seat-to-stage! An Opportunity to Perform with Hickory Tree Chorus

seat-to-stage! is an opportunity for women to get out of the audience and onto the stage as a performer with the award-winning Hickory Tree Chorus on their November 21 original show, Museum Mayhem. After completing a series of three, free classes participants may experience the joy of singing a chord-ringing, fun-filled popular uptune in front of an audience of friends and family.

Georgette Chrystal, baritone of three-time Sweet Adelines International Regional Champion Quartet Escape, will host a series of three, free classes teaching women singers one of four a cappella voice parts. The ability to read music is helpful but not required. Like Hickory Tree Chorus members, participants will be aided by learning CD’s and sheet music, as well as patient, personal guidance.

seat-to-stage! free classes will be held three nights only — October 7, 14, and 21, 7:30 pm, 570 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ. Register with Membership Chair Dolly Power at 908-307-6367 or: members@hickorytreechorus.org. More information at www.hickorytreechorus.org

HickoryTree Chorus Honors 'Woman of Note'

Jeannette “Jeannie” Allen was named the year’s ‘Woman of Note’ by the Hickory Tree Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International in ceremonies held September 12 at the Sheraton Parsippany during the annual education weekend of the Greater New York Region of Sweet Adelines International. Each of the fifteen regional chapters honored a member who has inspired others by their contributions to the organization.

Allen has been a member of the New Providence-based Hickory Tree Chorus chapter since 1971. She has held the offices of Chapter President, Treasurer (for several terms) and Secretary and has also served on most chapter committees at one time or another, most notably as Business Manager for the Show Committee and currently as Chair of the Costume Committee. She is a former bass Section Leader and a current member of the Music Team.

Allen also serves the fifteen chapters of the Greater New York Region as Regional Management Team Finance Coordinator. She served three terms as the Regional Convention Committee’s Assistant Competition Coordinator and the last three years as Competition Coordinator, a position appointed annually by the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors. In that capacity she coordinates the Region’s annual chorus and quartet competition and convention.

In her hometown of Florham Park, Jeannie is both Cantor and Lector at Holy Family Parish where she also sings soprano in the parish choir. She was a Girl Scout leader, softball coach and has worked on the Election Board. She and her husband, Ken, are cancer survivors and annually participate in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life programs.

She works as an Office Manager, a job she accepted when her employer agreed to allow her time for her Sweet Adelines commitments.

For more about the real women, singing real harmony, and having real fun with Hickory Tree Chorus visit hickorytreechorus.org

HTC Members Attend Regional Workshops - The Morris County Daily Record

Female barbershop singers converge in Parsippany

By MATT MANOCHIO • STAFF WRITER • September 14, 2009

PARSIPPANY — They took to the stage Sunday in the Parsippany Sheraton and belted out barbershop quartet-style singing. At times, they formed a kick line.

And not one of the performers was male.

These barbershoppers were members of area chapters of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of women singers dedicated to advancing the art of barbershop harmony singing.

Roughly 15 chorus chapters in the New York/New Jersey area, or Region 15, met at the hotel starting Friday for a weekend promoted with the slogan, "Real women. Real harmony. Real sound." About 200 people attended.

Women of all ages, many from Morris County, met to share stories, pass along tips and, most important, learn how to improve not just their singing, but performing chops.

"I love to sing. I sang all the way through school," Betty Clipman of Houston said before leading a workshop with the New Providence-based Hickory Tree Chorus.

She became a homemaker and "just missed the singing and the camaraderie of other women," she said. So she joined a local chapter of the Sweet Adelines and rose up the ranks to become an international board member. She flew in from Texas specifically to teach women how to improve their vocal and physical performances to better connect with audiences.

Lilas Schmidt and her daughter Carolyn Schmidt, both of Long Valley, and Carolyn's daughter Andrea Kahn, 23, of Brooklyn represented three generations of singing at Sunday's breakfast and workshop.

