The Pitch Pipe January 2026 by thepitchpipemagazine

pitchpipemagazine.com | January 2026 | Volume 79 — No.3

THE VOICE OF SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL

2026 International Champion Quartet

DYNASTY

2026 Harmony Classic Division A Champion Chorus

Milltown Sound

REGION #31, Wigan, UK

January 2026 | Volume 79 — No.3

In Every Issue

Events and Competition

From Our President

2025 International Convention Recap

From Our CEO

2026 International Champion Quartet Dynasty

Harmony Roundup

Top 10 International Quartets

In Memory

Accolades

2026 International Champion Toast of Tampa Show Chorus

Top 10 International Choruses

2026 Harmony Classic Division A Champion Milltown Sound Chorus

2026 Harmony Classic Division AA Champion Gateway Chorus

2026 Harmony Classic Results

President's Lifetime Achievement Award: Lori Lyford

2025 Music Educator Award: Audrianna Aragon

2025 Ann Gooch Award: Viveka Boettge

The Coronet Club Show

International Updates 6

2026 IBOD Election Results

Membership 18

Barbershop on the Pantomime Stage: An Adventure with Indian Blue Chorus

Chapter Longevity Awards

50, 60 and 70-Year Members

Education 8

Every Voice Counts: Key Takeaways from the Sweet Adelines Disability Survey

Improving Chorus Scores: Getting to C+ First in a Three-Part Series

Singing First, Singing Last: Making the Most of Your Contest Experience

Philanthropy 10

A 4-Star Scholarship for Quartets

Supporting the Standard Bearers of Tomorrow: The Barbara A. Nielsen Endowment Fund

On the Cover: 2026 International Champion Quartet Dynasty

Anytime. Anywhere. Read The Pitch Pipe on ISSUU!

January 2026 | Volume 79 — No.3 | www.pitchpipemagazine.com

Sweet Adelines International Elevating women singers worldwide through education, performance, and competition in barbershop harmony and a cappella music.

_____________________________________ INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Tammy Talbot Chief Executive Officer Kim Berrey Editor-in-Chief Stacy Pratt Staff Writer Leslie Umfleet Graphic Designer Joey Bertsch Staff Photographer

2026 agazine.com | January

| Volume 79 —

No.3

Lauren Stark Staff Photographer

pitchpipem

ICE THE VO

EET OF SW

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ERN ES INT

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INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026 Mary Rhea, International President Thérèse Antonini, Immediate Past President Jeanne d’Arc (JD) Crowe, President-elect

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DYNASTY

2026 Inte

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Sharon Cartwright, Secretary Annika Dellås, Treasurer Joan Boutilier Elaine Hamilton Jenny Harris Vickie Maybury

Janice McKenna Jean Schoenlank Valerie Taylor

EDUCATION DIRECTION COMMITTEE Valerie Taylor, Chair Joan Boutilier Leslie Galbreath Anne Downton Kim Wonders EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Joan Boutilier Jeanne d’Arc (JD) Crowe Becky DeCook

Mari Pettersson Leigh Whitelaw

______________________________________ The Pitch Pipe 9110 S. Toledo Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137 U.S.A. Telephone 1.918.622.1444 • Toll-free 1.800.992.7464 Fax 1.918.665.0894 • www.sweetadelines.com Office hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CT) ______________________________________

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2 | January 2026

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Remember to use #SweetAdelines on social media. Headquarters uses the # to find your posts, photos and tweets to share across Sweet Adelines social media channels.

he start of a new year always brings a fresh burst of energy— new plans, new ideas, and a renewed sense of commitment. It’s also a natural time to pause, look back at where we’ve been, and then turn our eyes toward where we’re headed. Who knows? Maybe this is the year I’ll get my music folder organized! In 2025, we celebrated 80 years of Sweet Adelines. Wow! Eight decades of harmony and friendship is quite an accomplishment. Our convention in Columbus was exciting, exhilarating, and unforgettable. The performances on stage were nothing short of spectacular – high-level singing, incredible creativity, and entertainment value that was off the charts. The bar keeps rising, and we are rising right along with it. We showcased the best of barbershop along with other a cappella styles. As we honor our traditions, we’re also stretching into new skills, new sounds, and new ways of telling musical stories. It's thrilling to watch, and more thrilling to be a part of it all. As we look ahead, there is much to be excited about. Regional conventions are just around the corner, and with them come all the things we love most: performing, competing, cheering each other on, meeting up with friends, and making new connections. In July, we will have a new event – A Cappella Academy and Queens’ College. Queens’ College has been a fan favorite with

quartet singers for many years, and this year, it is combined with a new education event that encompasses chorus singers as well. Mark your calendars now for what promises to be a wonderful gathering! The ever-popular Rising Star and Diamond Division contests will be held during A Cappella Academy and Queens’ College. Registration opens soon, so if you’ve been thinking that this sounds like fun, round up three other singers and give it a go. This could be your year! Either way, prepare to hear some great quartet singing. As we begin this new year, I’m reminded that ensemble singing is both a gift and a responsibility. It asks us to show up, to breathe together, to listen deeply, and to blend our voices—literally and figuratively. Renewing our commitment isn’t just about rehearsing more or setting new goals. It’s about remembering why we sing in the first place: because harmony connects us, challenges us, and lifts us higher than we can go alone. Here’s to a year of joyful singing and celebrating every moment of harmony we are lucky enough to share.

Mary Rhea

January 2026 | 3

Registration Type

Early Bird

Regular

(ends June 28)

(begins June 29)

International Competitor

$270

$320

Volunteer (served the previous year)

$190

$215

Member

$270

$320

Non-Member

$290

$340

Youth (25 and under)

$215

$225

Early Bird Registration Opens February 12, 2026

C o n l i u m k c b a us! B See yo Columbu in us!

I'm sooooo excited!!

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www.sweetadelines.com/columbus2026

As one year closes and another begins, it is a time of...

ONE Reflection. Reflection on the year – milestones, celebrations, successes, and challenges.

TWO Anticipation. Anticipation for what the new year holds. As the calendar turns to January 1, 2026, it is a new slate…a chance to write a new chapter. Maybe for Sweet Adelines, it is better to say a chance to sing a new song. What are you looking forward to in 2026 for your musical journey? • Are you anticipating and preparing for Regionals or International competition in Columbus? • Are you forming a new quartet to compete in the Diamond Division or Rising Star contest in July 2026? • Are you thinking about taking on a leadership role in your chorus or your region? • Do you plan on elevating your musical education by watching an education session on the Learning Management System? • Do you plan on expanding your educational opportunities and beginning the Director Certification program, the Arranger Certification Program or by applying for the Judging Program? It takes every person on the risers doing their part to fulfill Sweet Adelines mission and vision to inspire and empower voices to joyfully harmonize the world. You and your gifts of talent, time, and friendship make Sweet Adelines an extraordinary organization.

At Sweet Adelines International Headquarters, meaningful work is underway as the Board, Committees, and Task Forces engage in thoughtful, substantive conversations. This work is expected to lead to suggestions and recommendations that continue to strengthen both our musical journey and community. I look forward to the combined education event of A Cappella Academy and Queens’ College in Tulsa in July. Watch for more registration dates and information details on the Sweet Adelines website and social media. If you have not had the opportunity to visit headquarters in Tulsa, we will also have an open house for you to see the Hughes-Gehrke Champion Doll Case, history panels, and more. In addition to a wonderful 2026 for Sweet Adelines International, on a personal level, I am anticipating the arrival of my sixth grandchild. I am very excited to welcome Baby Talbot in March! Wishing each of you a joyous and harmonious new year! Cheers to 2026,

Tammy Talbot

M " ema's Crew" January 2026 | 5

2026 International Board of Directors Election Results The election to fill three expiring terms on the International Board of Directors (IBOD) concluded on December 3, 2025, at 3 p.m. US Central Standard Time (9 p.m. GMT). Elected to a three-year term were Annika Dellås, Rönninge Show Chorus, Region 32, Jean Schoenlank, Harmony Celebration Chorus, Region 15, and Rosalyn (Ros) VanHecke, River Blenders Chorus, Region 5. The term runs May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2029. The Board also appointed one member to serve a one-year term beginning on the same day. The appointee is Lori Britt Horvath, Greater Nassau Chorus, Region 15.

Annika Dellås

Jean Schoenlank

Sweet Adelines International President Mary Rhea said that participation in the 2025 election stood at 93.86 percent, higher than the 93.75 percent participation recorded in the 2024 election. This year, 10 regions achieved 100 percent chapter vote participation: Northern Lights Region 6, Great Gulf Coast Region 10, Sequoia Pacifica Region 11, Greater NY/NJ Region 15, Lake Ontario Region 16, Atlantic Bay-Mountain Region 19, Quartet of Nations Region 31, Nordic Light Region 32, Southern Cross Region 34, and New Zealand Region 35.

Rosalyn (Ros) VanHecke

Lori Britt Horvath

The Pitch Pipe NEEDS YOU!

Have you had a meaningful, funny, or interesting experience during rehearsal or performance? Have you spent time reflecting on what barbershop singing or Sweet Adelines means to you? Have you received or witnessed a kindness from your Sweet Adelines family that you’d like to share? We’d love to read it — and possibly print it in The Pitch Pipe!

Send your submissions to communications@sweetadelines.com with “Attn: The Pitch Pipe” in the subject line. A FEW GENERAL GUIDELINES: • Tell a story (beginning, middle, end). • Keep your submission between 500–700 words in length. • Send your submission as a Word document. • Send photos. (High resolution is great, but send what you have!) • Include a 1–2 sentence bio telling your chorus/quartet affiliation, voice part, etc. • All submissions are subject to editing, and not all submissions will be printed in The Pitch Pipe. (Some may be used for other SA media.) You will be notified about the status of your submission.

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• Learn from accredited vocal and performance educato rs, both in-person at events and online through webinars and recordings. • Attend in-person or online international educational events. • Participate in certificate programs for Directors, Judges and Arrangers. • Access for members-only scholarships and grants. • Purchase exclusive Sweet Adelines merchandise, medals , and educational tools. • Access chorus membership growth and retention toolkits and resources. • Benefit from music directors and teams who continu ally grow their skills, ensuring you receive high-quality education and inspiration at every weekly rehearsal.

ity|mu

community

• Access resources and training developed by experts who focus on making choruses strong, healthy and supportive environments. • Connect with singers from 400+ choruses in more than 13 countries. • Build lifelong friendships and confidence. • Be part of a women-led international education organiz ation that values musical excellence, belonging, diversity & inclusion, empowerment and outreach. • Take advantage of regional and international leaders hip opportunities. • Benefit from DEI resources and a Member Code of Conduc t that fosters a culture of belonging. • Utilize the knowledge and support of professional headqu arters staff. • Enjoy donor recognition and benefits. • Opportunities to support scholarship, education, and youth programs.

music

• Perform in your community and share the joy of a cappell a and barbershop harmony! • Compete regionally and internationally in a chorus or a quartet (or both!). • Attend the annual Sweet Adelines International Conven tion and Competition. • Enjoy lifelong learning with the Rising Star (singers 25 or younger) and Diamond Division (singers 55+) Quartet Contests. • Use internationally-produced marketing templates, social media guides, and more to support your ensemble’s activities. • Benefit from liability insurance and nonprofit status for your ensemble. (North American chapters) • Receive exclusive discounts on music arrangements.

January 2026 | 7

EVERY VOICE COUNTS

Key Takeaways from the Sweet Adelines Disability Survey

In April 2025, Sweet Adelines International distributed a survey to members in an effort to better understand the experiences, needs, and strengths of our singers with disabilities. Designed in collaboration with the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (DEIC) and Propeller Research, the survey received nearly 3,400 responses from members - more than 30 percent of whom identified as having one or more disabilities. “This is not a marginal group; it represents nearly one in three members,” former DEIC Chairperson Victoria Junkins said in her analysis of the survey. “The 30.4 percent identification rate affirms that disability inclusion is not optional or niche. It’s central to Sweet Adelines’ mission to welcome all voices.”

