"Local Sweet Adelines Chorus and Quartets Prepare for the "Olympics of Barbershop"

ANAHEIM (July 15, 2002)    With the World Cup fresh on our minds and the spectacle of the recent Winter Olympics, you can imagine the excitement of the 105 women belonging to Harborlites chorus from Anaheim as they prepare to compete at the Sweet Adeline International Competition for choruses and quartets in Nashville this November. The chorus earned the top wild card spot for this year’s competition with the seventh highest qualifying score worldwide at their regional contest held in Phoenix in April, 2001.

This is the first time wild cards have been invited to attend the annual Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition. The women of Harborlites will compete against 34 other choruses from around the world seeking the chorus championship title.

Many people are familiar with a "barbershop quartet," characterized by harmony produced by four parts: tenor, lead, baritone and bass and sung a cappella (without accompaniment). Fewer realize that barbershop is also sung by men’s and women’s choruses, and that this uniquely American art form has a loyal following in many other countries.

"Traditional barbershop harmony is very difficult to sing well. The close vocal harmonies must be sung precisely, absolutely on pitch. There are no musical instruments to help singers stay in key", observes Patty Cobb, a vocal instructor and member of both Harborlites and the quartet Persuasion, a top ten finalist in the 2000 International Quartet competition. Then, to make the task even more challenging, add in some vigorous choreography to the performance. To sing well and also dance is asking for a bit of Broadway skill from this all-volunteer chorus! The stamina of an athlete and the passion of an actor are artistically combined to create this dynamic and exciting musical art form known as barbershop.

Since winning the top wild card spot, Director Pam Pieson has been working extra hard to prepare Harborlites to perform on the international stage. Weekend retreats and professional Sweet Adelines coaches help refine the performances and strengthen the vocal skills of the chorus. The chorus flies in choreography and vocal specialists from as far away as Toronto, Canada.

The chorus competition is divided into two rounds. The first round is a 6-minute set consisting of two songs, usually one ballad and one song-and-dance number known as an "up-tune". The top 10 choruses are invited back for the second round where they create a 15-minute entertainment package with multiple songs and the opportunity for narration or comedy routines. Judging categories include music, sound, expression and showmanship.

In addition to the chorus, two Harborlites quartets, Persuasion and Portfolio, qualified at the regional contest and will be competing with more than 50 quartets from around the world for the 2002 International Quartet Champions.

Harborlites is pleased to be presenting its international show package at three local performances this summer, bringing to Orange County a taste of what the top Sweet Adelines choruses have to offer. These performances will also serve as fundraisers, and will provide the chorus valuable opportunities to perform their competition set on-stage.

Harborlites Goes "WILD!"     A Culinary and Musical Feast featuring A Cappella and Appetizers
Two Shows Saturday Evening, July 13, 2002, 5:00pm and 6:30pm, Huntington Beach Library & Cultural Center

Harmony Under the Stars    A Benefit Performance for Youth in Harmony with the Orange Empire Chorus, Whittier Choralaires and Harborlites, Saturday, August 24, 2002, 8 PM Pearson Park, Anaheim

Harborlites Annual Show – Sing! A Celebration of Barbershop’s Best    Featuring Guest Quartets – The New Tradition and Fanatix, Saturday, September 7, 2002, 8 PM La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts

Harborlites was chartered in 1960 as part of Sweet Adelines International. Worldwide, nearly 30,000 members, 1,200 quartets and 600 choruses belong Sweet Adelines International (SAI), whose purpose is to teach and perform the American folk art of four-part harmony, barbershop style. Harborlites offers women the opportunity for leadership, musical growth, competition, fellowship, and performance experience. In addition, the chorus supports a Young Women In Harmony chorus, Primary Harmony, to teach four-part harmony to girls in Orange County.

For Ticket and More Event Information Visit www.harborliteschorus.go.cc for ONLINE ticket sales