What is Barbershop? © Preston Barbershop Harmony Singers Red Rose Chorus 2016 What is Barbershop? There are several types of harmony singing. Barbershop is one of the more complex because it has four different voices, each with its own role. Many people are familiar with the traditional Barbershop Quartets, who often dressed in striped blazers and straw hats. Four is the minimum number of members but a group can be much larger with varying numbers of singers for each of the voices. The lead sings the melody The tenor harmonises above the melody The bass sings the lowest harmonising notes The baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead The melody is not usually sung by the tenor or bass. The voice parts do not correspond closely to voice parts of the same name in classical music. Women’s groups use the same terminology as men’s. The thing that makes Barbershop different from other harmony singing is the ringing chord. This is a special acoustical effect which is known by several different names including the overtone, expanded sound, angel's voice, fifth voice, and barbershop seventh. This is a way of combining the parts so that there appear to be more voices than there really are.

There are several Wikipedia entries with more detailed information about Barbershop Music, Barbershop Arranging, Vocal Harmony, Close Harmony, A cappella. For the technically- minded, these websites make much reference to the dominant seventh, which is another name for the barbershop seventh. Some arrangers believe that about half of each song should contain dominant seventh chords in order to give the Barbershop sound. Singers.com - Female Barbershop Groups Home | Doo Wop | Barbershop | World | Contemporary | Christian | Vocal Jazz | Choral | Christmas | Instructional | Arrangements Female Barbershop Groups There's something special about the sound of ladies voices raised in harmony and the fun can be infectious. These ladies know how to have fun as witnessed at the annual Sweet Adeline conventions where the joy of singing, performing, and being with friends is everywhere. These choruses are often looking for new member so why don't you join the fun! Displaying 1 - 46 of 46 items. 4-Star Collection 4-Star Collection has been thrilling audiences throughout the country since 1987 with their warm rich sound.

This entertaining group not only exemplifies the finest classic interpretation of the barbershop style, but also treats their audiences to a wide variety of traditional popular and secular a cappella tunes. 4-Star reached the zenith of their barbershop quartet experience when they "captured the gold" in October, 1998 at the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Competition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 4-Star's extensive national travel schedule now includes international ports, as they performed during a 12-day tour in Ireland, in March of 1999. Plans are in the works for future trips abroad as well. A Cappella Gold Together we found so much in common, our love of music, singing and especially the barbershop sound. We all started singing as tiny tots and each have had a mother and/or grandmother as our musical mentor. Encouraged by our families to sing and play instruments, some of us, namely Kim and Tomi, were coerced into attending a Sweet Adelines event. It wasn't long before Kim found herself singing in a quartet, The Sugar Sounds, with her Mom and two close friends. It was only the beginning of a long love affair.

Ambiance This six-month-old quartet won its regional competition in the spring of 1986 and lost its bass immediately afterward. With a new bass, the members of Ambiance were as astounded as everyone else when they won the 1986 international quartet championship just six months later. It was their first international competition and it has been said that they owned the stage - everyone knew this was no ordinary quartet. Ambiance soon became a Sweet Adeline legend, maintaining a full performance schedule for the next nine years before retiring in 1995 with a sold-out, farewell concert at New York's famed Carnegie Hall. It is fortunate that the quartet's unforgettable Fats Waller package, and their impressive vocal gymnastics on Rhapsody of New York (an adaptation of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue), are preserved on cassette and CD. Ambiance was named first runner-up in the 1992 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards in the category of best recording by an unsigned professional. The award was for their 1991 recording, I Hear a Rhapsody. The awards are given by the Contemporary Society of America (CASA).

Big 4 Quartette Billing themselves as '800 pounds of harmony,' Chillicothe, Illinois' Big Four became Sweet Adelines Quartette Champs in 1953. Fine singers and entertainers, they appeared on tv with Jack Paar, Steve Allen, Arthur Godfrey and Dave Garraway of the 'Today Show' to name just a few. This CD is a remastered album they recorded in 1958, plus several cuts gleaned from live shows. The Big Four are Bertha Bradley, bass, Sarah LeMaster, baritone, Inez 'Junior' Thompson, lead, and Lucille Miller and Mary Waters sharing the tenor duties. There are 14 studio recordings and 7 electrifying live performances here. By the pound or by any other measure, this is Entertainment! Brava! After 12 appearances on the Sweet Adelines International Competition stage, Brava! won the International Championship in Phoenix, Arizona on September 19, 2003. Bringing the gold medals & crowns home to Vancouver Canada was a first for their proud country.