Physical limitations and access

An “overwhelming majority” of survey respondents - nearly 80 percent - reported physical limitations such as mobility issues, chronic illness, or vision and hearing difficulties, and more than 72 percent said they experienced physical accessibility barriers within Sweet Adelines activities. Junkins noted that those findings demonstrate “a pressing need for consistent and proactive physical accommodations, such as riser chairs, backstage seating, handrails, accessible venue layouts, and pacing flexibility.” Encouragingly, 60 percent of respondents said their chorus or quartet had already implemented physical modifications to improve accessibility in rehearsal and performance environments. “(This is) a positive sign,” Junkins said. “But (it’s) also potentially the easiest or most visible form of accommodation.” Beyond “ramps and risers” Accessibility is “multi-dimensional,” Junkins explained. It’s not “just about ramps and risers.” She was referring to the survey respondents who said they faced challenges in Sweet Adelines related to sensory sensitivities (18 percent), communication challenges (17 percent), mental health-related challenges (14 percent), and neurodivergent experiences (12 percent). Despite those figures, however, relatively few respondents reported accommodations addressing these needs: only 5 percent said their chorus or quartet offered communication or instructional supports, 8 percent cited sensory-friendly adjustments, 8 percent were able to use assistive listening technologies, 10 percent experienced neurodiversity-informed accommodations, and 13 percent reported emotional or mental wellness supports. “The diversity of needs demands layered solutions,” Junkins said. “Members face different combinations of physical, sensory, and cognitive challenges, so rehearsals and events must accommodate that complexity.” For example, accessibility for members with hearing or visual disabilities could be achieved using microphones and amplification systems, assigning riser placements to enhance sound or sight lines, providing large-print or Braille materials, or describing visual cues, and video recording rehearsals for later review, Junkins said, while neurodivergent members could benefit from scheduled breaks, modified choreography, and acceptance of alternative behaviors like fidgeting or stepping out.

Flexible Accommodations

Those kinds of flexible accommodations are “deeply tied to

6 | January 2026 8

chorus culture, leadership attitudes, and the visibility of inclusion efforts,” Junkins said, pointing to survey responses emphasizing that “leadership and proactive cultural inclusion matter more than available resources.” “When chorus leaders foster empathy, assign accessibility roles, and embrace DEI training, members with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional needs feel safe (and) valued rather than tolerated,” Junkins said. “Education around invisible disabilities, intersectional needs, and emotional inclusion must be normalized across all levels of Sweet Adelines leadership.” Sweet Adelines International extends heartfelt thanks to every member who took the time to share their experiences and perspectives through the disability survey. Every story, suggestion, and insight brings us one note closer to harmony, where every voice truly belongs. We also appreciate those who wanted to participate but, for any reason, were unable to complete the survey. We recognize that sharing about disability and accessibility can take courage and trust. The DEIC will be reviewing the disability survey results in the coming months to identify opportunities for new education and

resources that help ensure every member feels welcomed, supported, and valued, and that Sweet Adelines’ culture of belonging continues to grow and thrive. Until then, members can also explore existing resources in the Chorus Toolkit, which includes guidelines on inclusive rehearsal practices, accessible event planning, and supporting singers with diverse needs. For more information about the disability survey results, contact the DEIC at DEICouncil@sweetadelines.com.

With which of the following disabilities do you identify?

How does your disability/ disabilities impact your ability to fully participate and perform in Sweet Adelines? Do you identify with one or more disabilities?

What specific strategies, tools or practices have you and/or your chorus or quarted implemented to support accessibility in rehearsal and performance enviornments

What types of disability related barriers or challenges, if you , have any experienced in Sweet Adelines?

January 2026 | 9

A 4-STAR SCHOLARSHIP The Pat Ostrander 4-Star Collection Quartet Scholarship

his year, 4-Star Collection Quartet celebrates the 30th anniversary of their international quartet championship performance in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA). Always singing with all original members, this tight-knit foursome is honoring their families by introducing The Pat Ostrander 4-Star Collection Quartet Scholarship. Pat is the group’s lead, and she generously funded the scholarship to help other quartets benefit from the great educational opportunities provided by Sweet Adelines International, and to honor her mother, Elaine Dandrea. Having formed in 1987, 4-Star Collection competed in nine international contests and were in the international top five several times when they won their crowns, becoming 1997 International Champion Quartet. The quartet is made up of Connie Miller (tenor), Pat Ostrander (lead), Denise Baber (baritone), and Marcia Starnes (bass). To come up with their name, they had the great emcee Judy Olson announce various options as she would from the contest stage until one of them sounded just right. “I guess now that I think about it, we lived north, south, east, and west of the Twin Cities, so 4-Star Collection also really fit!,” says Connie. Three of the members were raised by barbershoppers. Both of Marcia’s parents sang, and her mother was a founder of City of Lakes Chorus. Marcia also had a Sweet Adelines international championship with Music Gallery (1982). Denise and Connie’s mothers were quartet singers. Denise’s mom was a member of Sweet Adelines and sang in choruses as well. “My mom lived vicariously through me in Sweet Adelines,” Pat recalls. “She was a singer, but not a Sweet Adeline. She was a singer in high school, and had sung with groups, and she loved music so much.”

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Throughout the quartet’s career, they have been grateful for the support of their parents. “The scholarship is in memory of my mom and in honor of all of the other parents in our quartet, who we called our 4-Star moms and dads,” says Pat. “We gave them name tags and sweatshirts that said that. I wanted to honor all of our parents because they supported us always, and we all became family. In a quartet, you become like sisters, especially if you've been together as long as we have, not by blood, but through the love of the music, and especially four-part barbershop harmony.”

“We had a coach the year we won who was not a Sweet Adeline,” recalls Pat. “She was a coach for the Mrs. International contestants here in Minnesota, and she told us that when you dream that you win, you truly believe you’re a winner because in your subconscious, if you're telling yourself you're a winner, you’ll make it happen. And I did have a dream. It was that we had won the contest, and when they came onto the stage to give us our crowns, there were three regular-sized crowns and one little one that she held in the palm of her hand. She gave that one to Marcia. And in my dream I thought, ‘Well that's because Marcia's been a champion before.’”

And the dream came true! “When we got together, and I told everybody my dream, we all laughed,” Pat says. “ Then, when we got to Fort Lauderdale, we went to look at the crowns, and there were only three crowns in the case. And there was the champion doll, which had a little teeny crown on its head. Denise or somebody said, ‘Pat, your dream!.’ They told us they had to send one out for repair and hoped it would be back in time for the crowning. It was back in time, so it wasn’t exactly like the dream, but it was close!” It took a lot of work to get to that dream. Great coaches, mentors, supporters, and, especially, love for each other and the music carried them through. They hope the scholarship will help provide the same to the next generation of Sweet Adelines International quartet singers. “It's going to be a little bit of a boost to their treasury as a quartet, and I hope they'll be able to go to an education event that they wouldn't otherwise have attended because they were selected for this scholarship” says Pat. “Even if they just go to international to observe what goes on and what it takes to climb the ranks and so forth, it would be worth it to them,” says Marcia. Connie says, “A closer goal might be for them to actually feel comfortable enough to share and be in a quartet long enough to establish the kind of friendship that we have, even a minuscule amount of that with their fellow quartet members. There's the physical and the monetary goal of going places, but there's a psychological goal that I hope they get from singing with other

people also — just four parts, four people. I hope that what Pat has established will help a lot of quartets feel that.” “There were a lot of things that coaching did for us, and it wasn't always musical,” says Connie. “Hopefully, with the money from this scholarship, they're going to find and discover a lot of things other than just singing. It'll be exciting to see how this all unfolds.”

January 2026 | 11

g n i v o r Imp Chorus Scores: getting to c+

elcome to the first in a series of three articles offering thoughts on improving chorus scores. In this installment, contributions from accomplished members of Sweet Adelines who’ve served as directors, coaches, performers, educators, and judges share what they believe describes the C+ level and practical ways to move into C+ or elevate within the C+ level. Ask a group of singers in Sweet Adelines what topics they are most interested in learning about at an educational event, and the top answer, according to a recent survey conducted by Sweet Adelines International, is vocal production, followed closely by performance. These responses are not surprising given that we are a singing organization, and they reflect a few of the priorities choruses might consider when working to move into or elevate within the C+ level at competition. Competing is only one part of chorus life, and it can be used as an annual analysis and adjudication of current skill level, providing direction for areas of improvement and confirmation of what is being achieved. Often, education is ramped up before competition in an effort to raise scores, but education opportunities are available year-round. Our organization’s education is robust, and it is not confined to regional and international educational events. Singers can learn from coaches, directors, chorus leaders, judges, newsletters, faculty members, and each other. Effective education can raise competition scores, but many factors impact a chorus’s score at any level. It would be nice if competitors could study how to sing and receive A+ scores, as if they were taking a test, but there is no guarantee that “working hard” will always result in a higher score on the competition stage. When we sing, we are creating art in a live setting, under pressure, with a group of singers likely to be at various levels of experience, skills, and preparation. This scenario makes what we do a challenge and a joy.

The C Level We all start at a certain level as individual singers and as a chorus. It’s not uncommon to begin singing somewhere in the C level or to move within or between levels. If your chorus is singing at the C+ level, you likely have moments of B- and moments of C during your rehearsals and performances. Understanding, mastering, and demonstrating skills with consistency is the key to advancement

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within or between levels. International Master Faculty and Master Director Betty Clipman shares, “We are all working on the same skills – just at various levels.” For example, all singers need to pay attention to the five vocal skills: body alignment, breathing/breath management, phonation, resonation, and articulation. The method and time allotted for working on these skills may vary depending on the level of the chorus.

areas common to all categories

The consistency and degree to which a chorus demonstrates competency in vocal skills, unity, energy, and musicality contribute to the overall determination of a score. These four areas are each addressed in one way or another in the Sound, Music, Expression, and Visual Communication judging categories. It behooves chorus leadership and singers to focus on ways to strengthen these skills regularly throughout the year to increase the chance of improving contest scores. The late Master Faculty Sharon Babb provided goals for competitors to work toward in order to “make the leap” between various levels based on these components. As a Certifed Sound and Music Jugde, Sharon listed the following as priorities for elevating from the C to the C+ levels:

vocal s kills

Characteristics of the C+ Level Nikki Blackmer____________________________________ Director of A Cappella Joy Chorus (Region 13), International Faculty

unity

At the C level, the focus is on developing individual singing skills and refining vocal technique. This is the stage where everyone learns how to sing with solid, consistent fundamentals. Expressive details like dynamics don’t play a large role yet; they can be vocally challenging, so we tend to stay “loud and proud” until singers reach the mid-B level. I like to use simpler songs as vehicles for applying these skills in context, ensuring that every song we learn teaches a specific skill, such as sneak breathing, opening our space on every breath, or creating clean onsets.

Betty Clipman_____________________________________ Retired as Director of Woodlands Show Chorus (Region 10), Certified Expression and Certified Sound Judge

y energ

C+ is based on how well you use your vocal skills to sing accurate intervals. The difference between C and C+ is the degree of accuracy. Where you are in that level is directly related to how much you’re singing in tune. Generally, when you’re in C+, there are frequent inaccurate intervals. The chorus may be singing just under the pitch and “reaching up” instead of “raising the roof ” and getting up and over. Once you start improving that, and have fewer accuracy discrepancies, the higher your score will be. I know the chorus is in B- when there are fewer chords out of tune.

