The Pitch Pipe January 2025

Pitch Pipe

Clever Girl

January 2025 | Volume 78 — No.3 | www.pitchpipemagazine.com.

Sweet AdelineS internAtionAl

Elevating women singers worldwide through education, performance, and competition in barbershop harmony and a cappella music.

INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Tammy Talbot

Chief Executive Officer

Kim Berrey

Editor-in-Chief

Stacy Pratt

Staff Writer

Ben Larscheid

Graphic Designer

Joey Bertsch

Staff Photographer

Lauren Stark

Staff Photographer

INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

May 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025

Mary Rhea, International President

Thérèse Antonini, Immediate Past President

Jeanne d’Arc (JD) Crowe, President-elect

Sharon Cartwright, Secretary

Valerie Taylor, Treasurer

Joan Boutilier Vickie Maybury

Annika Dellås Janice McKenna

Elaine Hamilton Mary Teed

Jenny Harris

EDUCATION DIRECTION COMMITTEE

Marcia Pinvidic, Chair

Joan Boutilier Anne Downton

Diane Porsch Valerie Taylor

EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD

Joan Boutilier Beth Paul

Jeanne d’Arc (JD) Crowe Kate Towne Michelle Neller

Advertising

1.918.622.1444 • communications@sweetadelines.com Direct all correspondence, editorial copy and photographs to communications@sweetadelines.com.

Deadlines are 60 days prior to publication. Not all submissions will be published. THE PITCH PIPE (ISSN 0882-214X) Copyright 2024 by Sweet Adelines International. All rights reserved.

From Our President

The 2024 Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition in Kansas City was an unforgettable week filled with music, friendship, and celebration. We crowned Clever Girl as our new Queens of Harmony. We were awestruck by the storytelling and artistry of our new international chorus champions, North Metro Chorus. Their performance went beyond competition—it was a captivating saga that inspired us all.

While convention centers around competition, the connections we share make it truly special. We reconnect with old friends, form new bonds, and celebrate our love for barbershop harmony. The laughter, hugs, and shared moments remind us why we belong to this incredible community.

Competition motivates us to hone our skills, polish our artistry, and bring our finest to the stage, but what makes our community unique is the support we show for one another. As much as we strive to succeed, we also stand behind our fellow competitors, cheering for their triumphs and celebrating their achievements. It is this spirit of camaraderie that sets Sweet Adelines apart. The applause, encouragement, and joy create an atmosphere where every competitor feels valued and inspired.

Sweet Adelines International thrives because of its commitment to fostering talent, building community, and celebrating excellence across all generations. Two exceptional opportunities to promote these values are the Diamond Division and Rising Star Quartet Contests which will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA) this August. Supporting these competitions is a meaningful way for choruses and regions to honor our legacy while investing in our future.

Diamond Division quartets showcase the enduring passion of seasoned singers. We honor veteran members, inspire continuing musical journeys, and highlight the timeless spirit of barbershop harmony. The Rising Star Quartet Contest provides a platform for young singers to connect, grow, and shine within the barbershop art form. These young singers bring fresh energy, creative ideas, and a deep love for music. The contest serves as a gateway for young singers to become lifelong barbershop enthusiasts. Many of today’s accomplished barbershop musicians began their journeys on the Rising Star stage. Supporting these young quartets is not just about celebrating their achievements—it's about inspiring the love of barbershop harmony in a new generation.

Honoring the artistry of seasoned performers while nurturing the promise of future stars strengthens the legacy of barbershop harmony. Across generations, singers build lasting friendships, creating harmony not only through music but also by developing lasting relationships. Together, Sweet Adelines International will continue to thrive as a vibrant organization that inspires and unites voices of all ages.

In harmony, Mary Rhea

Here are a few ways choruses and regions can make a meaningful impact by actively supporting Rising Star contestants:

1. Spread the Word. Use social media, newsletters, and events to promote the Rising Star competition and highlight participating quartets. Share their stories, celebrate their milestones, and encourage your community to cheer them on.

2. Offer Sponsorship Provide financial support to quartets in your area to help cover competition expenses such as travel, lodging, and registration fees.

3. Host Educational Events Organize workshops or coaching sessions tailored for young singers to enhance their skills and introduce them to barbershop harmony.

4. Build Connections Foster relationships between Rising Star competitors and experienced members. Pairing young quartets with mentors can provide guidance, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.

5. Celebrate Successes Recognize Rising Star competitors during chorus and regional events. Celebrating their achievements publicly reinforces their value to the Sweet Adelines community.

From Our CEO

Hello, Sweet Adelines and Happy 2025!

For the last few issues of The Pitch Pipe, I have been dedicating this space to introducing you to our hard-working headquarters staff by department.

In this issue, I would like to introduce our executive department and our manager of information technology. Since this issue includes highlights from our 2024 international convention, we asked each of them to share their favorite memory from Kansas City.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Tammy Talbot.

As CEO, I act as the primary liaison between the International Board of Directors (IBOD) and staff, and between members and the public. As CEO, I also manage fiscal responsibilities; serve as the lead for the HQ Leadership Team; manage overall operations and resources; review important developments and future opportunities involving Sweet Adelines International; and serve as ambassador for Sweet Adelines International. I take great joy in working with and for Sweet Adelines. My favorite memory from Kansas City is getting to meet 70-year member Gail Miernicki and getting to escort her across the stage in celebration of her anniversary. Gail is amazing and my new role model!

Corporate Secretary

Janell Mason

Janell has worked for Sweet Adelines for many years, in several capacities. As corporate secretary, Janell creates meeting agendas, documentation, and minutes for IBOD and all committee meetings; administers the IBOD election; serves as liaison to the Regional Leadership Committee (RLC) and oversees the SPARK newsletter; manages governance documents; answers bylaws and policy questions; handles correspondence on behalf of the IBOD and RLC; and manages the State of the Region reports and Annual Regional Evaluations. When asked her favorite Kansas City memory, Janell presented a photo and said, “My favorite Kansas City memory is this visit. From left to right are Molly Huffman, Chris Noteware, me, Marsha Fulton in the competition venue. These are persons with whom I have a LONG history!”

Executive Administrator

Karey Sarratt

Karey provides administrative and clerical assistance for the Executive and Corporate Services Departments, assists with various projects and research related to Board and committee meetings, education events and International Convention, and schedules international convention volunteers. Karey says, “Convention week is so action-packed, it’s hard to pick just one memory. However, every year, I treasure the time I spend with the volunteers. I’m in awe of their dedication. I can’t thank them enough for their time and generosity. I want to say thank you to each one of them. We appreciate you so much!”

Manager of Information Technology (IT)

Joey Bertsch

Joey oversees all IT projects and functions; provides daily support to all workstations; and assists with membership database, website, multimedia projects and graphic media. He is also known to many Sweet Adelines as a photographer. He takes staff and committee photos at headquarters and captures candid shots at convention. Joey says, “My favorite part of International Competition is working with our amazing convention assistants. We couldn’t do it without them!” Joey is pictured with members of 2025 International Champion Quartet, Clever Girl.

We hope this issue of The Pitch Pipe brings wonderful memories of the Kansas City convention. We look forward to making more memories this year in Columbus, Ohio (USA)!

In harmony,

Tammy Talbot

2025 International Board of Directors Election Results

The election to fill three expiring terms on the International Board of Directors concluded on December 4, 2024, at 3 p.m. CST (9 p.m. GMT).

Elected to a three-year term were Thérèse Antonini, North Metro Chorus, Region 16, Jenny Harris, The Annapolis Blend Chorus and Harbor City Music Company Chorus, Region 19, and Valerie Taylor, Vocal Dimension Chorus, Region 31. The term runs May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2028.

The Board also appointed one member to serve a one-year term beginning on the same day. The appointee is Jean Schoenlank, Harmony Celebration Chorus, Region 15.

Sweet Adelines International President Mary Rhea said that participation in the 2024 election stood at 93.75 percent, higher than the 90.3 percent participation recorded in the 2023 election. This year, ten regions achieved 100 percent voter participation by eligible chapters: Midwest Harmony Region 3, Harmony Heartland Region 4, Northern Lights Region 6, Great Gulf Coast Region 10, Sequoia Pacifica Region 11, Greater NY/NJ Region 15, Great Lakes Harmony Region 17, Atlantic Bay-Mountain Region 19, Golden West Region 21, and Quartet of Nations Region 31.

The Pitch Pipe needs you!

Have you had a meaningful, funny, or interesting experience during rehearsal or performance? Have you spent time reflecting on what barbershop singing or Sweet Adelines means to you?

Have you received or witnessed a kindness from your Sweet Adelines family that you’d like to share? We’d love to read it — and possibly print it in The Pitch Pipe!

Send your submissions to communications@sweetadelines.com with “Attn: The Pitch Pipe” in the subject line.

A few general guidelines:

• Tell a story (beginning, middle, end).

• Keep your submission between 500–700 words in length.

• Send your submission as a Word document.

• Send photos. (High resolution is great, but send what you have!)

• Include a 1–2 sentence bio telling your chorus/quartet affiliation, voice part, etc.

• All submissions are subject to editing, and not all submissions will be printed in The Pitch Pipe. (Some may be used for other SA media.) You will be notified about the status of your submission.

Thérèse Antonini

Valerie Taylor Jenny Harris Jean Schoenlank

“The Change” in Your Voice How hormonal changes affect singers’ voices

There is a tempestuous time in many people’s lives when body temperature and mood can change in an instant. Mentally, we may experience what is sometimes called “brain fog.”

Some ominously call this time of life “The Change.”

Medically, it’s referred to as menopause, and three stages are recognized as part of the experience: perimenopause (the time prior to the cessation of menstruation in which estrogen fluctuates in the system); menopause (approximately 12 months following the final menstrual cycle); and postmenopause (the time following menopause in which the hormones re-establish a new balance). The World Health Organization states that natural menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45-55.

We often hear how these hormonal changes affect the body and mind, but singers may experience vocal changes as well. The overall impacts on the voice vary in each person, but there are some similarities to consider. Knowledge of what’s happening physically can help singers adjust and thrive with their changing voices.

Hormones and Aging

Hormones are chemical messengers that help regulate and coordinate the work of cells, organs, and body systems. Often, they are made in one place in the body and act in another; thus, cells all over our bodies have various hormone receptors, meaning you may experience an impact that feels unexpected and unrelated to its origin.

The reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone, and androgens (testosterone) are most influential in the changes experienced during perimenopause and menopause. Estrogen contributes to the elasticity and lubrication of the vocal folds while balancing the impact of androgens. Progesterone and androgens, on the other hand, can thicken mucus on and around the vocal folds as well as the vocal folds themselves.

Many of us started singing early in our lives and haven’t stopped since! Depending on life experience, some may have sung through several hormonal stages: puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, nursing, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Whether it’s due to maturity, attention, or severity, we tend to be most aware of hormonal influences during these last three stages.

Perimenopause and menopause bring a decline in estrogen which thins the mucous membranes and decreases the elasticity and pliability of the vocal folds. At the same time, progesterone

becomes dominant, resulting in thicker mucus in and around the vocal folds and the voice feeling stickier, thicker, and perhaps even sluggish. Also, as estrogen declines and androgens are still expressed, we may notice other changes mirroring those in puberty (e.g., acne, facial hair, vocal changes).