Not only did Canada have its very first gold medalist quartet, this was also the first time in many years that all four members of the championship quartet are all brand new "Queens of Harmony" in the Coronet Club of Sweet Adelines Int'l. Brava! Quartet was born in 1989 in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and their journey from novice to number one was not an easy or short trip, but was always an interesting one and well worth the efforts! One step at a time, with the occasional step back, and only one missed contest in 1995, their international placements from 1991 to 2003 are witness to their dedication and tenacity. Buzz We certainly have heard the buzz on this group! With an outstanding pedigree including lead Debbi Connelly (the two-time medal-winning wife of legendary Joe Connelly!) and Tenor Nancy Fuhrmann from champions City Lights, the quartet won the championship their first time out in 2005! Tenor, Nancy Cloeter sang tenor with the 1992 Champion Quartet 'City Lights', with whom she traveled and performed extensively.

Lead, Debbie Cleveland is a high school choral director, and frequent clinician for Youth Harmony events. She sang lead with 'Showtime', the 1994 champs, and is a member of the Sweet Adelines International Faculty. Baritone, Karen Breidert is on the Sweet Adelines International Faculty, and is a Past International President. She is also director of the International Competitor 'Spirit of the Gulf' chorus in Ft. Myers, and is a popular coach in barbershop circles. Chordettes Formed by tenor Jinny Osborn in 1949 (whose father was national president for The Society For The Preservation And Encouragement Of Barbershop Quartet Singing In America Inc) the Chordettes - Janet Ertel, Carol Bushman and lead singer Dorothy Schwartz - got their in 1949 winning an audition for a spot on Arthur Godfrey's prestigious Talent Scouts daily TV show. Godfrey pronounced them "air worthy" and "truly radiophonic" and the girls began a four-year stint as Godfrey regulars, sticking to a traditional a cappella barbershop repertoire and even cutting some records for Columbia.

Unsurprisingly they also became the new stars of the barbershop convention circuit, and when Dorothy left the Chordettes in 1951, she was replaced by barbershopper Lynn Evans from Youngstown, Ohio. City Lights City Lights offers a musical experience to remember. Their wide-ranging repertoire includes sons from traditional barbershop harmony, jazz, Broadway show tunes as well as popular classics. In 1992 City Lights captured the title of Sweet Adeline International Quartet Champions in Baltimore, MD. Since that time they have traveled to Vezprem, Hungry where they were invited to teach and perform at the Hungarian Choral Festival. They recently toured the United Kingdom from Aberdeen, Scotland to Portsmouth, England teaching the barbershop craft as well as coaching and performing. The group has performed throughout the USA and Canada and have numerous TV and Radio credits. In 1998 City Lights won the Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Regional Championship in NYC and competed in the 14th Annual National Finals in San Francisco, CA where they placed third. Classic Edition 1998 International Championship Quartet Sweet Adelines International Classic Edition's journey to the championship began seven years before their win, in the same city.

The foursome organized just nine months prior to the 1990 Sweet Adelines competition in Salt Lake City, winning their regional competition and making them eligible to compete on the international stage in Salt Lake that same year. Although each member had extensive experience singing with other quartets as well as one another, their performance at the 1990 international contest was disappointing. Gaining confidence with each succeeding contest, and following their coach's advice, the quartet qualified again for international competition. They placed ninth in 1991 and sixth at each international contest from 1992 through 1995. Perceived as restrained by many judges, the foursome learned to let their hair down at the 1996 contest and earned second place medals. And after finally attaining the top prize in 1998, the quartet says that preparation and learning to take a risk was the key to success. Personal and family reasons made it impossible to keep up their busy show schedule, and Susan Ives left the quartet in 2000.

Club Cabaret Cabaret began when Pam, Holly and Donna performed together as part of two special public relations tours to China in 2002 and 2003. Both tours were organized to help spread the love of barbershop singing to yet another part of the world. These three thoroughly enjoyed each other's company and had some pretty special performances. In fact, the geographic differences suddenly didn't seem nearly so impossible. All they had to do was find someone 'crazy enough' to be the fourth part of this special quartet - so they contacted Patty, a world renowned Sweet Adeline tenor - and Cabaret was born! Coastline Show Chorus The Coastline Show Chorus offers New England a unique form of entertainment, blending four-part a cappella harmony with energetic choreography. Under the direction of Gail Jencik, Coastline presents a range of music from treasured American classics to Broadway hits and modern jazz. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, Coastline Show Chorus is one of more than 600 chapters of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of more than 26,000 women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance.

