- 2020 Year in Review
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Date Posted: Mon, 7 Dec 2020
Our chorus year wraps up a bit earlier than usual tonight and what a year it's been! Let's take a look back on 2020... YouTube Video URL:
- 10th Anniversary Celebrations
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Date Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2020
Vocal Vibes have been busy during the Covid-19 experience. Henrietta and her team have done a brilliant job of keeping the momentum of this vibrant chorus going. Our Zoom meetings are the absolute highlight of our chorus week, and we have welcomed our newest member Katrina (who we look forward to meeting in person)!
There have been many highlights, with perhaps the most significant being our 10-Year anniversary on 14th July. This was celebrated with a special afternoon event. Faye and Sam spent many hours compiling a variety of videos and photos to revisit the exciting journey of Vocal Vibes.
We dressed up in our first convention costume, complete with makeup and watched the videos of the four convention contests we have competed in. A fun, GoggleBox style commentary from some of the members ensured lots of laughs.
We were joined by special presenter Brenda Smith, our founding choreographer as she and Lorraine, our founding director shared wonderful memories. Messages of congratulations were received from regional leaders Michelle Neller (SAA TC), Jenni Pyefinch (Director’s Co-ordinator), and Vicki Dwyer. Gail Jencik (our last coach before lockdown) sent her video of congratulations and the dynamic Lynne Smith dropped into our Zoom celebrations to surprise us all.
Members received a Vocal Vibes 10-year membership badge in the mail, and we hope it won’t be too long before we can celebrate face to face in true Vocal Vibes style.
Another major highlight was our Trivia Night, hosted by Kate & Andrew Hawkins. Team “Let’s Get Quizzical” took out the honors but a fun night, filled with laughter, a baby photo guessing competition, and a test of our Barbershop/SAI knowledge/Vocal Vibes history was had by all.
The Management Team and members acknowledge the hard work of the 10-Year Anniversary Team. They have had to change their plans to suit Covid 19 restrictions and we thank the team of Lorraine, Faye, Sam & Bridget, ably led by Annet, for bringing us such joy.
We are all looking forward to getting back to rehearsal and singing together once again!!!
- Video collaboration during isolation
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Date Posted: Wed, 6 May 2020
Sending out Melbourne Vibes with this collaboration with some of our friends from Melbourne Chorus. Last weekend we would have been together for a pre-contest show at Box Hill Town Hall so we did the next best thing. Singing builds life-long friendships and we can't wait to catch up in person.
We also recorded 'An Irish Blessing' during this time of isolation so head over to our Youtube channel or Facebook page to view both videos.YouTube Video URL:
- REHEARSALS GO VIRTUAL
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Date Posted: Sun, 15 Mar 2020
Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation we have cancelled face-to-face rehearsals for now and will re-evaluate as things change.
We love singing together and will be using online resources to get our weekly dose of music and community. If you have been thinking of visiting us please get in touch with our Team Coordinator Sue (info@vocalvibes.org.au) or Director Henrietta (director@vocalvibes.org.au) so that we can keep you updated on our rehearsal schedule and connect you with some online resources to get started on your singing journey.
- VV entertains at International Women’s Day events 2020
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Date Posted: Thu, 12 Mar 2020
Vocal Vibes were proud to appear on the bill at varied IWD events again this year. This week around a third of VV's members entertained diners at a local Lion's Club event, fundraising for www.PINCHAPOO.org.au On this occasion we were ably led by our former director and continuing member Jeanette Whitmore, while our Music Director Henrietta Farr was working out of town a few days.
Meanwhile last week for IWD, another combination of members represented VV at a meeting of the Dept of Transport's Women's Network. Henrietta was especially invited to showcase her after-hours activity among other extraordinary Department women. You see ... by day, our MD Henrietta is a Geotechnical Engineer!