General vocal changes may include (but are not limited to) intermittent or persistent vocal fold swelling, fluctuating mucous and/or vocal fold lubrication, and fluctuating vocal fold flexibility impacting range, especially in the higher register. It is important to note that many people also experience similar vocal changes in the time just before starting their monthly period as hormones are cresting and ebbing in their natural monthly cycle.

"Many of us started singing early in our lives and haven’t stopped since!"

While people affected by these hormones have been observing these changes in their bodies for a long time, regrettably, there is little research available on the specific effect of hormonal changes on the voice. Furthermore, research and personal experiences are challenged by medical complications such as thyroid conditions, reflux, neuromuscular changes (i.e., vocal tremor), chronic respiratory illness, and more. On top of that, the onset of these hormonal voice changes often happens concurrently with agerelated voice changes. Because hormonal voice changes can be multifaceted, if you decide to ask for help it is imperative to seek the support of a team of medical professionals including a laryngologist (ENT specializing in the voice) and a speechlanguage pathologist also specializing in the singing voice. These professionals can link you with additional support to navigate related challenges.

Care For Your Changing Voice

• Start with a healthy lifestyle! A well-balanced diet and exercise at your personal ability level can go a long way to building respiratory strength and stamina. That doesn’t mean you have to run marathons or become a gym rat. Even “gentle” exercise like chair yoga helps.

• Focus on your mental health. Maintain positive energy in your space and avoid negativity that can spiral you into personal self-doubt of your voice and abilities. Lean on your Sweet Adelines friends for support when you worry about your changing voice. Here, we value singers at all stages.

• Sing every day! Use vocal function exercises for training and warmup; these help you maintain your range and acclimate to any vocal changes you may be experiencing. Use tongue twisters or practice saying lyrics without singing to keep your articulators agile.

• Adapt and evolve into your new voice! If you’ve been singing for a while, your last voice placement might have been a long time ago. You have changed since then and so has your voice, so your initial voice part may no longer apply; it’s ok to switch parts to better accommodate your voice as it matures!

Most importantly, whatever stage you’re in, love and accept the beautiful instrument you have. Your voice is important at every stage of life. Share it with the world!

Jamy Claire Archer, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, directs Heart of Columbia Chorus and sings with Song of Atlanta Chorus, both in Region 14.

A Lifetime of Sweet Adelines

The Legacy of Donor Anne Hoffa

If you would like to include Sweet Adelines International in your estate planning, please contact Susan Smith, chief philanthropy and adminisrative officer at susan@sweetadelines.com.

What Is the EDC?

The Education Direction Committee Explains

weet Adelines International Mission Statement: Elevating women singers worldwide through education, performance, and competition in barbershop harmony and a cappella music.

SEducation is at the heart of Sweet Adelines International. In every area of our organization, it is education that enables us to achieve our stated mission. The Education Direction Committee (EDC) develops the vision for education programs to meet our members’ needs.

The EDC is made up of five volunteers, each of whom has a wide range of experience in the organization and an understanding of how decisions may affect different groups and programs. The EDC meetings are full of creative discussions about the focus of our educational efforts. In addition to education programs and International-sponsored education events, the EDC oversees the grant and scholarship awards process and the official competitions.

That is a lot of work! How are all these areas covered? There are several committees that report to the EDC and address specific educational needs:

International Judging Program

Judge Specialists Committee

Director Certification Program (DCP)

DCP Review Committee

International Faculty Program

Arranger Certification Program (ACP)

Arranger Certification Program Committee

Chorus Toolkit and Song Assessment Tool Subcommittees

Scholarship and Grant Review Subcommittee

Youth outreach programs

Every area of the organization is covered by one or more of these committees, whose hard-working volunteers are chosen for their experience as directors, judges, arrangers, administrators, or faculty members. EDC members liaise with the chair of each

program/committee to provide updates about EDC decisions, assignments, and recommendations. The committees create educational materials for the members included in their area of influence and set the standard for certification where applicable. These materials and standards are reviewed and approved by the EDC to ensure consistency in the language, messaging, and information provided.

The EDC and Competition

Our competition system is our strongest educational tool. The EDC works with the Judge Specialists Committee to provide judges with effective education that ensures the program remains current and relevant. As judging categories are re-written, or changes are made to competition rules, the EDC reviews the judge specialists’ recommendations before referring them to the International Board of Directors (IBOD). The ultimate goal is to provide the best educational experience for competitors – the most important group of people to consider when making decisions about contests.

The EDC is directly involved in planning the International Competition week as well. In cooperation with the IBOD and staff, assignments are given to webcasters, special events are planned, and members are invited to take part in educational classes and other activities. Even choosing the songs we sing at the end of each session is the responsibility of the EDC!

For information about regional and international competitions, visit the Sweet Adelines International website.

The EDC and Grants/Scholarships

The committee responsible for determining grant and scholarship recipients carefully reviews applications and makes recommendations to the EDC for approval. In this way, we ensure the educational value of these activities contributes to our overall mission of providing education in the barbershop and a cappella style of music.

The EDC and DEI

A responsibility recently added to the EDC’s portfolio is the Chorus Toolkit, including the Song Assessment Tool (SAT). These resources are filled with valuable information, and the EDC monitors them to ensure the educational value is consistent and relevant to our changing world. Since 2020, many groups within the organization have provided feedback after using these tools, and the EDC is currently working with sub-committees to review and update these important resources.

Planning for education is an exciting job requiring vision and creativity. Years in advance, the EDC has to anticipate the events and programs that will serve our members and educate them in the areas that mean the most to them. The partnership between regions and International is becoming even more important as we strive to create effective ways to meet goals and fulfill our organizational mission. Every area of the organization participates in education, directed by a committee to ensure we are all moving toward the same goal.

Find DEI member resources such as the Chorus Toolkit and the SAT on the Sweet Adelines International website. Make sure you are logged in!

The draw for order of appearance at the international competition is conducted by the EDC at their meetings, with staff and organizational leadership present. At the August meeting, the EDC conducts the draw for the International Chorus Semi-Finals and Harmony Classic to be held the following year. (Example: the draw for International 2025 was held in August 2024). The January meeting provides the setting for the draw for the International Quartet Contest later that year, with regions’ numbers included for those quartets who win at their regional contest later in the year. This way, as soon as the regional winner is announced, they know what their contestant number will be at International!

Marcia Pinvidic is a Certified Director, has served as Judge Specialist Moderator and Expression Category Specialist, and is the current chair of the Education Direction Committee. She was a member of the International Board of Directors for eight years and served as International President 2014-2016.

EDC members are left to right (front row) Joan Boutilier and Valerie Taylor; (back row) Diane Porsch, Chair Marcia Pinvidic and Anne Downton.

Competition Updates!

A few things to know about changes to contest rules

Regional contest season is around the corner! As you prepare for your regional contest in just a few months, there are a few new or revised elements you will want to know about. Please check the newly revised Competition Handbook and Guide to Regional Contests (GRC) for more information. Let the fun begin!

Division A and AA Chorus Numbers Revision

Effective for Regional Contests 2025, the sizes (member count) of the Division A and AA choruses have been revised. Division A will encompass any chorus with 12 to 25 singing members on stage. Division AA will include any chorus with 26 to 50 singing members. These numbers do not include the director. As always, if their score is among the highest across all regions, these choruses can qualify to compete at the Harmony Classic contest during the Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition. Those who qualify in 2025 to advance to Harmony Classic will compete in the 2026 Harmony Classic contest.

As in the past, choruses of any size that compete in the international division and win, or qualify as a wildcard, are eligible to compete in the International chorus semifinals. However, under the new rule, choruses with 51+ members will now be considered “large” choruses and are no longer eligible to compete in Harmony Classic.

Why did we make this change?

We have noticed that many choruses have fewer members than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Many regional champions and other medalists are small or midsize winners as well. Our Ignite the Sound membership growth initiative resulted in many new members; however, even with more singers joining each week, most of our choruses remain in small and midsize designations. In the recent Member Perception Survey, we heard from YOU that given our current overall membership and chorus

sizes, 30 members is not a small chorus any more. And you are right! In keeping with our original purpose for Divisions A and AA, this revision to the chorus sizes opens the door for more groups of all sizes to receive recognition and find success by competing with groups of the same general size.

New Competition Division:

Internationally Bound

This division applies ONLY to International Quartet or Chorus Semifinals or Harmony Classic competitors. Those singing in the Evaluation Only – Internationally Bound Division may present a performance package consisting of at least one contest song, at least one other non-contest song, and emcee work, to be limited to 15 minutes or less, as approved by the region.

Competitors will declare their intention to perform in this division on their Regional Competition Entry Form. They will fill out a Cue Sheet to communicate their performance to the judges and tech crew. Just like For Evaluation Only competitors, the Evaluation Only – Internationally Bound Division competitors will be adjudicated using levels only (not number scores) and will appear at the top of the order of appearance draw.

Why are we adding this Division?

The Open Division packages at Regional Contest, like International Finals Packages, contain one contestable song and other songs, scripting, props, etc. that the performers use to

communicate their theme/message/story. However, these Open Division performances are only allowed 10 minutes stage timenot the 15 minutes permitted in the International contests. While any Internationally Bound competitors could perform in the Open Division or for Evaluation Only with two songs, they currently have no opportunity to sing or perform all of the entertainment package they hope to share at the International contest.

This change allows the competitors another creative way to communicate the mood, message, or story they are sharing in their Entertainment Package.

Some Internationally Bound competitors have expressed a desire for the opportunity to perform all or part of their entertainment package at regional contest in order to receive scoresheet commentary and levels from the judges; however, the 7 minute For Evaluation Only time limit did not allow for more than two songs and no emcee/scripting was permissible; the Open Division time was limited to 10 minutes (instead of up to 15 minutes). The creation of this division allows these ensembles to receive the input and education provided by the judges to continue their preparation for International contest.

International Lighting Change

Effective at the 2024 International Competition, the light options for the Entertainment Package Sessions at our Harmony Classic and International Finals Contests have been expanded for all quartet and chorus competitors to include the use of one lighting color (non-white) for a lighting effect during their contest song if desired. (Use of lighting colors are already admissible in non-contest songs.)

The Judge Specialist Committee listened to your needs and requests, considered the impact on the event and all contestants, and agreed to opening the pathways to even more exciting and creative contest performances. Your judges and audiences can’t wait to see your amazing performances that light up both the stage and our hearts!

Find the newly revised Competition Handbook and Guide to Regional Contests (GRC) by logging in to the Sweet Adelines International website.

Paula Davis is Past International President (2016-2018). She is an Expression Judge Specialist, Certified Expression Judge, and currently the Judge Specialist Moderator. She is also a former member of the International Board of Directors. She has sung with and been assistant director of several choruses. Currently, she directs Sound of Seattle Chorus (Region 13).

2024 International Convention Highlights

Click on the play button icon throughout this issue to relive the wonderful performances and experiences from Kansas City!

