Wish List

The Sooner Sensations Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International (SAI). Sweet Adelines is a highly respected worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women.

 

Founded Friday, July 13, 1945 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, SAI has survived financially on membership dues, enrollment in educational opportunities, donations, and through performance. As the Sooner Sensations Chorus celebrates 20 years of harmony and friendship this year, we also fall within these same standards. Due to the current economy, we try to keep our membership dues and ticket prices to a minimum in order to maximize our exposure and assistance to the community. We also offer advertising on our website and in our show programs for supporter and sponsor donations. These fees go toward international dues, rehearsal hall rental, arrangers' fees for music, copies of music, etc.

 

Because SAI is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization, all donations are tax deductible as allowed by tax codes.

 

The Sooner Sensations Chorus has close ties to the Moore, OK community and the surrounding area. We regularly work with the school vocal music departments to encourage and build up the students and that music programs. In the recent past, we’ve performed on a Moore Central choir show for them to sell tickets as a fundraiser, offered free show tickets to all mid high, Jr. high, and high school choir members, invited a Jr. high girls choir to perform on our annual show, and welcomed several young women into our group and happily watched them develop their skills and seen their confidence grow by leaps and bounds.

 

The Sooner Sensations Chorus is so much more to the community and its members than just another non-profit. We’re a family… with members who range from age 12 to 87, and come from all over Oklahoma and parts of Texas, we’ve seen members come and go over the years but have been with them and supported some of them through the darkest days of their lives (deaths, illnesses, natural disaster, accidents, divorce, etc.). Many women find this a safe place for them to rebuild their confidence and regain their faith in life. We are a God-centered chorus and try to uplift each other on a regular basis.

 

Through study, we’ve found that there are THREE types of learning styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic (or hands on). With members from such varied ages, regions, and backgrounds, they all respond differently to these learning styles.

 

To continue doing these things for the community and to keep up the quality of learning opportunities that we’d like to be able to offer our members, we need assistance from you. We have put together a “Wish List” for you to consider. This gives you an idea of the items we are seeking for continued growth in this high tech age. Items range in price from just over $100 to around $13,000. See this list below and please consider helping to make a difference for these members. If you find you cannot donate funds for an item in full, please know that we will take anything that you can offer towards these items. If you wish to donate to any of these items on our “Wish List” please contact us by email at finance@soonersensations.com or by giving us a call at 405-436-5828.

 

Sound System: When it comes to the organization’s foundation of education, we do public performances to help improve performance skills. In many instances, small churches, libraries, city parks, and other venues we perform for do not have a sound system available for us to use so it would be helpful for us to have one for backup in case we find ourselves in a situation where we need one. Our voices are very valuable and trying to speak over crowds or loud environmental noises can be harmful. This tool helps Auditory and Kinesthetic learners by giving them immediate feedback of the complete chorus sound during rehearsals and performances.

     Check out Samson Audio for Portable Sound System information (these items run from approximately $650-1000+ depending on brand, components, and retailer). Here is a really great example of a very small portable system that would be a great starter kit for us and it runs approximately $700 and it’s compatible with all of the items below. http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1952

 

Wireless Headset: Our illustrious director, Debbie K. Hagan-Hogan, is a past international champion within the organization and her vocal skills, musical knowledge, and excellent vocal examples are crucial to our individual growth. Her voice is as important to each of us as our own so we need to be able to hear her clearly over environmental noises and sometimes over us singing. This tool helps Visual and Auditory learners by allowing her to digitally project her voice with her hands free to direct tuning, dynamics, rhythm, and artistry.

     Check out Samson Audio for AirLine Micro Wireless Headset Microphone information (this item runs from approximately $250-400 depending on retailer). http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=2045&brandID=1

 

Stereo Audio Recorder: We are constantly learning new music and have a variety of business meetings or educational opportunities that not all of the members are available to attend. Even those who live out of state have difficulty getting to weekly rehearsals. With this tool we can record performances, rehearsals, classes, and meetings and post them on our Members Only site for all the members to learn from. Information is powerful and although we do our best to keep the members up to date on what’s going on, it’s time for us to bump it up to allow better transfer of information. This tool helps Auditory and Kinesthetic learners by allowing them to heard feedback that they can analyze at their discretion and practice with these recordings for added growth.

     Check out Samson Audio/Zoom for Stereo Audio Recorder information (this item runs from approximately $200-350 with extra memory cards). http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1916&brandID=4 OR http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901&brandID=4 OR http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1994&brandID=4

 

Video Camera with Stereo Audio: As with the audio recorder above, this tool allows us to better communicate visually what our members need to know. This particular camera is different than most in that it has high quality stereo microphones and is made specifically for music performance. This allows us to break down the music product and really help members train their eyes and ears to improve performance skills. It also allows out of state members to see the directors hands and know how she uses them for specific inflection, etc. This tool helps Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learners by allowing them a total package to view, listen, and practice with.

     Check out Samson Audio/Zoom for Video Camera with Stereo Audio information (this item runs from approximately $180-250 with extra memory cards). http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=2020

 

Digital Projector Camera with Projector (or White Board Monitor): This item is a wonderful tool that allows papers or 3 dimensional items to be placed on the panel under the camera and it projects the image up on a large screen or white board monitor. This can be used in classes for sharing information from books, papers, computers, etc. with a large group while keeping the focus on the speaker or director. It will play videos (including those that we would record with the video camera), PowerPoint presentations, and other computer documents for demonstration and education purposes. This tool helps Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learners by keeping all the focus in one location but reaching out to their eyes and ears at the same time allowing them to analyze and participate directly with the learning opportunity.

     Check out ELMO USA website for Digital Visual Presenter/Projector Camera information (these items can range from approximately $650-4500) http://www.elmousa.com/digital-visual-presenters.php#

 

Chorus Risers: Although the other tools listed above are very important to this chorus, this last item of crucial importance. The risers we currently use on a weekly basis are approximately 20 years old. Over the years they are wearing out and are becoming a hazard for our members to stand on them at times. The joints and hinges are becoming loose and out of alignment, the steps we stand on are starting to show the wear and tear from the years and usage, and the railings don’t lock in place like they should anymore. With members of such varied ages and some with physical problems, we’re finding that it’s time to get some new risers to help keep our members safe. This tool helps Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learners by making it possible for all members to be seen and heard, to be able to see and hear what is going on, and to practice and perform on stable risers as they will in competition.

     Check out Wenger Corp. website for Chorus Riser information (each section costs approximately $1,655.00 for the 4-step version which is what we use and we need 8-10 risers.) http://wengercorp.com/Risers/Signature.html

 

Sing & See Vocal Training Software: This product will be a helpful tool for individual singers to learn tuning skills as well as helping with member voices who may be in a stage of healing. This organization offers opportunity to share in the singing for an entire lifetime and as we go through changes and mature, our voices go through changes and sometimes require some therapeutic assistance. It helps singers who have vibrato to be able to visually focus on keeping it steady, etc. This software package is a perfect tool for members and guests to learn more about their own voice and allow voice instruction to help them improve. This tool helps Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic by giving them a visual graph display of their voice so that they can see, hear, and feel where the pitches should be. Through their own vocal machinations, they can see what the voice is doing.

     Check out Sing & See website for Vocal Training Software information (this package costs approximately $140 for the Professional Version which gives us all the options they provide). http://www.singandsee.com/ Here is an optional studio quality microphone that is compatible with all of the equipment listed above including a standard PC to work with this software. (this item costs approximately $100-150). http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1810

 

Again, we thank so very much for your appreciation and support.