Cracker Jills Considered one of the best examples of a barbershop quartet ever produced by Sweet Adelines, The Cracker Jills brought to the stage a distinctive sound, credited in large part to Renee Limburg Craig's experience as a professional pop singer and to the sheer musicality of the foursome. They continued to thrill audiences until their retirement in 1967, marked by a one-quartet show at the Philadelphia Academy of Music in Philadelphia, PA. The quartet members distinguished themselves in other ways as well: Judy Rowell served as Sweet Adelines' international president, 1964-66; Renee Craig (who began singing on the radio at the age of 3) was named to Sweet Adelines' original musical arrangements committee, which secured publication of the first women's barbershop arrangements and developed a program of arranger education. Crystal Clear Crystal Clear brings over 90 years of barbershop singing experience to the stage.

Melissa, Chris, Susie, and Tabby joined together as Crystal Clear in December of 1997, and won their first Regional competition in late spring of 1998, when Chris was nine months pregnant with her daughter, Christal! Over the following years, Crystal Clear won their regional competition twice, were crowned the first ever female Grand Champions at the Buckeye Invitational competion, and have competed at the international level eight times. We are proudly ranked fifteenth in the world by Sweet Adelines International for 2005-2006. Fanatix Fanatix quartet consists of Connie Noble, tenor (past international champion with The 4th Edition and Savvy and long time tenor of High Society); Darcy Newell, lead; Sandy Shelver, baritone (past international champion with High Society); and Gerry Papageorge, bass (past international champion (tenor) with Panache). They formed in the summer of 1998 when this kid from New Mexico and a big shot tenor and baritone finally convinced another legendary tenor/lead to make bass her new mission.

They earned 4th place at their first regional contest (the highest they ever got!) and earned a wild card slot to international. They were thrilled to sing their way into 4th place at our first international contest in Atlanta in 1999! (This was Darcy's first international medal, and Gerry became the first Sweet Adeline ever to earn international medals in 3 different voice parts: lead, tenor, and bass). Footnotes Footnotes started in High school under the direction of Ben Ayling (bass of the Ritz) in 2001/02. The next two years Gary Lewis (tenor of Platinum and Bari of Max Q) replaced Ben as choir director and became their new coach. They competed in both the Young Women in Harmony Regional Competition and the JAD high school competition winning Gold in both. In 2006 they won the Sweet Adelines' Rising Star Quartet. Group Members - Tenor - Erica Wagner, Lead - Heather Pase, Bari - Lindsay Sanderson, Bass - Loren Kaminski Four Bettys The Four Bettys are the 2008 Sweet Adelines International Champion Quartet.

With a combined 40+ years singing and numerous national and international awards, they share a passion for performing. The Bettys just love an audience, and have enjoyed a wide variety of performance situations including concerts, barbershop chapter shows, special events, serenades, or even drive-by singings. The Bettys have sung for audiences in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Nevada, Kansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Florida, Canada, Maryland and can soon be seen in Oregon, California and Hawaii. Last May, the Bettys had the rare honor of headlining a show at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Gem City Chorus There is so much more to Gem City than just meeting and singing a cappella music. Starting as a merger of two local chapters (Kettering & Dayton) in 1970 the Gem City Chorus has been dedicated to the education and preservation of the 'barbershop style' of a cappella harmony - one of the four American musical art forms We are a proud member of Sweet Adelines International, Region 4.

Gem City Chorus has won an impressive number of International medals including five gold, five silver, and one each of third, fourth, fifth and sixth - a feat achieved by no other Sweet Adeline chorus! The chorus currently is the sixth place International medalist. Growing Girls Growing Girls formed on January 5th, 1979 in Ronninge, Sweden. All four girls were 11 years old at the time, hence the name Growing Girls. Anna's & Malin's mothers sang together in a quartet called "The Beautiful Screamers" and the young daughters thought it would be fun to start a quartet of their own. They asked their respective classmates, Naima & Suzanne if they would be interested in singing in a Barbershop quartet. Naima & Suzanne immediately replied: "Sure, but... what's Barbershop?" Anna's mother, Britt-Helene Bonnedahl, Master director of International medalist chorus Ronninge Show Chorus, became the quartet's coach and mentor. Since the girls started they have performed all over Sweden and the US, as well as in Germany and New Zealand.