Monday Funday

Monday Funday started the week with physical and vocal warm-ups, a workshop on mental preparation, and rehearsals for the Monday Funday Chorus, directed by Lori Lyford (also lead section leader) and coached by Betty Clipman, along with section leaders Corinna Garriock, Anne Downton, and Kim Wonders.

Crown Reveal

Sweet Adelines International quartet champions, nicknamed “Queens of Harmony,” receive crowns. Each year, our reigning champion quartet sings, and we gather for the exciting moment the year's crowns are revealed for the first time.

Novice Quartet Award

Radiant, #9

2024 Rising Star Champion Quartet, Radiant received the Novice Quartet Award and also qualified as mic-testers for the International Quartet Finals!

Harmony Achievement Award

The Woodlands Show Chorus, #10

This year's Harmony Achievement Award went to The Woodlands Show Chorus (#10). This award is presented to the chorus with no more than 51 members which achieves a score of at least 960 points at the international chorus semifinals.

2024 Diamond Division Champion Quartet

Bubbly

World Harmony Chorus

The World Harmony Chorus performed ahead of the results announcement for the International Chorus Finals. Under the direction of Jo Oosterhoff (A Cappella West Chorus), the World Harmony Chorus is made up of representatives from choruses that are not competing in this year’s international contest. This year’s chorus represented 21 regions from the United States, Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Celebrating Our Donors in Kansas City!

We hosted several events to acknowledge our donors at the Sweet Adelines International Convention & Competition. These events brought together donors whose generosity to the organization they love ensures that today’s Sweet Adelines receive the best in barbershop education and that those who come after will continue our legacy of excellence, harmony, and love.

Thank You, Webcasters!

Anchors:

• Cammi MacKinlay

• Kim Wonders

• Jenny Harris

• JD Crowe

Correspondents:

• Nicky Salt

• Kim Newcomb

• Lori Dreyer

• Nikki Blackmer

• Caitlin Castelino

• Sharon Cartwright

Clever Girl • 1st Place

Region: #25 Score: 2881

Semifinals Songs: I Got Rhythm (D. Wright), In Your Eyes (L. Wright)

Finals Songs: Something's Coming

Stars to Crowns Clever Girl

Clever Girl has been making people laugh since before we even knew their name. They entertained barbershop social media for weeks by presenting funny clues to their name, eventually resulting in an announcement video that recreates an iconic scene from Jurassic Park, the 1990s movie from which they take their name. The movie tells the story of scientists dealing with a park at which dinosaurs have been reintroduced through cloning, with dramatic (very dramatic!) results. (Spoiler alert: “Clever girl.” is the last line of a character in the movie, spoken admiringly to a raptor.) That’s why Clever Girl merchandise includes the dinosaur logo – now wearing a crown.

(D. Wright), How Deep Is The Ocean (B. Hopkins), Stormy Weather (A. Dale), Baby Can Dance (C. Blanton), Face Your Fears (A. Bock), Rhapsody of New York (D. Wright)

Neyla Pekarek (t)

Ashley Wright Tabares (l)

Holly Janda (bt)

Taylor Daniels (bs)

Top 10 Quartets

Dynasty • 2nd Place

Sarah Clay Lindvall (t), Toast of Tampa

Debbie Cleveland (l), Spirit of the Gulf

Michaela Slamka-Johnston (bt), Song of Atlanta

Jenny Cutlip (bs), Chapter-at-Large, #9

Region: #9, Rydal, GA, USA Score: 2835

Songs: Dynasty Family Band Intro (C. Hine), I Can Cook, Too (K. Snook), All The Things You Are (D. Wright), Dynasty Classical Medley (A. Bock), I'm Just Ken (Jen) (A. Bock)

Sirens • 3rd Place

Gina Baker (t), Spirit of the Gulf

Angie Love-Callahan (l), Spirit of the Gulf

Deanna Kastler (bt), Spirit of the Gulf

Joanie Jacques (bs), Spirit of the Gulf

Region: Wesley Chapel, FL, USA Score: 2786

Songs: New York Opener (J. Meyer, S. Neal), This Is The Moment (B. Graham), Seasons of Love (J. Meyer, S. Neal), Memory (N/A) Quattro Gatti (D. Nibler), One (N/A) I Got Rhythm (C. Hine), 7th "Barbershop" Chord (N/A), Circle Of Life Parody (N/A), Don't Rain On My Parade (S. Tramack)

Lucille • 4th Place

Erin Cardin (t), Scottsdale

Jennifer Recker (l), Chapter-at-Large, #17

Emily O’Brien (bt), Harborlites

Loren Vaughn (bs), Chapter-at-Large, #15

Region: #17, Burbank, CA, USA Score: 2752

Songs: Little Shop Of Horrors/Skid Row Medley Parody (H. Ashman), Somebody Loves Me Parody (B.G. DeSylva, B. MacDonald), If I Had My Way Parody (J. Kendis) I'm Just Ken Parody (M. Hine), How Lucky You Are (P. McAlexander),

Tenacious • 5th Place

Shannon Lange (t), Greater Cleveland

Chelsea Selvaggio (l), Greater Cleveland

Tracy Marcarello (bt), Scioto Valley

Karen Johns (bs), Gem City

Region: #4, Powell, OH, USA, 2016 Score: 2724

Songs: Eye Of The Tiger (S. McSweeney), So In Love (P. McAlexander), Who I Am (C. Selvaggio) 1812 (C. Selvaggio), Defying Gravity (J. Minshall)

Last Call • 6th Place

Lizzie Loomis (t), Skyline

Becky Maybury (l), Skyline

Lily Radack (bt), Chapter-at-Large, #8

Laura Barnick (bs), Skyline

Region: #8, Centennial, CO, USA Score: 2648

Songs: Swept Away/I Wish I Was Medley (B.Graham), I Like The Likes Of You (A. Reimnitz), What Do I Need With Love? (M. Hine), Wonderful Day Like Today/Nothing Can Stop Me Now Medley (C. Hine)

All Fired Up • 7th Place

Nancy Cloeter (t), Harbor City Music Company

Alicia Carter (l), Chapter-at-Large, #19

Dawn Adams (bt), Chapter-at-Large, #19

Kim Elger-Griffin (bs), Spirit of the Gulf

Region: #19, Enola, PA, USA Score: 2623

Songs: New York State Of Mind (K. Kitzmiller), Survior/I Will Survive (M. Hine), When Day Is Done (E. Waesche), I'm Still Standing (M. Hine)

First Class • 8th Place

Wendy Pool (t), Vocal Standard

Stacy Schumacher (l), Vocal Standard

Kristin Drummond (bt), Vocal Standard

Maria Christian (bs), Song of the Lakes

Region: #5, Louisburg, KS, USA Score: 2567

Songs: What Are You Thirsty For (S. Tramack), It Ain't Necessarily So (D. Wright), Summertime (J. Westin), Slap That Bass (P. McAlexander)

VOCE • 9th Place

Deanna Sargent (t), Millennium Magic

Cheryl Brusket (l), Chapter-at-Large, #1

Angie Kunasek (bt), Millennium Magic

Beth Paul (bs), Millennium Magic

Region: #1, Agawam, MA, USA Score: 2564

Songs: We Didn't Start The Fire Parody (L. Strielkauskas), Maybe This Time (S. Tramack) , We Didn't Start The Fire Parody (L. Strielkauskas), Man! I Feel Like A Woman (M. Hine), We Didn't Start The Fire Parody (L. Strielkauskas), Paralyzed (B. Mastrull)

Gusto! • 10th Place

Dana Entrikin (t), Oregon Coast

Stephanie Beard (l), Oregon Coast

Martha Segura (bt), Oregon Coast

Susan Smith (bs), Oregon Coast

Region: #12, Manteca, CA, USA Score: 2525

Songs: Sun In The Morning (D. Sangster), All Over The World (K. Mitzmiller), Havana (L. Bell), Fly Me To The Moon (K. Kitzmiller)

2025 International Champion Chorus

North Metro • 1st Place

Region: #16, Toronto, ONT, CAN Director: Erin Howden Score: 3018 Semifinals Songs: Hooray For Love (A. Dale), Look To The Rainbow/Somewhere Over The Rainbow Medley (C. Hine) Finals Songs: At The End Of The Day (J. Dale), I Dreamed A Dream (J. Dale), Rest Of Our Days Medley/Do You Hear The People Sing? (G. Lewis), Castle On A Cloud (J. Dale), Closer Medley: Fantine's Death: Come To Me (tune of On My Own)

Together We Rise North Metro Chorus

Alana Regular

Alma Westcott

Anna Shen

Annie Elgie

Ashaya Babiuk

Barbara Jacobs

Betty Gibson

Cagan Balakbabalar

Carol Leppan

Carol McDowell

Carrie Bronson

Cassiopeia To

Catarina Maisonville

Cathy Battah

Cathy Gillespie

Cathy Stovold

Celia Ann Wamsley

Claire McMartin

Clarisse Schneider

Colleen Drautz

Colleen Murphy

Colleen O'Dwyer

Cynthia Feltrin

Deborah Barbisan

Debra Thornton

Diana Van Wyk

Diane Harm

Diane Seaward

Donna Haug

Donna Lupson

Members on Stage North Metro Chorus

Donna Wilkie

Dorianne McKenzie

Elaine Parr

Elizabeth Selano

Ella Russell

Ellen Stroud

Erin Howden

Evelyn Elgie

Fran Lunshof

Ghislaine Walton

Grace Kahle

Heather Parker

Heather Stewart

Henrieta Paukov

Ines Ribeiro Canella

Jacqueline Barron

Jacqueline Jackson

Jamie Hinton

Jane Gillis

Jane Kitchen

Janis Stone

Jenna Kellas

Jeri MacArthur

Joan Turner

Joanne Mitchell

Joanne Southam

Julie Faux-Newman

Julie Hall

Julie Sharrard

Karen Armstrong

Katherine Withnell

Kathryn Gray

Kathy Patterson

Kelsey Dann

Kim Kataja

Kristin Ponte

Laura Gillis

Laura Norris

Lea-Anne Mohamid

Lesley Munslow

Lesley Stovold

Linda Keyes

Lindsay Gibb

Lisa Aston

Liz Johnston

Liz Rogers

Lynn Reisch

Marci Grebenc

Marg Allen

Margaret Anne St. Aubin

Margaret Cannon

Marisa Flores

Marisa Phillips

Mary Lyons

Mary Mitchell

Melanie Coulter

Nancy Elliott

Natalie Feltrin

Pamela McBride

Patti Cole

Rachel Beach

Ramola Vanderhyden

Regan McKenzie

Rhonda Towner-Van Buskirk

Robyn Dale

Samantha Zurin

Sandra MacDonald

Sandy Kelly

Sarah Pelton

Shannon Portman

Sharon Demy

Sharon Dion

Sharon Pelton

Sharon Popkey

Shelagh Wilson

Shelley Snoulten

Sue Ann Bourbonniere

Susan Lemmon

Susann McKinley

Susie Trauzzi-Van Tienen

Suzanne Askin

Thérèse Antonini

Victoria Wright

Vivian Hemsley

Vivian Hu

Wendy Shibata

Wenjie Li

Yve Moreau

Top 10 Choruses

Top 10 Choruses

Christchurch City • 5th Place

Region: #35, Christchurch, NZ Director: Virginia Humphrey-Taylor Score: 2739

Songs: Love Letters Straight From Your Heart (J. Arns), A Million Dreams (R. Harper), In The Mood (R. Craig), Surface Pressure (C. Prietto), Pepeha (R. Harker), From Now On/Come Alive Medley (A. Dale)

