Young Women in Harmony
— Our Rising Stars … Our Future
Then and Now
By Joey Mechelle Stenner,
Editor
The Young Women in Harmony (YWIH)
Program began with a taskforce of young singers in 1989. The mission
of the YWIH Program then, and still today, is to acquaint young
female singers with the barbershop style, primarily in school-based
choruses and quartets.
Regional YWIH coordinators promote
the program by delivering information and education and demonstrating
musical excellence through YWIH festivals and outreach programs.
The YWIH program also offers music educators a means of including
the study and performance of barbershop harmony in school programs.
Music educators receive free materials and training to help them
get started.
* * *
In 1989, nearly half of the
members of Rönninge Show Chorus were younger than 20 years
old. Rönninge Show Director Britt-Heléne Bonnedahl predicted
that the young singers would soon “tire and give up.”
Was she ever wrong — the chorus in Rönninge, Sweden,
grew to more than 80 members, 30 percent of whom were ages 17 to
25.
In January 1979, four 11-year-old
girls, decided to sing together as a quartet, and THE GROWING GIRLS
were one their way. In 1983 Suzanne (Frölen) Harrington, Malin
(Lindgren) Palmqvist, Anna (Bonnedahl) Öhman and Naima (Roos)
Meyer joined Rönninge Show Chorus, and in competitions held
in Sweden in 1985, ’86 and ’88 the young quartet came
out winners by wide margins.
To this day THE GROWING GIRLS
(1989 International Quartet Champion) is one of the youngest quartets
to win the International title. THE JUNIOR MISSES (1956 International
Quartet Champion) was the youngest quartet to win the International
title. Harrington and Meyer, along with Eleanor Hawkins and Patty
(Hawley) Pennycook went on to claim the 2003 title with SWINGLISH
MIX.
In 1996 two-time International
Quartet Champion (SHOWTIME and “the BUZZ”) Debbie Connelly
introduced ENCORE 4 to an international audience at Showcase in
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Kirsten Stawser, Natalie Jeske, Janice Kelchner
and April Rhodes formed in junior high school and were coached by
Connelly. The girls’ performance was a hit and clips from
the performance ended up on the YWIH promotional video that is given
today to music educators around the world. Although they were quoted
after that ’96 convention as saying, “2006 will be their
year on the Sweet Adelines contest stage,” none of ENCORE
4 remains in Sweet Adelines. Stawser recently completed internships
in Europe and NYC and Jeske, Kelchner and Rhodes are married with
young children.
* * *
In 1999, at the inaugural International
Education Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, the Rising Star quartet
contest began. Thirteen quartets from around the world (three from
the UK alone) registered. IES 1999 also offered a YWIH track, which
featured an opportunity to learn and perform as a YWIH chorus. THE
DAZZLING DIAMONDS from Lansing and Dewitt, Mich., took home first-place
ribbons. Quartet members Kristen Dancisak, Ashley Deming, Kelli
Miller and Katie Beckett performed later that year on Showcase during
the International Convention in Atlanta. All four quartet members
joined Sweet Adelines for a short time, representing Water Wonderland
Chorus and Chapter-at-Large.
* * *
In 2000 SANDSTONE from Richmond
High School in Richmond, Mich., brought the IES crowd to its feet.
Diane Huber, then International Vice President, dubbed them “Queens
in Training.” The SANDSTONE girls never became members; however,
lead Calista Conner has been a Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship
recipient for four years in a row. This year Calista is a senior
at Saginaw Valley State University where she is majoring in Music
Education.
* * *
Remember the HARMONY HALLS’
first performance at the 2000 Rising Star Contest? Quartet members
Betsy, Heidi, Sarah and Larissa “Rooster,” all Hall
sisters, used their sibling rivalry to create a sound the left the
audience in awe. Many may remember that baritone 18-year-old Sarah
was born with just 40 percent residual hearing. During the Rising
Star Contest in 2000 she wore small hearing aids in each ear as
she and her sisters captivated the crowd and charmed their competitors.
The Hall sisters, all seven of them, were home-schooled by mother
Chris and it was their father Ron, a former barbershopper, who turned
his daughters on to four-part harmony.
The HARMONY HALLS competed again
in the Rising Star Contest in 2001 and made a comeback in 2005,
with sister Tillie replacing Sarah the mix. The quartet performed
at churches, businesses and civic organizations to raise money for
the 2005 Rising Star Contest. The girls have also performed at several
SPEBSQSA events.
Sarah married John Hamilton
in 2002 and moved to Arkansas. She’s still singing and just
graduated from the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, as a vocal
music major. She is trying to put together a women’s quartet
at the school and hopes to teach private voice lessons while juggling
her 10-month-old daughter, Gracie, and family responsibilities.
”We try to use our family
and our music to encourage and bless the people around us by singing
for churches, benefits, and nursing homes,” the Hall sisters
said. “We continue to use the quartet singing as the music
requirement for our home school.
For the Halls, singing is more
than just making music. “Quartet involvement is an excellent
tool for building relationships,” they said. “It is
a great way to provide service to the community. It has opened doors
of opportunity for travel, meeting new people and even for college
scholarships. Your quartet is only as strong as the weakest member,
so encourage them!” And most importantly, “Never leave
home without a pitch pipe.”
