3 minute read
Wow, Did We Sing in St. Louis
2018
Sweet Adelines International
Wow, Did We
Sing in St. Louis!
For five exhilarating days in October, St. Louis was the gateway to the greatest barbershop show on earth – the 72nd Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition. It was so magical that long after all had gone home, many continued to post about “convention withdrawal pains” on social media.
“This convention will be remembered for imbuing the overarching feelings of joy and sisterhood in every day, every rehearsal, every meeting and class and in every stellar performance,” noted International President Patty Cobb Baker. “From delightfully happy to captivated, enthralled, thrilled and moved beyond imagination, I think everyone left even more harmoniously connected than ever, with buckets-full of all the things our wonderful musical sisterhood provides!”
The spectacular week drew 40 quartets and 40 choruses, totaling 3,200 barbershop singers representing Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. We were thrilled to welcome members from Japan, too! Watching along with the exuberant live crowd in St. Louis were thousands more barbershop fans around the world, tuning in via the wildly popular webcast. One social media post from New Zealand showed preschoolers watching the performances!
The first-ever songwriting contest brought cheers and tears; the mass sing was dynamite; the Mixed Harmony chorus was a beautiful sight, and sounded great, too. Classes drew SA “students” eager to learn from leaders, experts and their fellow singers. Everyone was immersed in the sheer fun of it – one group of Sweet Adelines, out at a local restaurant, met and serenaded a Fleetwood Mac band member who was in town for a concert. He was so impressed with the music he attended part of the chorus finals the next day.
Congratulations to all international winners, who you’ll read more about on the following pages. And thank you to every Sweet Adeline who came to sing, cheer, volunteer, learn, laugh and celebrate the powerful magic of women’s a cappella barbershop harmony.
We hope to see you at Sweet Adelines events this year – IES 2019 in Manchester, U.K.; the Directors’ and Visual Leaders’ Seminar in San Antonio; and once again, for our greatest gathering, international convention and competition in the exotic, historic, fascinating city of New Orleans! Marsha Fulton, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Patty Cobb Baker
Valerie Taylor receives the award and a warm embrace from Ann Gooch
Mike Blakeslee and Patty Cobb Baker present NAfME Award to Jane Brown
The Ladies – International Novice Quartet Award winners
Joe Liles, Bursting with Song! songwriting contest grand prize winner and Patty Cobb Baker
Mass Sing on the Old Post Office Plaza in St. Louis
Mixed Harmony Family Chorus
Special Awards
Congratulations to these individuals for their significant contributions to the organization and the barbershop art form in the arenas of leadership, musical excellence and education.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Marsha Fulton, CAL, #26
Each year, SA’s international president chooses and presents this award, which honors a lifetime of leadership, love and service to the organization.
Ann Gooch Award: Valerie Taylor, Vocal Dimension Chorus, #31
This award recognizes a non-North American
Sweet Adeline for significant efforts to promote barbershop singing worldwide.
National Association for
Music Education (NAfME) Award: Jane Brown, Pride of Baltimore Chorus, #19
Presented by Mike Blakeslee, NAfME executive director/CEO, this award recognizes excellence in the education field and, in particular, furthering barbershop education in the schools.
International Novice Quartet: The Ladies
This award recognizes the highest scoring semifinals quartet in which two or more members have never competed in international semifinals or finals. It’s sponsored by the 1967 International Champion Quartet, the Hurricane Honeys.
