The Pitch Pipe January 2016 by thepitchpipemagazine

THE

pitchpipemagazine.com | JANUARY 2016 | Volume 69 — No.3

PITCHPIPE T H E

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SPEED OF SOUND 2016 International Champion Quartet

CAROLINA HARMONY CHORUS 2016 DIVISION A CHAMPION CHORUS • REGION #14, RALEIGH, N.C. •

January 2016 • Volume 69 — No.3

THEPITCHPIPE

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39 RNATIONA TE L IN

2016 GLOBAL OPEN HOUSE

Fe a t u r e s

In Every Issue

7 2016 International Board

3 From Our President 5 From Our CEO 44 The Lowdown

of Directors Election Results

11 A Quest to be Queen Speed of Sound 2016 International Champion Quartet

19 Champions to the Core

Scottsdale Chorus 2016 International Champion Chorus

33 Lifetime Achievement Award

Karen Breidert, Sprirt of the Gulf, Region #9

35 Celebrating Membership Milestones 39 C’EST LA VIE

Accolades, In Memory, Classifieds

45 Member Profile

Peggy Gram,Top of the Rock Chorus, Region #25

47 Harmony Round Up 48 Regional Calendar 2016

2015 Rising Star Champion Quartet

42 Las Vegas 2016

2016 Event Information and Registration

46 Ring in the New Year with Chords of Harmony 2016 Global Open House

JANUARY 2016 | T HEPIT C H P IP E

2016 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:

AT A GLANCE CHORUS CHAMPION: Scottsdale Chorus

QUARTET CHAMPION: Speed of Sound

HARMONY CLASSIC DIVISION A CHAMPION: Carolina Harmony Chorus

HARMONY CLASSIC DIVISION AA CHAMPION: River Blenders Chorus

CHORUS TOP 10: 2ND PLACE: North Metro Chorus 3RD PLACE: Toast of Tampa Show Chorus 4TH PLACE: Scioto Valley Chorus 5TH PLACE: Lions Gate Chorus 6TH PLACE: Stockholm City Voices Chorus 7TH PLACE: San Diego Chorus 8TH PLACE: Harbor City Music Company Chorus 9TH PLACE: Greater Nassau Chorus 10TH PLACE: Endeavour Harmony Chorus

QUARTET TOP 10: 2ND PLACE: Frenzy 3RD PLACE: Lustre 4TH PLACE: Windsor 5TH PLACE: Finesse 6TH PLACE: Milli Blink 7TH PLACE: HEAT 8TH PLACE: ClassRing 9TH PLACE: Glow 10TH PLACE: CRUSH

HARMONY CLASSIC DIVISION A: 2ND PLACE: Millennium Magic Chorus 3RD PLACE: Oregon Spirit Chorus 4TH PLACE: Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus 5TH PLACE: Bathurst Panorama Chorus

HARMONY CLASSIC DIVISION AA: 2ND PLACE: DaleDiva Chorus 3RD PLACE: Pacific Empire Chorus 4TH PLACE: Jacksonville Harmony Chorus 5TH PLACE: Farmington Valley Chorus

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TC H P I P E

PITCHPIPE JANUARY 2016 | Volume 69 — No.3

SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL A worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education, competition and performance.

_________________________________________ INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Dr. Kelly Bailey Chief Executive Officer Tammy Talbot Chief Operating Officer Richard Huenefeld Chief Financial Officer Lauren Stark Acting Editor-in-Chief Vicki Albright Associate Editor Thérèse Antonini • Sallie Hollis • Marianne Hartford Dottie Foley • Danielle Spacey • Marcia Pinvidic • Peggy Gram Lauren Kirkpatrick • Jana Gutenson • River Blenders Chorus Speed of Sound • C'eSt La Vie Contributors Ben Larscheid Graphic Designer John Read Photography • Joey Bertsch Tate Mckenzie Photography • Claire Gardiner Photography Brenda Monroe Sales & Advertising Manager 918.622.1444 • sales@sweetadelines.com INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS May 1, 2015 - April 30, 2016 Marcia Pinvidic, International President Renée Porzel, Immediate Past President Paula Davis, President-Elect Joan Boutilier, Secretary Patty Cobb Baker, Treasurer Thérèse Antonini Anne Cargill Peggy Gram Cammi MacKinlay Carole Persinger Dale Syverson Jeanne d’Arc (JD) Crowe EDUCATION DIRECTION COMMITTEE Betty Clipman, Chair Joan Boutilier Cammi MacKinlay Diane Porsch Carole Persinger EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Anne Cargill Sharon Cartwright Paula Davis Cammi MacKinlay Janice McKenna ______________________________________ Sweet Adelines International members receive The Pitch Pipe as a benefit of their membership. Additional annual subscriptions are available for $12/year U.S. or $24/year Outside U.S. SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS & ADDRESS CHANGES: The Pitch Pipe 9110 S. Toledo Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137 Telephone 918.622.1444 • Toll-free 800.992.7464 Fax 918.665.0894 • www.sweetadelines.com Office hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CST) Direct all correspondence, editorial copy, and photographs to: Communications Department; communications@sweetadelines.com www.pitchpipemagazine.com Deadlines are 60 days prior to publication. Not all submissions will be published. ______________________________________ THE PITCH PIPE (ISSN 0882-214X) (USPS 603-060) is published quarterly: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 by Sweet Adelines International, Periodicals paid at Tulsa, OK and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE PITCH PIPE 9110 S. Toledo Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137 Canadian Post Agreement Number: 1453408. Send Canadian change of address information and blocks of undeliverable copies to: P.O. Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7 Entire contents are copyright © 2016 by Sweet Adelines International. All rights reserved.

F R OM O URP RE SI D E NT

NEW IDEAS, NEW GOALS & NEW ACTIONS

t’s a new year and time for new ideas, new goals and new actions. It’s also a time to reflect on the past year and celebrate our successes, identify our challenges and use those experiences to move forward with new energy.

organization does depend upon it! … You are our best billboard, our most effective promotional video and our community service announcement. You are our word of mouth. You are Sweet Adelines International.”

In our fast-changing world where so many things could make us sad and regretful, the need for music and harmony is greater than ever. The taste for the sounds of a cappella singing is fierce and our desire to bring more women from all walks of life and every corner of the world is stronger than ever. We need new ideas, new goals, and, most importantly, new actions to continue to be successful.

Then the “I am Sweet Adelines” presentation was given and, as the week progressed, everyone was embracing it. Each of the incredibly talented women who proclaimed, “I am Sweet Adelines” made my heart sing. We truly do have the power of our combined energy and talent to make our organization the best kind of organization — one which serves our members and the communities in which we live.

As president, I am offered so many suggestions and good ideas. Your creativity, concern and energy is so inspiring! The hard work of the IBOD, Headquarters Staff, Committees and Task forces in gathering and sharing ideas, setting goals and taking action to safeguard our future is amazing.

So, the next time you ask, “Has Sweet Adelines ever thought of … ?,” the answer is “Yes!” because YOU thought of it and YOU are Sweet Adelines. You are capable of doing anything of which you can conceive.

In my State of the Organization address in Las Vegas I said, “You are our ambassadors and when people ask you about Sweet Adelines sell it like your life depended upon it — because we know, the life of our

I am very optimistic about the future of this wonderful organization of ours. We are financially sound, and the future is looking even stronger in this area with the new business model that Kelly and her staff are utilizing in our contract negotiations, asset management and careful budgeting. Several task forces have been appointed to exam-

ine our programs including Membership, Regional Leadership and the Young Singers Foundation. Their work is being completed now so we can reassemble them into new models. We have many resources to help with goals, and now we have this powerful new recognition of personal responsibility in that each and every one of us is Sweet Adelines. In this New Year, my wish for all of you is that you can take your creative NEW IDEAS and share them, set NEW GOALS around them and, most importantly, take NEW ACTIONS to make all of your dreams come true and to make Sweet Adelines International what you want it to be. All the best in 2016, Marcia Pinvidic