- Ringwood rings with a Cappella harmonies
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Date Posted: Sun, 16 Feb 2020
Eastland provided a beautiful setting for a delightful pop up performance, when we were engaged to entertain the local community this weekend.
- What fun it is...
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Date Posted: Mon, 23 Dec 2019
Bringing JOY to the neighbourhood in this wonderland a few doors up from our Christmas party! YouTube Video URL:
- Bendigo Bank supports Vocal Vibes
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Date Posted: Tue, 10 Dec 2019
Literally!! Bendigo Bank is supporting VV members with a fantastic contribution toward an additional set of risers so we can spread out safely in harmonious formation. Our sincere gratitude goes to this wonderful local and community-minded bank.
- Performance at RSACB 17th Concert for Cancer
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Date Posted: Sun, 8 Sep 2019
Vocal Vibes were delighted to be once more invited to join Ringwood Salvation Army's Annual Concert for Cancer. We took the stage for alternating sets between performances by their wonderful Citadel Band and illustrious guest cornet soloist Matthew Stein. The audience was enthusiastic and appreciative, and our members feel privileged to contribute to this supportive & celebratory event. The beautiful closing candle lighting ceremony brings special significance to audience and performers alike.
- Our 2019 country retreat
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Date Posted: Sun, 28 Jul 2019
Our biennial weekend getaway for members took place last weekend, and we were excited to work with Master Director Vicki Dwyer as our special Coach for this winter retreat in the Dandenongs.
Vicki is a respected member of the Regional Education Faculty for Sweet Adelines Australia, and a sought-after coach for choruses and quartets. Personally, Vicki received 4 gold medals singing Lead with Accolade quartet (representing Australia at International) and more recently in her current quartet Alouette, consistently places top 3 in our Region 34 Quartet competition.
She is a professional singing teacher and directs Circular Keys Chorus as well as Sydney Harmony men’s chorus. In 2009 Vicki directed Circular Keys Chorus to their first international Sweet Adelines competition in Denver, and again last year they competed in the Harmony Classic category and performed a fantastic Australian themed medley for the enthusiastic international audience at St Louis USA.
Of course "What happens at retreat, stays at retreat" - but hey nothing wrong with rewarding hard work with a little fun and relaxation! What better way to spend a chilly weekend away with friends, working on our craft together and preparing our competition songs for the next national convention in Hobart 2020. Not to mention a warming fireplace, all meals provided, celebrating VV's 9th birthday, and invigorating strolls among the native birds & eucalypts.
- I am .. You are .. We are Australian!!
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Date Posted: Sat, 13 Jul 2019
A representative ensemble of Vocal Vibes singers again had the honour of singing for some of our newest Australian citizens at a recent Maroondah Citizenship Ceremony in Ringwood. We love adding sparkle and harmony to important events in our community. It's somehow special having a small part in such a memorable day for those choosing to become Australian.
Never truer the lyric: "We'll share a dream and sing with one voice!!"
- Introducing our 2019 Management Team!
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Date Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2019
Each year we are extremely grateful for the talented members who take on the many important roles on various teams that keep our chorus thriving. At our recent AGM we were fortunate to have more nominees volunteer than the number of roles available! Special thanks go to all new, outgoing & continuing Management Team members..
- SAA Grant win sends VV Choreographer to Texas!
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Date Posted: Wed, 20 Feb 2019
We're more than a little excited to learn that Vocal Vibes' member Faye Putt has won a regional grant to attend the Sweet Adelines International Directors & Visual Leaders' seminar in Texas this August!
Australian chorus choreographers were invited to apply for a single sponsorship to attend “A Brand New Song & Dance” in San Antonio TX, however based on their application content, vision and purpose, two exemplary applicants could not be separated. As a result, Faye from Vocal Vibes in Victoria, and Megan from Redland Rhapsody Chorus in Qld, were announced joint winners of the 2019 Region 34 Education Grant.
