Adelines To Turn Up Energy, Fun
This weekend, Spokane hosts a gathering of hundreds of women who love singing in close harmony. The Sweet Adelines International’s Region 13 will meet for its 35th annual Convention and Competition.
For those unaware, the Sweet Adelines are the women of barbershop singing. The worldwide organization celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with an international convention in October way down yonder in New Orleans. The Northwest region, consisting of groups from Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana, is getting ready for the international gathering by making “Music ‘n Mardi Gras” the theme for this weekend’s event.
Festivities begin today at noon on the banks of the Spokane River north of the Opera House. Councilwoman Bev Numbers will introduce a halfhour mass sing-along on the stone steps. This event is free and open to the public.
The Lakeside, Wash., chorus will perform a rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” which has been featured at the Kingdome, and some Japanese college women will sing a musical greeting from our sister city across the Pacific.
Quartets will compete tonight at 6:30. Sixteen foursomes from Alaska to Montana will get their moment in the limelight. Saturday at 12:30 p.m., 20 a cappella choruses, some as large as 120 members, take the Opera House stage to strut their stuff. Expect some fun staging and costuming as these women go for the gusto and the Adelines turn on the adrenaline.
Quartets and choruses each perform two selections: one slow and one up tempo. There are strict time requirements, and a panel of eight judges will rate each group on musical details, showmanship and overall sound. Both of these competitive events are open to the public for a $10 admission fee.
Saturday night at 8 is the “Show of Champions.” The top three groups in each event and the two winners from last year’s competition will perform. Admission for this event is $16.
Since all of the participants are amateurs, the only prize for winning is recognition and the glory of performing in the final show. It is just a lot of fun to be involved.
While all of these groups invite new membership, however, they generally prefer that you audition and sing from the stage, rather than singing along from the audience.
xxxx Sweet Adelines International Chorus and Quartet Competition Location and time: Opera House, noon today (free mass sing-along); 6:30 tonight; 12:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday Tickets: $10 tonight and 12:30 Saturday; $16 Saturday night