Un-Contest - The Incredible Joey Minshall

April 23, 2020 Stacey Rose

Today we spotlight a true influencer within Region 26 - Joey Minshall. Even if you have not met Joey, you may recognize her name and that is undoubtedly because you are singing at least one of her arrangements in your chorus or quartet. She is humble and might guffaw at this statement, but she is kind of a big deal - a trailblazer and a treasure in Region 26.

Joey is a 46-year member of Sweet Adelines, having spent most of those years directing Burnaby/Westcoast Harmony Chorus. A Master Director, Joey says “Directing has been one of my most-loved involvements in barbershop, and I have been the director of 3 SA choruses, 1 YW chorus (the first one in R26), and a mixed-voice a cappella chorus (not barbershop) haha - long before that was 'a thing’.”

She is Certified Arranger in Sweet Adelines arranger development programme, which is now called the ACP and she hopes to make Master Arranger someday.

Joey has sung (bari) in a few regional champion quartets over the years: Freestyle, Guess Again, and was one of the revolving baritones in Go-Go!, which made the cut at International once a zillion years ago (Joey’s words), when 'the cut' was 20.

Joey is hanging up her coaching/teaching hat this season after...40-ish years in the field as a personal (private) coach and a member of the REF. She also served on RMT, and was DMA (the sort-of equivalent of EdCo now) also a zillion years ago (again, Joey’s words).

“Making a contribution, being of service, to some significant part of one's life - that's not only important to any organisation, including Sweet Adelines, it's important to an individual's growth. Taking on leadership is one big huge personal development opportunity - humbling challenging exhilarating frustrating rewarding and ultimately, overall, in my opinion, satisfying. That's what it's been for me, anyway. If a person wants to learn to grow into a 'bigger, brighter, better' version of themselves, taking on leadership is one fascinating pathway.”

Thank you Joey for your years mentoring, giving, pouring into this Region that you helped shape.

Want to know more about Joey’s arrangements?