Barbershop Men and Women Share Stage

The Progress
April 24, 2008
Dapper Dans to Host Spring Show

The Sweet Adelines International 2007 Regional Champion Hickory Tree Chorus will guest star April 26 on the Dapper Dans of Harmony show “Guys With Dolls,” 7:30 pm at James Caldwell High School, West Caldwell.

The New Providence-based chorus is celebrating its fortieth year as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International (SAI). Its 65 members hail from over 40 New Jersey and Staten Island communities. They are preparing to compete in SAI’s international contest this November in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Dapper Dans of Harmony are the Montclair-based chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. While each chorus regularly produces its own an annual show, it is rare to have both a men’s and women’s barbershop chorus appear in the same show.

Sweet Adelines International and the Barbershop Harmony Society, with combined worldwide memberships totaling almost 60,000, are non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony, through education and performances. Both choruses invite interested singers to visit a rehearsal. Information can be found on the web at hickorytreechorus.org and dapperdansofharmony.com .

Reserved seating tickets for “Guys with Dolls” are $20. For ticket ordering information e-mail dldunlevy@gmail.com or call 973-980-8466.

Pictured are HTC members and West Caldwell residents Joan Neustaedter and Lori Servidio. Servidio's husband and son perform with the Dapper Dans of Harmony.

An HTC Shout-Out in the (Morris County) Daily Record

FPHTW: Why I Live Here

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

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Name: Dana Dunlevy

Age: 48

Hometown: Florham Park; grew up in East Hanover

Occupation: Substitute teacher

Lived here since: 1987

Why do you live in Florham Park? My husband and I bought our first house on Elmwood Road because the price was right, and was close to NYC trains, where we both worked at the time. We moved within town to be closer to Holy Family School where our sons were students. We're still here because our dog likes the woods behind our house.

Best thing about Florham Park? Hands down, it's the Fourth of July!

The worst thing? The acres of asphalt that pass for a downtown.

Best kept secret in town: I'm always the last to know.

What does Florham Park really need? A cool place for live music.

Something your neighbors wouldn't know about you: I am having too much fun singing with an awesome chapter of Sweet Adelines International, The Hickory Tree Chorus.

Biggest contribution to the community: Nothing big, but like many other residents, I served with many community organizations like the Cub Scouts, the Holy Family Parish and School, and Little League.

How long will you live here? Until I don't.

Hickory Tree Chorus Members Competing in Five Quartets

Seventeen members of New Providence-based Hickory Tree Chorus will compete in the Sweet Adelines International (SAI) Greater New York Region quartet contest April 5 in Philadelphia, PA. Hickory Tree Chorus, the SAI 2007 regional chorus champion boasts of having its members in five of this year’s 23 competing quartets.

The five quartets include 3-time returning regional quartet champion Escape and the 2006 Novice quartet winner, True Blues who sat out last year’s contest due to a member’s illness. Moonstruck, who placed seventh last year will compete for the first time with two new members. 24-Karat has two members who hold dual chorus membership (with Princeton-based Jersey Harmony Chorus).

Hickory Tree Chorus Master Director, Carolyn Schmidt will compete as the baritone of Brocade alongside her mother, Lilas Schmidt who will compete as the quartet’s bass singer. This will be the 35th consecutive regional quartet contest in which Lilas has competed, a record for a Hickory Tree Chorus member.

Many chorus and quartet members were heard locally in February, delivering Singing Valentines to surprised sweethearts at their schools, homes, and workplaces.

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. With more than 25,000 members, Sweet Adelines International is one of the largest women’s singing organizations in the world.

Hickory Tree Chorus hosts this year’s regional chorus and quartet contest, as they prepare to compete against SAI choruses from around the world November in Honolulu, HI. The chorus and quartets perform an annual show and at local community, corporate, and private events. The chorus rehearses and welcomes guests Wednesdays, 7:30 pm at 570 Central Ave., New Providence. Visit hickorytreechorus.org or e-mail info@hickorytreechorus.org

Hickory Tree Chorus Offers $1000 Music Scholarship

February 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dana Dunlevy, Publicity and Marketing, Hickory Tree Chorus,
973-980-8466

Hickory Tree Chorus Offers $1000 Music Scholarship

Hickory Tree Chorus, a champion chapter of Sweet Adelines International, is accepting applications for its 2008, annual $1000 scholarship to a musically talented young woman interested in pursuing a career in music. Qualified high school senior girls with good academic records and exceptional talent in vocal music are encouraged to apply. Students should also have applied for acceptance into a music program at a college or university. Applicants must submit an audio-tape or CD of a short performance demonstrating their particular talent. Tapes may include accompaniment, as needed. Completed applications and audio-tapes or CDs must be received by April 14th, 2008.

High school guidance departments in more than 50 communities have information and applications. Applications may also be obtained by e-mailing info@hickorytreechorus.org, or printing directly from the chorus’s web site at hickorytreechorus.org.

Hickory Tree Chorus rehearses and welcomes guests Wednesdays, 7:30pm at the New Jersey Youth Symphony Music Center, 570 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ. This year marks its fortieth year as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. With almost 27,000 members world-wide, Sweet Adelines International is one of the world’s largest women’s singing organizations.

