The Acorn – July 16, 2025 – OCS Weekly News

Type of post: Chorus news item
Sub-type: The Acorn
Posted By: Evie Snapp
Status: Current
Date Posted: Wed, Jul 16 2025
The Acorn – July 16, 2025 – OCS Weekly News

1. High Notes
  • July 14:  Welcome to new guests Anam, Azra, and Pam – and returning friends! Great to again see Deanna, Ray, Winta, Annie, Barbara, Ceil and John.
    • You are all invited to watch our performance next week at Overture Cary – we will also rehearse a little following the performance.
  • July 17 (THIS Thursday) – Fundraiser: Panda Express (all day/nationwide!).
    • Code is 9003971. You MUST order online/through the app and use the code!
    • Go for lunch or dinner or both. This works at ANY location around the US.
    • OCS gets 28% back!!
  • July 21 – Performance at The Overture in Cary! 1055 Hatches Pond Ln, Morrisville, NC 27560. (Go to our website’s Events page to find directions through the “open in google maps” link.)
    • Call time: 6:15p. Performance at 7p.
    • New singers are welcome to come and watch.
  • July 28 (Monday):  Chick-fil-A Fundraiser/Social and Regular Rehearsal
    • Meet at 5:30p at Chick-Fil-A Waverly Place, 411 Colonades Way, Cary. Order through the app (choose mobile-dine-in or carry-out to eat in person) then select “Support Community Care Event” at bottom.
    • Regular rehearsal @ The Templeton (our summer location). Usual times: 6:45p for Mixed, 8pm business, and 8:15p Men’s.
  • Aug 4 (Mon) rehearsal will be @ The Templeton! Stay tuned for location of Aug 11 rehearsal.
2. Overtures
  • Members: Update your info on our website. As our group gets bigger, please update your photo and your singing part on our website. That would help all members and guests in learning people’s names.
    • To update your info: 1) Login under Members.
    • To view members’ photos: 1) Login under Members. 2) Choose the Member Database button on the left (under Member Options). 3) On the top of the chart, click from List view to Photos tab.
  • July 28 (Monday) – Fundraiser & Social!  Chick-fil-A @ Waverly Place, 4p-7p (just a block from The Templeton). This location ONLY. Must order in the APP ONLY (but can drive through, pickup or eat inside). CFA will also send a message to app users, hopefully adding additional orders. We will earn 10% during our time block. Let's make this a chorus social and meet for dinner before our rehearsal!
  • Save the Date:  Oct. 17 (Friday) – Oak City Sound’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. Crabtree Park. Tentative times: 4p – 8p. More details soon!
  • LET GARY KNOW your availability for the DATES for N.C. State Home Game Concessions – We passed around a paper sheet on Monday, but not everyone was there in person. Reminder: This is our KEY fundraiser for the year! Please check your schedules to see if you can commit to AT LEAST one or two games. To work the game, you will need to complete an online training ahead of time. (For first-timers, see a board member for more details.)
    • Aug. 28 (Thurs), 7pm game time
    • Sept. 6 (Sat), 12 pm noon game time
    • Sept. 27 (Sat), time TBD
    • Oct. 4 (Sat), time TBD
    • Nov. 1 (Sat), time TBD
    • Nov. 21 (Fri), 8pm game time
    • Nov. 29 (Sat), time TBD
  • Meetup Group – Remember to RSVP for each rehearsal and afterward, RATE us on Meetup. We are listed under Oak City Sound or “Raleigh Area A Cappella Singing Meetup Group.”
  • Fundraiser or Concert Suggestions? – Contact a member of the board and let us know.