Diane Porsch_____________________________________ Director of Buffalo Gateway Chorus (Region 17), Certified Visual Communication Judge

Once these goals are met, a new layer of skill-building begins. For example, to go from C+ to B- in the area of unity choruses should continue to focus on correct notes, words, and intervals, and make chord tuning and key integrity priorities. All choruses are comprised of singers at various levels of understanding and achievement; therefore, it is important to reinforce foundational skills as new skills are added, making learning cyclical for the individual singers and chorus. By maintaining the fundamentals, we weave new skills into existing skills in a logical way without overwhelming the singers. Progressing within the C levels, as with all the levels, has its own challenges. Thoughtful planning, ongoing encouragement, and setting realistic expectations are key to progress. Here’s what some well-known, successful leaders in Sweet Adelines International have to say about the C+ level based on their experiences as directors, coaches, judges, educators and singers:

In a C+ chorus, energy is accompanied by moments of confidence and admirable stage presence – though not consistently enough to be considered B- just yet. Vocal skill work is definitely apparent but not sustained because energy is somewhat sporadic. Attempts at audience connection are sometimes successful but presented by the individual singers versus by the unit. Stamina is key to moving to the next level.

RenÉe Porzel_______________________________________ Director of Melodeers Chorus (Region 3), Certified Visual Communication Judge, International Faculty The most important difference, to me, between C and C+ is that C level is very internalized. C level groups are working on the mechanics of singing, doing choreography, and performing as a unit, while C+ has that burst of energy and character that peeks through as they explore how to make themselves look like the song they are singing. They are starting to feel more confident, and that translates into having the chance to explore more physicality when they sing to add vibrancy to the overall audience impression.

January 2026 | 13

Areas of Focus and Activities for Growth and Development Nikki Blackmer____________________________________ Simple adjustments, like having everyone breathe in on the same vowel, can instantly create a more unified sound. It helps to set a clear goal for the overall tone quality you want to hear each time they sing and make that your top priority. Consistency builds confidence and blend. Whenever possible, tweak repeated sections in the music so they are identical. This allows singers to apply the same vocal skills each time and eliminates confusion about which version of a section they’re in. It’s essential to give singers the opportunity to experience success repeatedly. Praise them when they do it well, then let them do it again, without additional comments, to build muscle memory. Doing something correctly once shows they can do it; doing it multiple times in a row ensures they’re truly internalizing the skill. It’s natural to worry that constant stops might frustrate singers, but in my experience, the opposite is true.

Betty Clipman_____________________________________ The major thing is to work on elevating vocal skills. The most important part of rehearsal is the first 30 minutes. Warm-ups are for skill building. Directors need to focus on education, such as opening the singing space, “raising the roof ” (aka “raising the soft palate”). Another thing that is important is PVIs (Personal Vocal Instruction) and working one-on-one. A singer should take a PVI, listen to themself, take advice, and work on their own in order to get that same sound. One activity that can help with understanding resonance is to ask singers to mimic sounds using such as those in the words thin, whiny, and covered, then ask them to sing it with a rich, round, and resonant sound, then talk about how those sounds feel. Jarmela Speta (Director of the first-ever International Champion Chorus, Racine) used to say that you have to imagine sound. You help the singers imagine a sound, do it wrong, then do it right.

Diane Porsch_____________________________________ The area to focus on is continued attention to raising the vocal skill level of each singer. If every singer could improve in the areas of breath support alone, the overall chorus would improve vastly. Also, confidence is key because nervous energy and anxiety appear in C level, which is more about the individual rather than the unit. Individual commitment to increased energy could help a C level chorus move into C+.

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When coaching singers from C to C+, physical stamina will be the number one challenge. Individual vocal production skills require work on the basics. The teaching of the basic vocal skills, e.g., breath support, needs to be done through creative, fun approaches. For instance, when teaching how to use more air, I might ask the group to “Imitate a leaf blower...imagine those notes being blown off of your deck or out of your driveway.” Or, concerning facial lift, we might do some role-playing with specific actors or actresses in mind.

RenÉe Porzel_____________________________________ If I’m working with a group trying to get from C to C+, I will focus on developing their awareness of the audience so they can get out of performing in an introspective way and begin to explore how confidence and glimpses of comfort on stage vocally and visually impact their ability to involve the audience in their performance. It’s appropriate to do activities that highlight how much energy is needed, how much lift they need in their voices, and, most importantly, how they can trust themselves a bit and own the song so the director does not have to pull them through each phrase. I do work in a circle so they can see what others are doing as they sing, and I do fun games which remove the director from the formula so the chorus can begin to experience independence. Sometimes I have them stand totally still without moving a muscle, and then have them go to the other extreme and move too much! It’s fun, and helps the ensemble find the happy formula for how much works. I also find that using that much physicality often impacts the sound due to the ensemble working hard to get movement incorporated. I take their song in small chunks and help them marry their vocal performance to the physicality needed in each part of the story.

Chorus Culture Attributes of C+ Choruses Nikki Blackmer____________________________________ At the C+ level, a wonderful sense of hunger often begins to emerge. When singers see their scores rise from the 40s into the high 50s, they start to believe that scores beginning with a “6” are within reach. I love a hungry chorus—a group that knows exactly where they are, sees where they could be, and takes intentional, step-by-step actions to get there.

At this stage, the director’s role becomes crucial. Music should be chosen thoughtfully: pieces that the chorus enjoys but can also perform with confidence and consistency. It’s essential to prioritize the right skills at the right time. For example, while dynamics are beautiful, they can be difficult to manage when singers are still focusing on their own technique. Instead of a complex dynamic plan, it’s often more productive to focus on unified breath shapes, consistent airflow, and clear tone production.

Betty Clipman____________________________________ Every song in the repertoire is treated like a contest song. Good vocal skills then become a habit. Sing every song with your best vocal skills, and your best vocal skills will reign!

Diane Porsch_____________________________________ here’s a difference when a chorus gets to C+ in that they likely have a bit higher level of expectation in commitment to things like notes, words, and physical energy. Security and confidence in performing change as the singers become aware of the impact of adding more energy to a higher degree of note and word accuracy. Confidence comes from experiencing success, which begins at rehearsal. I feel that the musical leadership must understand how to prioritize the needs of their chorus and strategically guide the singers through what’s most important for them to excel.

RenÉe Porzel_____________________________________ The main attribute of C+ is that they start eyeing B-! They start to wonder what it will take to get a 60, and they begin to focus on performing with more energy. Culturally, they start to see their own improvement and begin to trust that they are singing better as an ensemble. They break away from needing the director for every little reminder and start to become more aware of what the rest of the ensemble is doing.

Celebrations of C+ Achievement Nikki Blackmer____________________________________ Every success should be celebrated, no matter what level the chorus is at. When everyone clearly understands what they’re working toward, it becomes easy to recognize and celebrate progress and then strive to recreate it. Acknowledging these wins builds confidence and momentum. I also like to introduce the “next skill” as a bit of a carrot once the current one starts to solidify. It keeps singers motivated, curious, and excited about what’s coming next.

Betty Clipman_____________________________________ When you’re in C+, B- is not far away. Focusing on the elements that raise you from C+ to B- can be very joyful because you are singing more in tune. Chorus members can hear this. Always celebrate! Say, “That was BETTER!” When you do something that’s better, recognize it, even if it’s not perfect. When people have a better image of themselves, they sing better. Praise even when it’s not perfect.

Diane Porsch_____________________________________ There’s so much to celebrate! Firstly, there’s a sense of confidence beginning to appear, which allows for moments of audience connection. Energy, though still sporadic, is beginning to impact the salesmanship of the storytelling and some inroads (though not consistent as a unit yet) have been made toward characterization and physical expression. Moments of joy are evident in individual singers. It’s important for everyone to share that joy at the same time, but it’s there! Overall, the C+ performance offers an entertainment value that is not available at a lower level.

RenÉe Porzel_____________________________________ Singers in a C+ chorus are aware of the nearness of B! They need to be taught the level descriptors for C and C+ and use them to celebrate every time they have more C+ in a performance or phrase. The more the chorus culture supports the differences between C+ and B-, the more they will start aiming for more developed preparation in rehearsals, more physical freedom, and more trust in each other. It’s a very exciting time in the growth of the chorus, and it’s worth celebrating. The chorus needs to build a structure which supports cheering for themselves when they make a key change, when they do a tempo change correctly, when they maintain key center on their intro….any moments when they are together and the elements of B start to show up! C+ level ensembles travel down an exciting path together as they explore, learn, and strive to make good singing skills habitual. Musical leaders help promote success by choosing arrangements that are within the skill level of their singers, interpreting songs with a sensitivity to these skills, and setting expectations appropriately. When improvements occur at this level, they are often easily heard, seen, and felt by the singers and by the audience! Joan Boutilier is Master Director of River City Sound Chorus (Region 3), a Certified Sound Judge, an Approved Expression Judge, and a member of Sweet Adelines International Faculty.

January 2026 | 15

Supporting the Standard Bearers of Tomorrow

The Barbara A. Nielsen Endowment Fund for Sweet Adelines Judge Scholarships, Education, and Training

Barbara A. Nielsen had a busy time at the Sweet Adelines

“I enjoyed my judging experience because I didn’t have all the other attendant worries,” she says. “I want to give everyone a chance International Convention & Competition. She crossed the stage to have a Lynn. And also, on the personal side, I’m the last of my to receive her 50-year membership pin. She won a fourth-place family, so part of what I wanted to do was leave something for my medal with her long-time chorus, Harbor City Music Company, musical family.” where she is a tenor section leader. She was also featured in a video Judging has been an extremely meaningful and fulfilling part of on the big screen, sharing the news about the new Barbara A. Barbara’s musical life. Nielsen Endowment Fund for Sweet Adelines Judge Scholarships, “I started the judging journey, and I’ve never regretted a minute Education and Training. The endowment provides funds for those of it,” she says. “It can make you a little anxious because you want who have been accepted into the International Judging Program to be the best that you can be, and the standards are high, but for their continuing education. The endowment is an enduring that’s perfectly okay. It’s one of the most demanding and rewarding gesture of love and respect to the mentors who supported Barbara things that anyone in our organization can participate in. It affects on her own journey to the judging pit. the future of the organization in a big way, so it’s a responsibility, “I had a friend, rest her soul, named Lynn (Zacker) Thomas but once they have decided who was in my first chorus, you are capable of carrying Elkridge,” she recalls. “We An endowment fund is a permanent, invested fund in which the that responsibility, you’re had just come back from the proud to do it and very 1987 convention Hawaii, I principal is preserved, and only a portion of the earnings is used each gratified when a competitor jumped right into the hot year to support the organization. These funds provide long-term comes up to you and says, zone of applying for the financial stability, ensuring Sweet Adelines International can sustain its ‘I really thank you for those judging program and all the education, scholarship, and youth programs for generations to come. comments. They made a preliminary steps. Lynn was By including an endowment gift in your estate plans, you can leave a lot of sense.’ It’s a process there with me every step lasting legacy that strengthens the future of our music and mission. for both competitor and of the way, supportive. She judge. It’s one of the hardest loved contests, she adored things I’ve ever done, but it them. She probably rememis something that I will always be happy I did, no matter how long bered every score ever given. She said, ‘I will not ask questions. I’m in it.” I will stay out of your way. I will get you where you need to be, Barbara emphasizes the importance of supporting the next genand all you need to think about is what you came here to do.’ We eration of judges. shared the cost of hotel rooms. In doing that, she got me through “In the judging community, we are kind of the statesmen of the my training.” standards,” she says, “but we need aspiring judges. They will come Once Barbara began judge training, she discovered the hidden from younger members willing to learn, willing to stay current, costs of the travel involved. because we are organically responsive to what our members and “You apply, and in your imagination, you’re immediately in the audiences need. We will need that perspective for all time. pit,” she says. “You don’t think, ‘Oh, I’ve got to save money for breakfast and lunch and dinner.’ The nuts and bolts of the expense, That’s part of the reason I made this gift – to help develop the talent that could be out there but might not have the resources. the things you don’t know you need, don’t occur to you. If we don’t make it possible for these aspiring judges, financially, I was very lucky.” to fully participate, we aren’t going to have the standard bearers for Because Lynn and other mentors helped her through the the artistic and musical developments that we are aspiring to as an program, Barbara could concentrate on developing the skills organization.” required of a Sweet Adelines adjudicator. She wants to give that Barbara signs scoresheets using her middle initial because she to the next generation.