"I think it's really a great way for all of us to bond and a great creative outlet to relieve whatever stresses are going on in our lives," said Kahn, a Morris County native.

One of the Hickory Tree Chorus' newest members, Tina Petersen of Chatham Township, said joining has helped her battle against Lyme disease.

"I find the joy of singing with these women is wonderful medicine," she said. "It makes you feel good."

The local chapters compete against members within their region, and from there the winner goes on to an international competition. Scott Brannon, director of the Ridgewood-based Harmony Celebration Chorus, said his group won the regional contest and next year will compete in Seattle.

He said with the exception of the directors, all the singers are female.

Dana Dunlevy, a Hickory Tree Chorus member, said women who would like to join simply need to look up a chapter and attend a practice.

"They don't need formal musical training," said Dunlevy, of Florham Park. "If they can sing reasonably well, we can work with them."

Dunlevy said becoming proficient doesn't need to be an overnight process. She said sometimes it takes singers weeks to feel comfortable.

"We want them to be successful," Dunlevy said. "We want them to join."


Matt Manochio: 973-428-6627; mmanochi@gannett.com

Hickory Tree Chorus Awards Scholarship

Virginia Hixson of Bridgewater has been awarded the 2009 Hickory Tree Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International Annual Scholarship. The chorus awards the $1,000 scholarship to an area high school senior girl with a good academic record and exceptional talent in vocal music who has applied for acceptance into a music program at a college or university.

Hixson is a June 2009 graduate of the Bridgewater-Raritan High School where she was a member of the Choir. She served as the Alto II section leader and was also accepted into the Chamber Choir where she sang alto II, and served as tenor section leader.

“I was the only ‘tenalto’ in my chamber choir,” says Virginia.

She also studied Music Theory and, as a senior, gave sight-singing lessons to freshmen and sophomore choir students. She is the youngest member of her church choir where she sings with her father, Dana Hixson. Virginia is currently the youngest member of the Hickory Tree Chorus, singing baritone. She performs regularly with the chorus and participated in both Regional and International competitions since joining the chorus in May 2007.

Hixson will attend The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ where she will major in mathematics and minor in music. Virginia has, since eighth grade, dreamed of becoming a mathematics teacher and now also dreams of becoming a Sweet Adelines International chorus director.

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. Hickory Tree Chorus rehearses and welcomes guests Wednesdays in New Providence, NJ. For membership, performance, and scholarship information visit hickorytreechorus.org

HTC in Florham Park Eagle

‘Sing with us’
Chorus seeks new voices
Published: Jun 19th, 7:07 AM
FLORHAM PARK - The Hickory Tree Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International is looking out for new members, said Dana Dunlevy, a Florham Park resident and member of the group.

“We are accepting registrations for our free ‘Sing A Cappella Series’,” said Dunlevy.

The summer session of vocal workshops will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from June 24 through July 8, at the New Jersey Youth Symphony Music Center, 570 Central Ave. in New Providence.

“Women will learn to sing chord-ringing, fun-filled, four-part, a cappella music in the barbershop style with a small group of other guests,” said Dunlevy.

A trained member of Hickory Tree Chorus’s music staff guides the group, she said.

“The sessions include a free voice-placement evaluation,” Dunlevy added.

The winter Sing Acappella Series has been wildly popular, she said, attracting more than a dozen guests, “six of whom joined the Hickory Tree Chorus and have already enjoyed singing in community performances.”

‘Joy To My Heart’

Tina Peterson of Chatham, a winter Sing A Cappella Series participant who joined the chorus in February, said of her experience, “I always loved to sing and found I was really sad when I was no longer singing with my girls at their ‘Mommy and Me’ music classes. I saw a flyer for Hickory Tree’s free Sing A Cappella Series and decided to come. I feel so lucky to have joined this award-winning chorus,” Peterson said. “Singing with the Hickory Tree Chorus has brought joy to my heart on a weekly basis. The fellowship of this warm, talented group of women is a real treasure on my ‘mom’s night out’.”