International President

JANUARY 2016 | T HEPIT C H P IP E

JULY 15 – 17, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

REGISTRATION OPENS

JANUARY 4, 2016

F R OM O URCE O

HARMONY, FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year has come and gone. I think back on 2015 and my heart smiles from the times of happiness, the opportunities for growth and those snippets of life’s most precious moments flash through my head as I reminisce over all that has happened in a mere 12 months. Preparing for the January issue of our beloved Pitch Pipe is always one of my favorite activities of the year. Often the days of our convention and competition happen so fast I don’t have the chance to truly sit back and savor those precious times of sheer joy, or tumultuous nerves, or the happy tears that come when your whole body is engrossed in something so completely that those barbershop harmonies bring such raw emotion to the surface and gently slide down your cheek. I love being a part of all of our Pitch Pipe adventures, but in January each year we get to sit down as a team and look through our memories and carefully weave together some of the best and most profound elements that make this organization great. Looking through thousands of pictures, your smiles, humor and characterization on stage are a continual reminder of just how wonderful Sweet Adelines International is

for those of us who have been touched by our mission. Isn’t it incredible that our mission is to “Harmonize the World”? And looking through your pictures over the last year is such a dramatic reminder that you are indeed doing just that. As I look through the pictures of the 50- and 60-year members, I like to ponder the ways this organization has affected them and think about all the things that they have learned and experienced by being a part of this glorious association of women singers. I got the privilege of hearing some of their stories in Las Vegas and meeting so many sensational women who have comprised the incredible foundation of this organization that we love. As I listened to their stories, I couldn’t help but notice how profoundly their lives had been changed by being part of this worldwide organization. They told stories of friendship, of loves and lives lost and found across a lifespan spent singing in harmony. Every single story was built around the joy of singing barbershop and striving to be their very best alongside their sisters – those women whose bonds transcend that of blood or name, but those who we choose to consider our family. I was reminded, as I am now, that who we are is so very special; what we offer to

the world is a foundation of friendship and sisterhood. There are so many women – of all creeds, nationalities and walks of life – that so desperately need what we have to offer. I challenge all of us to find them in 2016. Take the time to reach out to new people in this new year. I, myself, have made a new resolution for 2016. Rather than stick to my usual weight loss promise as is customary, I have decided that my charge will be to spread love in 2016. It sounds incredibly simplistic I realize, but each of you has inspired me. Thank you for being on those risers every week; thank you for showing kindness and friendship to your sisters in harmony; thank you for giving so much of yourself and your time to this beloved organization. Sweet Adelines International is a beacon of light for the world because each of you is a part of it. I send you my wishes for the best and brightest 2016 filled with harmony and love.

All my best,

Dr. Kelly Bailey CEO

JANUARY 2016 | T HEPIT C H P IP E

SAVE

THE

DATE!

2016 Directors’ Seminar August 18 – 20, 2016 New Orleans, Louisiana

Join us at the luxurious

Hotel Monteleone

located in the world-famous French Quarter.

Registration Fees

$650 Double Occupancy • $850 Single Occupancy

Registration Opens January 4, 2016 for Frontline Directors

2016 RISING STAR AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

JULY

13 2016

For event & registration information, visit: www.risingstarquartetcontest.com 6

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TCH P I P E

2016 International Board of Directors Election Results

he election of four members to the International Board of Directors of Sweet Adelines International has concluded with Patty Cobb Baker, Harborlites Chorus, Region #21, Jennifer Cooke, Scenic City Chorus, Metro Nashville Chorus, Song of Atlanta Chorus (associate), Region #4, Peggy Gram, Top of the Rock Chorus, Region #25, and Carole Persinger, Pacific Sound Chorus, Region #13 being elected to three-year terms that begin on May 1, 2016. In addition, the International Board appointed two members to serve one-year terms beginning on the same day. The appointees are Thérèse Antonini, North Metro Chorus, Region #16 and JD Crowe, Canadian Showtime Chorus, Region #11. The International election concluded at 3:00 Central Time on Wednesday, December 2. International President Marcia Pinvidic was pleased that participation in the election stood at 92.9%, higher than the participation recorded in the 2014 election. In the 2015 election, six regions achieved 100 percent chapter vote participation: Atlantic-Gulf Region #9, Gulf Coast Region #10, Sequoia Pacifica Region #11, Heart of the Blue Ridge Region #14, Greater NY/NJ Region #15, and New Zealand Region #35.

Patty Cobb Baker

Jennifer Cooke

Peggy Gram

Carole Persinger

Thérèse Antonini

JD Crowe

Atlantic Bay-Mountain Region #19 loves their High Rollers from Vegas! Congrats to Lustre and Harbor City Music Company!

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NEW SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL MARKETING RESOURCE Introducing a new resource available for purchase to promote Sweet Adelines International to the media, donors, potential members, and community constituents. This 28-page, full-color booklet is not only a beautiful marketing piece, but it will resonate with audiences desiring to learn more about this world-class association of women singers. Packed with information about organizational history, individual program elements, member benefits, and ways to give back, this publication serves a broad range of educative needs. Careful consideration has been taken to keep costs low so that all members have access to this marketing resource! Act now and order these booklets in packages of 10 for only $10. Orders can be made on the new-and-improved Sweet Adelines International website, www.sweetadelines.com or by calling International Sales at 918-622-1444.

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TCH P I P E

A Quest to be Queen Speed of Sound • 2016 International Champion Quartet REGION #9, #14 • SCORE: 2822 Debbie Landers, Ashley Wright, Carter Maysilles, Peggy Jones SEMIFINALS SONGS: Medley: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend/Material Girl/More (L. Wright); He Touched Me (L. Wright) FINALS SONGS: Speed Of Sound Vegas Opener (L. Wright); The Man I Can Love (L. Wright); Medley: Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes/ABCs (L. Wright); Next Time I Love (L. Wright)

nce upon a time, in lands far, far away, four little girls were touched

by the magic of barbershop harmony. Unbeknownst to them, their paths were destined to cross and their journey would be full of jubilation, love and joy. Their vocal precision would amaze and astound, and they would be crowned as queens …

INTRODUCING:

SPEED

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SOUND By Speed of Sound

he Speed of Sound story began in 2009, when Peggy heard, and loved, an unknown girl's voice on a barbershop learning track, and learned that it was Ashley Wright from California. Two years later, Ashley was competing in Region #23, as she had recently moved to Nashville. Peggy reached out to Ashley on Facebook and asked if she would like to try singing together. Ashley accepted, and then there were two … A few weeks later, Debbie received an email invitation from Peggy to come and try her new quartet combination, which included baritone Melissa Martin from Region #14. Debbie wrote out a lengthy email response with all the reasons why she could not sing in any new quartets right now, and then — for some reason — she sat and looked at the email. She was about to press the “send” button when her family came home, and Debbie read them the invitation she received. With encouragement from her family, Debbie held down the “delete” button to erase everything she had written in her first response. She tried out for the new quartet combination, and Speed of Sound was on its way … As chance would have it, Carter was present when the original Speed of Sound won their regional championship in Region #14 in the spring of 2012. Carter, a Region #9 member, had been singing in a Region #23 quartet that had been forced to compete in Region #14's contest because of a scheduling conflict! Ashley recognized Carter from the 2010 competition in Region #23, where they both competed in different quartets. Ashley remembers hearing one of Carter's crazy solos in a chorus hospitality room, and loving the performance! Directly after the 2012 International Competition in Denver, Melissa retired from Speed of Sound. Ashley called their coach, Jean Barford to ask her suggestions for a new baritone. Jean had recently heard some of Carter's audition recordings for the baritone spot in Maxx Factor, 2011 International Champion Quartet, and so she suggested Carter. A month or so later, Speed of Sound was whole again.

hese four ladies may have come from different parts of the country, with four contrasting backgrounds over four different decades, but some sort of wonderful force brought them together to become … SPEED OF SOUND. Speed of Sound would like to thank their friends, family and coaches for all their love and support in the last three years. It has allowed them to reach their crowning moment; however, it is just the beginning of the rest of their story. Stay tuned for more shows, more arrangements, more boyfriends, more CDs and LOTS more laughs … full speed ahead! Speed of Sound has more than 60 years of combined barbershop experience. In the spring of 2012, they placed first at Region #14; placed 12th in the world at the 2012 Sweet Adelines International competition in Denver; ninth at the 2013 International competition in Hawaii; and second at the 2014 International competition in Baltimore. In 2015, Speed of Sound was crowned as the International Champion Quartet in Las Vegas.