16 | January 2026

shares her name with her mother and subsequently developed the lifelong habit of using her middle initial to distinguish between them. She named the endowment using that form of her name in hopes that future generations will feel her support. “ I thought it would be a nice synergy, and I wanted to leave a mark that was going to resonate, shall we say, in terms of future generations of judges that will all be trained and will have an open mind while they’re being trained because they don’t have to worry as much about the financial part and can concentrate on their education.” Barbara’s impact on Sweet Adelines International will live on

in the singers and judges she has mentored, and in the countless performers who have been guided by her thoughtful evaluations. Now, through her endowment, her influence will help ensure that aspiring judges are able to focus on their important education for decades to come. In the meantime, Barbara will keep on doing what she loves. “Our judges are more than willing to help aspiring judges because, to be honest, we will one day be replacing ourselves,” she says. “But as long as God allows me to get through an airport and get on and off a plane and have a thinking, functioning brain, I’ll serve the organization as well as I can.”

Find out how you can establish an endowment fund by contacting Susan Smith, Chief Philanthropy and Administrative Officer at susan@sweetadelines.com

An adventure with Indian Blue Chorus T

his year, Indian Blue Chorus did something we’ve never done before: we performed a pantomime. Yes, a real, honest-to-goodness, full-costume, joke-filled, audience-cheering, villain-booing pantomime. And we did it entirely in four-part harmony. Every year, we compete, perform, and entertain our local community through concerts and sing-outs, which we love. But this year, we wanted to try something new, something that would challenge us at the performance level, bring us closer as a chorus, and offer a fresh way to share the joy of barbershop. Under the guidance of our fearless director, Adrian Gimpel, we set out to stage our very first pantomime production: Absolute Pantomonium! For our chorus, it was a bold idea. Many of us had never acted on stage, let alone delivered lines in character or danced in wigs and makeup. But what we lacked in experience, we made up for in enthusiasm, and along the way, we built wonderful new relationships with venue owners and experienced theatre people who helped us bring the show to life. The script wove together cheeky characters, surprise plot twists, and plenty of audience participation, all part of the fun of a pantomime in the English tradition. We didn’t just sing and act, though; we built the world from scratch. Every costume, every set piece, every silly oversized prop was made by us. We held prop-making parties, shared glue guns and glitter, and turned our homes into mini workshops. Some of us discovered crafting talents we never knew we had. In true barbershop spirit, everyone pitched in, no matter their stage role. There were definitely nerves leading up to the performance. Many of us were outside our comfort zones. But something

18 | January 2026

amazing happened: the music held us together. The trust we’ve built as singers translated beautifully to the stage. We listened, supported, adapted, and had more fun than we ever imagined. Beyond the applause (which was wonderful!), what stood out most was how much this experience bonded us as a chorus. We saw new sides of each other. Members who had never taken the spotlight before suddenly lit up the stage. We laughed constantly, helped each other with lines and choreography, and came away stronger, not just as performers, but as friends. And the audience? They absolutely loved it. Many told us afterwards they hadn’t expected barbershop to fit so naturally into theatre, but by the end of the show, they were completely won over. Now we’re already talking about next year’s production, and it’s safe to say this won’t be our last time mixing harmony with theatrical flair. To any other choruses thinking of stepping outside the box, do it. Whether it’s pantomime, storytelling, or something entirely new, all you need is a little courage, a lot of laughter, and, of course, four-part harmony. Tanya McKenna is public relations and marketing coordinator for Indian Blue Chorus.

Singing First, Singing Last MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CONTEST EXPERIENCE

aiting for the Order of Appearance draw before contest can build a lot of anticipation. Often, there is disappointment if you are drawn first and excitement if you’re drawn last. How do you handle the emotions, either way? What is the best way to approach these performance times? Are there any perks to being first or drawbacks to being last? Being competitors ourselves and talking with other competitors, the Judge Specialists have some insights and suggestions to help calm concerns about being drawn first or last for competition.

The Judges’ Perspective

Many competitors believe that performing last in a contest is the most desirable spot. After all, by the end of the competition, the audience is full. The energy is palpable as people await the results. There is a sense of importance attached to closing a competition. For many, they truly believe it is the optimal contest experience.

But is it really?

As judges, we prepare in the level viewing by judging and discussing performances together. In level viewing, we watch and judge the same performance then compare scores and notes to make sure that all judges are analyzing and scoring according to Sweet Adelines International standards as set out in the Judging Category Description Book (JCDB). In a way, you could say the first competitor isn’t the “first” they’ve adjudicated that day! On the day of contest, we are ready and excited to hear each contestant! For us, the timing or placement of each contestant doesn’t matter when it comes to how we judge them. We are trained to bring

our focus, energy and attention to every single performance – no matter when it happens. However, we know the first contestants don’t usually have a big audience, so we proactively give big smiles and excitedly anticipate their performance. As competitors ourselves, who experience the draw like everyone else, we as judges no longer see “first” or “last” as better or worse – it is just different. Both come with their own type of joy, challenge, and rhythm. When you are scheduled first or close to the start of the contest, you actually have special benefits that those at contest’s end may not experience. You perform when you are freshest, and then you are done early, which means you actually get to relax, watch, learn, and cheer for your friends throughout the rest of the contest! You are present to experience the atmosphere and electricity of the whole convention. It becomes more than just a few minutes on stage – it becomes a shared experience. These are unique advantages available to those early in the contest: building understanding of our barbershop craft AND recognizing and relishing the amazing barbershop family we share. Compare that to performing last, when your entire competition experience often builds to those few minutes on stage and is over so quickly. Singing last can bring a strange mix of emotions. Yes, there’s relief and pride, but also a sudden drop – like a cliff edge – where the adrenaline fades. There’s less of a shared experience with your regional (or International) family, and less opportunity to learn from one another because you are usually unable to watch the rest of the live competition. Certainly, it is wonderful to have an energized, full audience! Yet the last performer needs to prepare for some challenges just as much as the first performers do.

“Embrace the audience, no matter what size, with your energy and joy.” 20 | January 2026

Advice for First and Last Performers How can we help ourselves or our singers have a wonderful, affirming experience

when the order of appearance puts you in one of these challenging performance times? Planning and Preparation are the key!

Every performance is special. Every performance time has joys and challenges.

When we embrace both, we can learn about ourselves as performers, reach outside

our comfort zones, and grow. As judges, we hope every performer (no matter their performance time!) knows and believes they are appreciated and admired. First, last or in-between, you are amazing!

ADVICE FOR EARLY PERFORMANCE TIMES

ADVICE FOR LATE PERFORMANCE TIMES

Prior to contest weekend, plan a rehearsal at the

Conserve your energy. Schedule your day with

same time of day as your contest day rehearsal and

rest times as well as rehearsal.

use similar preparations so contest day is expected

Choose healthy and scheduled food and

and comfortable. Prepare in advance for an early morning singing, i.e., be fully rested when you arrive at contest. Go to bed as early as possible on the night before “game day.” Hydrate when getting up for the day. For some people, breathing in steam can clear nasal passages. Practice some of your chorus vocalizing exercises such as bubbling, resonating, lip trills, etc. as you prepare for the day. Prepare for a small audience, i.e. visualize singing/ performing to an audience of one whom you love. Practice singing with/giving maximum energy to the person in front of or closest to you. Embrace the

hydration.

Laugh and bond. Use this extra time to build

stronger bonds with fellow singers, anticipating the experience.

Prepare for a big audience. Visualize singing/ performing to a large audience who are barbershoppers – and friends!

Practice giving enough energy to embrace a large audience.

Talk with other competitors afterwards to connect and build relationships with singers outside your group so you can feel the “family” experience.

audience, no matter what size, with your energy and joy. Plan what to do when watching the rest of the contest. You might listen for how one judging category is highlighted in each performance. Plan cheers for each competitor. Make note of your

The Judge Specialists Committee is made up of Paula Davis, Moderator; Beth Smith, Sound; Jana Gutenson, Music;

Vickie Maybury, Expression; and Anna Rosenberg, Visual Communication.

favorite moment in each performance, etc.

January 2026 | 21

International Convention Highlights

Click on the play button icon throughout this issue to relive the wonderful performances and experiences from Columbus! 22 | January 2026

Monday Education

Crown Reveal

January 2026 | 23

Harmony Achievement Award

Millenium Magic REGION #1

This award is presented to the chorus with no more than 51 members which achieves a score of at least 960 during the International Chorus Semifinals.

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Novice Quartet Award

Valkyries REGION #11

This award recognizes the highest scoring quartet in the international semifinals in which two or more members have never competed in the semifinals and no member of the quartet has ever been an International Quartet Champion. The quartet must also achieve a minimum score of 960 points.

January 2026 | 25

2025 Diamond Division Champion Quartet

Regale

942

2025 Rising Star Champion Quartet

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Family Chorus

s u r o h C y l i Fam Co-directors Kim Wonders and Natalie Allen of Metro Nashville Chorus (#4) led the 2026 Family Chorus in a wonderful performance on the international stage on Saturday night. The ensemble of Sweet Adelines and their relatives sang Change the World (arr. D. Sharon and D. Wright) and Why We Sing (arr. A. Fellows). January 2026 | 27

Celebrating our Donors in Columbus! We celebrated the generosity of our donors in Columbus in the donor suite and during special events like the Major Donor Luncheon and the Toast of Celebration. The support of our donors make it possible for us to continue building our future for generations to come.

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Thank you, Webcasters! Anchors:

Nikki Blackmer, Janice McKenna, Karen Breidert, JD Crowe

Correspondents:

Nicky Salt, Melody Hine, Janice McKenna, Molly Huffman, Gretchen Holloway, Anne Downton

Celebrating Years of Harmony

A pop-up museum showcased 15 champion quartet and chorus dolls as well as objects curated from the Sweet Adelines International archives. Visitors enjoyed reminiscing and learning more about our organization’s history.

2026 International Champion Quar BARBERSHOP IS “You say yes!”

FAMILY

Dynasty Quartet almost needs no introduction. As you can read in their bios, each singer has a long history in barbershop and in Sweet Adelines International. So how did this generational “supergroup” come to be? “We didn’t have the whole generational plan for the quartet at first, but Jenny said, ‘Just do it, Mom. Just sing lead with me,’” Debbie recalls. “I said, ‘Okay, but you should be singing with someone young.’” But besides Debbie’s incredible talent, Jenny had another reason for asking. “I had moved away, so I was no longer living in Florida,” she says. “Mom had retired from ‘the Buzz’, COVID lockdowns were ending, and people were traveling more. I said, ‘Mom, if you sing in another quartet that I’m not in, I will never see you because I’m in Ohio. It was honestly a good way for us to spend so much time together. It’s been really nice.” Jenny and Michaela had wanted to sing together since their Rising Star days, but they kept passing each other like (champion)ships in the night, never free at the same time.

Mom to the rescue… “Jenny had always wanted to sing with Michaela, and I saw Michaela at a Spirit of the Gulf Chorus thing and asked if she would sing,” Debbie recalls. “She said, ‘Yeah, I just don’t want to sing tenor. I want to sing baritone.” To find a tenor, they texted legendary barbershopper and Toast of Tampa Show Chorus Director Tony De Rosa, who recommended Sarah, who had moved to Florida. They knew Sarah from her time in Sirens of Gotham and eagerly contacted her to ask if she was interested. Sarah was quite surprised. “When I got that text, I was so excited,” says Sarah. “But also, I immediately called my husband and I said, ‘I got this amazing text. They want to sing in a quartet together, but I think they have the wrong Sarah. I don’t even know how they know who I am. What do I do?’ He was like, ‘You say yes!’ It’s the best thing that ever happened!”