They all attended Adolf Fredriks Musikskola, a school for performing arts in Stockholm, and were encouraged by their music teacher, Bo Aurehl. In 1983 Britt-Helene started the Ronninge Show Chorus, and Growing Girls were welcome to join Sweet Adelines International at 14 (finally!), with sponsors. The quartet competed and won in the Area (Regional) contests in 1985, 1986 and 1988, and went on to compete at the International contest in Houston in 1988, to reach their dream of becoming Queens of Harmony, in Miami Beach in 1989. Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus As a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, competition keeps our skills at top level. This dynamic group of women recently won the Division AA (Mid-Sized) Gold Medal AND the Audience Favorite award at the 2010 Harmony Classic Competition, held during the Sweet Adelines International Convention in Seattle WA this past October. Still basking in their victory, they are currently preparing to compete in the main event at the 2011 SAI convention in Houston, TX.

While there are more than two dozen choruses in the Atlantic-Bay-Mountain Region of Sweet Adelines International, the Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus strives to set itself apart through its attention to musicality, creativity, and artistry. Thanks to Michael's amazing arrangements, our repertoire goes far beyond traditional barbershop, encompassing everything from Broadway to the Beatles and Billy Joel. When last asked, Michael calculates that he has arranged nearly 30 different songs for the chorus, and is always considering new melodies to add to the repertoire. Harborlites Based in Anaheim, California, the Harborlites Chorus was founded in 1960 as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International to encourage and promote barbershop singing for women. In the ensuing decades, Harborlites has grown both in numbers and in recognition, winning both regional championships and international medals, with our performances incorporating fine singing along with innovative choreography and our trademark: energy! Jackpot! Kay, Gina, Joanie and Jan - Winter Park, Florida's Jackpot! Quartet, has been together for over 6 years now and are the 2009 Sweet Adelines International 2nd place finalists.

These 12 rock-solid Sweet Adelines standards show us what was clear to the judges this quartet has big voices, big harmonies and the kind of wonderful, ringing chords rarely heard in a Sweet Adelines group. Favorites are 'Taking a Chance on Love,' 'Unforgettable,' 'For Once in My Life,' 'Almost Like Being in Love,' 'Easy Street,' 'Money Medley,' 'I'll Take Romance' and 'How Deep is the Ocean.' The debut CD 'Can You Hear Me Now' has the good stuff, certainly one of the best Sweet Adelines recordings we've heard in a long time, by one of Sweet Adelines' top quartets! Kansas City Chorus We are a fun loving group of over 100 women who gather each Monday evening to sing and learn the musical art form of barbershop harmony. Made up of women of all ages and backgrounds, during the day we are mothers, nurses, business professionals, teachers, bus drivers, etc. But on Monday evenings we're just "us" having a great time preparing for shows, competitions, and performances when we become "stars"!!

Since our first meeting in 1945, the Kansas City Chorus has had a long tradition of striving for excellence in the craft of barbershop-style singing. We have the distinction of being the second oldest chapter in the International organization and of being the Champions of the very first Regional Competition held in Topeka, Kansas in 1952. For many years after that, winning a first place medal eluded the chorus. But in 1980, a new era began: Jo Kraut became director of the chorus, and since that time, the chorus has grown both musically and numerically! After Jo's retirement in 2008, Stacy Schumacher was chosen as the Kansas City Chorus Director. Under Stacy's direction, the chorus is continuing our quest for success. Love Notes Love Notes - (the artists formerly known as UnderAge) are a group of four young ladies (ages 18-21) singing a cappella 4-part harmony, mostly in the barbershop style. They have been working, competing, and performing together for six years. They have had performing opportunities beyond their years.

As UnderAge they became the 2005 International quartet champions for the Young Women in Harmony division of the Sweet Adelines organization. As champions, they have been guest performers all over the country from Oregon to Detroit to Rhode Island. They have shared the stage with the Kingston Trio, sung the National Anthem for numerous professional sporting teams, participated in America's Got Talent in both Los Angelas and Las Vegas, and were guest performers in Germany this last Spring for BING (Barbershop in Germany) festival. LoveNotes also performs for numerous local events throughout the year. As of 2008 they have matured into young ladies over 18 hence the name change to LoveNotes which expresses their love of music. They are exploring numerous a cappella styles which they very much enjoy. They are very commited to excellence in their craft and hope you enjoy them. Lustre Lustre is a lovely award winning quartet out of the Baltimore area. Lustre's musical adventures began in 2005, and what a journey it has been! Kate, Lori, Lori, and Jenny met through Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus, and have been ringing chords together ever since.