3. Carol's Cadence
  • We had another fantastic turnout this week! Three more first-timers, along with many others returning from previous weeks. The surround sound was AMAZING!
  • Let's put on a great performance for another new audience at Overture Cary on July 21. I think we may have a few BRAND NEW chorus members on the stage with us!
  • Start looking through the available holiday songs (see “Section 5 – Festivo” below). More music and tracks are coming soon, and we will start rehearsing some of the songs after we get our fill of Chick-Fil-A on July 28.
  • For PERFORMANCE on July 21 at Overture Cary,
    • You've Got a Friend in Me - Mixed
    • I Only Have Eyes for You - Mixed
    • Lazy Day - Men
    • 59th Street Bridge Song - Men
    • Yesterday - Men
    • Almost Like Being in Love - Men
    • Over the Rainbow - Men 
    • Quartet: Never Home 4 – two-song set
    • Desperado - Men
    • Two Less Lonely People - Men
    • I Didn't Want to Fall - Mixed
    • What a Wonderful World - Mixed
    • Lion Sleeps Tonight - Mixed

4. Accelerando
  • July 21 (Mon): The Overture (Cary), 1055 Hatches Pond Ln, Morrisville, NC 27560
  • UPDATED Aug 25 (Mon), 7pm: The Cardinal
  • Sept. 15 (Mon), 7pm: The Oaks at Whitaker Glen
  • Nov. 10 (Mon): CONFIRMED for The Forest at Duke
  • December 1 (Mon): Whispering Pines
  • December 8 (Mon): The Cardinal
  • December 15 (Mon), 7pm: Springmoor
  • December 16 (Tuesday): Holiday Show (public concert) – Halle Cultural Arts Center (downtown Apex)
  • December 22 (Mon), 7pm: Waltonwood (Lake Boone Trail)

5. Festivo (Holiday)
  • HOLIDAY CHORUS – We will again have the Holiday Chorus this year. Please invite your friends! The HC:
    • Offers guests a chance to try barbershop (for free!) for a few weeks – then join us in a concert(s).
    • Guests attend 3 to 6 rehearsals (expected to start Oct. 13).
    • Practice the HC songs (below) – no need to memorize.
    • No fee, no special costume – we will again do a holiday top and black bottoms.
    • HC singers are invited to sing at our holiday concert (Dec. 16, Tuesday) and/or at any of our holiday shows at retiree centers (Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22 – possibly Nov date?)
    • Physical and digital flyer is forthcoming.
  • Our Holiday Songs have been selected!
  • See the list below. Some learning tracks are already available – feel free to start learning if you want. Additional learning tracks will be uploaded soon.
  • Songs:
    • HOLIDAY CHORUS (remember, we will all be allowed to use sheet music for these; no memorization required)
      • Carol of the Bells
      • Holly Jolly Christmas
      • Mele Kalikimaka
      • I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
    • MIXED
      • Gloucester Wassail
      • Merry Little Christmas (swing version)
      • Most Wonderful Time of the Year
      • S’vivon (aka The Dreidel)
    • MEN’S
      • Christmastime is Here
      • Jingle Bell Rock
      • What Child is This
      • Winter Wonderland
    • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – arranged by our own Mike Muha!
    • Silent Night (SSAA arrangement) – arranged by our own Ashley Vernon!

6. In Harmony  (Around the BHS World)
  • Upcoming events:
  • July 18 – 20:  Lakeside Harmony Weekend, Furman University, Greenville, S.C. Registration still open! https://lakesideharmony.org/
    • Larry Hill, Paul Martin, Ashley Vernon, Sean Li, Andy and Warren Fuson are going!
  • July 27 – Aug 3:  BHS Harmony University, Denver, Colorado.  
  • Jan 13 – 18, 2026:  BHS Midwinter, Pasadena, California.
  • March 20 – 21, 2026:  Carolinas District Convention & Contest (2026), Location TBD (Asheville?)
  • June 28 – July 5, 2026: BHS International (2026) – St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Future International locations: 2027 – Minneapolis, MN; 2028 – Chicago, Ill.; 2029 – San Antonio, Texas

7. Major & Minor Moods
Please send our friends your prayers & best wishes!