The Acorn – Jan. 15, 2026 – OCS Weekly News
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | The Acorn |
| Posted By: | Evie Snapp |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Thu, Jan 15 2026 |
The Acorn – Jan. 15, 2026 – OCS Weekly News
Prelude: Please complete the Short Singing Valentine Survey!
1. High Notes
2. Fanfare
On Monday we installed our new board and presented our annual awards. Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us!
Special thanks to Immediate Past President Gary Thorn for hosting and to District Representative (and OCS member) Paul Martin for installing the new board. Here’s a short summary:
3. Overtures
4. Carol's Cadence
5. Accelerando (for OCS)
6. In Harmony (Around the BHS World)
7. Major & Minor Moods
Please send our friends your prayers & best wishes!
Keeping Nic’s Song Bright: Turning Our Remembrance into Research
For those new to OCS, Nic Cols was a long-time member who lost his battle with brain cancer in October.
In honor of Nic Cols’ impact and legacy, Liz Kasberg has identified a way we can join together to make an impact:
Prelude: Please complete the Short Singing Valentine Survey!
- ALL – Please take a moment to complete the VERY SHORT survey below regarding Singing Valentines…
- (even if you are not available or don’t want to – please open the survey and choose NO).
- Singers will need to have memorized 1) Story of the Rose (Heart of my Heart); and 2) Let me Call you Sweetheart
- SHORT SURVEY HERE: https://forms.gle/SEgnNP5k9dmDzmsh9
1. High Notes
- Welcome to our two newest official OCS members: Sonya Salkin and Elaine Otero passed their auditions this week. Yay!!
- Jan. 19 (Mon) – regular rehearsal at Glenaire, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary. (Parking is available in the circle OR in the Glenaire parking deck at 5100 Glenhope Ct.)
- We will return to our regular schedule:
- 5:30p – Board meeting (guests / non-board members always welcome!)
- 6:45p – Mixed chorus rehearsal
- 8:00p – Business meeting / break
- 8:15p – Men’s chorus rehearsal
- We will return to our regular schedule:
2. Fanfare
On Monday we installed our new board and presented our annual awards. Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us!
Special thanks to Immediate Past President Gary Thorn for hosting and to District Representative (and OCS member) Paul Martin for installing the new board. Here’s a short summary:
- Thanks to our outgoing 2025 Board, and Welcome to our 2026 Board:
- President – Larry Hill
- Vice President, Membership – Mark Roblez
- Vice President, Marketing – Bob Inskeep
- Vice President, Music/Performance – Mike Muha
- Secretary – Liz Kasberg
- Treasurer – Warren Fuson
- Immediate Past President / Member at Large – Gary Thorn
- Members at Large – Michael Field, Deanna Franklin, Michael McQueen
- Annual Awards:
- Above & Beyond: Andy & Warren Fuson, for their planning & coordination of OCS’s successful 50th anniversary celebration
- Above & Beyond: Ashley Vernon, for her tag arranging, members support, and in-person leadership
- Above & Beyond: Mike Muha, for his music leadership and attention to detail, both in person and via the web
- NCSU Concession volunteers: For helping us raise more than $8,250 over the football games (and one bonus concert!), thanks to Annette, Annie, Bob I., Carol, Cheryl & Mike McQueen, David C., Dawn, Gary, Jack M., John Q., John Z., Larry, Mark R., Mike C., Mike Muha, Percy, and Steve.
- Rookie of the Year: Mark Roblez, for his leadership and dedication in setting up and running the Meetup app, member promotion, and in-person guest welcomes.
- Barbershopper of the Year: Gary Thorn, for his five-year presidency that included building back the chapter post-Covid (when it numbered only 11 active members singing via Zoom), overseeing its growth and evolution from a men’s chorus alone to adding a mixed chorus, and an organization that is fast approaching 50 members. He also led OCS through its restoration from a fragile financial status to a more secure organization, which is now not only thriving internally but also sharing our music with the community even more.
3. Overtures
- New Performance Outfits - 2026:
- For those who haven’t heard, we have updated our performance outfits for 2026. (The short backstory is that our previous shirts/colors were discontinued.) The Board approved a new “black and white” standard (plus occasional festive bling).
- PLEASE REVIEW NEW GUIDELINES HERE: https://www.oakcitysound.org/the-chorus-uniform
- From the HarmonySite app, click the “Chorus Life” button on the bottom row, then see “Chorus Uniform.”
- Do You Like Your Part?? Does it like or fit you?
- If the part you’ve been singing doesn't feel like the best place for you, January will be a good time to possibly change to a new voice part.