Dynasty is Family Family is at the heart of Dynasty.

“It’s nice that a lot of our family is engulfed in the barbershop style,” says Michaela. “We have built-in coaches, people who will listen to us, sound engineers…We just have so many people who are truly an extension of Dynasty, some who are literally in our family, but also people who have helped our quartet along the way. It is just awesome.” They deeply value their Sweet Adelines family as well. “At whatever age you are, you always have a home in barbershop and in Sweet Adelines,” says Michaela. “You have a built-in community of people who could not be more different but who come together and create this community and home that is a safe space. You have this huge support system of people, some of whom you might’ve only said hi to once or twice at a convention, but who are cheering you on not only in your musical endeavors, but in your personal endeavors too.” As a singer who has devoted many years of her life to guiding young people, Debbie agrees. “So many people don’t have an artistic outlet in their life, but it is available to them in barbershop and in Sweet Adelines,” says Debbie. “Even if young people don’t grow up to do it, at least they know in the back of their mind it’s there, and hopefully barbershop has given them a positive moment that they have to remember and cherish.”

rtet DYNASTY

Dynasty

Region: #9 Score: 2972

Semi-Final Songs:

Song 1: If My Friends Could See Me Now/Oh! Look at Me Now Medley; Arranger: Melody Hine Song 2: Something Good; Arranger: Clay Hine

Finals Songs:

Song 1: Dynasty Family Band; Arr. C. Hine , Song 2: Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off/Anything You Can Do; Arr. C. Hine, Song 3: Mother Knows Best; Arr. A. Bock, Song 4: The Song That Goes Like This; Arr. C. Hine, Song 5: Runnin’ Wild; Arr. N. Bergman, Song 6: This Is The Moment; Arr. F. King

MEET DYNASTY Sarah Clay Lindvall (tenor) is a third-generation barbershopper. Her parents are Lisa and Joe Clay, bass of Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) champion FRED (1999). Sarah was founder and artistic director of Sirens of Gotham Chorus (2011-2017) and has competed on the international stage with Harmony (tenor, 2017) and Grit and Grace (baritone, 2022). She received the 2022 National Association of Music Educators (NAfME) Award from Sweet Adelines International. A member and assistant director of 2026 International Champion Toast of Tampa Show Chorus, she was featured in their winning finals performance.

Michaela Slamka-Johnston (baritone) is a fourth-generation barbershopper, following in the footsteps of her BHS January 2025 | champion dad, Mike Slamka (Power Play, 2003 and Crossroads 2009) and grandfather Jack Slamka (Power Play 2003). Michaela also has a Rising Star championship (2014) and international crown (2019) with ClassRing, where she sang tenor. She also sings tenor with her husband, Nathan, in Barbershop in Germany (BinG!) World Mixed Champion Quartet Double Date. Michaela is an associate member of Song of Atlanta Chorus, Region 14.

Debbie Cleveland (lead) is a first-generation barbershopper who has led countless singers to the artform as a music educator. She received the NAfME Award from Sweet Adelines in 1997 and from BHS in 2018. She has two previous quartet crowns with “the BUZZ” (2005) and Showtime (1994). Her husband Brett and son Josh are also singers, and her daughter sings bass for Dynasty. Debbie is Chapter-at-Large, Region 9.

Jenny Cutlip (bass) is a second-generation barbershopper. She is the daughter of Dynasty’s lead, Debbie Cleveland. Jenny became a bass in the Toast of Tampa Show Chorus at age 11. She won two Rising Star Championships (BarbieShop 2003, Royal Blush 2010) and earned three international bronze medals and a silver with Windsor quartet (2015-2018). Currently, she is Chapter-at-Large, Region 9.

Top 10 Quartets Sirens | 2nd Place Gina Baker (t), Spirit of the Gulf Angie Love-Callahan (l), Spirit of the Gulf Deanna Kastler (bt), Spirit of the Gulf Joanie Jacques (bs), Spirit of the Gulf Region: #9 Score: 2902 Songs:

Song 1: Almost There; Arr. A. Dale, Song 2: That Man; Arr. C. Prietto, Song 3: Let’s Be Bad; Arr. M. Hine, Song 4: Live Life; Arr. J. Kastler,

Duly Noted | 3rd Place Raegan Goldman (t), Toast of Tampa Show Madison Riviere (l), Chapter-at-Large #9 KaleyAnna Raabe (bt), Toast of Tampa Show Emily Ellsworth (bs), Chapter-at-Large, #9 Region: #9 Score: 2877 Songs:

Song 1: Nobody Taught Me; Arr. C. Hine, Song 2: Valentine; Arr. N. Johnston, Song 3: Ken; Arr. K. Raabe, Song 4: Being Alive; Arr. D. Wright

Lucille | 4th Place Erin Lavoie (t), Chapter-at-Large, #21 Jennifer Recker (l), Chapter-at-Large, #17 Emily O’Brien (bt), Harborlites Loren Vaughn (bs), Chapter-at-Large, #15 Region: #17 Score: 2841 Songs:

Song 1: Fortuosity (Parody); Arr. D. Wessler, Song 2: If I Had My Way; Arr. C. Hine, R. Gerard, H. Armstrong, J. Giallambardo, Song 3: Something About Ya’ (Parody); Arr. J. Liles, Song 4: I Told Them All About You/You Dear Medley; Arr. J. Liles, Song 5: Fortuosity (Parody); Arr. D. Wessler

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VOCE | 5th Place Deanna Sargent (t), Millennium Magic Cheryl Brusket (l), Chapter-at-Large, #1 Angie Kunasek (bt), Millennium Magic Beth Paul (bs), Millennium Magic Region: #1 Score: 2692 Songs:

Song 1: A Villian; Arr. A. Kunasek, Song 2: Creep; Arr. A. Kunasek, Song 3: If Ever I’d Achieve You (Parody); Arr. C. Hine, Song 4: Ursula’s Incantation; Arr. A. Kunasek, Song 5: I Put A Spell On You; Arr. K. Kitzmiller

Serenade | 6th Place Connie Light (t), Rich-Tone Caitlin Klemballa (l), Scottsdale Melanie Esquivias (bt), Scottsdale Lindsay Chartier (bs), Note-ably North Texas Region: #25 Score: 2688 Songs:

Song 1: Come On Get Happy; Arr. A. Dale, Song 2: Midnight Serenade; Arr. D. Wright, Song 3: True Colors; Arr. E. Gain, Song 4: World, Here I Am Medley; Arr. P. McAlexander

All Fired Up | 7th Place Nancy Cloeter (t), Harbor City Music Company Alicia Carter (l), Chapter-at-Large, #19 Dawn Adams (bt), Chapter-at-Large, #19 Kim Elger-Griffin (bs), Spirit of the Gulf Region: #19 Score: 2681 Songs:

Song 1: Here’s To Our Favorites (Parody); Arr. C. Hine & D. Adams , Song 2: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy; Arr. D. Wright, Song 3: Singing In The Bathtub; Arr. G. Cokeroft, Song 4: Titanium; Arr. D. Sharon & D. Wright, Song 5: Here’s To Our Favorites (Parody); Arr. C. Hine & D. Adams, Song 6: Tomorrow Is Promised To No One; Arr. R. Rund & F. King

January 2026 | 33

Top 10 Quartets cont. Presto | 8th Place Lindsay Patrick (t), Song of Atlanta Jennifer Cooke (l), Scenic City Kathe Schellman (bt), Song of Atlanta Kris Wheaton (bs), Chapter-at-Large, #4 Region: #14 Score: 2668 Songs:

Song 1: Maybe This Time; Arr. M. Hine, Song 2: After Today; Arr. J. Giallombardo, Song 3: Mr. Sandman; Arr. B. Bradley, Song 4: Climbing Uphill; Arr. M. Hine, Song 5: Jazz Ladies Ride; Arr. D. Wright,

Skylark | 9th Place Joanne Oosterhoff (t), A Cappella West Avril Hughes (l), Brindabella Kirsten Richardson (bt), A Cappella West Glenda Lloyd (bs), Brindabella Region: #34 Score: 2625 Songs:

Song 1: Bluey Theme Song; Arr. G. Lloyd,, Song 2: We’re Happy Little Vegemites; Arr. A. White, Song 3: Shelter; Arr. E. Boyd, Song 4: Along the Road to Gundagai; Arr. G. Lloyd, J. O’Hagan, W. Motzing, Song 5: Journey To The Past; Arr. G. Lloyd

Gusto | 10th Place Dana Entrikin (t), Oregon Coast Stephanie Beard (l), Oregon Coast Martha Segura (bt), Oregon Coast Mary Magnuson (bs), Oregon Coast Region: #12 Score: 2603 Songs:

Song 1: Back In Business; Arr. D. Wright, Song 2: They Just Keep Moving The Line; Arr. S. Tramack. Song 3: Ebb Tide; Arr. F. King, Song 4: Are You Havin’Any Fun?; Arr. M. Hine

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January 2025 | 19

2026 International Champion Toast

Our new international chorus champion, TOAST OF TAMPA Show Chorus, is full of fun facts and stats. Let’s start with the numbers:

32 YEARS since their last international championship. 8 CHAMPIONSHIPS held by TOAST of TAMPA singer Diane Landry (who won seven of them with Melodeers Chorus) – making her the winningest chorus singer in Sweet Adelines International!

3 TOAST of TAMPA AFFILIATED QUARTETS competing in Columbus: Radiant Quartet (11th place), Duly Noted (third place), 2026 International Champion Quartet Dynasty Dynasty’s tenor Sarah ClayLindvall, is a member of TOAST of TAMPA (and starred in their

winning performance).

BONUS Now-retired 2024 Diamond Division Champion Quartet Bubbly! is also a Toast of Tampa quartet. Bubbly Toast of Tampa Show Chorus is proud of their history, and they care deeply about their legacy. It’s one of the reasons they work so diligently on every detail, from music to costuming to performance and chorus culture. Toast of Tampa leaves it all on the stage, every time – and they have a lot to leave. For example, in the run-up to their 2026 international championship, Musical Director Tony De Rosa issued a 28-day singing challenge to the chorus. “It was 15 to 30 minutes every day of focused exercises,” says team coordinator Denise Helbig. “A majority of the chorus did the challenge, and that’s really an example of our chorus culture. We’re all one team being one voice. It’s something rare, I think, and I feel very blessed to be part of something so special.” Tony says Toast of Tampa works together to perfect details so they can hit the stage with the “reckless abandon” that made their Columbus performance so electrifying. “I said, ‘Let’s just do everything we can to absolutely commit fully to everything we’ve rehearsed, just with reckless abandon and absolute investment,” says Tony. “Just go out there and do that, then if it doesn’t hit, it won’t be because we gave a wishy-washy performance.” Going all in means each singer needs to be confident, and Toast of Tampa builds confidence through high expectations and valuing

