My attendance of Director's College 2007 was most fulfilling. As a newcomer to barbershop, it has greatly strengthened my understanding of the musical style, of the social circles where barbershop is a binding factor, of the great support available through organisations such as BABS, and of course, of my ability to evolve in the barbershop world.

The organisation of the College was in my view of great scale. The timetables were cleverly designed and well balanced between common and smaller group sessions. Designating small groups of people to a coach allowed one-on-one follow-up - this was most appreciated. The pick and mix sessions were a particularly successful idea, allowing people to move freely from class to class according to their interests and needs. The Sunday timetable was particularly impressive, with fairly generous time allowed with the guest chorus as well as with the individual coach. Everything seemed to work very well and smoothly!

The accommodation was excellent. That the price of it was included in the course fee was very welcome, as it turned out to be of great value. Other courses across the country will often exclude accommodation, instead of offering a group discount, which is extremely advantageous. The venue for the course itself was satisfying, with various and sufficient rooms available. The proximity of the hotel to the school was appreciated. The only thing missing in the neighbourhood to make everything entirely perfect was a pub! The hotel bar was very pleasant, but a bit pricey, and did not allow smoking. The food was acceptable for the purpose, and the constant availability of coffee and tea in the school was most appreciated.

The educators were the most incredible aspect of the course. Each of them had great skills to share, each in their own way and speciality. They were all very friendly, open and available to discuss and answer questions. I felt privileged to be surrounded by such talent.

One point I think the College could try to control better is the content of classes given by the educators. Though all of them have great things to offer, not all of them were organised and prepared enough to use the allotted time fully. In some classes I attended, students would sometimes start a discussion and get away from the main subject. In some cases, the educator did not seem to have a particular direction in mind, so they would allow the students to "take over". In other classes, the educator would give a lot of good information, but in a disorganised manner. There was no supporting document or agenda and no opportunity to apply the information, though it would have been easy to do so with simple exercises. I would suggest that the priority for classes be more practical and "hands on", rather than in lecture form, as some were. I would also suggest that the College require that educators scheduled to give a class submit clear structured content of their classes, with supporting documentation, exercises, etc., to make sure that the content meets the effective quality of the rest of the College.

The technological support for the College was extremely impressive. Many recording devices were available, and the visual support was excellent. In some cases, the visual support could even be simplified as it was quite extensive. We were given clear and sufficient documentation that also helped us to follow the stream.

The attendees were a real pleasure to be around. Everyone was friendly, talkative and interesting. It was good to hear the stories and experiences of other people, the problems they face and the solutions they found. This was a valuable source of learning for me.

The main effects the College had on me were to motivate me, to give me more ideas and energy for my chorus and to show me the resources that are available to me. It also taught me to appreciate the specific skills involved in the barbershop style particularly. On the other hand, it also taught me the similarities barbershop has with other musical styles. I was pleasantly surprised to realise that there are more similarities than I first thought and that many skills that I possess can be used for barbershop. I think the barbershop world had become rather closed in on itself over the last decades and that it is becoming more open to other types of music and new ways of doing things. I believe it is growing stronger in this way and that there is great potential for creativity waiting to be unleashed in this medium.

Marie-Claude Perreault (Kings of Herts)