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S INTERNA

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Q UA R T E T S F R ENZ Y • 2 ND P L AC E Melissa Pope, Nikki Blackmer, Anne Marteniuk, Judy Pozsgay REGION: #13, #26, a cappella Joy Chorus, Chapter-at-Large, Westcoast Harmony Chorus SCORE: 2758 SEMIFINALS SONGS: It’s You (Rund); Lover Come Back To Me (Giallombardo) FINALS SONGS: Do You Want To Know A Secret? (Hare); Medley: Ain’t She Sweet?/Yes Sir, That’s My Baby (Hine); True Colors (Bell); My Heart Will Go On (Shaw); Wannabe (Orrin); Macarena (Huff); Sweet Caroline (Emerson, Anders, Shaw); Viva Las Vegas (Lloyd)

L U S TR E • 3 RD P L AC E Kathryn Morrical, Lori Crouter, Lori Dreyer, Jennifer Harris REGION #19, Capital Accord Chorus, Harbor City Music Company Chorus SCORE: 2749 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Lulu’s Back In Town (Arns); What Kind Of Fool Am I? (Keller) FINALS SONGS: The Mission Impossible Theme Song (Harris); The Moment You Need A Spy (Liles); On The Street Where You Live (Graham); Spies In The Night (Graham)

W I NDS OR • 4 TH P L AC E Kimberly Newcomb, Ashley Espinoza, Lexi Moroni, Jenny Allen REGION: #5, #9, #25, Chapter-at-Large, Rich-Tone Chorus, Toast of Tampa Show Chorus SCORE: 2659 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Goody, Goody (Avener); What’ll I Do? (Waesche) FINALS SONGS: Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah (Hine); When You Wish Upon A Star (Bescos); Friend Like Me (Schmidt); Part Of Your World (Bock)

IN T E R N A T IO N A L N O V IC E Q U A RT ET AWARD

F I NES S E • 5 TH P L AC E Helen Owen, Beth Brimmicombe, Tanya Jenkins, Nicky Salt REGION: #31, Chapter-at-Large SCORE: 2624 SEMIFINALS SONGS: You Turned The Tables On Me (Bergman); If You Love Me (Really Love Me) (Bergman) FINALS SONGS: This Is Some Lucky Day (Volk); If I Give My Heart To You (Clancy, Doug Harrington); It’s Your Song (Booles)

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M I LL I B L I NK • 6 TH P L AC E Hillevi Martinsson Billinger, Annika Krook, Maria Fabiansson, Susanna Berndts REGION: #32, Rönninge Show Chorus SCORE: 2563 SEMIFINALS SONGS: I Love Being Here With You (A. Dale); You Are So Beautiful (Johnson, Doug Harrington, Krigström) FINALS SONGS: Something New (Wikström); Have I Told You Lately? (Johnson); Prime Time Blues (Johnson); Putting It Together (Krigström)

HEAT • 7 TH P L AC E Michelle Hunget, Susan Ives, Sandi Wright, Donna Kready REGION: #5, Kansas City Chorus, St. Louis Harmony Chorus, Topeka Acappella Unlimited Chorus SCORE: 2521 SEMIFINALS SONGS: This Can’t Be Love (D. Wright); I Wish You Love (D. Wright) FINALS SONGS: It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing (D. Wright); Everybody Loves My Baby (D. Wright); Cry Me A River (D. Wright); How High The Moon (D. Wright)

CLAS S R I NG • 8 TH P L AC E Michaela Slamka, Heather Krones, Mary Duncan, Hailey Myatt REGION: #4, #5, #9, #19, Chapter-at-Large, Kansas City Chorus, Pride of Baltimore Chorus, Spirit of the Gulf Chorus SCORE: 2490 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Medley: I Can’t Give You Anything But Love/L-O-V-E (Bergman); Last Night Was The End Of The World (SPEBSQSA) FINALS SONGS: Start Of Something Big (Craig); Time After Time (D. Wright); Night Has A Thousand Eyes (D. Wright); You Know Better Than I (Gentry)

G LOW • 9 TH P L AC E Sandy Marron, Nicole Collins, Kelly Arnold, Emma Gibson REGION: #26, Lions Gate Chorus SCORE: 2487 SEMIFINALS SONGS: You Are So Beautiful (Johnson); Between You And The Birds And The Bees And Cupid (A. Dale) FINALS SONGS: Knock On My Door (Metzger); All About The Bass (Glow); Skyfall (N. Wright); Drivin’ Me Crazy (Disney)

CRU S H • 10 TH P L AC E Stacey St. John, LeAnn Hazlett, Gretchen Holloway, Patty Britz-Stensaker REGION: #4, #14, Chapter-at-Large, Scioto Valley Chorus, Spirit of Detroit Chorus, Capital City Chorus SCORE: 2484 SEMIFINALS SONGS: If Ever I Would Leave You (Hine); Georgia May (A. Dale) FINALS SONGS: Let’s Start Tomorrow Tonight (L. Wright); Sweet Georgia Brown (Avener); Music Of My Heart (Prietto)

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MUSICALITY • UNITY • COMMUNICATION • CREATIVITY

OPEN DIVISION THEME / EMCEE / SCRIPT/ MICROPHONE TECHNIQUE By Peggy Gram

he Open Division has been in place for two regional competition seasons now, and that option is changing the way we are looking at the competition experience. During these two seasons, 103 choruses and 72 quartets chose the Open Division option. What is the result? We saw some highly creative packaging, costuming, scripting and singing in our regional competitions! In 2014, for the first time, contestants were able to benefit from judging comments regarding their non-contest songs, as well as the emcee work, scripting, staging, microphone technique, their creativity and the unity of the entire presentation as they communicated the music to the audience. Participating chorus directors commented on how much fun their choruses had in developing scripting, costuming and emcee skills to compete in the Open Division.

Competitions are one of the best education experiences our organization offers! Yes, we compete to win, but our membership is more than the ribbon color around our necks, or whether we get a ribbon at all. We are all working for self-improvement and chorus improvement — so really our biggest competition each year is ourselves! The work everyone does in rehearsal preparing for competition each year takes us to a higher level of achievement in our singing technique and performance skill. What a grand opportunity this new genre of competition provides to us, with an even larger platform for evaluation. We still have the benefit of a score and comments on a competition-worthy barbershop song, but we also get to know what worked well, and what could use improvement in our show packaging and performance. We know that these are exactly the kind of performances we do all year long in our choruses and quartets in our home communities. Improvement in those performances leads to more ticket sales for annual shows, more membership prospects and more personal pride in our abilities to entertain our audiences. Many of the contestants who chose this competition performance option the first year had so much fun with it they decided to do it the second year, too! Some of the contestants had tired of competing year after year in the

same format and just wanted a new challenge. Some international qualifiers, whether for the Harmony Classic Competition or the International Chorus Competition, decided that rather than singing for Evaluation Only when they didn’t qualify to compete at regional, it was in their best interest to test their skills at pulling together an entertainment package for scoring by the judges. Choruses and quartets should take all options into consideration when planning for the 2016 regional competitions. Perhaps the International Division is for you — your goal is qualification for competition at the international competition in 2017, either in the Harmony Classic or the International Chorus Competition as a regional winner or wildcard. Maybe two barbershop songs and the Evaluation Only format suits your needs better for this time period. Maybe this is your year to stretch your wings and develop your entertainment package skills for the Open Division and your chance to win the Most Entertaining award at your regional competition. It is a fun option, and there’s lots to be learned! Whichever option you choose, enjoy the journey to the competition and have fun on stage when your turn comes to WOW the audience! Peggy Gram is a member of the International Board of Directors; Past International President; Master Director; International Faculty Member; Certified Showmanship Judge; Showmanship Judge Specialist; two-time International Quartet champion.

SCOTTSDALE CHORUS 2016 International Champion Chorus

SCOTTSDALE CHORUS

REGION #21 • Scottsdale, Ariz. • Lori Lyford, director • SCORE: 3044 SEMIFINALS SONGS: He Was There (Bergman); Mardi Gras March (A. Dale) FINALS SONGS: Let’s Live It Up! (A. Dale); If Ever I Would Leave You (Hine); I Love Being Here With You (A. Dale); Medley: Sing A Song/Shining Star/September/Boogie Wonderland/Let’s Groove/Got To Get You Into My Life (A. Dale)

C H A M P IO NS T O THE C ORE By Jana Gutenson

olding hands and holding our breath, we watched as one by one our Sweet Adelines heroes exited the stage, leaving only one director and team manager standing. There’s no way to adequately describe that moment of elation when your chorus’s name is the one called last and you leap into the air still gripping your riser mates to levitate your way to the stage where you share tears of joy!

Scottsdale Chorus is thrilled to be your 2016 S�eet A�� I�� Champion! Every journey we have undertaken to competition has been a unique and valuable learning experience, but certainly not all of them have concluded with a gold medal celebration. Continued on page 20 JANUARY 2016 | T HEPIT C H P IP E

In 2009, we created a set of core values that define what it means to be a member of the Scottsdale Chorus. This agreement drives all of our chorus decisions. After winning the gold in Seattle 2010, we continued to “work the plan” by maintaining our focus on these values as we prepared for our return to International in Honolulu in 2013. Core Value #2: Each member of the Scottsdale Chorus consistently demonstrates by planning, work ethic and commitment, the desire for a high level of performance achievement to maintain this chorus’ position as an innovative leader in the Sweet Adelines organization.

Cindy Hansen. Although our performances in Honolulu did not produce the winning scores we were content with the outcome, knowing we had accomplished our musical goals. Our chorus members’ confidence in their personal ability to succeed in the face of new challenges has taken root! Buoyed by a chorus culture of high expectations, our singers have developed a mindset of positivity that was not the case in the past. Core Value #6: Each member of the Scottsdale Chorus maintains and honors our legacy and rich tradition of competitive success by continued education, growth and improvement to raise the bar at each opportunity.

Core Value #7: Each member of the Scottsdale Chorus prepares independently and with the group by learning new music and choreography by established timeframes to allow the chorus to expand our musical repertoire and to perform it at a high level expeditiously.