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the individual talents of each member, from set designer and woodworker Susan Robbie to costume designers Sarah Clay-Lindvall and Cynthia Cohen, dressmakers Beth Perdomo and Amy Cartisano, who is also the makeup/hair coordinator, choreographer Sophia De Rosa (Tony’s daughter), and more. “From start to finish, this was a village operation, and so many people stepped up to make props, come up with costume designs, and do other things,” says Tony. “They said,‘Oh, you want us to go to a hair class so that we can better understand this era? Right, okay, we’ll do that!’ I think everybody had a piece of it.” While Toast of Tampa has many long-time members, Tony says around 40% of the members have been in the chorus for four years or less. Plus, a vibrant youth program means even young members often arrive with barbershop experience. “We have had and still have an amazing youth program in our state,” says Denise. “A lot of our members started singing barbershop in high school and joined the choruses when they were younger. The youth are the future of our organization and we’re just so lucky to be able to have them grow up with us. And we also had somebody who went to a youth workshop maybe 20 years ago who looked us up and came back to barbershop singing this year!” Denise was with the chorus for their 1993 win, spent around 30 years directing another chorus, then returned to Toast of Tampa and won again. “The culture of the chorus has changed so much this last couple of years,” she says. “We are giving and growing, but we are also focused and really taking ownership in what we individually do. We lift up each other with our gifts. We share the gifts that we have, and then we’re all receiving gifts from others. That’s what makes it special to me.” Toast of Tampa delights audiences with creative performances and incredible singing. Dedication, focus, and lots of work go into creating what Tony hopes is not just a champion performance but a champion legacy. “Being winners and winning a championship is different from being a championship organization and champions,” he says. “We’re very dedicated to earning the championship that so many people have won before and so many championship organizations have been built on. We’ve always been an excellence-based organization, and now that we’ve won a championship, we have to step in even further, essentially to become the champions that we want to be for ourselves, for Sweet Adelines International, for Region 9, and hopefully for a long time to come. We just want to earn it and earn it well.”

t of Tampa Show Chorus

Toast of Tampa Show Chorus Region: #9

Director: Tony DeRosa Score: 2988

Semi-Final Songs:

Sing 1: The Place Where The Lost Things Go; Arr. C. Hine Song 2: On A Wonderful Day Like Today; Arr. C. Hine

Final Songs:

Song 1: Ready For A Miracle; Arr. G. Lewis, Song 2: Audition Montage; Arr. C. Hine, Song 3: Maybe This Time; Arr. C. Hine, Song 4: Rain On My Parade; Arr. C. Hine,

“The last time Toast of Tampa won, in 1993, Showtime Quartet also won. It was another Region 9 sweep! Their tenor was a member of Toast of Tampa. Fast forward to today: both Toast of Tampa and Dynasty won this year, and their tenor, Sarah Clay-Lindvall, is a member of Toast of Tampa… and both quartets feature the same lead, Debbie Cleveland! Coincidence? Maybe. But we think it’s just one of the magical threads woven through our chorus’ legacy.” – TOAST of TAMPA Show Chorus social media

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TOAST of TAMPA MEMBERS ON STAGE Natalie Abarca Kelly Abreu Paula Bavilacqua Carol Beckmann Michaela Benton Tanya Berisford Ellie Borah Lyndall K Bradfield Gari Brindle Allene C Broward Lauren Cabrera Amy Cartisano Gloria Churchill Kaitlyn Cleverly Laura Cleverly Cynthia Cohen Jennifer Conover Dolores Conroy Susan Courtice L. Susan Dargusch Evelyn Dean Chris DeRosa Sophia DeRosa Tony DeRosa Tina Driscoll Dana Dunlevy Emily Easley Shamane Fernandez Cathy Frey Claudia Gault Anita Gay Dement

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Jamie Lynn Gilliam Raegan Goldman Ainara Gomez Tonya Groninger Lynne M Guadamuz Margaret Hanson Deborah Hennessy Barb Hensley Linda Hershberger Victoria D Hineman Dawn Hunt Jennifer Jackson Morvarid (Mory) Jones Kimberly Kempfer Ilona Kersey Gwen Knapp Karen Koslow Deborah Dee Lahr Diane Landry Barbara Lewis Sarah Lindvall Rebecca Lovett Laura Macia Amanda Malinowski Linda M Mathis Leanne McLane Ginny Meranda Paige Miller Susan Musselman Sydney Nolf Katherine Noriega

Abbie Owens Lana Owens Emma Paschal Hannah paschal Winona M Patterson Ellen Peck Beth Perdomo Destiny Pharo-Clamp Amanda Pittman Joanne Potzko Samantha Quackenbush KaleyAnna Raabe Susan Raabe Denise Ridge Helbig Sherry Rodriguez Denise Stauffer Patty Stevens Eileen G. Swiler Jody Uchrin Jade Vaca Vanesa VanZile Linda Verzosa Katie Vincent Debby Voor Julie Wallace Kathryn Wallace Lauren Wallace Karen R Wicker Jena Wright

Top 10 Choruses

Scottsdale | 2nd Place

Songs:

Rich-Tone | 3rd Place

Songs:

Harbor City Music Company | 4th Place

Songs:

Region: #21, Scottsdale AZ, USA Director: Lori Lyford Score: 2919

Region: #25, Richardson, Texas, USA Director: Valerie Clark Score: 2843

Region: #19, Baltimore, Md., USA Director: Michael Gellert Score: 2837

Song 1: I Could Have Danced All Night/Come Dance With Me/ Sway Medley; Arr. B. Graham & A. Dale, Song 2: Rock This Town; Arr. A. Dale, Song 3: I Hope You Dance; Arr. L. Wright, Song 4: Last Dance/Dancin’ Machine/Boogie Wonderland/Boot Scootin Boogie/I Wanna Dance With Somebody; Arr. A. Dale

Song 1: Blame It On The Boogie; Arr. K. Kitzmiller, Song 2: I Don’t Dance; Arr. K. Kitzmiller, Song 3: A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square; Arr. J. Bescos, Song 4: Never Gonna Not Dance Again; Arr. K. Kitzmiller, Song 5: Dance Medley; Arr.

Song 1: Someone In The Crowd; Arr. S. Arnott, Song 2: The Curtain Falls; Arr. M. Gellert, Song 3: Gonna Build A Mountain; Arr. M. Gellert, Song 4: Take It Up A Step; Arr. M. Gellert

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Top 10 Choruses cont.

Pearls of the Sound | 5th Place

Region: #32, Helsingborg, Sweden Director: Rasmus Krigström & Anna Rosenberg Adlerstam Score: 2834

Songs:

Song 1: Fox Fanfare; Arr. R. Krigstrom, Song 2: Move Medley; Arr. R. Krigstrom, Song 3: You And I; Arr. D. Wright, Song 4: Chess; Arr. R. Krigstrom, Song 5: Chess Tag (Anthem); Arr. R. Krigstrom

Forth Valley | 6th Place Songs: Region: #31, Edinburgh, UK Director: David Sangster Score: 2748

Vocal Standard | 7th Place

Region: #5, Kansas City, MO., USA Director: Rob Mance Score: 2744

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Song 1: Red; Arr. D. Sangster, Song 2: The Shadow of Your Smile; Arr. K. Keller, Song 3: Paint it Black; Arr. D. Sangster, Song 4: Shake it Out/Here Comes the Sun Medley; Arr. D. Sangster

Songs:

Song 1: Creep; Arr. M. Hine, Song 2: Speechless; Arr. P. McAlexander, Song 3: How Far I’ll Go; Arr. D. Wright, Song 4: Defying Gravity; Arr. T. Hicks

Diablo Vista | 8th Place

Songs:

OK City | 9th Place

Songs:

Region: #25, Oklahoma City, OK, USA Director: Mary Rhea Score: 2611

Song 1: The Party’s Over; Arr. S. Jamison, Song 2: People Like Us; Arr. C. Prietto, Song 3: If My Friends Could See Me Now/There’ll Be Some Changes Made Medley; Arr. D. Wallace, Song 4: Confident; Arr. M. Hine

Buffalo Gateway | 10th Place

Songs:

Region: #12, Walnut Creek, Calif., USA Director: Caitlin Castelino Score: 2736

Region: #17. Buffalo, NY, USA Director: Diane Porsche Score: 2562

Song 1: Bennie And The Jets; Arr. A. Dale, Song 2: Your Song; Arr. D. Wright, Song 3: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Arr. D. Wessler, Song 4: Your Song; Arr. D. Wright, Song 5: I’m Still Standing; Arr. M. Hine, Song 6: Your Song; Arr. D. Wright,

Song 1: Gee, But It’s Good to Be Here; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 2: Nine to Five; Arr. A. Minihane, Song 3: Redhead; Arr. B. Graham, Song 4: Sweet Adeline; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 5: Happy Together; Arr. L. Wright

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Harmony Classic Division A 2026 Int Milltown Sound M

illtown Sound Chorus is a name for the Sweet Adelines International archives, and the Millies, as they are called, are proud of that. “When we came to Harmony Classic the first time in 2011, we were the first ever Region 31 chorus to be invited to the Harmony Classic and the first ever Region 31 chorus to win a medal of any colour,” says Team Coordinator/Assistant Director Sheri Warbrick. “Now we’re the first ones to win a gold. There just couldn’t be anything better. It is just wonderful. We’re so proud to be able to be ambassadors for our region.” Milltown Sound was founded 16 years ago in Wigan, a town in Greater Manchester, England. They are proud of their region, their town, and the work they’ve put into this historic win. “I genuinely don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” says Director Kim Nuttall. “It’s been a dream for so long. It hasn’t been 18 months of hard work; it’s been 15 years. We’re so honoured to be the first Harmony Classic champion from our region.” They are deeply grateful to their region and home community. “We love our region so much,” says Shary. “They’re so supportive. And our community is so vibrant, so friendly and welcoming. They’ve all been so lovely, and everyone’s been messaging us and contacting us, telling us how proud they are of us. It’s been really, really such a wonderful experience.”

Singing For and With Each Other

Milltown Sound’s ties with their community run deep. “One of the reasons we’re called Milltown is because when we formed, we wanted to represent the town that we were from,” says Kim. “Our town is known for its mills and factories, and we are very proud of being Wiganers.”

Ten of their founding members are still active. Around 40% of the chorus members are related to each other – mothers, daughters, aunts, cousins. Many of them attended the same school and sang for the same music teacher, Sue Brock, who is also a Millie. It’s all part of being a small chorus in a small town. The beloved chorus sings at many community events, and the community helped support their trip to the U.S. All of these connections are part of the Millies’ motivation, and their unique, amazing sound. “I think one of the things that makes our sound special is that we are small,” says Sheri. “There were only 26 of us on stage. You can’t have anybody who isn’t really, really talented in your group because at this size, it’s almost like you’re all on the front row all the time. We all work really hard in skill building, but I think more than that, part of our sound comes from our feeling towards each other. Every time we step on the stage, we’re singing to the audience, but we’re also singing for and with each other. I think that creates a depth in our sound and a joyousness that really comes across to the audience.” “I think we have a real culture within Milltown of wanting to do better,” says Kim. “It’s hard work, but it doesn’t feel like hard work. No matter what you’re trying to work on, they’re going to push themselves to do that, then they’re going to go home and they’re going to do it again. Every rehearsal, we’ll record the songs, we’ll listen back, then the music team will contact the sections to tell them what needs to be done better. There’s just a big, massive drive of wanting to do well because you don’t want to let anyone down. I don’t even know how that culture has been created, but over time it’s just happened.” Maybe it’s the hard work, but maybe it’s the fun. The Millies have plenty of both. “We’re really well known in our region as being very much a fun-loving chorus,” says Sheri. “Everybody knows that we like

ternational Champion

Milltown Sound Chorus Region: 31

Director: Kim Nuttall Score: 1201

to work hard, but we like to play even harder. But that working hard ethos and the reward of playing afterwards is a real culture of striving for musical excellence at every turn. We absolutely have just as much fun off the risers as we do on them.” That combination of hard work and fun makes them a favourite with audiences and helped them enter barbershop history as the first Region 31 chorus to become a Sweet Adelines International Harmony Classic champion.