- We have some new music coming in 2026 and the spring convention and chorus contest in April.
- If you would like to do some range testing with Carol, send her a quick email at carolstep@gmail.com with the subject line “PART CHECK” – and we'll set up a time and location early in the new year.
- 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.
4. Carol's Cadence
- We had another fantastic rehearsal on Monday! Welcome to the many visitors who joined us! Keep coming back!
- On January 26, I will start meeting with those who asked to have some individual time with me. I will contact you to schedule a time. We will plan to meet at Glenaire either before or after our regular rehearsal time. If anyone else wants to schedule a time (to discuss part placement, etc.), please let me know in the next week.
- Those of you not already in an existing quartet might want to take the opportunity to try another part for the two Valentine songs. It would give you a new challenge, will create more flexibility for our Singing Valentines needs, and may reveal a new part of your range that you haven't yet explored!
- Rehearsal songs for Jan. 19:
- All existing regular repertoire songs, including:
- Mixed Chorus:
- Heart of my Heart (Story of the Rose)
- Let Me Call You Sweetheart
- What a Wonderful World
- Hey Good Lookin’
- Men’s Chorus:
- Lazy Day
- Over the Rainbow
- Here Comes the Sun
- Happy Together
- 59th Street Bridge Song
5. Accelerando (for OCS)
- TBD – Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Basic music theory class (a few weeks long, likely running before rehearsal starts)
- Zoom call / FAQ to answer questions about the chapter
- April 17-18: District Convention & Contest (Hendersonville, N.C.) – optional, but most members try to go.
- Our chorus usually sings for evaluation scores – then free coaching from a judge in the afternoon! It’s also a great chance to hear some amazing quartets and choruses.
6. In Harmony (Around the BHS World)
- Jan. 31: Carolinas’ District Leadership Academy – free, virtual. 9a – 5p via Zoom. Training for chapter officers and future leaders. Check here for details: https://www.carolinasdistrict.org/event/leadership-academy/
- April 17 – 18, 2026: Carolinas District Convention & Contest (2026)
- Hendersonville, N.C.
- Cost, venue, and hotel info TBD; https://www.carolinasdistrict.org/event/nsc-2026-convention-2/
- A quick look at how the agenda usually runs:
- Arrive Friday Apr. 17, EVENING – The quartet semi-finals run this evening – fun to watch!
- Friday, Apr 17, LATE EVENING – Usually followed (back at the hotel) with a social/party and tag singing late into the night/early morning.
- Saturday, Apr. 18, MORNING – Choruses will have an assigned time to sing on stage. Watching other competitors is fun too!
- Saturday, Apr. 18, AFTERNOON – We will have a live feedback and coaching session with one of the judges at an assigned time.
- Saturday, Apr. 18, EVENING – Quartet finals (top 10) will compete for awards and a chance to compete at the International contest in July.
- Saturday, Apr. 18, LATE EVENING – Followed once again by social/party, usually performances by some of the Quartet winners, and then late-night/early morning tag sessions.
- Sunday, Apr. 19 – breakfast and depart
- June 28 – July 5, 2026: BHS International Convention (2026) – St. Louis, Missouri.
- July(?): Lakeside Harmony Weekend – Furman University(?) – this fun and educational weekend offers barbershop education, fellowship, and concerts for an EXTREMELY affordable price that includes lodging and most meals. Stay tuned for when 2026 details are released: https://lakesideharmony.org/
- 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!
Keeping Nic’s Song Bright: Turning Our Remembrance into Research
For those new to OCS, Nic Cols was a long-time member who lost his battle with brain cancer in October.
In honor of Nic Cols’ impact and legacy, Liz Kasberg has identified a way we can join together to make an impact:
- We will be collecting funds throughout January, then donate them to the Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke in honor of Nic.
- The Tisch Center are global leaders in treatment and research into brain cancer treatment, specifically glioblastoma, which is what Nic had.
- Once complete, the Tisch Center will provide us with a recognition letter and certificate we can give to Nic's family, recognizing the donation in his honor.
- TO DONATE IN HONOR OF NIC:
- We will be collecting cash and checks at rehearsals. (We collected just over $300 on the 12th alone!)
- Checks should be made out to Oak City Sound.
- Submit online donations using Paypal at rtp.bhs@oakcitysound.org
- The Tisch Center is also hosting its annual fundraising walk & 5K – called Angels Among Us – on April 25. It offers a chance for families, friends and survivors to come together and raise funds for the Center. If enough members are interested, we may field an OCS team.
