1. There will be NO extra rehearsal this Wednesday!! Please keep NEXT Wednesday, June 21, open for rehearsal at a place TBA.

2. Bring your Elvis jacket & tear away to ALL remaining rehearsals! If you are still missing a part of your Elvis costume,contact Jim Steiner at Jimsie22@AOL.com

3. Please get your velcro strips (distributed last night) attached!

BACSTERS!

1. Last night's rehearsal was among the best attended in modern memory, with only THREE of our qualified Indy singers absent!! Perhaps it was the promised presence of BAC-fave RICK LA ROSA, who once again really delivered an outstanding coaching session. But, we prefer to believe that the great attendance was really a function of the high level of enthusiasm that we have been seeing in recent weeks as we continue our run up to Indianapolis! Whatever the reason, the risers were packed, and we really made some significant progress, especially with the Elvis Medley.

Please remember to review the minor note changes we made last night. If you have any questions, please check with your section leader before next week's rehearsal.

Above all, let's all remember to follow Rick's suggestion to just LET IT FLY, and not worry about oversinging. Think Elvis and BE Elvis, especially in your section's solo parts. Thanks also go to BAC Director Emeritus, SCOTT BRANNON, for his coaching last night. He promises to be back on the risers when we return from Indy.

2. We were thrilled to learn that our brothers in the Westchester County Chapter will be making the trip to NTHS on the 26th to show support and help in giving us the proper send off for Indy. They are taking a bus down, and will be joining the BAC ladies and friends in the audience for our full dress rehearsal.

Manhattan and Westchester Chapters have a long and interesting history. The original Manhattan Chapter (our predecessors) sponsored Westchester when it formed. Many, many years later, after the original Manhattan Chapter had gone out of existence, Westchester returned the compliment by serving as sponsoring Chapter for the present Manhattan Chapter. They provided us with support, risers, financial aid, and, most importantly, with a cadre of outstanding members who formed the nucleus of our past and present leadership. Think Joe Hunter, Brian Horwath, Roger Payne, and Frank Hendricks, to name but a few!

WestCo has consistently demonstrated the highest level of fraternity towards the BAC since our founding, and this latest gesture of support on their part only serves to confirm what we already knew. They are, simply put, a GREAT Barbershop Chapter, and we will be honored by their presence on the 26th!

3. Although the BAC is NOT rehearsing this coming Wednesday, our FABULOUS front row is! They will be meeting for continued work at Mike Steiner's home in Manhattan. This, following a hugely successful concentrated session in Connecticut this past Sunday at the home of choreographer Christine Oberk. The results were there for all to see last night!

4. Don't forget to order your required International Convention Registration! You CANNOT sing in Indy with it. Please go to the BHS website and purchase your registration NOW, if you do not already have one.

If you have any questions about your hotel arrangements in Indy, please direct them to GLYNN FLUITT or JAMIE PATRICIA.

Our first scheduled rehearsal in Indianapolis will be at 4 PM on Wednesday, July 5, at a place TBA. A second rehearsal is scheduled for Thursday, July 6 at 5 PM.

5. Even though were are sharply focused on International, the Fall District contest is not too far down the road. Once again the BAC will be housed at the Attache Motel in Wildwood. Please contact them NOW to make your housing arrangements. They have efficiency units that can easily accommodate 3/4 BACMEN. We should be 90 plus singers for District, so let a word to the wise suffice. Get your housing done NOW before you have to shuffle around to find a room elsewhere. Call the Attache at (609) 522 0241. Mention the Big Apple Chorus. The District dates are 10/6 & 7.

6. Once again, early choreo is scheduled to begin at 6:30. It is gratifying to see so many BACMEN taking advantage of this important part of our rehearsal. Many thanks to FRANK HENDRICKS for continuing to provide the kind of leadership that is so critical to our development as a top performing group.

7. Among our many guests last night was KEVIN ROOSE, son of former BAC Director KIRK ROOSE. Kirk is doing well, and is still located in Ohio. Kirk Roose came to the BAC following the departure of Founding Director DON CLAUSE, and was really instrumental in guiding the BAC through its most difficult time. Without Kirk's gentle touch and musical brilliance it is unlikely that the BAC would have survived this major crisis. He will always occupy a special place in the BAC pantheon of heroes.

8. At last night's rehearsal one could really sense the high, high level of excitement that permeated the chorus. Perhaps that was the reason for the inordinate amount of chatter and conversation going on. And, we were ALL guilty, to a greater or lesser degree, of contributing to the unusually high background noise.

With only a couple of rehearsals to go, we can only echo the memorable words of that renowned philosopher Archie Bunker, when he said to his dear wife Edith, "STIFLE YOURSELF!!" Please heed Archie's exhortation, especially for the next couple of weeks. No matter what you have to say, no matter how important you think it may be, no matter how helpful you are trying to be, let all the comments and suggestions come from the guy up front, no matter who that might be. Last night, there were times when it was really hard to concentrate on the instructions being given by Joe, Ron, Scott, or Rick, for all the ambient noise emanating from some quarters of the risers. Please, "STIFLE YOURSELF!".

There is a reason why humans were designed with 2 ears and only one mouth. Listening is more important than talking!

It's G R E A T to be a BACMAN!!! See you all on Monday! .