Songs:

Song 1: Mr. Blue Sky; Arr. K. Kitzmiller, Song 2: Next Time I Love; Arr. L. Wright, Song 3: Somebody To Love; Arr. K. Keller, Song 4: I Loved; Arr. S. Arnott

MILLTOWN SOUND MEMBERS ON STAGE Corinne Anders Sarah Bolton Susan Evelyn Brock Susan Broxson Beryl Conboy Lydia Conboy Jennifer Crooks Natasha Dunne Emma Edwards Isabel Harrison Sarah Harrison Emily Hughes Stella Macpherson Cath McConnell

Charlotte Morrell Kim Nuttall Lara Oliver Catherine Parr Emily Parr Liz Price Mary Price Sheri Reddrop Alison Roberts Gillian Sanderson Yvonne Stephenson Helen Waine Sheri Warbrick Sara Wilcox

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Harmony Classic Division AA 2026 In Gateway Chorus

LAUGH • SING • LOVE

he core values of 2026 Harmony Classic Division AA Champion Gateway Chorus may sound simple, but they helped these singers through one of the most difficult times in recent history. “During COVID, as we were having weekly online rehearsals, we were empowered as members to understand not only what we expect from the chorus, but also what we expect of ourselves,” recalls Assistant Director Dawn Witherspoon. “Our members show up to Laugh. Sing. Love. every week, and defining and leaning on our values has been such a powerful way to bring people together. It’s wonderful to see the leaders behind the leaders taking initiative on tasks. We share in the music, but everyone’s also coming together for the work that helps us share the music outside the rehearsal room. It’s made our chorus stronger.” It’s also made them larger. With the addition of several new members, the chorus is now almost too large to qualify for Harmony Classic. It’s a good problem to have, and it comes from an intentional focus on making Gateway accessible for singers.

Removing Barriers “We are based in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada, but during COVID, we opened our rehearsals to anybody, wherever they were in the world,” says Team Coordinator Evani Goll. “We actually gained a member who lives in Hawaii, in the United States. For perspective, a direct flight from there to Edmonton would take around eight hours. She joined the Zoom, and when we were just starting to get back to in-person rehearsals, she said, ‘I don’t want to leave. How can I become a member?’ So Linda and her husband Jeffrey come out to our camp retreats and rehearsals when they can, but she’s on Zoom with

us every week. I think having that flexibility removes a lot of the barriers for our members, here and wherever they are.” Director Lisa Greenough says removing as many barriers as possible for singers is a main goal of the chorus.

Most Entertaining “We don’t want any person left behind,” Lisa says. “If they want to be there, then we find a way to make it work. If some of our singers need extra help, they get extra help. If they need their own plan for the performance, where maybe they don’t sing five measures, then they don’t sing five measures. We didn’t want our members feeling negatively about being in the chorus because they just couldn’t sing Measure 23, for example. We ended up identifying patterns through the years. Like, discovering nobody can sing Measure 23, and it’s the problem, not the singer. So we work on or change that Bermuda Triangle so everyone can sing. We actively remove as many barriers as we can for anybody who wants to be part of Gateway.” “We ask how we can Laugh. Sing. Love. while still maintaining the integrity of what we do,” says Dawn. “We’ve worked really hard on that.” And it’s paid off. This year is the first time Gateway Chorus has won Harmony Classic, though they placed in the top five on their previous two trips to the competition in 2007 and 2009 (both under the direction of Lisa’s mother, Marlene Greenough). They are so proud of their medals, of course, but they are also thrilled to have been named “Most Entertaining” by vote of in-person and webcast audiences. “Don’t get me wrong, the blue ribbon and the gold medal are fantastic, but being voted Most Entertaining means we did what we wanted to do,” explains Evani. “We wanted to envelop the audience. We wanted to engage them.” “We wanted to give them an experience,” Dawn continues. “We wanted them to be included in our story. We wanted them to laugh along, not because we were funny but because they could relate to the whole experience. So when we were voted most entertaining, that was incredible.”

nternational Champion

Gateway Chorus

Region:26 Director: Lisa Greenough Score: 1287

The gold medal, however, is also very meaningful. “This win validates that Gateway can be as goofy as we are – because we’re pretty goofy – but that we take what we do seriously,” says Lisa. “If we don’t laugh enough at rehearsal, then I think that’s a failed rehearsal. It doesn’t matter how good the chords were if we

Songs:

Song 1: Make Someone Happy; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 2: In The Glamorous Barbershop; Arr. K. Keller, Song 3: In The Glamorous Barbershop (Reprise); Arr. K. Keller, Song 4: Fear/Courage/Enlightenment; Arr. D. Witherspoon, Song 5: Run Boy Run; Arr. D. Witherspoon, Song 6: High; Arr. M. Hine

weren’t having a good time, or if people didn’t leave feeling happy. Winning Harmony Classic validates the fact that we can have this loving, talkative, goofy community on our little island of misfit toys, as we call ourselves, that all these little souls that wander into our doors and find a family, can succeed in this arena.”

GATEWAY CHORUS MEMBERS ON STAGE Carla Ayles Laura Banu Cara Bedford Kim Beniston Megan Bergersen Rachel Chu Lori Colwell Mary Coutts Leanne Doppler Julie Erdos Janet Erhardt E. Joan Florean Henrietta Gawryluik Lisa Golding

Evani Goll Nadine Graham Lisa Greenough Colleen Hauk T.Claire Hyland Melissa Johnson Deborah Johnston Wambui Kangethe Laura MacLean Heather Maisonneuve Sandy Marron Kerri Mauthe Vivian Miller Karen Mousseau

Crystel Nixon Deanna Norton Pam Ostick Kendra Pawlyna Heather Riberdy Natalia Rohatyn-Martin Linda Rowand Kyla Rutley Kristal J. Saunders Joyce Shaw Sandra Sheehan Donna Simpson Nellie Siver Joanne smith

Leslie Ann Smith Vicky Smith Marla Soetaert Joan Sullivan Lesley Verdin Jean Watson Sheri Wedman Dawn Welwood Michele Wideman Dawn Witherspoon Dawn-Ellen Young

January 2026 | 45

2026 Harmony Classic Division A Featuring choruses with 40 or fewer singers Wichita | 2nd Place Region: #25 Director: Melynnie Williams Score: 1170 Songs:

Song 1: Take A Chance On Me; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 2: A Dream Is A Wish Your Hear Makes; Arr. L. Rochefort & J. Minshall, Song 3: Count On Me; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 4: What A Wonderful World; Arr. L. Edmonson, L. Wright, E. Wright, Song 5: Best Day Of My Life; Arr. L. Wright

Crescent City Sound | 3rd Place Region: #10 Director: Mary Beth McMurray Score: 1105

Song 1: Pink!; Arr. M. McMurray, Song 2: Gee But It’s Good To Be Here; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 3: A Wonderful Day Like Today; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 4: If I Ruled The World; Arr. N. Bergman, R. Craig, Song 5: Count On Me; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 6: At Last; Arr. N. Bergman

Capital City | 4th Place Region: #4 Director: Jillian Corman Score: 1081 Songs:

Song 1: That’s Life; Arr. BHS, Song 2: In The Wee Small Hours; Arr. J. Arns, Song 3: Almost There; Arr. A. Dale, Song 4: Change The World; Arr. D. Sharon, D. Wright

Fox Valley | 5th Place Region: #6 Director: Heather Johnston Score: 1060 Songs:

Song 1: Making Our Dreams Come True; Arr. S. Cope, Song 2: Nine To Five; Arr. L. Garnett, Song 3: You’ve Got A Friend In Me; Arr. D. Wessler, Song 4: Sweet Caroline (Parody); Arr. D. Oxford & P. McAlexander, Song 5: Beer Barrel Polka; Arr. K. Bromert

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2026 Harmony Classic Division AA Featuring choruses with 41-75 singers Greater Cleveland | 2nd Place Region: #17 Directors: Shannon Lange and Chelsea Salvaggio Score: 1233 Songs:

Song 1: My Directors Told Me; Arr. C. Selvaggio, Song 2: Count On Me; Arr. M. Hine, Song 3: All By Myself; Arr. D. Wright, Song 4: A Wonderful Day Like Today; Arr. J. Minshall

Redland Rhapsody | 3rd Place Region: #34 Director: Louise Brannon Score: 1202 Songs: Song 1: Maybe This Time; Arr. C. Hine, Song 2: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (Parody); Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 3a: Emotions Medley-Bad (Parody); Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 3b: Emotions Medley-I Got You (Parody); Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 3c: Emotions Medley-Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (Parody); Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 3d: Emotions Medley-Jealousy (Parody); Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 3e: Emotions Medley-Happy; Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 4: Mission Impossible; Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 5: We’re All In This Together; Arr. G. Lloyd, Song 6: Maybe This Time; Arr. C. Hine

Alaska Sound | 4th Place Region: #13 Director: Peggy Benton Score: 1194 Songs:

Song 1: Sound Celebration; Arr. T. Gentry, Song 2: Thriller; Arr. B. McNeil, Song 3: All The Things You Are; Arr. J. Minshall, Song 4: Aquarius; Arr. L. Kahn, C. Schmidt, Song 5: Let The Sunshine In; Arr. L. Kahn, C. Schmidt

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Chapter Long

CHAPTERS LISTED IN ORDE

75 Years Colorado Spirit Chapter Louisville, Colorado #8

70 Years High Country Chapter Wheatridge, Colorado #8 Heart of Michigan Chapter Breckenridge, Michigan #2 San Francisco Sound Wave Chapter San Francisco, California #12 Acapella Express Chapter Fargo, North Dakota #6

65 Years Greater Kingston Chapter Kingston, Ontario #16 Melodeers Chapter Wheeling, Illinois #3 Harborlites Chapter Huntington Beach, California #21 Wasatch A Cappella Chapter Salt Lake City, Utah #8 Antelope Valley Showcase Chapter Palmdale, California #11 Baton Rouge Chapter Baton Rouge, Louisiana #10 Choral-Aires Chapter Addison, Illinois #3 Vista Hills Chapter Encinitas, California #21

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Greater Nassau Chapter Baldwin, New York #15 Boston Skyline Chapter Arlington, Massachusetts #1 Heart of Long Island Chapter Holtsville, New York #15

Gem City Chapter Centerville, Ohio #4 Capital City Sound Chapter Boise, Idaho #13 Kawartha Music Co. Chapter Peterborough, Ontario #16

60 Years

50 Years

Valley Forge Chapter Valley Forge, Pennsylvania #19 Central Coast Harmony Chapter Arroyo Grande, California #11 Olympia Chapter Olympia, Washington #13 Pacific Empire Chapter Petaluma, California #12 Queen Charlotte Chapter Charlotte, North Carolina #14 Westcoast Harmony Chapter Vancouver, British Columbia #26 Velvet Hills Chapter Colorado Springs, Colorado #8 Metro Mix Chapter Iowa City, Iowa #5 Fairbanks Frontier Chapter Fairbanks, Alaska #13

Farmington Valley Chapter Simsbury, Connecticut #1 Merrimack Valley Chapter Wilmington, Massachusetts #1 Center Point Chapter Stevens Point, Wisconsin #6 Na Leo Lani Chapter Honolulu, Hawaii #12 Upper Chesapeake Chapter Bel Air, Maryland #19 Topeka Acappella Unlimited Chapter Topeka, Kansas #5

55 Years Fox Valley Chapter Neenah, Wisconsin #6 York Harmony Chapter Ontario, Canada #16

45 Years Jersey Harmony Chapter Princeton, New Jersey #15 Acapella North Chapter Canton, New York #16 Vermillion Valley Show Chapter Pontiac, Illinois #3 Aberdeen Chapter Aberdeen, UK #31 Mendo-Lake Chapter Lakeport, California #12

gevity Awards

ER OF ANNIVERSARY DATE

Spirit of Harmony Chapter Spirit Lake, Iowa #6 River City Sound Chapter Rockford, Illinois #3 Rolling Hills Chapter Pasco, Washington #13

40 Years Royal River Chapter Yarmouth, Maine #1 Heart of Essex Chapter Ontario, Canada #2 City of the Hills Chapter Oneonta, New York #15 HarmonEssence Chapter DeKalb, Illinois #3 Sunlight Chapter Stockholm, Sweden #32 White River Sound Chapter Indianapolis, Indiana #4