A report of their insights will be published in the following Sweet Adelines Australia publication "Ozchords", and both Faye and Megan will be invited to present at the 2020 Regional Director’s School. VV members are thrilled for our talented and hard-working Choreographer Faye to enjoy this experience and return to us inspired by highly esteemed faculty sharing their passion and new ideas in visual expression and showmanship!
https://sweetadelines.com/events/directorsandvisualleadersseminar2019/https://sweetadelines.com/events/directorsandvisualleadersseminar2019/
- Community Grant from the Bendigo Bank
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Jan 2019
Vocal Vibes is the proud recipient of a very generous Community Grant from the Bendigo Bank. We have been rewarded for our efforts in bringing women of all ages together to sing in harmony.
Our local Ringwood East & Heathmont Community Bank operates to support the local community with a policy to return up to 80% of profits to local community groups. Their slogan is "See the change your bank can make."
We would like to thank the Bendigo Bank for being a wonderful supporter of Vocal Vibes.
- IT'S OFFICIAL!! VV appoints new Director from within!
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Date Posted: Tue, 9 Oct 2018
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Vocal Vibes' new Director .. our very own, very talented HENRIETTA FARR!!
In a few short years Henrietta leapt from youth member to Tenor Section Leader, to Assistant Director. This year she was our nominee for Sweet Ad of the Year, and completed her DCP with the special honour of the prestigious Marian Reinsch award. Henrietta generously took on the challenging role of Caretaker Director for us in June, further demonstrating her abilities, dedication and resourcefulness.
We could not have been happier when our Director Search committee fully considered & endorsed Henrietta's recent application, and her appointment was overwhelmingly ratified by members.
Henrietta becomes Vocal Vibes' 3rd Director since chartering in 2010, following founding Director Lorraine Stackpoole, and recently-retired Master Director Jeanette Whitmore.
CONGRATULATIONS and WELCOME Henrietta!!!
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- A Cappella Workshop Fun!
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Date Posted: Thu, 16 Aug 2018
Wow! What fun we are having sharing our hobby with others.
We kicked off week one of our 'Learn to Sing A Cappella' workshops with an amazing 33 women joining us on the risers. There were smiles all round as we harmonized for the first time together. The sound was awesome!
Week two bought even more adventure as we sang through the song we learnt last week with confidence and began the new song... 'Fields of Gold'. Hat's off to Henrietta (Director extraordinaire) and the Music Team for assisting us with our learning of all four parts to the half way point. We can't wait for next week. Bring it on!
SPECIAL NOTE:
Registration for this workshop is now closed.
If you missed this singing adventure and wish to see what we do...
Come and visit us on one of our regular rehearsal nights any time after September the 3rd.
We welcome visitors all year 'round. (E: info@vocalvibes.org.au)
Hope to see you one day soon!
- Coming soon - Learn to sing A Cappella
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Date Posted: Thu, 28 Jun 2018
Learn to Sing A Cappella - 4 week workshop
More details coming soon!
- Marian Reinsch Award
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Date Posted: Sat, 26 May 2018
To top off a wonderful convention 2018, our very own Henrietta Farr was presented the 2018 Marian Reinsch Award!!
This biennial honour recognises excellence in Director Certification Program (DCP) achievement.
We are all so proud of her!!
Photo by Jen Squires
- Community Grant
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Date Posted: Sat, 4 Feb 2017
Vocal Vibes Inc. gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Maroondah Council Community Grants Funding Program, which enabled us to purchase striking new daytime performance tops for each & every member of the chorus. We look forward to showing them off, so keep an eye on this website for news of our next local performance!
- “You’re from the chorus with the white jackets. Which chorus are you? You’re so young!”
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Date Posted: Thu, 9 Jun 2016
More than once at convention 2016 our members heard this and it is I suppose quite true: Vocal Vibes is a young chorus in a number of ways. In addition to having a sizable contingent of younger-than-average members, in Wollongong our six-year-old chorus competed for only the third time. It was also our first competition under Jeanette Whitmore, whose superb skills and experience preparing and delivering at competition helped us put out a stronger and more skilled performance than ever before.
