half of your dues are due at the time you fill out the contract and the other half is due by March 1st. Or you may pay it all now. Please do this immediately! Thank you.

Book your hotel in Vegas here!  Please arrive no earlier than Monday, July 3rd and Leaving no earlier than Saturday, July 8th. There are 3 hotels to choose from.  Bally's, Paris, and Planet Hollywood.  Planet Hollywood is where the competition venue, The Axis, is located.  If you would like an interactive map of the 3 hotels and what is in the immediate area, you can find it here. This gives you an idea of how close the hotels are to each other.  FYI, Bally's and Paris are all accessible inside but you will have to go outside to get to Planet Hollywood from Bally's and/or Paris and vice-versa.  FYI, if you are a competing BHS member you MUST stay in one of these 3 hotels.  Anyone not doing so and if you're caught, the chorus could be disqualified.  Also note that you need to click on the "browse all hotels as list" to see all 3 hotel options. Please see the attached FAM PACKET file in this email to refer to hotel costs and other information about the Convention. For those of you who would like to room with someone please work that out on your own.  More roommates = less cost.

All competing members must have a full registration.  Your registration can be purchased here.  

We are working on transportation from Phoenix to Vegas so look for more emails with that information.  Also we are working on accommodations for Friday, June 30th and Saturday, July 1st in Phoenix.  STAY TUNED!

Please feel free to call, text or email me with any questions. 

Sincerely,

Michael  

502-773-9322