Westcoast Harmony • 6th Place

Region: #26, Vancouver, BC, CAN Director: Anne Downton Score: 2719

Songs: Westcoast's Perfect Package Intro (J.Minshall), It's All Been Done Before (J. Minshall), Perfection (J. Minshall), Make Someone Happy (J. Minshall)

San Diego • 7th Place

Region: #21, San Diego, CA, USA. Director: Kathleen Hansen Score: 2622

Songs: Greatest Show (J. Johnson), Will Never Pass This Way Again (C. Hine, M. Hine), I Will Survive (R. Harper), I Lived (J. Johnson)

Spirit of the Gulf • 8th Place

Region: #9, Ft. Myers, FL, USA Directors: Karen Breidert & Deanna Kastler Score: 2616

Songs: Everything's Coming Up Roses (L. Wright), Cabaret (M. Gellert), Somewhere Over The Rainbow (C. Hine), My Favorite Things (N/A), People (N/A), Til There Was You (R. Rund), Embraceable You (N/A), Born This Way (R. Krigstrom), Crazy (L. Wright), I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (M. Gellert), Respect (L. Wright)

Lace City • 9th Place

Region: #31, Nottingham, UK Director: Ellie Blackeby Score: 2552 Songs: A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square (J. Bescos), Hold My Hand (S. Gray), Perfect (F. Carter)

Motor City Blend Chorus • 10th Place

Region: #2, Detroit, MI, USA Directors: LeAnn Hazlett & Kendra LaPointe Score: 2537

Songs: It's A Lovely Day (L. Wright), Text Me Merry Christmas (L. Wright), If I Ruled The World (E. Waesche), Best Day (L. Wright)

Greater Auckland Chorus • 1st Place Divison A Region: #35, Auckland, NZ Director: Jocosa Bruce Score: 1276

Songs: Something's Coming (B.

“Yes! We did it!”

Greater Auckland Chorus

Sellers), This House Is Haunted (K. Roper), Thriller (B. McNeill), Dumb Ways To Die (K. Roper), If Ever I Would Leave You (C. Hine)

Members on Stage

Alexis Brook

Alison Norton

Andrea Pletikosic

Angela Bilbee

Angela Mueller

Anna Graham

Catherine Emily (Kate)

Wiseman

Cathy Duncan

Chika Deane

Fiona Maisey

Gayleen Blakeman

Jane Jiang (Yi Yu Jiang)

Jennifer Caldwell

Jenny Jackson

Jessica Walker

Jocosa Bruce

Jody Camp

Juliane Winter-Noakes

Kate Wong

Kathy Lopez

Kim Ward

Kirsten Ward

Kristina Roper

Lisa Chapman

Lynne Taylor

Mary Cave-Palmer

Melody Lowe

Natalie Roffey

Sejal Shah

Soo Zen Chew

Stephanie Panzic

Suzanne Berresford

2025 Harmony Classic Division AA

A Cappella Joy • 1st Place Divison AA

Region: #13,Bellevue, WA, USA Director: Nikki Blackmer Score: 1312

Songs: Solve The Mystery (A. Morris), The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (D. Wright), Pitch Pipe Sabotage (A. Morris), Pitch Pipe Resolution (A. Morris), Back in Business (D. Wright)

Taking Risks is AJoy A Cappella Joy Chorus

ACappella Joy Chorus Master Director Nikki Blackmer decided to do a “mini-musical” for Harmony Classic. It was a “whodunnit?” mystery with a full story, no pause for applause, and fully-formed characters. It was designed so the audience would choose the “criminal” by applause, then the chorus would adapt to their choice for the finale. When they found they had plenty of time to highlight all the “suspects” rather than choosing one, they did that instead.

But just think…This chorus was prepared to find out how they would end their contest performance while on stage. That’s just the kind of chorus they are: willing to take risks, hard-working, and a joy to experience, just as their name implies.

Based in the Seattle area of Washington (USA), A Cappella Joy Chorus began in 1958 as Lakeside Chorus. Blackmer became their director in 2003, and the name change came with her. Blackmer sings lead in 2017 International Champion Quartet, Frenzy with A Cappella Joy’s choreographer and artistic director, Judy Pozsgay (bass).

Chorus members range in age from “14-80-something,” and A Cappella Joy is intentional about reflecting the diversity of their community. Importantly, they also work to make sure their members feel pride in their art. After all, trust in each other is a key component of their creative risk-taking.

“Seattle is a very open place where there are a lot of different types of people,” says Nikki. “We understand that everyone comes into this art form from their own place in life and we can't just assume anything. We try to make sure that everyone is seen and heard and valued.”

That care is a core part of the chorus’s overall attitude of innovation and boundary-pushing.

“I'd say we're very irreverent,” Nikki says. “We do a lot of things differently, and I feel like we've done a pretty good job of finding our own way of what works for us. We have a very strong culture of friendship, and there are no cliques, no old timers who are set in their ways. In fact, the five people who were part of the original Lakeside Chorus are the most open to change! It’s a pretty special place.”

Judy says that sense of connection and openness is their strength.

“The culture has always been very keen and eager to learn and very open to new things” she says. “I think that's instilled from Nikki’s leadership. You attract what you put out there, so that's been a huge part of the chorus culture. Everybody pitches in when something needs to get done, and Nikki and the chorus have been very purposeful about learning to be inclusive to everybody coming in, from pronoun usage to repertoire choices to everything else. It’s definitely a welcoming atmosphere. I think that's what brings people in and why they stay.”

“We try to make sure that everyone is seen and heard and valued.”

The chorus's feelings are reflected in their widely-known nickname, AJoy.

“A couple years into us singing together as A Cappella Joy, I saw someone use ‘Ajoy’ as the shortened version of the chorus name,” says Nikki. “I kind of giggled and started using it in my chorus emails, then it caught on because Ajoy is honestly a joy to sing with, to be part of, to have in our lives. We often say we have to sing the joy of the song because that's who we are and what we do. So Ajoy is our nickname, but it's also our silent mantra to ourselves and our maybe unofficial mission statement.”

Members on Stage

Amanda Hacking

Amy Hicks

Angela Philippi

Anne Fraser

Aria Cheng

Arlene Blackmer

Betti Shook

Carol Vecchio

Carolyn Weger

Carrie Jaecksch

Christina L. Johnson

Claire Cook

Corey Colburn

Cynthia Heller

Denise Thomson

Elena Camerini

Emerson Hough

Erin A Hough

Ginny Riley

Grace Colton

Jackie Cole

Jane Lester

Janice G. McKenna

Jennifer Stucker

Jessi White

Jessica Brady

Jo Sahlin

Joy Kastrop

Judy Philippi

Judy Pozsgay

Kat Schonberg-Hamar

Katharine Francis

Katherine Erickson

Keri Hill

Kim Alley

Leah Nielson

Leigh Guptill

Lindsey Eklund

Marcy Roeder

Marie Grafwallner-Huseth

Megan Talbot

Michelle Clark

Michelle DeFreece

Mindy Engelberg

Nancy Rabel

Nikki Blackmer

Patricia Pepe

Rosanne Greenway

Samantha Gorbett

Sarah L Richards

Sharon Thomas

Shauna McDaniel

Shay Miller

Sonia Rebello

Stephanie Picioccio

Stephanie Potter

Stormy Cooke

Tamitha Carpenter

Tricia Price

Victoria Elliott

Harmony Classic Division A

(Featuring choruses with 40 or fewer singers)

Harmony Classic Division AA

(Featuring choruses with 41-75 singers)

Chapter Longevity Awards

Chapters listed in order of anniversary date.

75 Years

Colorado Spirit Chapter Louisville, Colorado, USA, #8

70 Years

High Country Chapter

Wheatridge, Colorado, USA, #8

Heart of Michigan Chapter

Breckenridge Michigan, USA, #2

San Francisco Sound Wave Chapter

San Francisco, California, USA, #12

Acapella Express Chapter Fargo, North Dakota, USA, #6

65 Years

Greater Kingston Chapter

Kingston, Ontario, Canada, #16

Melodeers Chapter

Wheeling, Illinois, USA, #3

Harborlites Chapter

Huntington Beach, California, USA, #21

Wasatch A Cappella Chapter

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, #8

Antelope Valley Showcase Chapter

Palmdale, California, USA, #11

Baton Rouge Chapter

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, #10

Choral-Aires Chapter

Addison, Illinois, #3

Vista Hills Chapter

Vista, California, USA, #21

Greater Nassau Chapter

Baldwin, New York, USA, #15

Boston Skyline Chapter

Arlington, Massachusetts, USA, #1

Heart of Long Island Chapter

Holtsville, New York, USA, #15

60 Years

Valley Forge Chapter

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA, #19

Central Coast Harmony Chapter

Arroyo Grande, California, USA, #11

Olympia Chapter

Olympia Washington, USA, #13

Pacific Empire Chapter

Petaluma, California, USA, #12

Queen Charlotte Chapter

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, #14

Westcoast Harmony Chapter

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, #26

Velvet Hills Chapter

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, #8

Metro Mix Chapter

Iowa City, Iowa, USA, #5

Fairbanks Frontier Chapter

Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, #13

55 Years

Fox Valley Chapter

Neenah, Wisconsin, USA, #6

York Harmony Chapter

Sharon, Ontario, Canada, #16

Gem City Chapter

Centerville, Ohio, USA, #4

Capital City Sound Chapter

Boise, Idaho, USA, #13

Kawartha Music Co. Chapter

Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, #16

Crossroads Harmony Chapter

Reed City, Michigan, USA, #2

50 Years

Farmington Valley Chapter

Simsbury, Connecticut, USA, #1

Minnesota Valley Chapter

North Mankato, Minnesota, USA, #6

Merrimack Valley Chapter

Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA, #1

Center Point Chapter

Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA, #6

Na Leo Lani Chapter

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, #12

Upper Chesapeake Chapter

Bel Air, Maryland, USA, #19

Topeka Acappella Unlimited Chapter

Topeka, Kansas, USA, #5

45 Years

Jersey Harmony Chapter

Princeton, New Jersey, USA, #15

Acapella North Chapter

Canton, New York, USA, #16

Vermillion Valley Show Chapter

Pontiac, Illinois, USA, #3

Aberdeen Chapter

Aberdeen, United Kingdom, #31

Mendo-Lake Chapter

Lakeport, California, USA, #12

Spirit of Harmony Chapter

Spirit Lake, Iowa, USA, #6

Vernon Kalamalka Chapter

Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, #26

River City Sound Chapter

Rockford, Illinois, USA, #3

Rolling Hills Chapter

Pasco, Washington, USA, #13

40 Years

Royal River Chapter

Yarmouth Maine, USA, #1

Heart of Essex Chapter

Essex, Ontario, Canada, #2

City of the Hills Chapter

Oneonta, New York, USA, #15

HarmonEssence Chapter

DeKalb, Illinois, USA, #3

Sunlight Chapter

Stockholm, Sweden, #32

White River Sound Chapter Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, #4

