Harmony Explosion

For the past 13 years, the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony Society has sponsored a 3-day Summer Music Camp for Florida high school boys and their Music Educators (whether male or female). This Camp, called Harmony Explosion, is entirely FREE (except for a small non-refundable registration fee of $20.00) for the boys. There is nothing to buy and there is nothing to join. This is not just another Camp. You and your students will experience the very best of a cappella singing.

As a Music Educator:

  • You will gain solid, usable teaching ideas
  • You will discover ways to generate excitement and attract male singers to your program(s).


Your Students will:

  • Learn about and experience singing a purely American musical art form
  • Entertain for an enthusiastic audience at a gala Saturday evening show

More About This Harmony Explosion Camp
The Camp is a three day musical experience for you and your male students. The dates for the 2012 Camp are June 14-16. The venue will be the Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, Florida. The students will sing traditional male choral repertoire in addition to learning some music in the barbershop style. It’s a great way for your male students to gain part independence, develop ear-training skills, and to sing in concert with their peers. The Florida barbershop chapters, quartets, and individuals in the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony Society will make every effort to provide full scholarships (at $225 each), which will cover dorm rooms, meals, music, rehearsal halls, for both Students and Music Educators. This camp also receives financial support from Harmony Foundation International, which is the charitable arm of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

It is not necessary for Music Educators to attend this Camp with their students. A student may attend without his Music Educator and conversely a Music Educator may attend without his/her student(s).

Some Recent Comments From Past Attendees:

“We’ve been here every year since it started, and I’m going to keep coming as long as you’ll have us here.” –
Scott Houchins, Music Educator – Palm Beach Central High School

“As a parent of one of the boys here at Harmony Explosion, I just want to say what a fabulous weekend it is, and I want to thank everyone who sponsored it.”
Parent attending a Harmony Explosion Camp

“The only thing I didn’t like about it is it was too short. It should have lasted a least 3 – 4 more days.”
Spoken by many students each year

As A Music Educator, What Should You Do Now?
1. Select students you feel will benefit by attending this Camp.
2. Download and have your selected students complete the registration and other appropriate forms as explained further on in this letter. This is extremely important again this year.
KINDLY NOTE: Any Student or Adult, not following these instructions will not be allowed to participate. These rules are State of Florida law. Send or have the students send the completed forms to the address at the bottom of the Registration Form. Use blue or black ink only. Registered Students and Music Educators will receive a packet containing the music to be learned, CD’s of all 5 songs, and other pertinent information including items to bring to the camp, arrival time, location on campus for check-in and campus emergency phone numbers. As a Music Educator, whether you attend or not, it would help greatly if you would review the music with your students prior to the camp.
CLINICIANS
Returning, again this year, will be Alex Rubin. Alex was the tenor of “Rounders,” a top-ten International Quartet, Choral Director of the past Sunshine District Champ Chorus of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter, Current Choral Director of the “HD Chorus” from Fort Lauderdale. They placed 3rd in 2010 and 2nd in 2011 at the Mid-Winter Youth Competition. He is the current tenor of “Throwback.”
Joining Alex as our 2nd Clinician, will be his brother, Dan Rubin. Dan has donated countless hours of coaching and performances to support the Barbershop Society’s “Youth In Harmony” program designed to promote music and a cappella harmony in the local schools. He also sang in “Rounders” and is current baritone of “Throwback.”
We are happy to announce that “Throwback” will be our Teaching Quartet – this new foursome will bring together their infectious energy and a love of yesterday’s music , with many decades of barbershop experience behind these younger voices. We’re certain their fresh spin on familiar melodies will entertain audiences of all ages!
Harmony Explosion Camp will be an excellent opportunity to learn about the barbershop style of music, and for you to give your students a musical experience they will not forget. Again, this year, in addition to a few classes in the art of barbershop harmony, Music Educators, both male and female, will be given the opportunity to form a mixed chorus with the chaperones, who are all members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, Sweet Adelines or Harmony, Inc. Together, they will learn one song and will perform on the Saturday evening gala show. What a thrill it will be for your students to see you perform in this musical art form. All registered Music Educators, will receive legal music as well as a part dominant CD to simplify the learning process. Of course, this will be an optional activity for Music Educators. This will be the 5th year of this popular activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When, where and how much are the tickets for the Saturday night performance.
The performance will be held on Saturday, June 16 at 7:00 PM at the Gleason Performing arts Center
on the Campus of the Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL. The
ticket s are $15.00 each – look for the form, which will be mailed to all registrants as part of their
music packets. Camp attendees do not pay for this show.
2. When is the Camp “officially” over?
The Camp is “officially” over immediately following the Saturday evening show. You may leave
anytime after that. If you need to stay another night, questions regarding this may be directed to
Camp Director, Ken Carter, (e-mail address and phone number appears below).
3. Is there a deadline for registering?
The DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING IS MAY 10, 2012. We need to impose this date in order to meet the Florida Institute of Technology deadlines for dorm rooms and food – as well as to have the music packets in the hands of Students and Music Educators before school adjourns for the summer.
There will be an adult chaperone assigned for every ten (10) boys.
This will be our 14th Harmony Explosion Camp and we promise you and your students a great weekend. If you have further questions, please contact:
Ken Carter, Camp Director – (352) 259-3574 – kekmcarter@embarqmail.com
NOTE – Important Information regarding submitting proper forms with proper signatures. Please read carefully & comply:
EVERYONE (including clinicians, teaching quartet, music educators, chaperones, and students) MUST fill out the (1) Registration Form; (2) Medical Information and Release Form, and (3) either Form A (Parent/Legal Guardian Release Form) OR Form B (Adult Participant 18 & Over Release Form).
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS!!
Everything MUST be filled out in BLUE or BLACK INK, only, have no alterations or revisions, and must be properly signed.
Please NOTE that again this year there is a $20.00 non-refundable registration fee due at the time of registration for ALL Students. This information is on the bottom of the Registration Form. This payment MUST be made by check and MUST accompany all the appropriate forms.
Send all appropriate forms to: Ken Carter, Camp Director, 1202 Arriago Way, The Villages, FL 32162-0106.
We will accept the first 100 students who register with the proper forms and registration fee. There is no limit on the number of Music Educators registering. We realize that this program will only be successful with the support of our Music Educators.
We look forward to seeing you at FIT in Melbourne on Thursday, June 14th!!!!!

Download complete form set here: Sunshine District HX Camp 2012 Form Package

If you need further information contact Ken Carter at (352) 259-3574.

Useful Links

Schedule of Harmony Explosion Camps
Schedule of Youth Harmony Workshops
Music Educator’s Guide to Barbershop