Hickory Tree Chorus member in Westfield Leader, February 14, 2008

Fanwood Singer’s Donation Proves Love is ‘In Style’



As a member of the Escape quartet, Susan Schuman of Fanwood was required to pull her shoulder-length hair off her neck for Sweet Adelines International (SAI) competions. She twisted it high on her crown and wrapped it in a hairpiece for a polished look. But on February 4, she shed her long locks, and thus her need for the hairpiece, so that a child without any hair can crown his or her head with a much-needed wig.

While caroling with Escape quartet in Westfield this past holiday season, Mrs. Schuman saw a “Locks of Love” flyer posted at Panera Bread by a local Girl Scout. She had already been thinking about cutting her hair and wondered if she could wait until the February event date.

“I thought this would be good for Girls Scouts, for me, for others, and then I thought, here is my son, Jonathan, working on his mitzvah project for his upcoming bar mitzvah, and I figured I could do this as a mitzvah, in his honor,” said Mrs. Schuman.

Locks of Love is a public, non-profit organization that provides high-quality hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Most children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure.

“I was crying as I read the brochure. I knew I had to donate the full 10 inches –the length needed to make the actual hair prosthetics. You can donate a shorter amount, six inches or more, but they sell those donations to raise money to make the hair prosthetics,” explained Mrs. Schuman.

The hair prosthetics provided are custom-made from donated ponytails and retail for between $3,500 and $6,000. They are different from synthetic hairpieces because they form a vacuum seal and do not require the use of tape or glue. Only the wearer of the prosthetic ma remove it, by breaking the vacuum seal at the temples, dismissing any insecurities about classmates pulling off a hairpiece or losing it during sports. Each prosthetic requires between six and 10 ponytails and each strand of hair is hand-injected into the silicone base.

“My hair is shorter than it has ever been, but it will grow back. The children I am helping, they don’t have that luxury. I only hope I can fix my hair as nicely as the stylist [whose services were donated by Guillotine in Westfield]. I’ve been a wash-and-go girl for so long! Heck, I only used hairspray during contest season!” laughed Mrs. Schuman, who will compete again with Escape quartet on Friday, April 4 in Philadelphia.

Escape is the current Champion Quartet of the Greater New York Region of SAI. Mrs. Schuman also competes with Hickory Tree Chorus, the current regional chorus champion, this year –without a hairpiece.

Hickory Tree Chorus to Deliver Singing Valentines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 22, 2008
CONTACT: Dana Dunlevy, Publicity and Marketing, Hickory Tree Chorus
973-980-8466 or dldunlevy@gmail.com

Sweet Adelines Deliver Songs to Sweethearts

Send your sweetheart a song this Valentine’s Day! For just $50 a quartet from Hickory Tree Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, will sing two songs, present a gift, and take a digital photo with your loved one to mark the occasion.

Singing Valentines can be delivered to a north/central New Jersey location of your choice. Repertoire is appropriate for spouses, friends, children, or parents. Surprise your loved one at work, school, home, or during a romantic dinner.

If your sweetheart is away on business, at college, or retired to someplace warm send a Telephone Valentine, one song, for just $20. Book your Singing Valentine early by calling 718-979-2349 or e-mail valentine@hickorytreechorus.org.

Hickory Tree Chorus is the 2007 champion of the Greater New York Region of Sweet Adelines International. Its 60 members rehearse and welcome guests Wednesdays, 7:30 pm, at 570 Central Avenue, New Providence. Visit on the web at hickorytreechorus.org

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. With almost 27,000 members, Sweet Adelines International is one of the largest women’s singing organizations in the world.

Hickory Tree Chorus Celebrates 40 Years of Harmony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 22, 2008
CONTACT: Dana Dunlevy, Publicity and Marketing, Hickory Tree Chorus
973-980-8466 or dldunlevy@gmail.com

Hickory Tree Chorus Celebrates 40 Years of Harmony

Hickory Tree Chorus celebrates 40 years as a chartered Sweet Adelines International chapter later this year. In July of 1968, 20 women, under Director Richard Florsheimer, officially began rehearsing four-part acappella harmony in the Hickory Tree section of Chatham Township, from which the chorus took its name. They have performed and competed locally, and internationally, ever since.

As the 2007 Greater New York Region champion of Sweet Adelines International, the chorus is preparing to compete in international competition in Honolulu, Hawaii in November. It will be Hickory Tree Chorus’ seventh trip to the international stage. The more than 60 women from over 40 communities in northern New Jersey and New York are led by Director Carolyn Schmidt of Gillette. Her daughter sang with the chorus until leaving for college this past fall. Her mother, Lilas Schmidt, has performed with the chorus, and as part of a quartet, for almost 40 years.

The chorus offers educational opportunities for members and awards an annual scholarship to an area high school senior pursuing music in college. The chorus performs pop, jazz, show tunes, and American standards all arranged in four-part harmony, many by Carolyn Schmidt, a certified arranger. The chorus does more than just sing the music, they perform it. In addition to placing first overall in the region in 2007, the chorus was awarded the first, annual Renee Craig Showmanship award for their exciting choreography and performance.

“This chorus, and this organization, offer so many opportunities for a woman to challenge herself to grow, not only as a singer and performer, but as a person,” says Dolly Power, Membership Chairperson.

Hickory Tree Chorus currently rehearses and welcomes guests Wednesdays, 7:30 pm, 570 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ. Visit on the web at hickorytreechorus.org or e-mail info@hickorytreechorus.org

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. With almost 27,000 members, Sweet Adelines International is one of the largest women’s singing organizations in the world.