35 Years

Pacific Sound Chapter

Bellevue, Washington, USA, #13

Sooner Sensations Show Chapter

Moore, Oklahoma, USA, #25

Forth Valley Chapter

Edinburgh, United Kingdom, #31

Great Lake Sound Chapter

Valparaiso, Indiana, USA, #3

Bridger Mountain Harmony Chapter

Bozeman, Montana, USA, #13

Oregon Coast Chapter

Newport, Oregon, USA, #12

Faultline Chapter

Wellington, New Zealand, #35

30 Years

Grand Olympics Chapter

Sequim, Washington, USA, #13

Harmony Bells Stockholm Chapter

Stockholm, Sweden, #32

Capital Accord Chapter

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, #19

Singsational Chapter

Taunton, Somerset, United Kingdom, #31

Grand Harmony Chapter

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, #2

Whangarei Harmony Chapter

Whangarei, New Zealand, #35

Southern Harmony Chapter

Charleston, South Carolina, USA, #14

Murrumbidgee Magic Chapter

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia #34

Waikato Rivertones Chapter

Hamilton East, Hamilton, New Zealand, #35

Nelson Bays Harmony Chapter

Nelson, New Zealand, #35

Coastline Show Chapter

Providence, Rhode Island, USA, #1

25 Years

Millennium Magic Chapter

Manchester, Connecticut, USA, #1

20 Years

Voices of the Vasse Chapter

Busselton , Western Australia, Australia, #34

Vocal Matrix Chapter

Greenville, South Carolina, USA, #14

Shades of Harmony Chapter

Williamstown, New Jersey, USA, #19

15 Years

Milltown Sound Chapter

Wigan, United Kingdom, #31

Snowflake Singers Chapter

Umea, Sweden, #32

Viva Acappella Chapter

Kent, United Kingdom, #31

Vocal Vibes Chapter

Ringwood North, Victoria, Australia, #34

Song of Sonoma Chapter

Santa Rosa, California, USA, #12

Springfield Metro Chapter

Springfield, Missouri, USA, #25

10 Years

4-States Fusion Chapter

Texarkana , Texas, USA, #25

Singing Unlimited Chapter

Hoofddorp, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands, #31

Lady Luck Showtime Chapter

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, #11

Renée Porzel “Just Astounding”

2024 President's Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

International President Mary Rhea and the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors (IBOD) arranged with Renée Porzel’s husband, Bob, to surprise her with the announcement that she had been chosen as recipient of the 2024 Sweet Adelines International President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. When he called her to look at something on the computer, she saw the entire Sweet Adelines IBOD waiting for her.

Renée says her first reaction was, “What did I DO?!”

The real question is what didn’t she do? Renée joined the Melodeers Chorus as a lead in 1990, eventually becoming a choreographer for them and others. With her beloved Melodeers, she won seven international chorus championships. When longtime director Jim Arns retired last year, Renée was asked to take over as director – and, at their new post-COVID size, they won 2024 Harmony Classic Division AA!

That’s a lot, but it’s not all. Renée is a member of the Sweet Adelines International Faculty Program and a Certified Visual Communications Judge. She was a member of the IBOD for 15 years and served as International President from 2012-14. She coaches around the world, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she kept Sweet Adelines inspired with a series of encouraging videos.

“When COVID hit and I couldn't sing with anyone else any more, it was just next level,” she recalls. “When I look back on it now, it hits home how much gathering with my chorus, being in front of an audience, and sharing something I love to do has become part of who I am. I gained an even more intense amount of pride as a leader in our singing organization. The many ways that we pivoted and the technological advances we made were huge, and I think the ripples are still coming towards us – the waves of understanding that we have to protect this because of how much it means to our everyday lives.”

Renée attended the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana as a music education major and is a lifelong student of dance, piano, voice, and theater. Sweet Adelines brought her something more than music, however.

“Our youngest child, Ethan, is severely handicapped and lives in a residential center due to extreme cognitive and behavioral issues,” she says. He was seven months old when I joined Sweet Adelines. One night at rehearsal, I said something about my kids and the ladies beside me on the risers said, ‘You have kids?’ I felt like I was a bad mom, but I quickly realized it was because in that

room, I was not Ethan's mother, I was Renée.”

Sweet Adelines supported her and has allowed her to support others.

“The music healed me, and the emotional support of a singing family was profound.”

“I’ve had the incredible good fortune to travel and meet many parents who have children with disabilities, so I have been able to talk about our situation” she says. “Singers would come up at the end of coaching sessions and say, ‘My family's going through something similar. Thank you for talking about Ethan.’ And they would hug me. It was the most healing thing. When I first started coaching, if I talked about my kids, I would get choked up. It was very raw because he was very young, and we didn't know what his journey would be like. As Ethan also got older, I was able to talk about him and tell funny stories and anecdotes, and it just healed me. The music healed me, and the emotional support of a singing family was profound.”

Sweet Adelines are lucky to have her, but she says she’s the lucky one.

“I just feel so lucky,” she says. “It was all on the suggestion of my oldest sister who was a Sweet Adeline in Florida at the time. She suggested the Melodeers, and my mom said, ‘I'll babysit. Go to the rehearsal.’ And my husband was COMPLETELY supportive. When I joined, it was like a lightning bolt hit me. The first time I heard the Melodeers sing, I was in hook, line, and sinker within the first 15 minutes, and I have never changed my mind. This whole 35-year experience opened up in front of me, and it’s just astounding.”

Coming Full Circle (of Fifths!)

Pamela Grubb

2024 Music Educator Award Recipient

As a student at Methodist Ladies College in Perth, Western Australia, Pamela Grubb was a founding member of the college’s barbershop ensemble in 1996. When she returned as a newly graduated teacher in 2006, she became director of the barbershop ensemble and quickly dove into the Sweet Adelines world.

“I joined Perth Harmony Chorus in 2006 as professional development for directing my own school’s barbershop chorus, and I competed in both the chorus and quartet regional contest in 2007,” she writes. “I quickly realised that quartet singing was where my passion truly lay, and I have competed in four regional quartet contests over the years, winning two medals. I also coached two youth quartets, one of which won the Region 34 Novice Quartet Award in 2010.”

After having children, she left teaching and became director of music at St. Mark’s Anglican Community School, where she continued to focus on forming and coaching youth quartets. In a full-circle moment, she was recently appointed Director of Music back at Methodist Ladies College, where her musical journey began.

“The time commitment required for both quartet and chorus singing has made it difficult to participate while running a busy Music Department, so I have chosen to funnel my passion for barbershop into teaching it at school,” she says.

That passion led her to being named the recipient of this year’s Sweet Adelines International Music Educator Award. It is an honor for this dedicated musician, who says her students love singing barbershop – and her school administrators love for them to sing it, too!

“At schools where there is not a dedicated barbershop group, I enjoy introducing barbershop pieces to choirs to expose them to a different style of music,” she writes. “Starting youth quartets provides the school with a performing group that is portable, requires little set-up and can perform at a range of functions. This is a great way to raise awareness of the music program throughout your school and tends to get great support from school administration.”

Barbershop has proven popular for young singers.

“My students have absolutely loved singing barbershop,” Pamela writes. “It helps them to become better choristers as they realise that singing the same words at the same time on the right notes is merely the first step! For those singers who are not quite confident

enough to sing solo, quartetting provides a safe space to shine with support from their friends.”

She says the encouraging environment at Sweet Adelines events is great for student singers, and she is glad to see even more support for them.

“My students love going to regional contests and seeing the depth of expertise and talent on stage,” she says. “They feel like celebrities as all the Sweet Adelines are incredibly supportive and stop to say hello. The region provides fantastic support and coaching for our young people. I am so delighted that starting in 2025, Region 34 will offer a Youth Quartet Award for singers under 25.”

Pamela encourages all Sweet Adelines to reach out to young singers.

“I am honoured to receive the Music Educator Award for 2024, and I hope that more singers out there are inspired to bring this amazing art form to our young people,” she says. “There are lots of ways you can promote barbershop to young people without being a teacher yourself! My hope is that we can inspire a new generation of singers to make music an integral part of their lives.”

Pamela’s Suggestions for Quartets and Choruses

• Contact your local school and offer to bring your quartet or chorus for a performance or classroom visit.

• Send information about your concerts and workshops to schools.

• Offer free tickets to your shows.

• Invite local choir directors to your workshops and concerts.

• Invite your local school choir to perform at your next show.

Debra Griffiths Pathways and Possibilities

2024 Ann Gooch Award Recipient

In 1997, Debra Griffiths was a teacher and a young mother with two small children. She had been singing all her life, in school and later as a solo folk singer and the singer in a band.

“It was the year that my mother died, and she had always encouraged me to sing,” Debra recalls. “She had been a singer herself, and I think I just knew I needed something for myself to fill me up.”

A friend saw an advertisement for a chorus in the newspaper, so Debra decided to check it out. Endeavour Harmony Chorus (#34) was just starting, but they had a performance coming up in two weeks.

“I went on that first night, and I sat there going, ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do,’” says Debra. “So I had two weeks to learn 12 songs. I'm very appreciative that Lea Baker, the director at the time, said, ‘Come on. Learn what you can!’ It was fantastic and I was hooked from then on.”

Debra sang lead with them for twenty years and also served as a visual leader. In 2017, retirement took her family to another part of Australia.

“The wonderful thing about Sweet Adelines is you can move somewhere and find another chorus,” she says. “I knew about Bathurst Panorama Chorus, and it was just so wonderful to move there and become part of it. After a period of time, the director wanted to get back on the risers, so she stepped down and I took up being the musical director, which is a new experience for me.”

Being able to have new experiences in new places, with people from all over the world is one of Debra’s favorite things about being a Sweet Adeline. Her work to ensure that singers have the opportunity to learn barbershop music is why she is the recipient of the 2024 Ann Gooch Award. The award is presented to members from outside North America who have contributed significantly to the furtherance of barbershop in the worldwide area.

Debra’s leadership roles include regional education faculty, regional events coordinator, competition coordinator, and Australia/Japan tour coordinator for both Frenzy and LoveNotes Quartets. Deb’s nominator, Debbie McKean, praised her efforts in providing educational opportunities and raising awareness of existing resources, significantly enhancing the experience of Japanese choruses in Sweet Adelines International.

Japan has been home to Sweet Adelines choruses for forty years, but barbershop music has grown rapidly in the last few.

“Then-Worldwide Moderator Sharon Cartwright knew that my work in education had involved strategic development of drama, particularly in our state, and getting it to be a subject taught in schools, so she knew that I had experience that would translate,” says Debra. “Japan's our neighbor, in the same time zone as us, and I'd traveled there and found that barbershop singing was very popular. LoveNotes had been approached about a tour of Australia and Japan, but COVID delayed it. Once travel was open again, I was able to help coordinate that tour.”

