SAI International Competition Recap
October 24, 2010
What a week! We just returned from the Sweet Adelines International annual convention and competition in Seattle, WA. The week is a whirl-wind of barbershop singing, beginning on Tuesday and lasting through Saturday, and now we are exhausted!
Thousands of women from all across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland, and who knows what other countries attended the convention, Over 2,700 women crossed the stage as competitors in either a quartet or a chorus. Each one was dressed in beautiful performance costumes and stage makeup, and each one invested hundreds of hours of rehearsal preparation for their chance to dazzle the audience and the judges with their musical performance.
While Lustre was not competing in the quartet competition, we did perform as members of the Harbor City Music Company chorus in the Harmony Classic. This competition is for small (Div A) and mid-sized (Div AA) choruses. For each size division, the five choruses from around the world who had the highest scores in the spring 2009 Regional contests were invited to compete in this contest. HCMC performed our “crayon” performance package, and won the contest! We had the highest score, and we also won the Audience Favorite award! We were so excited and honored!
Proud to have won the Harmony Classic with HCMC
Later in the week, we were thrilled when our friends Capri received 3rd place medals in the international quartet contest! And then we were thrilled when our friends MAXX Factor earned 1st place in the same quartet contest, earning the right to be called “Queens of Harmony” and to wear beautiful rhinestone crowns at any Sweet Adelines function in the world (or anywhere else they want to wear them!).
MAXX Factor and Capri
Other SAI Region 19 competitors had a fantastic week as well. Stars of Harmony, a quartet in the Young Women In Harmony Rising Star competition, placed 5th in the world! Whole Lotta Harmony and a.k.a. quartets had fine performances in the quartet competition, and we are so proud and happy for them! Greater Harrisburg chorus, also from Region 19, performed wonderfully in the “big” chorus competition, placing 16th overall.
The week was a smashing success for Region 19. Now we’re back home, headed back to work and real life. Back to where people don’t normally wear rhinestones and sequins, where people don’t stop you on the street to say how much they loved what you did, where you don’t hear beautiful voices singing at all hours of the day and night. Back to the families that love and support us in our hobby, back to the jobs that help pay our expenses, back to the rehearsal schedule that gets us ready for our next competition.
We’re looking ahead to Regional competition in the spring, and then to International competition next fall in Houston. Hope to see you there!
Heading to Seattle for SAI International Convention and Contest
October 14, 2010
Once again it is time for the Sweet Adelines International annual Convention and Contest. This year the event will be held in Seattle, WA on Oct 19-23. Lustre is not competing as a quartet, but all four members of Lustre will be competing with the Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus in the Harmony Classic competition for small and mid-sized choruses on Tuesday Oct 19. We can’t wait to show off our entertainment package!
Wednesday the quartet semi-finals will be held, with our good friends Capri and a.k.a. quartets returning for what is sure to be an awesome showing. Last year Capri finished in 6th place overall, and a.k.a. finished in 11th place. We can’t wait to cheer for our friends again this year!
Of course Region 19 will also be well represented by our friends MAXX Factor, last year’s 3rd place overall, and Whole ‘Lotta Harmony, former Rising Star Champions and current Region 19 champions. Out of 50 some quartets who will be competing, it’s wonderful to have friends on stage in so many quartets representing our fantastic region!
In the large size chorus semi-finals on Thursday, our friends from Greater Harrisburg Chorus will be in great form, representing Region 19.
Then on Friday we’ll be eager to see the Quartet Finals, and on Saturday the Chorus Finals. Who will win this year? We can’t wait to find out.
Don’t forget about the Young Women in Harmony Rising Star quartet contest on Saturday morning.
Wow, so much singing to take in this week!
if you are unable to join us in Seattle, you can tune in on the free webcast that is available from teh SAI website. Check out this link for more information.