They have wowed their audiences at performances and contests around the country, from shows in Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania to international competitions in Houston and Denver. You may even have seen them singing at a Baltimore Orioles game or two! Lustre is proud to be the 2013 Sweet Adeline's International 7th Place Quartet Finalist. Martini Quartet Martini Quartet formed in July 2007 over a round of cosmopolitans at Sandy Marron's home in Tacoma, Washington. Singers Sandy Marron (tenor), Lisa Myers (lead), Shannon Harris (bass) and DeAnne Haugen (bari) knew right from the beginning that they had a special blend! Yet this Martini has been shaken AND stirred not just once, but three times during the group's four year journey to become Sweet Adelines International's 2012 International Quartet Champions! MAXX Factor MAXX Factor was formed in 2004. This current foursome has been singing together since August 2007. Lead Leslie Wodday became a Queen of Harmony in 2000 with Signature Sound Quartet. She joined MAXX in August of 2007.

Founder Valerie Hadfield-Rasnake is a barbershop brat. She sang with Region 19 medalist Quartets Ritz Carleton and Vanity Fair. Co-founder Baritone Kim Hudson, also a barbershop brat, has sung with Region 19 medalist quartet Vanity Fair. Prior to joining MAXX in 2005, Tenor Molly Plummer sang with Region 19 multi-medalist quartet RhythmWorks. Molly and Valerie are members of the International medalist chorus Pride of Baltimore. Kim and Leslie, currently Chapter-at-Large, have competed internationally with the Pride of Baltimore chorus. Melodeers The Melodeers Chorus is one of over 700 choruses of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide, non-profit organization dedicated to women's four-part a capella, barbershop style harmony. Under the leadership of Master Director 700, Jim Arns and Choreographer, Renee Porzel, the Melodeers have earned five international gold medals. Their trademark is a combination of an exemplary musical product, crowd-pleasing choreography and stunning, innovative costuming.

The Melodeers marvelous sense of humor and 'Pushing the Envelope' style keeps audiences laughing and crying from coast to coast. Mission Valley Chorus The International award-winning Mission Valley Chorus has been an entertainment mainstay of the San Francisco Bay Area since its founding in 1958. Dedicated to performing vocal music in the classic American four-part harmony style known as Barbershop, Mission Valley is one of the premier chapters of Sweet Adelines International, a women's vocal organization of more than 30,000 voices across the nation and around the world. Mission Valley Chorus holds many regional and international contest titles, including the coveted Sweet Adelines International Championship in 1976. Fully supported through membership dues, corporate and foundation grants, and public performances, Mission Valley earns high regard in the community not only for the superb entertainment it provides, but also for the opportunity it offers talented women to participate in a truly first-class musical experience. Moxie Ladies Moxie Ladies is a champion Sweet Adeline quartet that's been delighting audiences all over North America, and they're delighted to have the opportunity to sing for you today.

The quartet represents two regions: Region 17 and Region 4, and they've won those regional quartet contests respectively. They've qualified to compete at the Sweet Adelines International Competition with other quartets throughout the world for the last three years. In October, 2007 they were elated and honored to be named the 4th Place International Medalists and in 2009 they were crowned Queens of Harmony. Their journey together began back in January, 2005 when they met for the first time with this foursome. Jennifer and Amy, who are both music educators, began their barbershop quarteting careers in Distinction and won their first regional competition together just one year after joining the hobby! Gretchen and Stacey, who are both in advertising sales, are second-generation barbershoppers and sang previously together in Success Express, two-time International Top Ten Quartet Finalists. Ms Behavin' As the name implies, Ms. Behavin' is a sassy group of gals that make the most of life and four-part harmony. They refuse to mention their years of experience -- you might figure out their ages!

Their mission is to make you laugh, cry, sigh, cheer, and then go shopping. Top 10 finalists in Phoenix 2003. North Metro Chorus North Metro received their charter in 1967, Canada's Centennial year. As with many choruses, they started out in the basement of one of the founding members and growth and progress took time. When June Dale arrived on the North Metro scene in 1972, they were a small chorus with just 17 members. Under her direction and leadership, membership increased and Regional Championships became a reality. Now this energetic group has grown to 189 women, ranging in age from 21 to 89. With a series of Regional Championships and International Top 10 rankings they have become one of the world's premiere Sweet Adelines Choruses. Panache The Bad News is, the former Sweet Adelines Queens of Harmony, the four lovely, talented women of Panache, have disbanded and are no longer singing together as a group. The Good News is, they left us this wonderful 2-CD set to remember them by!