During the lockdown, she also assisted with LoveNotes’ online education for choruses in Japan.

“Before they went to Japan, they ran an education class online,” she recalls. “People from Japan, Australia, and a few from the UK were there. As LoveNotes spoke, they were simultaneously translated to Japanese by a professional. Along the bottom of the screen, there were captions in Japanese, and then when the Japanese singers spoke, there were captions in English. Everybody was so joyful. It was one of those moments I realized how much we love this organization. It was a truly great moment where so many people were using the resources available in a difficult time so we could do the things that we loved.”

Later, when Midtown Voices Chorus (featured in the October 2024 issue of The Pitch Pipe), a chorus from Tokyo, was in development, Debra was among those who helped them through their chartering process.

“I’ve been able to facilitate a lot of activities in Japan and make connections with the help of a lot of other people who have been working there for years,” she says. “It was a case of just being able to put things out there for singers so they could start to see pathways and possibilities.”

Debra appreciates how Sweet Adelines brings people together.

“When you're a Sweet Adeline, you view the world in different layers,” she says. “You have a shared history with all these singers, and it's really a lovely thing. I hope we continue to value the global nature of our organization and that we see the connectivity we have around the world as a real strength.”

“WSoloVoce’s Play Music on the Porch Day

Anatomy of a Music Festival

hat if for one day, everything stopped – and we all just listened to the music?” That was artist Brian Mallman’s goal when he created Play Music on the Porch Day in 2014. The annual event happens on August 31.

In 2020, COVID-19 had made it unsafe for people to gather, and it was a very hard time for singers. There were no in-person rehearsals, no contests, and no gigs. Region 21 quartet SoloVoce of California (USA) was determined to stay together both as a musical unit and as a family, so once they were able to sing together with appropriate safety measures, they did. But what should they rehearse? There was no contest and no gig to work on.

That’s when baritone Jennifer French happened across a social media post for Play Music on the Porch Day.

As its name implies, the event encourages musicians to play music outside on porches, lawns, or anywhere people can come by and hear them. SoloVoce realized they could create their own porch gig!

regions of Sweet Adelines International as well as the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Several novice quartets debuted. Other highlights included Troubadour Quartet (Region #11) combining with SoloVoce for an eight-part song, and BHS chorus Pacific Coast Harmony combining with OC Sound for Bohemian Rhapsody. A sea of tents appeared as people came early to set up to get the best seat. The barbershop family was together again and enjoying the music!

In August 2023, with Region 21 blue quartet ribbons around their necks, SoloVoce headed into the year’s event. Gigs were back, but now the local barbershop community was counting on Porch Day! That year, 18 groups sang, including the first Harmony Inc. chorus to join the event. T-shirts listing the names of performing groups were available for purchase. Multiple photographers attended to capture beautiful images of the event.

They planned three porch performances, starting at lead Tracey Sandberg’s community gazebo in Harmony Grove, then at tenor Rebecca Smith’s father-in-law’s elevated porch, and finally at Coach Kim Vaughn’s cul-de-sac. They let friends and family know, and they entertained real people at real live performances! Exhausted from hauling sound gear across town, they celebrated with family dinner at bass Marina Hayden’s house.

As Porch Day 2021 approached, singers were rehearsing outdoors, but there were no gigs or contests. SoloVoce extended an open invitation to local groups to join them on a single porch – the gigantic Harmony Grove gazebo. Eight quartets and two choruses performed. One quartet sang for an audience for their very first time, having missed their contest debut due to COVID. The event ended with a distanced group sing under the amazingly resonant gazebo.

By 2022, gigs were still scarce, so SoloVoce decided to host the event again – and it exploded! That year they had 19 total groups: 13 quartets, five choruses, and one double quartet. There were men’s, women’s, and mixed groups, representing multiple

In August 2024, with new tenor Kim Alley onboard, SoloVoce headed into their 5th annual event. Region 21 Champion Quartet, PHX made the trip to Escondido to join the harmony explosion. And what an explosion it was! The tent area was three pop-ups deep to see 28 groups perform: 19 quartets, eight choruses, and one double quartet, and everyone stayed to sing together under the giant gazebo. It was a massive mass sing!

Bonnie McKibben, bass of 1990 Sweet Adelines International Champion Quartet, Panache, says, “It’s just such a fun event!! My choruses look forward to it every year. We are the last ones in the park, singing under the gazebo.”

Kim Vaughn (High Society, 1976; Savvy, 1988; A Cappella Gold, 2001) said, “This event embodies so much of what I've always loved about barbershop, which at its heart is really about singing with friends.”

SoloVoce’s goal for Make Music on the Porch Day was achieved. Everything stopped. And everyone listened to the music.

Tracey Sandberg sings lead for SoloVoce Quartet and is a member of Harborlites Chorus, both in Region 21.

As the crowd gathered, a buzz of excitement filled the air. The long-awaited Coronet Club Show had finally arrived, though for this night, the vibe felt unexpectedly different. Our beloved Coronets, typically gracing the show venue in elegant gowns and sparkling crowns, made their grand entrance decked out in playful Halloween costumes. To everyone’s delight, they led the audience in a vibrant costume parade and conga line around the arena. Then, in a thrilling twist, the top three costumes were rewarded with prime seats in the pit area, right behind the newly crowned Queens, for the entire show!

The week of contests in Kansas City had been exhilarating, with each competitor continuously pushing the boundaries of excellence. What an incredible showdown! By the end, we all exhaled together, feeling as if we’d been up on that stage ourselves. Ultimately, the Quartet Contest crowns went to Clever Girl — Neyla Pekarek, Ashley Tabares, Holly Janda, and Taylor Daniels — whose stellar performances and unforgettable entertainment package brought the house down. Following tradition, our new Queens entered the arena to Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, welcomed by the audience’s rhythmic applause.

As the lights dimmed and eerie music filled the air, our charismatic announcer, Mike Maino, set the tone, declaring, “NOTHING is as scary as Queens of Harmony haunting the Earth!!”

With that, the lights blazed up, revealing Karen Breidert (Jubilation, 1985 and The Buzz, 2005), leading the chorus in a powerful Halloween Medley, masterfully arranged by the brilliant Melody Hine. This lively medley featured cameo appearances from Martini (2012), a second quartet of Queens (Nancy Cloeter, Lori Crouter, Mary Duncan, and Janell Lind), and our special guests for the evening, Midtown. The haunting opener was followed by a spirited rendition of The Champion Strut, led by Liz Hardcastle (Ambiance, 1986), with Lady A Cappella (2024) at center stage, getting the whole audience up and dancing. From that moment on, Liz kept us laughing and entertained as our sharp-witted Master of Ceremonies for the night.

After the opening numbers, the audience was moved by two heartfelt video tributes celebrating milestones: the 1999 International Champion Quartet Rumors, marking their 25th anniversary, and the 1974 International Champion Quartet The Sounds of Music, commemorating their 50th. The spooky evening showcased captivating sets from The Ladies (2023), LoveNotes (2014), Martini (2012), Lustre (2018), and a special cameo by Class Ring (2019), with the fabulous Kris Wheaton stepping in on bass.

The audience was spellbound once again by the sensational Midtown, 2023 International Quartet Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Their vocal harmonies captivated everyone, culminating in a powerful rendition of their signature song, Spiderman.

As if that weren’t enough, The Starlettes then took the stage, offering a brilliant glimpse into the present and promising future of barbershop. These singers, proudly adorned with gold medals (and a few crowns!) delivered breathtaking harmonies under the direction of LoveNotes’ baritone Caitlin Castelino. It’s clear that the future of our organization shines brightly in such talented hands. The chorus then treated the audience to a beautiful rendition of Kansas City Blues, led by Sandy Wright (Ambiance, 1986) and composed and arranged by the legendary Renee Craig,

the founding member of the Coronet Club.

As is the cherished tradition, the 2024 international champion quartet Lady A Cappella was formally inducted into the Coronet Club as the chorus joined in a heartfelt rendition of the Coronet Waltz, directed by Marilyn Conlan (Yankee Misses, 1959). The song stirred deep emotions, bringing back beautiful memories, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience—or on stage.

They say all good things must come to an end, and what an ending it was! Diane Huber (Ambiance, 1986) led the chorus in Jazz Ladies Ride, one of many songs made famous by her quartet, ending with an explosive tag and closing out a truly spectacular show.

The Coronets look forward to singing in Columbus, Ohio, in 2025 and are already planning a memorable evening for you

Cindy LeMasters sang baritone with the 1994 Queens of Harmony, Showtime and achieved regional champion titles in 2016 and 2017 with Premier Quartet. Currently, she sings bass with the Spirit of the Gulf Chorus and serves as the Communications Coordinator for Region 9's Top Hat Club.

Central Coast Harmony Chapter, #11

Peggy Barnard Cincinnati Sound Chapter, #4

Sally Beck Cranberry Shores Chapter, #1

Marilyn Block Chapter-at-Large, #15

Heather BolducSounds of Superior Chapter, #6

Barbara BondarEvergreen Chapter, #15

Barbara BraxtenBoston Skyline Chapter, #1

Sheryl Brunner Windsong Chapter, #8

Lucienne Byrne Harmony Celebration Chapter, #15

Melva CarterPride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Sharon Chadsey Harborlites Chapter, #21

Carol Christopher Tulsa Metro Sound Chapter, #25

Clare Cooper Chinook Winds Show Chapter, #26

Jeannette Corrigan Sacramento Valley Chapter, #12

Geraldine Dawe Chinook Winds Show Chapter, #26

Lois Dennis Buffalo Gateway Chapter, #17

Milana Dennis Top of the Rock Chapter, #25

Peggy DiSunno Long Island Sound Chapter, #15

Thea DiSunno Long Island Sound Chapter, #15

Marguerite DurlandPotomac Harmony Chapter, #14

Joyce Engel Columbia River Chapter, #13

Christine Ferguson Royal River Chapter, #1

Jean Flinn Greater Cleveland Chapter, #17

Ronna Fly Rich-Tone Chapter, #25

Lu Fox Sounds of The Valley Chapter, #12

Margaret Freyvogel Altoona Chapter, #19

Maureen Gagnon Coastline Show Chapter, #1

Sharon Galbraith Greater Harrisburg Chapter, #19

Nancy Geiger Sounds of Pittsburgh Chapter, #17

Barbara Godwin Melodeers Chapter, #3

Melanie Graham Five Valley Chapter, #13

Cathie Grant Vienna-Falls Chapter, #14

Joan Grootwassink City of Lakes Chapter, #6

Dorothy Harrison Border Lakes, #2

Nancy Hayden Zumbro Valley Chapter, #6

Martha Hendry Chapter-at-Large, #13

Connie Hill Indi-Anna Chapter, #17

Debbie Hite Pride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Christine Huebschen Member-at-Large

