After a spectacular week in the “barbershop bubble” down in Salt Lake City, trundling home to Ontario leaves me wanting more while at the same time feeling like it’s time for a bit of a break, to get back to the mundane and banal, and maybe rejuvenate a bit for the next big thing. The lead-up to international is always a crazy time, with rehearsals aplenty and performances to boot. This in the midst of my own end-of-season business leaves me hardly any time to breathe. But reflecting over the lazy summer days has me grateful for it all.
Going to Salt Lake City – along with a lot of these things I have accomplished alongside my brothers in harmony – would be impossible for me without the seemingly endless support I receive from the Ontario district membership; largely from you reading. So thank you. Yet I would be remiss not to mention the boys I sing with: Greg Mallett, Reuven Grajner, and Jonah Lazar. These guys drive me places, share everything (sometimes too much), push me and each other to be better, cope with all of my idiosyncrasies, and teach me so much about every aspect of my life. I’m glad I have had the pleasure of their friendship, and the satisfaction of working with them. Can’t wait for the next big hit, boys.
The Toronto Northern Lights have taken the risers with me for 6 years now, and it has been a wild ride. No honourable mentions here; there is not a man without honour among them, with whom I would not share a song or some time. I have learned so much singing with them, and I’m honoured to be counted among their number. I look forward to the coming years!
Finally, the international barbershop convention. Being in Salt Lake City was a lovely thing: great views, wonderful people, and good food can make any city great. But I am often struck by how little I truly experience of a city at the conventions because I’m in the “bubble”. After all, I predominantly inhabit hotels, keep company with tourists, and eat food I’m familiar with (the food rarely changes in a very meaningful way). I am okay with this. This community I am a part of is the reason that I love doing this. People who plan to sing songs with me for fun, who sing tags for hours on a whim, who perform polecats for bewildered locals who can hardly believe their ears, and who celebrate with me the accomplishments of the groups in sing with, are all the motivation behind the hours of rehearsing, planning, improvising, creating, and helping. I can’t wait to see you again.
I am proud of our accomplishments; scores, placements, performances, all. I was amazed by the level of commitment, of hard work, of beautiful art that I witnessed during the contest. But most of all, I am proud that I got to share it with awesome people.
If you would like to learn more details about the convention, including contest results, scores, or when performance videos will be released (or what the links are to view them if they have already been released), visit https://t.e2ma.net/message/falamd/rre6vk.