The Hickory Tree Chorus was awarded the bronze medal in the Sweet Adelines International’s Greater New York Regional chorus contest on March 28, in Philadelphia, Pa.

It was the 25th regional medal awarded the chorus, and the 12th under Master Director Carolyn Schmidt.

The singing group achieved the highest-ever score, performing the ballad “If You Love Me” and the up-tune “Lulu’s Back In Town.”

Making their stage debut in March were four new chorus members, graduates of the Hickory Tree Chorus’ January Sing A Cappella series of workshops. The women qualified to compete after dedicating eight weeks to perfecting notes, artistry, and choreography.

Membership Offer

Women who attend the first Sing A Cappella Series session on Wednesday, June 24, will receive a free first-month membership should they join the chorus by Wednesday, Sept. 30.

The chorus, which is nonprofit, was chartered in 1968.

It is an award-winning women’s chorus singing four-part a cappella harmony in barbershop style. The chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International.

The 70-plus members hail from more than 40 communities in New Jersey, from Wantage Township to the Toms River section of Dover Township and from Hackettstown to Staten Island, N.Y.

The women are dedicated, making the trip to New Providence each week for the chance to sing popular music, ballads, and novelty tunes in close harmony, improving their musical skills and performing throughout northern New Jersey.

To register for any or all of the Sing A Cappella Series summer sessions, e-mail members@hickorytreechorus.org or call (908) 307-6367.

The Minstrel presents Hickory Tree Chorus

The Minstrel presents Hickory Tree Chorus
Click to see our listing on the WNTI-FM radio Events Calendar!

The Hickory Tree Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International performs 8 pm, Friday, June 26 at the Minstrel, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ. The Minstrel is an acoustic music concert series sponsored by The Folk Project. Tickets available at the door for $7.00. For show information or directions call: 973/335-9489 or visit: The Minstrel

The chorus will perform selections from its repertoire of pop music, Broadway tunes, and ballads in four-part, a cappella harmony. Audience members will be invited to sing along during portions of the performance. Guest quartet, Just 4, is a crowd favorite performing a chord-ringing mix of uptunes, ballads, and smart parodies.

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. The Hickory Tree Chorus invites women singers to visit any regular rehearsal, Wednesdays in New Providence. Their "Sing A cappella Series" of free vocal workshops runs June 24-July 8. Register for any or all sessions at members@hickorytreechorus.org or call 908-307-6367.

Sing Acappella Series of Vocal Workshops Starts June 24

The Hickory Tree Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International is accepting registrations for its free Sing Acappella Series summer session of vocal workshops running Wednesdays, 7:30pm, June 24-July 8, at the New Jersey Youth Symphony Music Center, 570 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ.

Women will learn to sing chord-ringing, fun-filled, four-part, acappella music in the barbershop style with a small group of other guests, guided by a trained member of Hickory Tree Chorus's Music Staff. The sessions include a free voice-placement evaluation.

The winter Sing Acappella Series was wildly popular, attracting more than a dozen guests, six of whom subsequently joined the Hickory Tree Chorus and have already enjoyed singing in community performances.

Tina Peterson , one previous participant who joined the chorus (shown right with winter session alumni Amy Cousins and Martha Watson) says of her Sing Acappella Series experience, "I always loved to sing and found I was really sad when I was no longer singing with my girls at their Mommy & Me music classes. I saw a flyer for Hickory Tree's free Sing Acappella series and decided to come. I felt so lucky to join this award-winning chorus. Singing with Hickory Tree Chorus has brought joy to my heart on a weekly basis. The fellowship of this warm, talented group of women is a real treasure on my mom's night out."

Read Tina's full story, and that of other real women, singing real harmony, and having real fun with Hickory Tree Chorus under the "photos" link at hickorytreechorus.org

Women who attend the first Sing Acappella Series session on June 24 will receive free first-month membership if they join the chorus by September 30, 2009. Register for any or all of the Sing Acappella Series summer session by e-mailing members@hickorytreechorus.org or by calling 908-307-6367.