In the search for new competition material, we petitioned arranger-extraordinaire, Aaron Dale, to adapt his Mardi Gras March for our chorus. The music set before us was truly “an elephant to be eaten one bite at a time”! We were so proud to present Mardi Gras March in Honolulu, highlighted by the visuals created by our coach,

Core Value #11: Each member of the Scottsdale Chorus thrives on planning and preparation, but recognizes that full creative potential requires flexibility to change the plan. Core Value #12: Each member of the Scottsdale Chorus honors our commitment to each other by creating and maintaining a positive environment that fosters open communication and mutual respect.

Change can bring uncertainty, fear and negativity unless is it surrounded by trust and ongoing communication. Knowing

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that we would be competing in Las Vegas 1 under the new entertainment guidelines, the musical leadership reached out to the chorus early in the preparation and asked for their support as we worked together through a long list of proposed music to find the perfect fit. We were fortunate to have the collaboration of our friend, Aaron Dale, whose arrangement truly brought our idea for an Earth, Wind & Fire Medley to life and we couldn’t wait to dive into all 40 pages! Our singers were simply amazing in their flexibility and positivity as the contest package continued to be revised, improved and enhanced until about mid-September after our Go for the Gold Show. Without our mutually agreed upon commitments, our core values, we are certain the outcome in Vegas would have been very different. We’d like to express our deep gratitude to our coaching team: Dale Syverson, Betty Clipman, Jim Arns, Cindy Hansen, and Aaron Dale. We are, as always, a reflection of our energetic, magnetic, talented director, Lori Lyford. We are the Scottsdale Chorus, and WE ARE SWEET ADELINES!

Jana Gutenson is the Assistant Director of the Scottsdale Chorus.

SCOTTSDALE CHORUS MEMBERS Myrna Ackrish Linda Allen Lauren Altiere Nancy Anderson Caryl Arvay Donna Bailloux Rosemary Baltensberger Mel Barker Connie Beil Kiley Bishop Janice Blake Kathy Blodgett Deb Bloomquist Lisa Bonine Janet Bourbouse Cindy Brooks Samantha Brooks Ginny Browne Diane Bullock Erin Cardin Rosemary Carpenter Amanda Chilton Mary Chilton Maggie Crick Trish Cruz Taylor Daniels Barbara Davis Della Davis

Nita Del Rosso Mary Jo Ebel Becky Eisenberg Lee Ann Fellows Jacquie Fernandez Eileen Fernstrom Pat Fleck Katie Frederick Deb Geiger Laura Giese Marie Green Christy Gustoff Jana Gutenson Leila Haggard Kathy Hetrick Kathy Hillebrandt Judy Huffman Darren Hurst Sarah Ingstad Darla Jackson Kim James Chris Jette Denise Koehnlein Michele Kramlich Charlene Kylander Riki Lankford Kate Larsen Becky Larson

Cathy Longman Arline Lonon Jenny Lucier Lori Lyford Dorinda MacLean Theresa Mahar Linda Mallon Carol Mayka Caitlin McAndrew Julie McBain Amy McIntosh Anna Melillo Lynda Merrer Kaleena Middleton Kris Mirich Krista Moller Linda Myer Sherry Nealy Linda Nelson Julie Noon Donna Odegaard Fran Pearson Rhonda Pellerin Tina Petroski Evelyn Pigeon Claudia Plotnick Sherry Porter Rebekah Poston

Sher Rawlings Gail Reed Sheilah Rendon Judy Reynolds Shirley Rose Melinda Rowe Patti Sampson Sarah Shapiro Marsha Shaw Mary Slade-Branham Sarah Slade-Branham Bethie Smith Ginny Sprigings Shayna Steeves Mary Beth Szabo Theresa Tate Caitlin Tervo Connie Vila Cyndee Walters Dianna Wells Linda Wells Claire Westberg Ruth Whitfeldt Lauren Williamson Deb Zoerner Adelina Zottola

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NORT H ME T RO CHORUS • 2 ND P L AC E REGION #16 • Toronto, Ontario, Canada • June Dale, director • Score: 2963 SEMIFINALS SONGS: When The Toy Soldiers March On Parade (The Toy Soldier March) (Giallombardo); Little Man You’ve Had A Busy Day (L. Wright) FINALS SONGS: Original Chant (Howden); The World Will Know (J. Dale); Just A Kid Named Joe (Briner); King Of New York (J. Dale); Seize The Day (J. Dale)

T OAST OF T AMPA SHOW CHOR U S • 3 RD P L AC E REGION #9 • Tampa, Fla. • Tony DeRosa, director • SCORE: 2939 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Hine); Yes Sir, That’s My Baby (D. Wright) FINALS SONGS: Ready For A Miracle (Lewis); A Little Patch Of Heaven (A. Dale); If I Ruled The World (Hine); Gonna’ Build A Mountain (Lewis)

SCI O TO VA L LEY CH ORUS • 4 TH P L AC E REGION #4 • Dublin, Ohio • Kerry Denino and Char Gurney, directors • SCORE: 2913 SEMIFINALS SONGS: My Melancholy Baby (Bescos, Beck); I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (D. Wright) FINALS SONGS: Medley: Good Day Sunshine/Walking On Sunshine/Here Comes The Sun/You Are My Sunshine/Bring Me Sunshine (Tramack); Pal Of My Cradle Days (Beck, Bescos); Higher And Higher (D. Wright)

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L I ONS G ATE C HOR U S • 5 TH PLA C E REGION #26 • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • Sandy Marron, director • SCORE: 2864 SEMIFINALS SONGS: For All We Know (Hopkins); Hello Dolly! (Minshall) FINALS SONGS: The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Minshall); If I Had My Way (Doug Harrington, Hine); Roar (Sharon); Footloose (A. Dale)

ST OC K HOL M C I TY VOI C ES C HOR U S • 6 TH PLA C E REGION #32 • Stockholm, Sweden • Mo Field, director • SCORE: 2734 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Oh! Look At Me Now (A. Dale);When Day Is Done (Waesche) FINALS SONGS: Once In A Lifetime (Field); Change The World (Field); Mistakes (Field); Everybody Says Don’t (Field)

S AN DI EG O C HOR U S • 7 th Pl a c e REGION #21 • San Diego, Calif. • Kim Vaughn and Kathleen Hansen, directors • SCORE: 2697 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Let Yourself Go/Doin’ The New Low Down (Briner); Auld Lang Syne (Hine) FINALS SONGS: Crazy Little Thing Called Love (A. Dale); Naughty Baby (Bailey); Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Briner); Don’t Rain On My Parade (David Harrington)

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HARBO R CI T Y MUSIC CO MPANY C HOR U S • 8 TH P L AC E REGION #19 • Baltimore, Md. • Michael Gellert, director • SCORE: 2686 SEMIFINALS SONGS: If I Loved You (Craig); Hard Hearted Hannah (Gellert); FINALS SONGS: Good Morning Baltimore (Gellert); It’s Hairspray (Gellert); In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (Gellert); Too Many Fish In The Sea (Gellert)

G RE A TE R N ASSAU CHORUS • 9 TH P L AC E REGION #15 • Baldwin, N.Y. • Harriette Walters, director • SCORE: 2672 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Medley: I Never Knew/I’m Getting Married (Craig, King); He Was There (Bergman) FINALS SONGS: Somebody To Love (Giallombardo); Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Giallombardo); Love Of My Life (Giallombardo); The Masquerade Is Over (Waesche); Bohemian Rhapsody (Giallombardo)

ENDE A V OUR HARMO NY CHORU S • 10 TH P L AC E REGION #34 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Lea Baker, director • SCORE: 2589 SEMIFINALS SONGS: Love Letters Straight From Your Heart (Arns); Ain’t He Sweet?/Yes Sir, That’s My Baby (Hine) FINALS SONGS: Inanay (Bennett); Don’t Let The Rain Come Down (Rose); All The Way (Gentry); My Island Home (Diaz)

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CAROLINA HARMONY CHORUS DIVISION A CH A M PI ON CHO R U S • M O S T E N T E R T A IN IN G C H ORU S REGION #14 • Raleigh, N.C. • Susie Smith, director • SCORE: 1231 SONGS: Walk Like An Egyptian (Rochefort); How Many Hearts Have You Broken? (Arns); My Foolish Heart (Bescos); I Gotta Feeling (Prietto)

By Lauren Kirkpatrick The package Carolina Harmony Chorus brought to the 2016 Harmony Classic Division A was an Egyptian-themed performance, complete with exotic dancers, mummy wrap and even two sarcophagi. In their “Shop Like an Egyptian” package, chorus members posed as models for “QTV, ancient Egypt’s first home shopping network,” weaving together their four songs with a comedic skit that included selling Pharaoh’s Secret Guyliner, Yo’ Mummy Mummy Wrap – it’s not just for mummies any more – and everyone’s favorite: Sphinx Spanx. The chorus earned a winning score of 1231 and also earned the Most Entertaining Award.

