Sweet Adelines converge upon Nashville for competitions

Across North America and beyond they’re packing costumes, practicing beautiful harmonies, dancing their dance steps and testing their pitch pipes in anticipation of a tough four-part harmony barbershop music contest.

Up to 8,000 Sweet Adelines and guests will descend upon Nashville for the 56th annual convention and competition Nov. 5 through 9 at Gaylord Entertainment Center. The 2002 competitions include 54 quartets and 33 choruses from the USA, Canada, England, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Sweden – more than 1,750 women in all.

The international convention is full of energy, great sounds and a spectacle of singers ranging in age from 15 to 90. They come together once a year to join in the excitement of making harmony together.

Showcase features appearing Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. include country music star impersonators Reba McEntire and The Judds, San Diego Chorus – 2002 International Champion Chorus, Blue Grass Student Union – SPEBSQSA’s International Medallist, A Cappella Gold – 2001 International Champion Quartet. Proceeds benefit the Young Singers Foundation and Sweet Adelines International’s Young Women in Harmony Program.

Quartets sing it out Nov. 6 to advance to the finals and excitement builds with the chorus semifinals scheduled Nov. 7.

Thousands of Sweet Adelines and friends join together for a fantastic array of sight and sound Nov. 8 at 11:15 a.m. in Hilton Suites Park for a Mass Sing – The Biggest Sing-Out of the Year! Admission is free and the public is welcome.

The 2003 international winning quartet will be crowned at the International Quartet Finals taking place Nov. 8 at Gaylord from noon to 5 p.m. At 8:30 p.m. that evening, past international champion quartets and the Coronet Club Chorus will sing barbershop sat its best. Judges will choose the 2003 international champions during the International Chorus Finals set Nov. 9 from noon to 6 p.m.

Sweet Adelines International is a highly respected worldwide organization of female singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. The organization, with headquarters in Tulsa, Okla., was founded in 1945. This nonprofit music education association is one of the world’s largest singing organizations for women encompassing more than 1,200 registered quartets and 600 choruses.

Tickets for the competitions are priced from $25 to $35. For more information contact Sweet Adelines International communications department at 800-992-7464 or [email protected] or visit the Web site at www.sweetadelineintl.org.