We won't go into the individual titles, but suffice to say that there's a 'whole bunch' of our favorites on these two CDs, including selections from discontinued Panache titles. These are the songs that took them to Sweet Adelines Gold, and that made them one of our best selling Barbershop titles. These four beloved entertainers are leaving exactly the way they came into our lives with Panache. Enjoy! Pride Of Baltimore We are an a cappella women's chorus located in Central Maryland. Our 115 members come from 5 surrounding states including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. As the current Regional 19 Sweet Adelines International champion chorus, we are preparing to represent our region in the 2011 International Competition. The goal of the chorus is provide a forum for women from all walks of life who wished to sing and perform at the highest possible level. A focus on outstanding singing, above all else, has been a hallmark of the chorus since its inception. Ramapo Valley Chorus In the early days of 1964, two local choruses, the Ramapo Chorus and the Valley chorus were seeking musical directors, when Renee Craig arrived in the area from Detroit.

A merger was proposed and the rest is history! Chartered by Sweet Adelines International on February 24, 1964, the name 'Ramapo Valley' has become synonymous not only with musical excellence, but with the name Renee Craig. Our musical director, Renee Craig, is a world-renowned musical genius and she has been recognized and honored throughout both the women's and men's barbershop worlds, for her technique and and her fabulous arrangements. Razzcals The Razzcals Quartet formed in 1996. They are all members of Sweet Adelines, International. This high energy, contemporary, a capella quartet has dazzled audiences with their music, humor, and sizzle. They have placed 21st. 15th, 7th, and now 4th place (four times!) at the Sweet Adelines International convention. They are focused and on their way to that coveted number one spot. Rhythmix Rhythmix is a multiple award-winning Sweet Adelines International regional champion and internationally ranked barbershop quartet. This award-winning group has brought enjoyment to audiences everywhere, sharing a rich variety of rhythms and musical styles with its audience...

from traditional barbershop to swing, to blues, to jazz and pop. The quartet mix is Carol Ater, tenor; Pam Lauffer, lead; Debbie Farrell, baritone; and Janice Purpura, bass. Rich-Tone Chorus As a performing and competing Sweet Adelines chorus, the Rich-Tones are involved in all aspects of barbershop life. There are highly trained and talented arrangers, choreographers, and technicians in the Rich-Tone Chorus. These professionals have helped define the Rich-Tones' keenly etched identity as a cohesive group that enthusiastically embraces an American art form and transfuses it with their own brand of pizzazz. Internationally, the Rich-Tones are known for pushing the limits of barbershop music. Each year Sweet Adelines choruses throughout the world compete at an annual competition - the Olympics of barbershop! Twenty-six regional championship choruses and 6 wildcard choruses compete for the Gold medal title of "International Chorus Champions." Rumors Rumors, the 1999 International Champion Quartet of Sweet Adelines International has been singing together for five years, but have known each other for more than 20.

When they were jailed in 1993 for falsely representing themselves as sane individuals, they found that singing together didn't make them deathly ill, just mildly dizzy, sometimes nauseated. This was an acceptable trade off for ringing chords now and then. All four are career women in very diverse fields. In a field in Richardson Texas, the baritone, Dale Syverson, is the entertainment director for a nudist community. She has donned clothes especially for the publicity picture and, as their contract specifies, for all show performances. Any afterglow performance should be viewed as an "attend at your own risk" proposition. Lead Judy Baxter, a north Dallas outfielder, is a crisis counselor at the same community. She is the top ranked professional in the field for creating crisis in a controlled atmosphere. Only Hurricane Andrew has a higher ranking.. San Diego Chorus The San Diego Chorus is comprised of women ages 18 to 80, with a variety of musical education and experience. We're just like you! Members come from all over San Diego. (We even have members that travel from Arizona, Hawaii and Great Britain!) to sing and enjoy the lasting friendships made here.