Candace Johnson Five Valley Chapter, #13

Barbara Kelly Harbor City Music Company Chapter, #19

Linda Kelsey Member-at-Large

Tina Knipp River Blenders Chapter, #5

Betty Jo Kraus Chapter-at-Large, #13

Judy La Bor Song of Atlanta Chapter, #14

Pamela Leibow Member-at-Large

Carol Leonard Altoona Chapter, #19

Bernice Lysiak-Hannan Chapter-at-Large, #9

Vickie Maybury Skyline Chapter, #8

Ruth McAllister ChannelAire Chapter, #11

Faye McLanahan Sound of Sunshine Chapter, #9

Connie Milestone Spirit of the Gulf Chapter, #9

Joey Minshall Westcoast Harmony Chapter, #26

Susan O'Brien City of Lakes Chapter, #6

Jeannie Paik Member-at-Large

Eva Patten Choral-Aires Chapter, #3

Christine Perry Fenton Lakes Chapter, #2

Karen Pritchard-Choy Member-at-Large

Marsha Ray Member-at-Large

Patricia Reigel Riverport Chapter, #3

Diana Riley San Diego Chorus Chapter, #21

Elizabeth Rupert Upper Chesapeake Chapter, #19

Mary Sue Ryan Pride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Ginny Saucier Sound of New England Chapter, #1

Carolyn Schmidt Hickory Tree Chapter, #15

Sue Schneider Harmony on the Sound Chapter, #1

60-YEAR MEMBER AWARDS

Sharon Beaver City of Lakes Chapter, #6

Joan Eckert Member-at-Large

Linda Fausey Columbus Chapter, #4

Vicki Gibson Member-at-Large

Donna Graham Chapter-at-Large, #25

Darlene Haag Sacramento Valley Chapter, #12

Carol Hooper Riverport Chapter, #3

Penny Johnson Chapter-at-Large, #3

Carol Lees Greater Cleveland Chapter, #17

Suzy Lobaugh Chapter-at-Large, #4

Dale Maglia Member-at-Large

Syrl Mandel Member-at-Large

Susan McBride Jet Cities Chapter, #13

Wanda Morrow Chapter-at-Large, #11

Jane Perrin Velvet Hills Chapter, #8

Priscilla Schoelzel Chapter-at-Large, #1

Jan Seales Pride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Donna Smith Capital City Chapter, #4

Jean Smith* Chinook Winds Show Chapter, #26

Lynn Smith Member-at-Large

Jan Streiff Chapter-at-Large, #12

Lucille Summy Harmony Central Chapter, #5

Elfi Schreyer Evergreen Chapter, #15

Lynn Schuldt Midwest Harmony, #3

Carol Schumacher Kansas City Chapter, #5

Diane Sherley Gainesville Harmony Show Chapter, #9

Mary Lee Shoback Velvet Hills Chapter, #8

Cynthia Shook Queen Charlotte Chapter, #14

Candy Skedel Midwest Crossroad Chapter, #3

Carol Slater Fairbanks Frontier Chapter, #13

Jean Smith River Bend Chapter, #17

Lynne Smith Harborlites Chapter, #21

Melody Squires Spirit of the Gulf Chapter, #9

Holly St. John Chapter-at-Large, #9

Judith Stallknecht Houston Horizon Chapter, #10

Natalie Stephenson Palo Duro Metro Chapter, #25

Bonnie Strauss River Lights Chapter, #12

Arline Stull Sounds of The Valley Chapter, #12

Joy Summers Member-at-Large

Alison Tkach Chapter-at-Large, #26

Peg Towns Mission Valley Chapter, #12

Julia Twitty Carolina Style Chapter, #14

Linda Uram Member-at-Large

Kim Vaughn San Diego Chorus Chapter, #21

Jeannie Vercillo Verdugo Hills Chapter, #11

Betty Jean Vermue Chapter-at-Large, #16

Linda Vetter Lehigh Valley Chapter, #19

Renee Walsh Heart of Maryland Chapter, #19

Deborah Warwick Chapter-at-Large, #1

Cydney Wentsel Harbor City Music Company Chapter, #19

Suzanne White City of Lakes Chapter, #6

June Wyne Indi-Anna Chapter, #17

Mary Jo Zgonc City of Lakes Chapter, #6

Babs Zielke Scenic City Chapter, #4

Gail Miernicki Central Coast Harmony Chapter, #11

Janice Saundry Member-at-Large

Patricia Teorey Chapter-at-Large, #6

Pat Vozza Member-at-Large

Helen Walz-Gutowski Motor City Blend Chapter, #2

Carolyn Ward Chapter-at-Large, #6

Judith Wilmot Island Grove Chapter, #1

Beryl Wilson Member-at-Large

Betty Wiseman Toast of Champaign Chapter, #3

*deceased

HarmonyRoundup Harmony Roundup is a place to share your adventures and achievements!

Let us know what your chorus or quartet has been doing in your community. Email your submissions and photos to communications@sweetadelines.com.

Where We Sang:

Several Sweet Adelines sang national anthems at sporting events. Singing the Canadian national anthem were London Chorus (#2) at Game 1 of the London Majors’ 2024 Playoffs, Best-ofFive Quarterfinal – Series C. Singing the U.S. national anthem were Equilibrium Quartet (#12) at a Eugene Emeralds baseball game; Voices in Harmony Chorus (#17) at a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game; Acapella Express Chorus (#6) at a North Dakota State University Bison soccer match; and Coastline Show Chorus (#1) at a Providence Bruins hockey match. White River Sound Chorus (#4) sang at the Indiana State Fair. River Blenders Chorus (#5) sang at the St. Louis Art Fair.

How We Sang:

Several Region #34 ensembles participated in the Barbershop Harmony Australia competition in September. In the women’s chorus category, Brindabella Chorus took first place, and Coastal Charisma took second. In the women’s quartet contest, Skylark Quartet took first place, Treble Makers second, and Luminous third. At the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) Competition in Killarney, Maverick Quartet (#32) and Viva Acappella Chorus (#31) placed second in their categories. Unlimited Quartet LTD (#35) are the 2024 Barbershop Harmony New Zealand Women’s Quartet Champion

and took third place in the overall competition. Idaho Falls A Cappella Chorus (#8) was awarded the Silver Medal for Non-Profit Organization in the 2024 Best of Greater Idaho Falls Magazine Contest. Muddy Stilettos (#31) took first place and Fifth & Madison Quartet (#31) took second in the 2024 Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers competition in November.

Why We Sang:

Every year, Indian Blue Chorus (#34) chooses a local community organization to support.This year they supported No Limits Perth, a community organisation that provides critical emergency support for disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals in Perth's northern suburbs. Chorus members contributed goods to support the No Limits Christmas hamper appeal. Honolulu Blend Show Chorus (#21) sang and participated in their local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in support of breast cancer research. Gateway Chorus (#17) was represented in the Sing With Love Choir, an event in Edmonton, Alberta (CAN) at which singers from 96 choirs and choruses came together to sing in support of the trans community. Members of Battlefords Blend Chorus (#26) raised $4,724.55 (CAN) at a performance fundraiser for TeleMiracle 48, a charitable drive in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (CAN).

Whangerai Harmony Chorus with guests from SouthCity Soundz Chorus (both #35) performed at the Whangerai Maritime Festival.

York Harmony Chorus (#16) performed at The Thomas Foster Memorial in Uxbridge, joined by Fourtitude and On Track quartets (both #16). The Thomas Foster Memorial was built in 1936, with architecture inspired by the Taj Mahal.

Region 34’s Coastal a Cappella Chorus and Aurora Australis

(pictured) performed at the Blackheath

Grand Rapids Chorus (#17) visited Ireland in September. They performed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh (Northern Ireland), Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas in Galway, and St. Mary’s Church of Ireland in Killarney (shown)..

On October 15, Greater Harmony Chorus (#17) lit candles and sang Lean On Me at their friends and family concert in honor and support of the International Wave of Light, an event that is part of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

Circle of Harmony Chorus (#16) performed at the Culture Days festival in Oakville, Ontario (CAN).

Enchanted Mesa Show Chorus (#21) performed at the New Mexico State Fair.

Chorus

Choir Festival.

Geelong Harmony Chorus (#34) sang at a citizenship ceremony in their city.

Hot Ginger Chorus (#34) performed at Festuri Multicultural Music Festival.

Lone Star Chorus (#10) performed at the Saginaw Train & Grain Festival.

Murrumbidgee Magic (#34) won three sections and were runnerup in a fourth at the Wagga Eisteddfod 2024.

Lehigh Valley Chorus (#19) has sung the U.S. national anthem during Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs season every year since their opening season in 2008.

Midtown Voices Chorus (pictured) and The Harmonix Chorus (both Sat. #30) performed at the 2nd Barbershop Chorus Festival in Tokyo.

One Voice Chorus (#4) performed for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP) in downtown Indianapolis.

During their retreat in McCarthy, Alaska (USA), Rewind Quartet (#13) hiked a glacier and held a 45-minute concert for the community to raise funds for the Wrangell Mountains Center, an environmental conservation organization.

Vocalescence (#34) received a gold ranking in the open age category at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod in Robina, Queensland (AUS).

Harmony Northwest Chorus (#13) sang on the steps of the Skagit County Courthouse to celebrate Constitution Day and the 100th Anniversary of the courthouse.

Indi-Anna Chorus

sang the U.S. national anthem for InFirst Bank Veteran's Marathon in Indiana, Pennsylvania (USA).

Sounds of Pittsburgh Chorus (#17) sang at the Heinz History Center.

Wollongong Harmony Chorus (#34) performed at the Rotary Club of Kiama Festival of Choirs.

(#17)

Save the Date!

Planned Giving Virtual Event

March 12, 2025 • 4 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. UTC

Guest Speaker: Amanda Ferrari, JD

Legacy & Philanthropic Counsel & Advisor

Join us for an exclusive virtual event to explore the meaningful legacy that planned giving can create for Sweet Adelines International.

This event will offer an opportunity to learn how you can provide lasting support for Sweet Adelines International while enjoying potential financial benefits, including significant tax savings. Through a future gift as part of your estate or as an immediate gift with income returns, your contribution can help us carry forward our mission for years to come.

For more information about this event contact Susan Smith at susan@sweetadelines.com.

Visit the Sweet Adelines website to learn more about planned giving at www.sweetadelines.com/give/planned-giving

Amanda J. Ferrari, JD, Legacy and Philanthropic Counsel and Advisor, is an estate and gift planning leader widely known for her extensive knowledge of gift planning strategies and techniques. Amanda has the ability to provide creative gift solutions that support donor goals based on sound estate planning and financial principles. Amanda presented a virtual seminar on Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Sweet Adelines members in October 2022. Her presentation generated lots of interest in the many ways our members can create a Legacy Gift.

Membership Retention Committee Update

Connection, enthusiasm, engagement!

Sweet Adelines love introducing new singers to our beloved art form. For the last two years, we focused on bringing in new members and encouraging members to return to the risers. Sweet Adelines deserve a huge “thank you” for making the Ignite The Sound initiative such a fantastic success! Your hard work brought in many new members, which is truly wonderful!

Our next challenge is to keep new and existing members engaged and excited about being part of our vibrant community.

As we move forward, it is essential to implement strategies that foster ongoing enthusiasm and connection. Engaging every member involves creating an environment where they feel valued and included, ensuring ample opportunities for active participation in chorus and quartet activities. By nurturing these relationships, we can build a strong, lasting community that thrives together.