Congratulations to Carolina Harmony Chorus, your 2016 Division A Champion Chorus!

M IL L E N NI UM MA G I C CHORUS • 2 ND P L AC E REGION #1 • Manchester, Conn. • Laurel Strielkauskas, director • Score: 1160 SONGS: Oh The Thinks You Can Think (Strielkauskas); How Many Hearts Have You Broken? (Arns); You Can Fly (Hine); Medley: Africa/Baba Yetu (Kerr)

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OR EG ON S P I R I T C HOR U S • 3 RD PLA C E REGION #12 • Salem, Ore. • Kathy Scheel, director • SCORE: 1157 SONGS: Stray Cat Strut (Sellers); If You Love Me (Really Love Me) (Bergman); Duetto Buffo Di Quatro Gatti (Nibler); I Will Survive (L. Wright)

SARATOG A S OU NDTR AC K C HOR U S • 4 TH PLA C E REGION #15 • Saratoga Springs, N.Y. • Nancy Faddegon, director • SCORE: 1136 SONGS: Rosie The Riveter (Faddegon); Medley: I’m Gonna Follow The Boys/Goodbye Broadway/Hello France/Over There (Bergman); White Cliffs Of Dover (Bergman); Good Night Wherever You Are (Faddegon); Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (D. Wright)

BATHU R S T P ANOR AM A C HOR U S • 5 TH PLA C E REGION #34 • Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia • Tracey Cam, director • SCORE: 1091 SONGS: Introduction of Absolutely Everybody (Lloyd); Original Dixieland One-Step (Volk); Once Upon A Time (J. Dale); Bohemian Rhapsody (Rochefort); Absolutely Everybody (Lloyd)

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RIVER BLENDERS CHORUS DI V I S I O N AA C H AMPI ON C H ORU S REGION #5 • Chesterfield, Mo. • Diane Huber, director • SCORE: 1250 SONGS: Runnin’ Wild (Bergman); Medley: He Had It Coming/That Evil One (Rochefort); Some Nights (What Do I Stand For?) (Keller)

By River Blenders Chorus There was no “glitz and glamour” as the River Blenders Chorus, dressed in orange scrubs as jailbirds, “glared and scowled” their way to win first place in the Harmony Classic Division AA. The long awaited day finally came when the River Blenders’ creative team presented the “teaser” regarding their upcoming package. Imagining rhinestones and bling for their big moment on the MGM stage, director Diane Huber stunned her group when she walked out in orange scrubs, announcing that would be their costume – with no sequins added. The team began their criminal transformation. Instead of showgirls, they cultivated prisoner characters. On October 6, 2015, as first place medals were placed around the jailbirds’ necks, orange became the new gold!

Congratulations to River Blenders Chorus, your 2016 Division AA Champion Chorus!

DAL E D IV A CH ORUS • 2 ND PLAC E REGION #31 • Cromford, Derbyshire, England • Ally Law, director • Score: 1249 SONGS: Rolling In The Deep (Booles); If I Had My Way (David Harrington); Medley: All You Need Is Love/Hard Days Night/The Long And Winding Road/We Will Rock You/Don’t Stop Me Now/Radio Gaga/Every Breath You Take/Your Song/Rolling In The Deep/Wannabe/Spice Up Your Life (Booles); The Parting Glass (Gray)

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P AC I F I C EM P I R E C HOR U S • 3 RD PLA C E REGION #12 • Petaluma, Calif. • Patricia Pennycook, director • SCORE: 1208 SONGS: Good Vibrations (Gain); Harmony (D. Wright); I Feel The Earth Move (Hagerman); How Deep Is The Ocean? (Hopkins); San Francisco Bay Blues (Stevens); Medley: California/San Francisco (Bergman)

J ACK S ONVI L L E HAR M ONY C HOR U S • 4 TH PLA C E REGION #9 • Jacksonville, Fla. • Ann Gooch, director • SCORE: 1186 SONGS: Medley: Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend/I Never Knew (Schmidt); Secondhand White Baby Grand (L. Wright); Before The Parade Passes By (Schmidt); Fame (Minshall)

F AR M I NG TON VAL L EY C HOR U S • 5 TH PLA C E REGION #1 • Simsbury, Conn. • Cheryl Wilcox, director • SCORE: 1183 SONGS: Gee, But It’s Good To Be Here (Minshall); Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (Hale); Medley: There’ll Be Some Changes Made/Who’s Sorry Now/After You’ve Gone (Sellers); Auld Lang Syne (Hine)

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HARBO R CI T Y MUSIC CO MPANY C HOR U S • MOST ENTERTAINING CHORUS It was such a thrill for Harbor City Music Company (HCMC) Chorus to make it to the top 10 for the first time in its history and to be awarded the “Most Entertaining Chorus.” Our entertainment package concept began before the Baltimore 2014 International Competition. Our creative team got to work and the beginning of our Hairspray package was born with the songs Good Morning Baltimore and Hairspray. In June 2015, Too Many Fish In The Sea and Wee Small Hours were added to complete our package. Our coaches, Peggy Gram, Karen Breidert and Lynne Smith helped us take our vocal skills to the next level. Lynne Smith was also our visual coach. HCMC was very privileged to work with these incredibly talented and inspirational women! Congratulations to Harbor City Music Company, the 2016 Most Entertaining Chorus!

F REN ZY • MOST ENTERTAINING QUARTET How did the “Frenzy Secret Confessions” package come to be? It was a collaborative effort. Our friend, Glenda Lloyd, suggested and arranged Viva Las Vegas for us, and then we added our “Diva” spin. We aimed for a cohesive storyline with a script that built to a surprise. To that end, our costumer, Nancy Cornwell, hand-sewed 200 lights into Nikki Blackmer’s dress giving her a climactic Diva moment at the end of the package. Judy Pozsgay set the package in motion by creating the script, staging and choreography. From there, all quartet members tweaked and personalized their parts. Our favorite part was how the package evolved over time as we performed and interacted with each other. Add in some coaching input and voila — a package was born! It’s no secret that Frenzy had so much fun on stage this year, and we couldn’t have asked for a better audience response. Diva Las Vegas! Congratulations to FRENZY, the 2016 Most Entertaining Quartet!

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Region #14 congratulates our own Speed of Sound & Carolina Harmony! Heart of the Blue Ridge - Touched With Gold!

Llangollen International Music Festival Eisteddfod 2017 Wales One of the world’s most inspirational cultural festivals! This is an exciting adventure for your chorus. Now, you can travel, perform and COMPETE! This is your opportunity to be named Choir of the World. For more info, visit harmony-travel.net or email meiserpatsy@gmail.com

Harmony Travel LLC

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LI FE TI MEACHI EV EM E N TA W A RD

Lifetime of Harmony

Karen Breidert Past International President and two-time International Quartet Champion, Karen Breidert received the Lifetime Achievement award in Las Vegas at International Competition.

ommitting 43 years of her time and expertise to advancing S�� A�� I��, Karen Breidert was honored as the recipient of the 2015

President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Current International President Marcia Pinvidic presented Karen with the award at the 2015 International Convention and Competition in Las Vegas last October. “This award has made me feel humble, grateful, nostalgic and a wee bit old,” Karen said. “When I look back at my years of traveling, teaching, coaching, singing, directing and administrative work, I have to say the pleasure was all mine.” Karen served as International President from 1998 to 1999. Under her leadership, Sweet Adelines gained two international chartered chapters. She is now a retired Master Director and current Master International Faculty member. Karen is also a two-time International Champion Quartet member with J�� (1985) and “the BUZZ” (2005), which still performs together, and a lifetime member of S�� A�� I�� Spirit of the Gulf Chorus. “A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have touched my heart and my life in such a harmonious way,” Karen said.

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Sweet Adelines International Multi-Ad Builder Members can create brochures, business cards, flyers, newspaper ads, postcards, web banners and more! S�� A�� I�� Marketing and Communications Department has created NEW materials for a fresh, cohesive look! Coming soon, members will have access to brand new designs that feature the “I Am Sweet Adelines” slogan. Never used Ad Builder before? This intuitive website enables chapters to easily create ad material and artwork without requiring any graphics expertise or special software. The point-and-click interface generates customized advertising materials that speak to local audiences while maintaining brand consistency on a global scale. Templates feature predesigned promotional copy and blank copy areas for complete customization, even in a variety of languages. Also, choose from a selection of photos, logos and graphics, or include your own chorus photo and logo.

To utilize Ad Builder, log into the Members Only section at sweetadelines.com.