We are doctors, nurses, homemakers, teachers, IT professionals, etc., and come from all musical backgrounds. We invite all singers who are looking for a place to be a part of a wonderful sisterhood filled with music, laughter and camaraderie to join us for an open audition. Under the direction of Master Director, Kim Hulbert, each rehearsal is a lesson in vocal and performance skills. Scottsdale Chorus Scottsdale Chorus claimed the title of 2011 International Champion Chorus at the Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition held October 19 - 23, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. Director, Lori Lyford, led the chorus of 116 competing members to a record-breaking total of 3077 points in a competition that included 32 other choruses from around the world. The Scottsdale Chorus has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years. Their exuberant Director, Lori Lyford, a life-time music educator, is the choral director at Chandler High School. In the Sweet Adeline organization, Lori has earned Master Director status, shares her expertise as an International Music Faculty member and has coached choruses throughout the United States and abroad.

Spotlight Spotlight organized in January 2001. Later that year the quartet won the Region #2 quartet competition which enabled them to compete at the International Quartet Contest in Portland, Oregon that fall. Over the next 4 years the quartet went through two member changes and placed in the Top 5 at each International Contest held. In the fall of 2005, the International Contest was scheduled to be in New Orleans, Louisiana, but with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina it was quickly relocated to Detroit, Michigan. It was there that Spotlight was thrilled to be announced the 2006 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions. The win was made even sweeter because the location of the contest allowed for numerous family and friends to be in attendance for the special occasion. St. Louis Harmony Chorus Since 1961, the St. Louis Harmony Chorus has provided the St. Louis community with the highest quality a cappella and barbershop harmony through its own chorus and through the presentation of world-championship groups, such as international championship quartet, costume designers, choreographers and vocal production specialists. The chorus is at the forefront of harmony-based adult choirs in the nation and vocal education in the community.

Through its educational outreach programs, it takes master classes into schools and malls to take barbershop harmony - the music of the people - to the people of St. Louis, and the entire bi-state area. Swinglish Mix 2003 Queens Of Harmony, who had placed in the top five every year for the previous five years, triumphantly brought home the gold. The title was a second for lead Suzanne Harrington and bass Naima Meyer, who won with the GROWING GIRLS quartet in 1989. You'll find lead Suzanne Harrington chilling out in Ronninge, Sweden with her hubby Doug (Second Edition, 1989) and boys Jack and Tom. Moving to this side of the Atlantic, you'll catch bass Naima Meyer on the Gulf, enjoying the warmer temperatures of sunny Florida with husband Jamie (Second Edition, 1989) and kiddos Adam and Selma. Take a short jaunt north to the rolling hills of Kentucky horse country, and there'll be tenor Eleanor Hawkins sipping a mint julep with her hub Peter, while kids Spencer, Delaney, Carter and Baby Elliot bet on the ponies.

Hop in the plane for one last trip across the continent to find baritone Patty Hawley Pennycook meandering the back roads of the California wine country with husband David and their new baby girl, Carly Jean. If you charted their individual routes to and from rehearsals, it might remind you of the map scenes in Indiana Jones! Touche Touche Quartet is the 2013 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions and are ready to perform for you! This coast-to-coast adventure is a direct result of friendships made through years in Sweet Adelines. Though the distance may be thousands of miles, they bridge the country between them with their unique, special brand of friendship and harmony. You'll find Patty and husband Jeff Baker relaxing in hip Southern California, just steps away from the sand and surf of the Pacific Ocean. A short trip north to the majestic mountains of Oregon is where Kim and Tim McCormic spend their time in beautiful wine country. Across the continent in warm, sunny Florida is where Jan and Jerry Anton, as well as, Gina and her husband Jeff Baker call home. There they enjoy the many beaches of the Atlantic, lush golf courses, and an endless number of local attractions. Can you say Frequent Flyer Miles?

And what's better than one Jeff Baker? TWO Jeff Bakers!! Great Friends, Fun, and Music are what this foursome is all about. Their ability to entertain with a mixture of energy, humor and tight harmonies took them straight to the championship and will surely bring you to the edge of your seat! Enjoy the ride Zing! Zing! is an a cappella quartet affiliated with Sweet Adelines International. We live in two different states---Kansas and Oklahoma. Our quartet is dedicated to the art of barbershop harmony and has won every regional contest we've entered and placed as high as fifth at the International level! Zing! quartet enjoys ZING-ing songs. The tenor, Michelle Hunget, has a long family history of singing barbershop. She is the most decorated tenor in Region #7 quartet history and has been on the International stage many times with quartets and the Kansas City Chorus. Susan, the lead in the group, started singing barbershop in the early 1980's. She is part of the International Champion quartet Classic Edition. She is a chorus director and coaches many groups. The Okie in Zing is Mary Rhea.