* * *
The Rising Star top prize went
international in 2001 when BACKCHAT came all the way from Christchurch,
New Zealand to claim the title. The quartet members, just 17 and
18 years old at the time, spent weeks before the contest raising
funds to make the long journey to the states. Quartet members Nichole
Campbell (t), Beth Campbell (l), Hannah Calder (bt) and Ruth Hope
(bs) got their inspiration from RUMORS (1999 International Quartet
Champion) who had spent a little time coaching the girls.
After BACKCHAT returned to New
Zealand, they continued to perform actively and had quite a bit
of media attention. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh had
a public walkabout in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square, where
BACKCHAT entertained during the event. The girls were also invited
to a tea with Christchurch mayor Garry Moore. In 2001 the girls
all remarked that they would definitely keep music as part of their
everyday lives.
AMBROSIA traveled all the way
from New Jersey to finish second in the Rising Star contest that
year. Andrea Kahn (t), now 19, is a sophomore at Amherst College,
where she hopes to major in music with a concentration in piano
performance.
“At school, I sing in the concert choir and co-direct a madrigals
group,” she said. “I’m also taking piano lessons,
of course, and the past two summers I’ve worked as a rehearsal
accompanist for various local theater groups.” Kahn was a
member of Hickory Tree Chorus (Region 15) up until last year when
she went away to college. She also started CAPRICCIO (3rd place
2005 Rising Star) with her sister and two friends.
“Singing with AMBROSIA
is one of my happiest memories. There’s a feeling of camaraderie
that comes from singing in a small group that you don’t get
in a large choir (and certainly not from solo singing!).
“Also, quartet singing
is probably the best way to develop musicianship as a singer —
you learn how to carry a part by yourself as well as how to blend
with other singers, Kahn said. “I’ve certainly used
the skills I learned in my quartets in many of my later musical
endeavors.
“Socially and musically,
singing in a quartet is an opportunity no young singer should miss.
Sing, sing, sing! No matter how you think you sound, it’s
the only way to get better.”
As for the rest of AMBROSIA,
Alison Young (l) is 23 and attending Penn State University, Evelyn
Ibarra (bt) is 22 and just graduated from Syracuse University and
Michelle Beckert (bs) is 23 and in veterinarian school in London.
* * *
VOICE ACTIVATED (2002 Rising
Star Champion) were seasoned quartet singers, with one member who
was already a quartet champion with Harmony, Inc. There was something
special about VOICE ACTIVATED — they were experienced and
they were good — finishing with a 191 of a possible 200 points.
Today, all quartet members are still singing barbershop and all
are Sweet Adelines. Kristi Conner (bt) is a member of Queen Charlotte
Chorus in Region 14. Lindsay Chartier (bs), the champion from Harmony,
Inc., is Chapter-at-Large and a member of RECKLESS! quartet. RECKLESS!
won its 2005 regional competition (Region 14) and will be competing
in Detroit on the International stage. Alyssa Harris (t) and Karen
Maney (l) are also Chapter-at-Large members.
That same year, TONE APPÉTIT
made its second appearance on the Rising Star stage, and finished
third. TONE APPÉTIT members Katarina Nortz (t), Lisa Lopez
(l), Sephra Osburn (bt) and Emerald Lessley (bs) basically grew
up each year they competed. After their fourth straight appearance,
and after coming in third and second, they hit the top in 2004 with
a perfect score of 200.
The TONE APPÉTIT girls
are all members of Sweet Adelines, representing O.K. City Chorus
and Chapter-at-Large. They perform at community events, Young Singers
Foundation events and have been on the International stage performing
countless times. TONE APPÉTIT’s “Pink Album”
was released in September 2004 and has been a huge hit.
The girls are headed to college this fall. Katarina is going to
Lee University in Tennessee and just passed the audition to join
Smoky Mountain Harmony in Knoxville, Tenn. She will perform with
them in Detroit.
Lopez has started attending
Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She has been invited to
join the Pride of Toledo Chorus where she, too, will be joining
the chorus on the International stage in Detroit.
The Rising Star contest in 2002
was also the year THE ANGELS hit the scene.
THE ANGELS, a quartet from Tsinghua
University in Beijing, China, were coached and sponsored by Holly
Beck (Top of the Peak Chorus, Region 8). They brought the audience
to tears with their delicate blends of harmony and soft, subtle
mannerisms.
Two of the ANGELS have graduated
from Tsinghua University and the bass, Su Xiabo, is still singing
in a choir at the university, says Beck.
“The funds were no longer
available for any further trips to China,” Holly said of the
girls’ decision not to sing together anymore. “But the
[barbershop] seed was very successfully planted.”
* * *
By 2002, the Rising Star contest
had become a time-honored and respected competition. In 2003 and
2004 many competing quartets were not only familiar to the barbershop
world, but also admired and highly enjoyed by the Sweet Adelines
community. Quartets including UNDERAGE, THE CHICKLETTES, CAPRICCIO,
TONE APPÉTIT, CANADIAN CALIBRE, HOOSIER HIGHLIGHTS, HOT COMMODITY
and FOOTNOTES brought not only clever names, but solid reputations
to the contest. But in 2003 it was BARBIESHOP who won over the judges.