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Celebrating Membership Milestones 50-YEAR MEMBERS

*Helen Shores

Kansas City Chapter #5

*Alice Bell

Valley Forge Chapter #19

*Peggy Sinden

Kansas City Chapter #5

Denise Benshish

Enchanted Mesa Show Chapter #21

Wanda Spivey

City Voices Chapter #5

*Ida Bilodeau

Valley Forge Chapter #19

Brenda Strauss

Liberty Oak Chapter #15

*Betty Clipman

The Woodlands Show Chapter #10

*Patty Warren

Chapter-at-Large #13

Charlene Cummings

Cradle of Texas Chapter #10

Vivian Werkenthin

Alamo Metro Chapter #10

*Kay Davis

High Country Chapter #08

Yvonne Whedon

Pride of Portland Chapter #13

*Mary Dennis

TuneTown Show Chapter #4

*Carol Wiersema

City of Lakes Chapter #06

Ruth Gove

Boston Skyline Chapter #1

*Beryl Wilson

Member-at-Large

*Peggy Gram

Top of the Rock Chapter #25

*Judie Wykoff

Bay Area Showcase Chapter #12

*Sue Hahn

Chapter-at-Large #13

Cathy Hebert

High Country Chapter #8

60-YEAR MEMBERS

Marilyn Herke

Seneca Soundwaves Chapter #15

Lois Napier Anderson

Scarborough Chapter #16

*Kathryn Jones

Vienna-Falls Chapter #14

Arlene Bauder

Tucson Desert Harmony Chapter #21

*JoAnn Karaff

Kansas City Chapter #5

*Merilyn Bryan

Spirit of the Gulf Chapter #9

*Dottie Kaufmann

Choral-Aires Chapter #3

Joan Galbreath

Member-at-Large

*Maggie Kause

Vienna-Falls Chapter #14

Cecelia Gove

Member-at-Large

Charlotte Kranyecz

Lehigh Valley Chapter #19

Claire Hamley

Chapter-at-Large #5

Patricia Lipscomb

Pride of Baltimore Chapter #19

Mary AnnO’Neil

Verdugo Hills Chapter #11

*Portia Little

Harmony Hills Chapter #4

Helen Peters

Heart of Illinois Chapter #3

*Carolyn Marelich

Mission Valley Chapter #12

Eleanor Popich

Pacific Sound Chapter #13

*Judy McGovern

Velvet Hills Chapter #8

Phyllis Roff

City of Lakes Chapter #6

*Linda Melcher

Song of the Lakes Chapter #2

Carol Schaberg

Chapter-at-Larger #5

*Judy Olson

Twin Cities Show Chapter #6

Joanne Smith

Pride of Toledo Chapter #17

Barbara Perry

Crystal City Chapter #4

Fidell Stewardson

Member-at-Large

*Jackie Russo

Jacksonville Harmony Chapter #9

*Members who attended 2015 International Convention & Competition.

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WELCOME TO JULY 15 – 17, 2016 SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL INVITES YOU TO ATTEND AHA 2016 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND IN

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND!

CLASS SESSIONS

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FACULTY & SPECIAL GUESTS

he aim of A Cappella Harmony Academy (AHA) is to challenge members to build stronger performances and take vocal and performance skills to the next level. AHA is the “spark” that dares people to step up their a cappella game – to rise to the top! Strong foundational skills are the necessary building blocks for a successful performance. These are to be covered during the first full day of classes. The second day of classes builds upon this strong foundation, adding the creative flourishes, the personality, and the pizazz. Taken sequentially, the classes will give attendees the confidence to truly rise to the “11-Chord Challenge.” In addition to the sessions for the general membership, a Director’s track is offered, which consists of courses specifically designed for directors. Five of the seven elective periods are Director’s Track sessions, leaving two elective periods in which to make other selections. Don’t miss out on AHA 2016!

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University of Auckland Campus

AHA REGISTRATION: Registration opens Monday, January 4, 2016. Early Bird Member Registration: January 4 - April 24 - $350 Non-Member Registration: Opens March 6 - $400 Youth Registration (25 and under): January 4 - April 24 - $200 Registration fees are in U.S. dollars. Registration fees include: superb education, 2 lunches, 1 dinner and 3 tea/biscuit breaks. Housing is not included with the registration fee. For Event Information and Registration, visit www.sweetadelines.com.

FEATURING INTERNATIONAL FACULTY MEMBERS:

Paula Davis

Marcia Pinvidic

Betty Clipman

Sharon Babb

Sandi Wright

KIWI EXPRESS POST-AHA TOUR

he Kiwi Express Tour is a fun-filled adventure of New Zealand’s North Island that begins at 9 a.m., Monday, July 18, and concludes at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 24, at the Auckland International Airport. This is an exciting opportunity for Sweet Adelines members and their loved ones to experience world-class education at the A Cappella Harmony Academy July 15-17, 2016, as well as stay for an additional week and experience a jam-packed fun itinerary. The Kiwi Express Tour features boiling mud, geysers, bungee jumping (for those who want!), the beautiful Bay of Islands, Hobbiton movie set, vineyards, artisans and private coach transportation throughout the tour. Registration also includes your bed and breakfast (two per room), happy hour provisions and admission tickets to Waitangi Treaty House, Art Deco Walking Tour in Napier, Te Puia, Kiwi House in Rotorua, Hobbiton in Morrinsville and much more! Visit www.sweetadelines.com for pricing and additional information.

Te Puia

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C'EST LA VIE 2015 Rising Star Champion Quartet By C'est La Vie

h, what an incredible year it has been! Representing Sweet Adelines as the 2015 Rising Star Champions has been a dream come true. Thank you to our wonderful Region #21; without your love, support and unrelenting encouragement, we would not have been able to accomplish this amazing feat. We want to dedicate our Sweet Adelines success to our barbershop

August when we competed in the Rising Star Quartet Competition and won the title. We had never been so proud to be Sweet Adelines. We were ecstatic when International asked us to sing at the Sweet Adelines International Convention in Vegas; there is nothing that compares to singing on the International stage. To top off a remarkable year, we placed first in the 2016 International Chorus Competition with the Scottsdale Chorus. Since we became the Rising Star Champions, we are humbled to become ambassadors of youth for Sweet Adelines. Our purpose and mission is to promote the importance of youth in barbershop. We were asked to represent Sweet Adelines at multiple youth festivals. Wherever we are — Tucson, San Diego, New Mexico — mentoring the youth that share the same passion as us really brings us full circle. Barbershop harmony is more than our hobby, it is our life! As students, we understand and can relate to this audience, for their passion and struggles closely resemble our own.

mom, Lori Lyford. Our barbershop journey began in Lori’s choirs at Chandler High School. It was here that Lori gave us a little taste of the remarkable four-part harmony, and we have not been able to stop singing it since. She started out as our teacher and quickly became a friend, a mentor, an amazing director, a valuable coach, and a much-loved mother. Without her, we would not have discovered that barbershop is who we are. We all joined the Scottsdale Chorus while we were in high school. Caitlin Tervo (age 23, Tenor), Melanie Barker (age 23, Lead) and Krista Moller (age 21, Baritone) joined in 2010 and have each sung in three former quartets. We joined with bass, Olivia Hammond to create C’est La Vie 1.0 in October 2013. C’est La Vie placed 8th in Region 21 and 5th in the Rising Star Competition. In February of 2015, Taylor Daniels (age 18, Bass) to join to create C’est La Vie 2.0, making this her first quartet. After two short months, we placed 5th in our wonderful Region #21, which was truly an honor. Our incredible year continued in

We all attend Arizona State University with studies in a variety of fields. Krista is studying Accounting and Business, Melanie and Caitlin are both studying Early Childhood Education, and Taylor is studying Journalism. We all understand how difficult but rewarding it is to be in school and a Sweet Adeline at the same time. As ambassadors for Sweet Adelines and barbershop youth, we welcome youth to reach out to us for support. We are here to encourage youth and hope to do that in New Zealand next year with the 2016 Rising Star competitors. Promoting youth in barbershop is the ultimate goal for our champion year because we believe it is essential for the prosperity of our organization. Being a quartet is more than just a hobby for C’est La Vie. It is a time for us to sing the music we love with our three best friends. It is only the beginning for C’est La Vie, we are incredibly excited to represent Sweet Adelines as the 2015 Rising Star Champions, and to serve as ambassadors of youth in barbershop. We believe we can harmonize the world. We are vibrant, we are singers, we are C’est La Vie, we are Sweet Adelines!

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All New Regional Fundraising Opportunity! International Sales is excited to offer official Sweet Adelines merchandise to assist regions with fundraising opportunities during competition season. These regional wholesale kits offer a variety of products from educational material to the newly released novelty items—and so much more! Regional wholesale kits are designed to provide quality products to regions at special discounted prices. The more you buy, the more you save! This offer provides an excellent opportunity for chorus fundraising!

To design and order your regional wholesale kit, contact Sales Manager Brenda Monroe: Brenda@sweetadelines.com or by phone 877-545-5441 or 918-622-1444 (outside U.S. and Canada). All orders must be received by March 15, 2016, for 2016 Regional competitions.