The well-traveled Navy wife has many claims to fame. Her list of membership in fantastic choruses is long and now she's directing a fantastic chorus - OK City. She has sung baritone in many quartets and is a great addition to Zing!. The bass part is ablely handled by Melynnie Williams. This is Mel's second quartet. She has been in several choruses and has enjoyed getting to know the international ropes. History of Barbershop Music History of Barbershop Music Barbershop music, with its close, unaccompanied four-part harmonies and ringing chords, is a uniquely American folk art. It evolved in much the same way as other forms of vocal music. Although no one can say exactly when or where barbershop music began, the growth of the tradition was certainly aided between the 1860s and 1920s by the types of songs popular at the time - songs characterized by sentimental lyrics and uncomplicated melodies that could be harmonized with a variety of four-part chords. I n the early years of American barbershop music, singers improvised harmonies. When the printing press was adapted to produce musical notation, there was further advancement of the barbershop idiom.

Many early pieces of sheet music were printed with standard vocal line and piano accompaniment, and with an additional quartet arrangement on the final page. A t the turn of the century amateur singers, usually men, could often be heard singing improvised barbershop harmony at parties and picnics. Minstrel shows also featured barbershop quartets, who sang in front of the curtain as an "olio" act while performers and stage hands prepared for the next act. It was convenient to use a quartet for this purpose, since no props or instruments were required. B arbershop harmony's four voice parts are still called by their traditional names - tenor, lead, baritone and bass - whether referring to men's or women's vocal groups. One of the distinctive qualities of barbershop harmony is that the melody, sung by the lead voice, is below the tenor harmony. This follows the pattern of many early American hyms written for men and women, with the melody in the male tenor voice and the women singing harmony above. The barbershop harmony of today is a highly stylized art form requiring the same high degree of singing skill as other types of choral music.

A s the popularity of barbershop harmony has grown, so has the type of participation. Barbershop singing is no longer restricted to male quartets; there are many women's quartets, and both men's and women's choruses now enjoy this unique art form. Choruses ranging in size from 15 to 150 or more members have found this singing style a challenging and exciting musical experience. Chorus America Chorus America Understanding Audiences This August, Chorus America released the results of the first-ever systematic look at what moves and motivates the people who attend choral music concerts. In partnership with leading research and consulting firm WolfBrown, the Intrinsic Impact Audience Project worked with 23... Read More Practice, Practice, Practice What does it take to get to Carnegie Hall? Or to a memorable choral performance? Everyone knows the answer. But many are the music scores that sit unattended in car trunks between rehearsals. And many are the frustrated choral conductors who wish their singers would put in the... Read More Meet A Donor: Michael Pettry, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Each month, Chorus America profiles one of our members in our Meet A Member interview series.

To mark the season of giving, we changed things up a little bit for December and spoke to a Chorus America donor, Michael Pettry, executive director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, who has also been known to be generous with his time and talents. President & CEO Catherine Dehoney spoke to Michael about his latest work with the Symphonic Choir and what inspires him to give. Read more 11.17.16 Vocal Hacks Every conductor, singer or voice teacher needs a few good vocal hacks. No, we’re not talking mediocre singers; we’re borrowing from the tech world where Merriam-Webster defines a hack as a “creative solution to a computer hardware or programming problem or limitation.” Read more 11.14.16 Chorus Operations Survey Report (2016) Chorus America's annual survey of the operations of choruses, the Chorus Operations Survey Report includes more than 45 different analyses, from number of board meetings to board giving, from ticket pricing to chorus dues amounts, from accompanist pay practices to marketing efficiency.

The 2016 report features data from the 2014-2015 season, as well as a new series on board terms and director term limits. Read more 11.03.16 In the wake of terrible events, choruses and choral leaders have found ways to be part of the response and healing process. Read more 11.03.16 Understanding Audiences Takeaways from the Intrinsic Impact Audience Project This August, Chorus America released the results of the first-ever systematic look at what moves and motivates the people who attend choral music concerts. In partnership with leading research and consulting firm WolfBrown, the Intrinsic Impact Audience Project worked with 23 choruses across North America to survey their audiences. Read more High Notes

Question: How many people traditionally sing barbershop?
Answer: Four