Welcome to the November 2008 issue of
Real Harmony!

We are so excited that you have shown an interest in Sweet Adelines International. This newsletter is intended to inform, encourage and inspire you on your journey toward becoming a Sweet Adelines member.

If you have a story you would like to share about your Sweet Adelines experience please send your letters, articles, photographs and information to commdept@sweetadelineintl.org. We also encourage comments and suggestions for the next issue.

Best wishes and happy reading.

Communications Department

Kelly Kirchhoff, Joey Mechelle Stenner, Ann-Marie Dowling and Mary Steil

Sweet Adelines Style

The 2008 Young Women in Harmony Festival

In last quarter's Real Harmony eNewsletter we featured a story on an upcoming opportunity for young female vocalists to learn and perform at the 2008 Young Women in Harmony Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Nov. 4. This year's festival was a great success where young women from across the country joined to learn and perform four-part a cappella harmony.

This all-day festival combined music education, singing, dancing and performing, free of charge, for all young women who participated. Members of the festival chorus included young women from the ages of 12 to 23 who rehearsed throughout the day for a spectacular, opening performance at the the popular Showcase event that evening.  It was amazing to see these talented young women go from “Hi nice to meet you!” to a cohesive, performance-ready, chorus in less than eight hours! 

Participants were mentored by the 2008 Rising Star Quartet champion, Whole Lotta Harmony and festival directors, Kim Wonders and Natalie Allen. Beyond a remarkable learning experience and the excitement of singing, dancing and performing before an audience of about 2,400, these young women walked away with a greater sense of self-confidence and dozens of new friends from all around the globe who share their passion for entertaining.

For more information on the Sweet Adelines International Young Women in Harmony program please visit our Web site at, http://www.sweetadelineintl.org/young-women-in-harmony.cfm, or e-mail the director of education, Lori Decter Wright at lori@sweetadelineintl.org.

The 2008 International Convention and Competition

No matter where or when, no matter how big or small and no matter how quickly the week goes by the Sweet Adelines International Convention never fails to leave a lasting impression on all who participate. This year's convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, hosted more then 7,000 attendees from around the world. International Convention is the highlight of the Sweet Adelines year as it provides fabulous entertainment, top-talent competition and a valuable education forum for all who attend.

Showcase
On Tuesday evening the week kicked off with Showcase, where audience members were dazzled by a spectacular blend of the finest song and dance from each Polynesian island group. The dramatic war dances of Fiji, the mesmerizing Otea of Tahiti and the graceful hula dancers of Hawaii were but a few of the exceptional highlights. The audience was thrilled with incredible performances by the 2007 International Champion Quartet SALT, the 2008 International Champion Chorus Harborlites, the 2008 Young Women in Harmony Festival Chorus and a performance by a combined Japanese chorus.

Webcast
The convention was packed with four full days of exciting quartet and chorus competitions all captured on a live Webcast through the Sweet Adelines International Web site. The International Webcast was a huge success with more than 15,000 viewers tuning in. We truly appreciate all of the support received from members and friends who generously donated to the Webcast and the fantastic Webcast commentators, Sue Beck, Kathy Carmody, Ase Hagerman and Chris Noteware.

And the Winners Are:
The International Quartet and Chorus competitors gave outstanding performances throughout the week. The judges and audience were wowed when the new 2009 International Champion Quartet, MOXIE LADIES, gave a nearly flawless performance, including breathtaking barbershop harmony and witty sidebars throughout the entertainment package. The 2009 International Champion Chorus, Melodeers, gave the audience and judges something to cheer about when 145 chorus members delivered an exceptionally creative and captivating presentation. Audience choice awards were presented to the most entertaining chorus, Spirit of the Gulf, and the most entertaining quartet, CAPRI. This year's Harmony Achievement award recipient, St. Louis Harmony Chorus, also was presented with medals.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Membership Benefits

Convention Benefits

Singing, friendship and good times are just a few of the benefits you experience while attending International Convention. Held during the final quarter of each year, International Convention provides both a competition arena for the organization’s best quartets and choruses and an educational experience for attendees from around the world. Although competing in and/or attending the competition for most people is a thrilling benefit in itself there are several other advantages to attending the International Convention.

Attendees are offered the opportunity to interact and connect in person with thousands of Sweet Adelines members and other affiliates within the barbershop community from all over the world. It's a place where people gather to share their common passion for singing, including members of some of Sweet Adelines International's smallest choruses to its largest and from International champion quartets to newly formed quartets. Opportunities to learn from the competition is limitless.

Competing chorus and quartet members benefit significantly from the judges detailed feedback on their performances. This feedback is a learning tool to improve group and individual performance.

Shows, education classes, meetings, a trade show and the Young Women in Harmony Festival are also important parts of convention that surround the thrill of competition. Another benefit is the exciting travel opportunity since International Convention is held in a different location every year. Some have even said that listening to and singing the powerfully balanced sounds of barbershop harmony provides rich, rewarding fulfillment, unlike any other. The components that make up the annual convention experience deliver once-in-a-lifetime interaction, entertainment, performance and educational opportunities.

There is nothing better to a Sweet Adelines member than sharing the excitement, passion, fun and harmony of convention with those who are new to it. We hope you can join us in the future to experience the amazing benefits that attendees enjoy every year at the International Convention.

Notable Performances

Real Experiences

St. Petersburg, Russia - The Milwaukee Showcase Chorus of Milwaukee, Wisc. was honored to be invited by the International Fine Arts Insitute and the Russian Ministry of Culture to perform in the great concert halls of St. Petersburg, Russia. During their visit they performed in four popular concert halls where they were treated like rock stars by their audiences. Each venue was filled to standing room only and their peformances resulted in thunderous applause and standing ovations. It was overwhelming when 50 Russian women joined them in song during their fnal concert.

Reston, Va. - Each year CASA, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a cappella music performances, holds the East Coast A Cappella Summit. With pleasure, Sweet Adelines International's Vienna Falls Chorus accepted an invitation to perform in 2008 where they shared the stage with a variety of a cappella performers, from hip-hop vocalists to jazz groups. The Vienna Falls Chorus put on an amazing performance.

Honolulu, Hawaii - During the 2008 International Convention two very popular morning news programs in Honolulu, Hawaii, featured the 2008 International Champion Quartet, FOUR BETTYS, and the 2006 International Champion Quartet, SPOTLIGHT. Both quartets appeared on television shows before competition started and stirred up excitement within the local community. Our champions were interviewed about their experiences as a Sweet Adelines member and both groups gave jaw-dropping performances.

Tulsa, Okla. - The Talk of Tulsa Show Chorus stepped out of its boundaries this year when the chorus held a workshop at the University of Tulsa for college students. Not surprisingly the young women found that singing a cappella style barbershop harmony is not old-fashioned at all, but more fun then they imagined. Many students didn't realize they even enjoyed singing until they gave the Women's Barbershop Workshop a try. The workshop included entertaining skits about the history of barbershop, singing, vocal lessons and more. Since then many attendees have visited the Talk of Tulsa Show Chorus' rehearsals and have expressed interest in joining.