The Acorn – Aug 2, 2025 – OCS Weekly News

Type of post:	Chorus news item
Sub-type:	The Acorn
Posted By:	Evie Snapp
Status:	Current
Date Posted:	Sat, Aug 2 2025

The Acorn – Aug 2, 2025 – OCS Weekly News

1. High Notes

July 28: Great rehearsal, and welcome to our new friends: Kim Askew and Annette Estela. Hope to see you back next week!
- With at least 5 of our regular members out last night, we still had 32 people at rehearsal. We're trending!!
Fundraising:
- Thanks to everyone who came out and supported our Chick-fil-A fundraiser! We had at least 18 in person. It was a great time, and we should have our donation total soon.
- Unfortunately, we did not meet the minimum requirement for our Panda Express fundraiser. We have our next event scheduled for August 21.
Aug 4 (Mon): Rehearsal @ The Templeton!
Aug 11 (Mon): We will be confirming our location ASAP – stay tuned!!
Sept 22 (Mon): As most of you recall, we are able to bring in a free coach from the District. We’ve confirmed that performance coach Gary Plaag will be coaching us on Sept 22 as part of our regular rehearsal.

2. Overtures

Save the Date: Oct. 17 (Friday) – Oak City Sound’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration. Crabtree Park. Tentative times: 4p – 8p. More details soon!
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.
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

Harmony loves company! We are continuing to make great sounds, and we are making new friends at the same time.
Please keep preparing “Hey, Good Lookin'” and “Happy Together” so we can perform those for our show on August 25.
As always, keep working on flow by making the ending sound of one word or syllable become the beginning sound of the next syllable. It makes such a difference!
For Rehearsal on Aug 4:
- Mixed:
- Hey, Good Lookin’
- What a Wonderful World
- It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
- Gloucestershire Wassail
- Men’s:
- Happy Together
- Lazy Day
- Over the Rainbow
- What Child is This / We Three Kings Medley
- Jingle Bell Rock

4. Accelerando

Aug 21 (Thursday): Panda Express Fundraiser #4
Aug 25 (Mon), 7pm: The Cardinal
Sept. 15 (Mon), 7pm: The Oaks at Whitaker Glen
NEW Sept 22 (Mon): Our Rehearsal session will be with performance coach Gary Plaag.
Oct. 13 (Mon): First rehearsal for Holiday Chorus! Invite people to join!
Oct. 17 (Friday) – Oak City Sound’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration: Crabtree Park
Nov. 10 (Mon): The Forest at Duke
NEW Nov 24 (Mon): The Templeton
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.
- 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)

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!

There will be a Holiday Chorus flyer / poster soon – but you can start inviting people now! Snag their email, and we can send them an invite when we have it.