Vocal Vibes is also young because our membership also includes a number of women who are ‘young’ in barbershop: whose journey in the art form is just beginning. We took to convention 8 first timers, meaning that nearly 10% of all first timers at convention belonged to Vocal Vibes. One of these was even at her first ever sing-out ever! Each Vocal Vibes member receives a butterfly pin after her first sing-out, but the butterfly our Akke earned at Wollongong was extra significant and very well deserved. Wollongong was of course a huge experience for every first-timer and they were made to feel very special by both Vocal Vibes and the conference organisers.
As well as competing as a chorus, Vocal Vibes was represented in three quartets: Momentum, Platinum and Cha-Ching!, each of whom did us proud. The remaining chorus members watched with a thrill as each foursome took to the stage for the terrifying feat that is Quartet Contest, and the chorus gave its vocal support from the audience. We were so proud of them and they felt the love flow to the very distant stage.
When chorus competition day dawned we had the unenviable task of waiting until late afternoon to perform, but much hotel room singing and an inexplicably long and eerily quiet bus ride later, we were suddenly on stage. A heart-rending interpretation of If I Loved You and a sassy, fun Jazz Me Blues later and it was all over. But then it wasn’t: we were thrilled to be selected as one of 2 choruses to participate in the master class with judges Sharon Babb and Dale Syverson. On stage for the second time in 24 hours we nailed our ballad and had fun with our uptune all over again. The two judges’ wealth of experience and knowledge gave us lots of things to add to our toolbox as we continue to grow and develop in barbershop, and as a chorus.
Our fine showing at convention in 2016 was the result of an enormous amount of work by our Director, Section leaders, Music and Management teams, Choreographer and Costumer and their dedicated teams, Convention Liaison, our weekly extra practice group organiser, as well as each individual chorus member and the family and friends that help make it all possible. Vocal Vibes says a huge THANK YOU to them all!
Anna D.
Bass - Vocal Vibes
- A Special Announcement!
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Date Posted: Tue, 11 Nov 2014
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Vocal Vibes is very excited to announce the appointment of Jeanette Whitmore as our new director.
Jeanette is an accomplished barbershop 'Master Director' - one of only six in Australia to achieve this honourable recognition from Sweet Adelines International. She has already won the hearts of each and every member and her talent and expertise is inspiring Vocal Vibes to take it to the next level.
Our 2014 Maroondah Festival performance was Jeanette's first time at the helm of Vocal Vibes. It was a great day with a number of new ladies performing for the first time with us as well. We're looking forward to many more performances and competitions under Jeanette's wonderful direction..png)
We wish to take this opportunity to thank Lorraine Stackpoole, our recently retired director, for her hard work over the past five years getting Vocal Vibes to where we are today. We are very much enjoying having Lorraine now singing on the risers with us.
Vocal Vibes are getting into the 'Christmas spirit' with performances at several shopping centres and we would love to see you in the audience! Check out the details at this link.
If you can sing and would like to give Vocal Vibes a try, call and come along to a Monday evening rehearsal.
- Convention 2014
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Date Posted: Wed, 21 May 2014
Vocal Vibes Chorus had a fabulous time up in Sydney competing in the annual Sweet Adelines competition. It was the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Sweet Adelines in Australia and 37 of the almost 50 members of Vocal Vibes Chorus sang and danced up a storm in the competition this year. We scored an amazing 517 points which placed us 10th out of 23 competing choruses from all around Australia. This is very impressive as Vocal Vibes is only 5 years old. Kerry Haddow says, "We are so excited to have done so well this year. All our ladies are very talented and really love singing together. Vocal Vibes have a great future ahead of them. I'm quite addicted to barbershop singing especially with all of these lovely ladies."
