Sweet Adelines International 75th Jubilee Commemorative Album

Today learning tracks are often professionally made. There are “part predominant” tracks and “part omitted” tracks to help us learn our part and sing it with others — all without leaving our home or car! The four parts can be manipulated so all four parts combine in one recording. As a result, members can hear how a new song and/or arrangement is intended to sound. As technology continued to evolve, mini disc recorders (mp3) came along, allowing us to benefit from the quality of the recording and to perform some editing here and there. Next came smart phones with a variety of apps available to record, redo, edit, send via email or messaging, and more. As laptops and projectors became available and affordable, they could be used at rehearsal to review music and make notes about changes or upgrades. They are invaluable for use in educational settings. Sound systems are used at many rehearsals so the director can easily be heard which cuts down on the riser talk. We can even have a “rehearsal” online when inclement weather or some other event prevents us from getting together physically for rehearsal. Today’s Sweet Adeline uses searchable databases, social media, midi files, podcasts, copy/scan machines, vodcasts, blogs, mp3, mp4, web conferencing, WiFi, Bluetooth, streaming media, digital imaging, webcast, Skype, Zoom, Jamulus, and FaceTime, among others. Chorus communication has changed dramatically with all the computer functionality — email, websites, internal portals such as Groupanizer, for use by members to check attendance, music progress, riser placement, and more. Remember the weekly bulletins? Phone trees? (For those of you unfamiliar with the latter, each member was assigned a number of members to call on the phone when there was news to be shared.) Now the meetings (and rehearsals) can be recorded and minutes written later (if that’s needed). Groups can be established for committees, teams, sections, and more. Basically, communication has improved almost exponentially because of all these new technologies. And now we can include texting for last minute information. Committee meetings can be held online when necessary using various applications like GoToMeeting, Skype, Zoom, or a conference call. Dues can be paid online either through your bank or using your chorus’ website and a credit card or PayPal.

With the advent of accounting software, the job of chorus treasurer entered the digital era. Choruses are more easily able to track finances and watch projected versus actual expenses and income. As the years go by, technology continues to change our lives in so many ways. Already there are some educational programs that are being moved to online learning; with each year our recordings are available more quickly (YouTube) and shareable; and there could come a day when our judges use a different method of critiquing our performances as well. Communication “At The Top” There was an ongoing discussion by the International Board of Directors about what to do about technology. In the late 1980s, the Administrative Direction Committee (ADC) invited member Carol Mellnyk to the international board meeting for several hours, who told the group our organization would eventually have things like contests and education online. By the mid-1990s, the primary communication method was by facsimile (fax). One by one, board members got computers, but email access was dial- up (remember the onslaught of AOL diskettes arriving in the mail every day and the sound and screech of the dial-up modem?). Several board members had Internet Service Providers (ISP) that didn’t permit sending or receiving attachments. Next, the board and the staff department heads tried using GroupWise intranet software for communication. Unfortunately, the program broke down over each weekend when most of the board members used it. To be on the safe side, Executive Director Sharon Green required staff to print out and file paper copies of everything. Board members and committee chairs faxed in reports, which were retyped by staff and mailed to the board members to put in three-ring notebooks to take to meetings. Now information for the board is uploaded to an online portal that each member can easily access at their convenience. They are able to review committee, task force and staff reports, and hold online discussions about urgent topics. When the board assembles in person for meetings, they all come equipped with their laptops and ready to discuss the business at hand.

SPOTLIGHT: TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION

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