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TASK FORCES –

TAPPING INTO THE POWER OF SMALL GROUPS By Thérèse Antonini

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” –

Margaret Mead, American Anthropologist

What a powerful statement! A philosophy that fits well with the International Board of Directors’ (IBOD) decision to use task forces to address issues facing our organization. Here’s why. A task force has specific characteristics that set it up to be highly effective: • • • •

it has a specific objective; it has a specific end date; it has a chair focused on managing the work; its members are people who are skilled in a specific area and passionate about the objective.

The definition of the task force’s objective is the most important first step. This gives clear direction on what needs to be done. At Sweet Adelines, the International President and IBOD work to define this objective and a high-level timeline for completion. These are then provided to the chair when she is appointed by the International President. The role of the chair is to ensure the work gets done. While she will likely contribute to the work, her primary role is to develop a workable plan and then manage it through to completion. People with strong, proven leadership, communication and project management skills are a great fit for this role. The remaining appointed members form that thoughtful (and powerful) group of committed citizens. Like the chair, they are appointed by the International President based on their interests, talents and abilities. This is an exciting prospect for all Sweet Adelines’ members! Our members are gifted, and the task force format presents the opportunity for members to have a real impact. For example in May 2015, International President Marcia Pinvidic formed a task force to look at membership from a strategic standpoint. The specific objective was to create a strategic plan to build membership and keep it thriving. With that in mind, she appointed members who were proven planners, had experience in leadership roles related to Sweet Adelines’ membership and were passionate about membership.

The task force put their plan together and confirmed the timeline requested was reasonable and could be met. This is an important responsibility for a task force chair. It is not uncommon for detailed planning to result in a different timeline from high-level planning — and if the high-level date cannot be met (or work can be achieved earlier), it is important the chair documents and discusses alternatives with the International President. As the task force worked through its plan, the chair reported on progress and confirmed that the expected completion date would still be met. All task forces report to the Board in this manner and it works well to keep momentum going. Feedback from the IBOD provides the task force with continuous direction and affirmation. With the delivery of its final report, the Membership Strategy Task Force completed the work assigned to it. This task force was in place for just a couple of months! Task forces vary greatly in duration — another feature that appeals to busy members who would like to be involved but might not currently have the resources for a long-term commitment.

Strategy • Direction • Decisions

International President /IBOD

Task Force Chair

Communication Govern

Leadership Project Management

Task Force Members

Skill • Knowledge • Passion Manage

Within the Membership Strategy, additional initiatives were identified. Further action will be assigned to new task forces with members appointed based on a good fit. Often the work of one task force forms the basis for another. So the great planners in our organization can plan the work, hand it off and let the great doers focus on getting the work done! This characteristic of task forces – tapping into specific skills — is one of its strongest factors for success. With the diverse interests, talents and life experiences of our membership, task forces promise to empower more of us to have a personal impact on the future of the organization. Watch for opportunities early in 2016 to tell us if you’d like to be involved and where your greatest gifts lie. Each of us is, after all, Sweet Adelines! Thérèse Antonini is a dual member of North Metro Chorus, Region #16 and Cresent City Sound Chorus, Region #10; International Board of Directors member; International Task Force Specialist; Regional Governance Task Force member; Membership Growth Task Force member; and Panel Secretary.

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SWEET ADELINES

INTERNATIONAL 70thANNUAL CONVENTION & COMPETITION OCTOBER 17- 22, 2016 MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

2016

HOUSING Competition, housing and chorus rehearsal space is all under one roof at the fabulous MGM Grand Hotel and Casino! “There aren't many hotels with offerings so grand that it's practically an entire vacation under one roof. With such a wide variety of things to do and see at the MGM Grand, don't be the least bit surprised if it takes more than one visit to experience it all.” – MGM Grand

Housing Opens: April 4, 2016 Housing Closes: August 31, 2016 $174 Single Bedded Room per night plus tax* $189 Double Bedded Room per night plus tax* *Rates above include an MGM required resort fee. Resort amenities include:

• Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi access • Daily newspaper available for pickup • $15 beverage credit per room per stay applicable at any MGM Grand owned bar or lounge • Complimentary printing of boarding passes, copies and faxes up to 5 pages • Unlimited local and toll-free telephone calls • Complimentary daily access to the cardio fitness room

REGISTRATION Registration is CURRENTLY OPEN for the 2016 Las Vegas International Convention & Competition. Visit sweetadelineslasvegas.com for information on how to register. Early registration prices are available until April 22, 2016. EARLY REGISTRATION - ENDS APRIL 22, 2016 International Chorus Competitor All Events - $175 International Quartet Competitor All Events - $175 Convention Assistant All Events- $100 Member All Events- $175 Non-Member All Events - $190 Youth Member or Youth Non-Member All Events - $115

LATE REGISTRATION - BEGINS APRIL 23, 2016 International Chorus Competitor All Events - $225 International Quartet Competitor All Events (Begins July 16th for Quartets only) - $225 Convention Assistant All Events - $125 Member All Events - $225 Non-Member All Events - $240 Youth Member or Youth Non-Member All Events - $140

JANUARY 2016 | T HEPI T C H P IP E

THE

LOWDOWN

Accolades

—as of Nov. 1, 2015

STAY IN TOUCH Text sweetadelines to 24587 to receive exclusive text messages from HQ, such as breaking news, scores, announcements, discounts and special messages! Standard text messaging fees apply. For now, service is only available in the U.S. and Canada.

DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

IN MEMORY

—as of Nov. 1, 2015

Advanced to Approved Director

Elizabeth Green

Platinum Show, Region #9 Advanced to Certified Director

Chris Bosse,

Harmony on the Sound, Region #1

PITCH PIPE ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS If you are interested in submitting an article for consideration in a future Pitch Pipe, please email communications@sweetadelines.com. Articles or write-ups should be in a Word document, no longer than 500 to 600 words maximum, and high-resolution photos should be attached to the email. We receive thousands of submissions each year. Since we publish quarterly, publication space is limited. Due to production time, article content is determined three months or more in advance. Even if an article is not published immediately, it is kept on file for possible future issues. It may also be published via social media posts or in a condensed format in the Harmony Roundup section of the Pitch Pipe.

PITCH PIPE ARTICLE ADVERTISING Sweet Adelines is offering Shout Outs! Shout Outs offer an affordable, fun way to say congratulations, good luck or recognize your favorite Sweet Adeline! Email communications@sweetadelines.com to learn more about Shout Outs or other advertising opportunities.

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TCH P I P E

Jamie Ellingstad,

Riverport, Region #3

Laura Pienkowski,

Sound of New England, Region #1

Rhonda Spoelstra,

Spirit of Syracuse, Region #15 Advanced to Master Director

Kathleen Hansen,

San Diego, Region #21

QUARTET REGISTRATION After January 15, 2016, an additional $50 processing fee is added to quartet registration. After May 1, 2016, the fee returns to the original $80.

Norma Andersen, Member-at-Large Lana Benedict, Member-at-Large Helen Blake, Sounds of Hawkes Bay, Region #35 Vera Blake, Chapter-at-Large, Region #19 Glenna Crawford, Grand River Harmony, Region #5 Kathy Dugas, Wichita, Region #25 Nancy Hasamear, River Blenders, Region #5 Debbie Hogan, Sooner Sensations Show, Region #25 JoAnn Lundgren, Seattle Shores, Region #13 Mary May, Spirit of Evansville, Region #4 Lara Pickett, French Colony, Region #4 Marilyn Reinecke, Member-at-Large Kathy Saturday, Diamond State, Region #19 Karen Shackleton, Seaway Sounds, Region #2 Donna Shelton, Member-at-Large Jean Shook, Chapter-at-Large, Region #5 Elaine Treff, Dundalk, Region #19

INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP DUES Reminder: Sweet Adelines International Dues Increase Beginning May 1, 2016, Sweet Adelines International will increase membership dues by $10 (Youth $5) per year. Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

THEPITCHPIPE

CLASSIFIEDS

The Kansas City Chorus is seeking a dynamic, artistic musical director with outstanding leadership skills and a strong knowledge of the barbershop art form. If you’re interested in leading this award-winning group of dedicated women, complete the Prospective Director Applicant Information Form on our website www.kansascitychorus.com. We look forward to hearing from YOU! Questions about the position or application process, contact: kccdirectorsearch16@kansascitychorus.com.

ME MBE R PR OF I L E

THE EXTRAORDINARY PEGGY GRAM By Danielle Spacey, Team Coordinator, Top of the Rock Chorus

he members of Top of the Rock Chorus are a chatty bunch. We are genuinely good friends

Peggy made to the organization and

rehearsal was April 28, 2015. That was

to music.