Over the past few years, the Membership Retention Committee has been diligently working to enhance member engagement throughout the organization. In close collaboration with Regional Membership Coordinators, we have implemented a range of proactive strategies to address potential membership challenges, including the following:

• Regular chapter health assessments

• Specialized training for Regional Membership Coordinators

• Initiatives designed to foster a strong sense of belonging

A great emphasis is placed on encouraging chapters to continually inspire, educate, challenge, and include every member, recognizing that ongoing engagement is crucial for retention. Our overarching goal is to assist regions and chapters in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where every Sweet Adeline feels valued and integral to their community.

We are so excited about the launch of Mission: Retention! This initiative is equipped with the resources needed to help your chorus thrive. Since the introduction of the first Retention Challenge in August, chapters have embraced the Mission: Retention Playbook, customizing its strategies to meet their unique needs and cultures. Through creative adaptations, they have successfully enhanced their retention efforts. By analyzing membership data, chapters are identifying trends that inform

future strategies, ensuring that every member feels valued and connected.

Several chapters have implemented innovative strategies to enhance member retention and engagement, including the following:

• Establishing "Buddy Systems" that pair new members with experienced ones

• Offering "Skills Workshops" for personal and musical growth

• Developing online programs to keep remote members connected

• Scheduling regular social events

• Initiating mentorship programs for emerging leaders

• Organizing "Barbershop Book Clubs" focused on music theory and history

• Utilizing communication apps to keep members informed and engaged

These diverse approaches illustrate our chapters' commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages ongoing participation and personal growth within the Sweet Adelines community.

As Sweet Adelines International continues to flourish and adapt, the Membership Retention Committee is dedicated to making every member feel they're an irreplaceable part of our musical family. We cherish our diverse backgrounds and experiences, recognizing that these differences create the beautiful harmony that defines us. Our goal is to cultivate an atmosphere where each voice is not just heard, but celebrated!

As we look to the future, let’s set ambitious goals for the next phase of our retention journey. Together, we can ensure that every Sweet Adeline feels a sense of belonging, valued, connected, and eager to continue harmonizing with us for many years to come!

Membership Retention Committee members are Chair Mary Teed (Alberta Northern Lights Chorus), Annika Christensen (Key Town Eskilstuna Chorus), Molly Huffman (One Voice Chorus), and Melynnie Williams (Wichita Chorus).

Second of a three-part series on singing non-barbershop a cappella music

A Cappella… Put A Little Pop In Your Barbershop

Lessons in pop a cappella

Barbershop music is and will always be the core of the Sweet Adelines experience, but sometimes our audiences have trouble connecting to it. I like to use other styles of a cappella to hook our audiences and then draw them in with the barbershop that we’re known for. Learning to authentically perform pop a cappella is a great way to reach the public where they are, and then broaden their experience into the barbershop world. So, let’s dig a little deeper into what makes “pop a cappella” different from barbershop.

Pop music sung in the contemporary a cappella style can take many forms. One of the most common forms for an uptempo pop song is one soloist singing the melody, two to four (or more) harmony parts singing background vocals, a rhythmic bass singer, and sometimes a vocal percussionist. This style is all about sounding like a soloist and a “backup band”. The soloist sings the lyrics of the song, but all the other singers try to sound like instruments by singing “nonsense syllables” with specific tonal qualities that evoke a particular sound. That’s quite different from barbershop! The music theory used in a pop a cappella arrangement follows different rules and guidelines, and allows much more flexibility and variety in the choice of chords used. There are differences from barbershop in the areas of balance and blend, vocal tone or timbre, vowel shapes, and word diction. The primary goal of pop a cappella is to represent the sound of a pop band as authentically as possible.

Many of the arrangements we sing today outside of the “two song contest” environment can be considered a hybrid mix of barbershop and contemporary a cappella: “pop music arranged in the barbershop style.” These arrangements have some characteristics of barbershop (e.g., melody in the second voice, homophonic harmony on portions of the song, etc.) while also incorporating characteristics of contemporary a cappella (e.g., rhythmic nonsense syllables in harmony parts, expanded chord selections, different song form, etc.). Also, many groups are embracing pure contemporary a cappella arrangements to add variety and interest to their repertoire.

This isn’t anything new… for a long time we’ve been taking popular music into our shows and performances. But lately there seems to be an explosion of pop-style arrangements being published by our barbershop arranging community, and an everincreasing desire to sing these in a more authentic pop style as an

expansion of our singing repertoire and skills. The Sweet Adelines mission statement was updated in 2019 to include for the first time the recognition that we sing (and learn about) both barbershop and other a cappella music. We aren’t leaving barbershop behind by any means! We want to ensure that our ensembles are singing the most genuine, authentic performances of music possible, whether in the barbershop style or other styles of a cappella. So, let’s talk about some skills and techniques that we learn to enhance the authenticity of our non-barbershop performances.

Pop Vocal Tone

With so many influences from different styles of music, pop vocal tone can be difficult to describe. But in general, the lead/soloist voice in pop a cappella style favors a belted/chestdominated timbre. Soloists in pop a cappella should learn a good belt technique to carry the pop sound on the solos of this music. Lead sections (or whichever section has the melody) may have trouble blending if they’re all belting, so experimentation within the ensemble will be helpful. The harmony voices should have more of a mixed-voice approach which is more similar to a strong barbershop sound.

Other elements featured in the pop style include the use of a breathy tone and intentional voice cracks. Using these types of tonal differences can really enhance the authenticity of a pop-style song in our ensembles’ performances

Vibrato

Lead/solo singers in pop can liberally apply vibrato to their performance to add expression and energy, but as in barbershop, background/harmony singers need to limit vibrato to allow stronger lock of chords.

Placement and Vowels

In barbershop we seek a bright, forward placement of tone supported by fully resonated sound, on evenly and openly resonated vowels. In pop, the desired tone is also bright and forward, more forward than barbershop at least for the melody

singer(s). In barbershop, we generally want all four parts to match their resonance, placement and vowel shape. The harmony singers in pop should sing slightly taller vowels and a slightly less bright tone than the melody, so that the melody/soloist can stand out more.

Diction

In barbershop we want clear words all the time, while also sounding like conversational language. In pop, a similar approach applies, though the requirement for “clear words” may be more relaxed. In particular, consonants in pop music are often softened quite a bit. Most final consonants disappear, and consonants in the middle of words are less sharp. For example:

“Little” becomes “liddle”

“That I” becomes “thad I”

“Stop letting” becomes “sto bledding”

“Think it” becomes “thing git”

Vowels are modified in pop to sound more relaxed, particularly on a solo delivery. (“Baby” becomes “baybeh”). “Oh” vowels sometimes close to the “oo” sound when sustained. (“Go out” becomes “Go-oo out). The “g” of “ing” endings is often modified to “in’” with the vocalist sustaining the closed “n” instead of the “ih” (“singiiiiiiiiiing” becomes “singinnnnnnn”)

Riffs, Runs, Scoops

One big difference we often hear in a pop delivery is the use of extra notes before, between or after notes. These melismatic phrases add ornamentation to the melody. We can add a lot of pop authenticity to our performances by adding a few of these pop embellishments with careful rehearsal to ensure they’re in synch and in tune. Here are two examples of how I’ve taught my chorus to incorporate some simple embellishments into our performance of the pop song Unwritten, originally by Natasha Bedingfield:

Original: With embellishment:

Original:

With embellishment:

Rehearsing the Ensemble

Rehearsing these pop-style elements in the ensemble is really no different from rehearsing barbershop skills. It’s a matter of articulating the desired outcome, working on it, and providing feedback. As an ensemble develops more singing skills specific to the barbershop style, they are also developing the aptitude to learn other styles. I like to think of the pop style elements as “another category of embellishments” to add to our singing skills toolbox. Give it a go! Take a look at your repertoire and see where you might be able to incorporate some pop elements and stylistic choices to make your non-contest music sound just that much more engaging to the audience. It’s fun, it’s rewarding, and it will make your ensemble a higher skilled and more entertaining one!

Jenny Harris sings bass with 2018 International Champion Quartet Lustre and directs The Annapolis Blend Chorus (#19). She is a member of Harbor City Music Company Chorus (#19) and serves on the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors.

Learn how you can honor a member, director, leader or any Sweet Adeline who has made an impact on your life.

COMING MARCH 2025

Virtual Memorial Wall

Honor the memory of a Sweet Adeline by having their name added to the new Sweet Adelines International Virtual Memorial Wall. Memorial donations help continue the legacy of our beloved members by providing funds for the events, education, and other programs that keep our organization thriving.

To find out how to give a memorial gift in the name of a Sweet Adeline, visit www.SweetAdelines.com/Give or email Becky Duncan, Assistant Director of Philanthropy at becky@sweetadelines.com.

In Memory • October-December 2024

Marilyn Rogers

Chapter-at-large, #3

Priscilla Apostol

Motor City Blend, #2

Katherine Schwarz

Scioto Valley, #4

Darcel Bolser Cincinnati Sound, #4

Merriann Cree

Sacramento Valley, #12

Dody Morehouse

White Spruce City, #26

Anita Wolfe

Kansas City, #5

Miriam Lips

Wellington City, #35

Camellia Wells

Liberty Oak, #15

Jan Daly

Baton Rouge, #10

Memorial Gifts

Pat Spears

Lake Country

June Gibson Page

Lake Country

Tommi Dobson

New Revue Quartet

Clara Simmons

Acapella North, #16

Dale Syverson

Rich-Tone, #25

Darleen Savoie

Lions Gate, #26

Jenna Rassmussen City of Lakes, #6

Susan Waters

Buffalo Gateway, #17

Jane Schoenfeld

Greater Cleveland, #17

Judy Barner Greater Harrisburg Chapter, #19

Gwendolyn Garrison Chapter-at-Large, #5

Former Sweet Adelines honored with a Memorial Gift

Beverly Swan

White Sails A Cappella

Edith Davis

Jersey Harmony

Wendy Hamilton City of Lakes

Kathy Carmody

Velvet Hills

Betty Williams

Voices in Harmony

Peggy Larson

Grand Rapids

Accolades

Advanced to Certified Director

Marilee Wexstaff, A Cappella Bella, #2

Cindy Sommerville, Shoreline Sound, #2

Claudia Stewart, Grand Harmony, #2

Kim Bachand, Motor City Blend, #2

Mary Mamer, Oregon Coast, #12

Kay Awtrey, Heart of the Pines, #10

Laurel Peterson, Riverport, #3

Accolades as of December, 2024 Diamond State Chorus Seeks New Director!

Laura Schultz, Bay Area Showcase, #12

Kristi Bispo, Sacramento Valley, #12

Advanced to Harmony 500 Director

Dave Carlisle, River Blenders Chapter, #5

Advanced to Master Director

Amanda Sky Harris, Spirit of Syracuse Chapter, #15

Alicia Caron, Spirit of Syracuse, #15

DSC is an award-winning chorus of enthusiastic singers based in Wilmington, Delaware. We are searching for an energetic, engaging individual with strong musical and leadership skills to take us to the next level. For more information visit www.diamondstatechorus.org

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