BARBIESHOP, another successful
set of Debbie Connelly protégés, forced the audience
and judges to take notice with its fine blend of award-winning sound.
Elizabeth Bearss (bt) just graduated
from high school and is now attending the University of Tampa on
a voice scholarship. Lindsey Dosal (t) and Jenny Allen (bs) will
be competing on the front row with Toast of Tampa Chorus in Detroit.
Sadly, Amber Crutchfield (l) is no longer barbershopping.
Rumor has it that Natalie Jeske
(ENCORE 4 and COVERGIRL), Allen and Bearss are looking for a tenor
to form a new Rising Star quartet. Watch for them in 2006!
* * *
CANADIAN CALIBRE (2003 third
place, 2004 second place and 2005 fifth place) had been on the scene
for a few years when they came in second in 2004. Three of the quartet
members are Sweet Adelines members. Lesley Stovold (t) is a member
of North Metro and Barrie Huronia Soundwaves Chorus, Tiffany Kell
(bt) is a Chapter-at-Large member and Laura Houghton (bs) is a member
of Circle of Harmony Chorus.
CANADIAN CALIBRE recently performed
on the Pride of Portland Chorus show with BRAVA! (2004 International
Quartet Champion) and on the North Metro Chorus show with METROPOLIS
(a SPEBSQSA quartet).
The quartet is still together,
although three of the members are returning to college this fall.
However, all four will continue singing in some capacity during
the school year.
“We would encourage young
people to definitely form a quartet if they are interested —
through a school or just four friends who love to sing,” said
Lesley, the quartet’s spokesman. “Quartetting is tons
of fun and can strengthen your individual voice.”
* * *
HOT COMMODITY (2004 FOURTH PLACE)
MEMBERS, Lesley Walker (t), Nikki Gloudeman-Jump (l), Angela Borba
(bt) and Megan Litz (bs) are all Sweet Adelines, too.
Walker is a member of River
Lights Chorus, Nikki is a Chapter-at-Large (Region 12) member, Angela
is a member of Diablo Vista Chorus and Megan is a member of Voice
of the Valley Chorus.
HOT COMMODITY also competed
at the Rising Star contest in 2002 and placed eighth. After winning
the Region 12 YWIH contest in 2002 and 2004, HOT COMMODITY moved
up to the big leagues of regional competition. In 2003 they placed
15th in Region 12’s competition and in 2004 they were ninth.
The quartet also has actively
promoted the Young Women in Harmony Program and barbershop by touring
local middle schools and high schools. They demonstrated barbershop
to music teachers at the California Music Educator’s Conference
in Pasadena and participated in an a cappella summit in Marin. The
quartet also sang at a benefit performance for the Oakland Children’s
Hospital.
The quartet split in January
2005 because of distance and school. Walker was married in August
of this year (Angela sang at the wedding) and plans to complete
school next year. Megan is moving to Sacramento in January to finish
school. Angela recently graduated from the University of the Pacific
in Stockton and is teaching classroom music. Nikki is studying abroad
this summer and will be back this fall to finish her degree.
All the girls are still singing
with their choruses and in church. Megan and Walker have talked
about forming another quartet soon.
Megan was in two other quartets,
KNOCKOUT and 3 BLONDES AND A BARITONE (fourth place 2003 YWIH contest).
“If you love to sing with
your friends and you love to perform, barbershop is the perfect
hobby, Megan said. “There will never be a crowd as great to
sing for as a barbershop crowd — they’re the best people
on earth!
“I’ve never known
a group of people as supportive and caring as they are. If you’ve
never performed before and you don’t know if you like it,
this is the crowd to try it out with — they’re very
forgiving as well.”
Megan’s words of wisdom:
“Start early! I wish I’d had the chance to start years
before I did. I can’t imagine coming into this hobby any later
— I don’t know what I did before!”
Nikki sings in California Golden Overtones, an all-girl a cappella
group, on the UC Berkeley campus where she attends classes. She
will graduate in 2006 with a degree in English and a minor in music.
Nikki sang in a double quartet
called THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS with members from the Sacramento
Valley Chorus and her mom and grandma. She also sings occasionally
in a family quartet called HERITAGE with her mom (Cheri Jump, baritone
of RAZZCALS), grandma and aunt. (Interesting “barbershop brat”
fact: Martha Segura (RAZZCALS lead) is the mother of UNDERAGE (2005
Rising Star Champion) bass, Mary Segura.)
Nikki’s words of wisdom:
“Happiness is finding three people you love and singing with
them. Those are the best words of wisdom a Sweet Adelines can give!”
* * *
As the Sweet Adeline membership
becomes older, we can count on the efforts of the Young Women in
Harmony Program to keep the organization growing and alive.
Britt-Heléne Bonnedahl’s 1989 words still ring true
today, “Our future, our younger members … trust them,
love them, respect them.
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