43 years later! Needless to say, NO ONE

Her “I did that” list is a measure for

better came along.

and we can be a noisy group. We

everything you want to be when you

sometimes even talk on the risers — yes,

grow up: International President, 2008

Top of the Rock Chorus, Peggy was

during a rehearsal.

to 2010; recipient of the 2010 Lifetime

resigning. In the hush that followed,

Achievement Award; Master Director;

Peggy said, “My time with this chorus

you could hear a pin drop in our

and two-time International Quartet

has been a gift. It has been a life-chang-

rehearsal hall. Peggy Gram announced

Champion. Currently, she is a Show-

ing experience for me. I am an educator

she needed to resign as co-director of our

manship Judge Specialist, serves on the

at heart, and I’m so fortunate that I was

chorus and become an associate member.

International Board of Directors and on

given this opportunity.”

I have to admit, we weren’t totally

the International Faculty.

But one evening in February 2015,

After 43 years of directing

Top of the Rock Chorus wishes to

surprised. Peggy’s journey with breast

Peggy joined Top of the Rock Chorus

cancer started the previous May, and

in 1965, when she was 15. When asked

She is a superior teacher. Whether she

her struggle with shoulder problems had

about becoming director, she mentioned

stands in front of an individual, or a

severely limited her ability to lift her

that she was an assistant director at the

group of chorus members, she superbly

arm, but the dreaded announcement had

time that the director had to resign and

demonstrates each and every aspect of

actually been made.

the Board of Directors asked her to take

what she wants accomplished. Top of the

on the position. Peggy replied to the

Rock Chorus has established the Peggy

each week, you just begin to take for

Board, she would until someone better

Gram Endowment Scholarship.

granted the extraordinary talent stand-

came along. Her first “real” rehearsal was

These funds are dedicated to helping

ing in front of you. You tend to forget

10 days after the birth of her daughter.

individuals pursuing music or music

the accomplishments and contributions

She was 22 at the time. Her last “real”

education beyond the high school level.

I guess when you are around royalty

honor Peggy and to continue her legacy.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH CHORDS OF HARMONY! Close your eyes and imagine our organization

There is an entire section of Global Open House

holding hands around the globe to promote their

resources. Sweet Adelines marketing materials

love of singing. Quite a visual, right? That SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL Global Open House event, launched in January 2012. Choruses from around the world invite women in their community to experience the musical art form of barbershop harmony.

EET ADELIN W ES S

was the dream that began the

make it easy to share

AT ERN IONAL T IN

something you love with others. With membership always at the forefront, the organization hopes each chorus participates in the Global Open House event this January. The members’ continued support raises awareness of our extraordinary

With more than 30,000 Global

organization. It is exciting to bring

Video views, the first Global Open

Sweet Adelines together again in

House was successful — thanks to our

January 2016 in a combined effort to

Sweet Adelines members.

spread harmony and share the joy of singing by opening doors to women across the globe.

This January is our fifth year to join together with ONE VOICE, ONE MESSAGE ACROSS THE GLOBE! To make your event the best yet, SWEET

2016 GLOBAL OPEN HOUSE

ADELINES INTERNATIONAL has created some exciting new resources. Visit the the Members Only section of sweetadelines.com to find creative ads, flyers, press releases, invitations and more!

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TCH P I P E

WE ARE SWEET ADELINES! For additional information, email member@sweetadelines.com or call membership at 800.992.7464 or 918.622.1444.

HARMONYROUNDUP MVC SINGS THAT THING!

By Marianne Hartford & Dottie Foley

n 2015, the Merrimack Valley Chorus (MVC) was asked to participate in a new TV show about the experience of choral singing. Formatted to be a reality-style competition, Sing That Thing! would feature many types of choruses from around New England. MVC was chosen as one of 24 groups to compete.We traveled to the WGBH studios and performed Please Don’t Talk About Me to a panel of local, celebrity coaches. While unanimously impressed with our sound and technique, they were simply stunned by our costumes! As one coach put it; “Like Richard Simmons and Phyllis Diller had a baby!” MVC was chosen to advance to the top eight in round two. Each chorus was given an original piece of music, Qui Canitis Res, written by maestro Jim Papoulis. The piece was primarily in Latin, so this presented a challenge. Our director, Eileen Gioe, suggested we personalize the song by changing the lyrics to English. This task was handed to Marianne Hartford, one of our members. After much thoughtful consider-

ation about what statement would be most significant, meaningful and unique for MVC to deliver, the answer became clear — we should sing about what it means to be a Sweet Adeline. We would use this music and opportunity to express our joy for singing, the specialness of our sisterhood and what it means to harmonize the world in the best way we know how — in song. With our heartfelt performance, MVC was chosen as the winner of our category. In the finale (top four), winners from each category performed a song of their choice. We performed our contest uptune, a parody version of Joe Liles’ I Can’t Recall His Name. MVC was rewarded with positive comments regarding our energy, personality and ability to genuinely entertain our audience. Immediately after Sing That Thing! aired, MVC began receiving emails from choruses throughout New England and Canada congratulating us on our success and telling us how strongly they, as choral singers, connected to the message in our performance. And that has been the greatest prize of all. Ruston, La., Proclaims Sweet Adelines Day By Sallie Hollis, Contributing Writer omen’s a cappella harmony resounded in Ruston, La., on Sept. 24, 2015, when Mayor Ronny Walker proclaimed Sweet Adelines International Day.

Piney Hills Harmony Chorus, the local Sweet Adelines chapter, joined more than 500 choruses worldwide in celebrating Global Open House in September, and the International organization observed its 70th anniversary in 2015. (From left) Carol Ogle, Sheila Nugent, Mayor Ronny Walker, Judy Sisson and Donna Fike

As part of the festivities, Piney Hills Harmony Chorus presented a free public performance during a local Open House at the Presbyterian Church of Ruston.

JANUARY 2016 | T HEPI T C H P IP E

REGIONALCALENDAR Dates are subject to change. Verify all dates and locations with each region.

REGION

NORTH ATLANTIC

REGION

MAY 12 – 15, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Springfield, MA REGION

MARCH 17 – 20, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Houston, TX

BORDER LAKES

REGION

MIDWEST HARMONY

REGION

HARMONY HEARTLAND

REGION

SPIRIT OF THE MIDWEST

REGION

NORTHERN LIGHTS

REGION

ROCKY MOUNTAIN

REGION

ATLANTIC GULF

GREAT LAKES HARMONY

MAY 19 – 22, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Cleveland, OH

APRIL 14 – 17, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Daytona Beach, FL

DON’T MISS THESE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS:

LAKE ONTARIO

APRIL 14 – 17, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Syracuse, NY

MARCH 17 – 20, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Colorado Springs, CO REGION

GREATER NY/NJ

APRIL 7 – 10, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Albany, NY

MAY 12 – 15, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Rochester, MN REGION

HEART OF THE BLUE RIDGE

MARCH 31, 2016 – APRIL 3, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Winston-Salem, NC

MARCH 31, 2016 – APRIL 3, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Cedar Rapids, IA REGION

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

MAY 19 – 22, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Spokane, WA

APRIL 7 – 10, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Lexington, KY REGION

PACIFIC SHORES

MAY 12 – 15, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Sparks, NV

MAY 12 – 15, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Appleton, WI REGION

SEQUOIA PACIFICA

MARCH 31, 2016 – APRIL 3, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Bakersfield, CA

APRIL 14 – 17, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Dearborn, MI REGION

GREAT GULF COAST

REGION

ATLANTIC BAY-MOUNTAIN

APRIL 7 – 10, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Hershey, PA REGION

GOLDEN WEST

MAY 12 – 15, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Phoenix, AZ REGION

HEART OF AMERICA

MARCH 10 – 13, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Tulsa, OK REGION

CANADIAN MAPLE LEAF

APRIL 14 – 17, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Saskatoon, SK Canada REGION

QUARTET OF NATIONS

MAY 5 – 8, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Gateshead, England REGION

NORDIC LIGHT

MAY 5 – 8, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Karlstad, Sweden REGION

SOUTHERN CROSS

MAY 19 – 22, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Wollongong, NSW, Australia REGION

NEW ZEALAND

APRIL 28, 2016 – MAY 1, 2016 Regional Convention & Competition Wellington, New Zealand

Sun & Sing

Rising Star Quartet Contest

Directors' Seminar

International Convention & Competition

Jan. 20 – 24, 2016 Grand Bahama Island sunandsing.com August 18 – 20, 2016 New Orleans, Louisiana sweetadelines.com

JANUARY 2016 | TH EP I TCH P I P E

July 13, 2016 Auckland, New Zealand risingstarquartetcontest.com Oct. 17 – 22, 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada sweetadelineslasvegas.com

A Cappella Harmony Academy July 15 – 17, 2016 Auckland, New Zealand sweetadelines.com

RIVER BLENDERS CHORUS 2016 DIVISION AA CHAMPION CHORUS • REGION #5, CHESTERFIELD, MO. •

SCOTTSDALE CHORUS 2016 INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION CHORUS • REGION #21, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. •