35 Years Pacific Sound Chapter Bellevue, Washington #13 Sooner Sensations Show Chapter Moore, Oklahoma #25 Forth Valley Chapter Edinburgh, UK #31 Great Lake Sound Chapter Valparaiso, Indiana #3 Bridger Mountain Harmony Chapter Bozeman, Montana #13

Oregon Coast Chapter Newport, Oregon #12 Faultline Chapter Wellington, New Zealand #35

30 Years Grand Olympics Chapter Sequim, Washington #13 Harmony Bells Stockholm Chapter Stockholm, Sweden #32 Capital Accord Chapter Silver Spring, Maryland #19 Singsational Chapter Somerset, UK #31 Grand Harmony Chapter Ontario, Canada #16 Whangarei Harmony Chapter Whangarei, New Zealand #35 Southern Harmony Chapter Charleston, South Carolina #14 Murrumbidgee Magic Chapter New South Wales, Australia #34 Waikato Rivertones Chapter Hamilton, New Zealand #35 Nelson Bays Harmony Chapter Nelson, New Zealand #35 Coastline Show Chapter Providence, Rhode Island #1

20 Years

Voices of the Vasse Chapter Western Australia, Australia #34 Vocal Matrix Chapter Greenville, South Carolina #14 Shades of Harmony Chapter Williamstown, New Jersey #19

15 Years Milltown Sound Chapter Wigan, UK #31 Snowflake Singers Chapter Umea, Sweden #32 Viva Acappella Chapter Kent, UK #31 Vocal Vibes Chapter Victoria, Australia #34 Song of Sonoma Chapter Santa Rosa, California #12 Springfield Metro Chapter Springfield, Missouri #25

10 Years 4-States Fusion Chapter Texarkana, Texas #25 Singing Unlimited Chapter Noord-Holland, The Netherlands #31 Lady Luck Showtime Chapter Las Vegas, Nevada #11

25 Years

Millennium Magic Chapter Manchester, Connecticut #1

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2025 President's Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Lori Lyford

2024 Sweet Adelines Music Educator Award Recipient “It's who I am. It's my why.”

ori Lyford joined Rolling Hills Chorus (Region 13) in 1983 as director. In 1993, she took over direction of two-time International Champion Scottsdale Chorus (1984, 1989). Since then, Lori has earned the Master Director 700 title and led the chorus to four more international champion medals (2006, 2011, 2016, 2019). In 2020, she retired from a 42-year teaching career, but the effects of her dedication reverberate through the organization. Her success comes from a genuine love of teaching and learning, and the barbershop world has provided ample opportunities for both. “In my time as a choral director and even as a band director, I’ve found that the things I learn in barbershop inform my musical teaching and my conducting,” she says. “As a high school choir director, I would get comments at our festivals and competitions about how nice it was that the choir brought the lyrics forward or that we followed the heart of the music and not just the dotted notes. That is something I learned from barbershop.” She received the National Association of Music Educators (NAfME) award from Sweet Adelines in 2012 and from the Barbershop Harmony Society in 2019. One of her notable education accomplishments is The Treblemakers, a barbershop chorus that won Sweet Adelines International’s (now discontinued) Young Women in Harmony video chorus contest in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018. Several Treblemakers have gone on to become Sweet Adelines, Rising Star winners, and even an international champion quartet singer –namely, Taylor Daniels, bass of Clever Girl (2025). Lori was quite young when she took over the direction of Scottsdale after the passing of legendary director Bev Sellers. She says the chorus gave her a real gift of their trust. “They never said, ‘That’s not the way Bev did it,’” she recalls. “They were very generous with their desire for me to grow and find things out.” In that supportive environment, Scottsdale Chorus became known for innovation, incredible choreography, and an unmistakable sound that keeps them in the top of the medal list year

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after year. But the inclusive community Scottsdale has developed under Lori’s direction garners as much admiration as their success on the stage. “During my acceptance speech when we won in St. Louis, I announced to the crowd that Jana and I were married,” she says. “The cheers and celebration were overwhelming. Later, I got a lovely letter from a singer who thanked me for saying something about my wife because she just didn't feel like she could be in her own skin in her chorus community. Another woman in Columbus handed me a card with a note telling me she didn’t come out until her 50s and had not experienced a positive role model until I came to coach her chorus. She wrote, ‘You were so confident, smart, unapologetic, and took up space because you deserved to.’ It was so meaningful that she took the time to write that note to tell me how she felt.” In ways big and small, Lori strives to create musical environments that embrace singers of diverse backgrounds and cultures. For example, Scottsdale presented the organization with its first Black champion doll for their 2019 win. In an interview with The Pitch Pipe (July 2019), Lori said, “In choosing this doll, we wanted to open the door and say, ‘You know what? We talk about diversity. Let’s really do something.’” It was a small gesture, but small gestures add up. So do large ones, like when Scottsdale was among the first of the choruses to write a statement against singing ‘Dixie’ songs and when they re-wrote their standing rules and policies to use g ender-neutral language. “We have not been afraid to be trailblazers when it comes to doing the right thing,” Lori says. “It isn't always the easiest thing to do and we, too, struggled and wrestled with various topics that we felt required our attention and action. This is our culture. As with any big decisions or changes, there is always a chance some members may not fully agree or that we could run the risk of losing some members. Hopefully, they're still the right decisions.” Through it all, Lori cherishes the opportunity to be part of singers’ musical lives. “I love doing this stuff,”she says. “I love coaching. I love teaching, I love directing. It's who I am. It's my why.”

Audrianna Aragon 2025 Music Educator Award Recipient

“Connection, Growth and Community”

n 2021, on the first day of Audrianna Aragon’s first semester as a high school choir director, only four students were registered for her high school ensemble at Moriarty Edgewood School in the small town of Moriarty, New Mexico (USA). At the end of the semester, she posted a beautiful performance by that same ensemble, now filling the risers, on her social media. She wrote, “I was truly scared that it would take a couple of years to build up to anything close to what I have at this moment (especially because of COVID and being a brand new teacher). This is our progress after four months of working hard, early mornings, late nights, and everything in between. I admire my students’ work ethic and persistence more than I’ll ever be able to express. They’ve accomplished so much in a short period of time, and I am thankful for the family that we’ve created.” Two years later, she was named director of Enchanted Mesa Chorus. She wrote on social media, “Barbershop has always been such an important part of who I am as a musician, and I am feeling so grateful that these incredible humans are trusting me to be their leader. I remember watching them perform when I was a junior in high school at New Mexico Youth Harmony Camp, and still a decade later, I am consistently impressed with their sound and energy.” In 2024, Audrianna received the New & Emerging Teacher Award from the New Mexico Music Educators Association for the incredible work she’d done with her choirs, then received the Sweet Adelines International Music Educator Award the following year. At the 2025 international convention in Columbus, Ohio (USA), Audrianna wanted to emphasize the importance of youth outreach like the camp that introduced her to barbershop.

“One of the most transformative things in my career has been introducing my students to barbershop harmony,” she said. “I've been a part of this community since my junior year of high school, all thanks to the New Mexico Youth Harmony Camp…That camp opened my world to barbershop and truly knocked me off of my feet. It taught me the power of mentorship, collaboration, and encouragement. And those are lessons that I now pass directly on to my students…This camp set the foundation for everything to come after, including my work with the Enchanted Mesa Show Chorus and the start of my journey with Sweet Adelines.” In 2025, two of her choirs received state championships, and some of her students have joined Sweet Adelines International. In the 2025 Golden West Region 21 Contest, Enchanted Mesa Chorus received the Audience Choice Award as well as first place in Division AA and third place overall. Recently, Audrianna moved to Salem, Oregon, where she teaches at McNary High School and remains a Chapter-at-Large member of Sweet Adelines International. She continues to share barbershop music with her students. “I've learned more from my students, my chorus members in the Enchanted Mesa Show Chorus, and my peers than I'll ever be able to teach in a lifetime,” she says. “Every lesson, every rehearsal, every shared performance reminds me that music education is about connection, growth, and community.”

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Viveka Boettge

2025 Ann Gooch Award Recipient

“Stay curious, generous, and courageous.”

n 2023, for the first time, a Sweet Adelines International chorus chartered in Åland, an autonomous region of Finland. SeaSide Singers have since competed in their first regional contest and performed at countless community events. The Ann Gooch Award is presented to Sweet Adelines from outside North America who have contributed significantly to the furtherance of barbershop in the worldwide arena. As a previous membership coordinator in Region #32, this year’s recipient, Viveka Bottege, worked to nurture barbershop music in Åland, which led to the formation of SeaSide Singers. That is just one of the many ways she has impacted the barbershop world. Viveka was inspired to join Sweet Adelines when she attended a Stockholm City Chorus concert in the fall of 1997. “I loved every minute of it, and not once did I think ‘That's for me,’” she recalls. “I completely identified as an audience member!” However, she was invited to their guest night, and a few weeks later, she attended and auditioned as a bass. “Visiting and…auditioning were two of the most courageous things I've ever done in my life,” she says. “[That] might sound weird, but you see, I was full of preconceived ideas of the world and of self-centered fear. Fear of not being good enough, fear of getting rejected. And I wanted this so much. There was so much magic in that chorus.” Viveka joined Stockholm City Chorus (which later became Stockholm City Voices) in 1998 as a bass. She has served the chorus in many roles: as bass section leader, visual leader, team coordinator, assistant director and director. “And it has truly truly changed my life,” she says. “I soon learned that the culture of barbershop is about joyfully exploring potential. It is about learning and growing. It is about siblinghood, about community and music.” She joined her first quartet, Swedish Razzmatazz, in 2001 and a few quartets later competed on the international quartet stage

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with Twist. In 2016, she became co-director of Stockholm City Voices. The following year, they made the top 10 at international competition and received the Harmony Achievement Award, earning her the title of Master Director. Today, Viveka is Master Director of Harmony Bells Stockholm (formerly Farsta Harmony Bells Chorus) in Region 32, and she coaches choruses throughout the Sweet Adelines and barbershop community. A vivacious and fun leader, she is known as an enthusiastic tag singer and teacher. Many barbershoppers have fond memories of singing with her late into the night at international events! After Viveka gave her acceptance speech at the Sweet Adelines International Convention & Convention in Columbus, Ohio (USA), Region #32 Nordic Light posted a beautiful tribute on social media: Viveka’s words were more than a speech – they were a gift. With honesty, grace, and heartfelt emotion, she reminded us all why we sing, why we lead, and why this community matters. Her story resonated far beyond the stage. Receiving the Ann Gooch Award is a testament to Viveka’s unwavering dedication, her visionary leadership, and her profound impact on barbershop singing in our region and beyond. This moment was not just a recognition – it was a celebration of a legacy in the making. At the end of her speech, Viveka honored barbershoppers who came before and those who are with her today. “We are standing on the shoulders of giants, of the barbershoppers before us who have paved our way to have such a rich experience in music performance and community,” she said. “Stay curious, generous, and courageous as you continue to challenge yourself as a musician, singer, leader, human being. Take risks and let your light shine again. Thank you for seeing me. I see you.”

July 9-11, 2026

Tulsa, OK • USA REgistration Opens Jan. 30. 2026

Solid Gold Groovin Another opening, another

show….and the 2025 Coronet Club Show entertained from the start of the music to the last of the show credits playing on the Jumbotron. Like so many Coronet Club shows before, it boasted several standing ovations, fun, costume creativity, and magic for the entire audience. The theme was the 70s. The audience was invited to dress like they dressed in that decade, and they did. There were more hippies and love children in the show audience than in Haight-Ashbury during the Summer of Love. The audience grooved and danced while becoming an informal and fun part of the pre-show. When the first notes of Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison) sounded, the entire arena knew it was time for Dynasty, the 2026 International Champion Quartet, to enter and party through the arena. Audience members didn’t miss an opportunity to cheer, smile, hug, and kiss the newest quartet champions.

Once Dynasty had entered, attention shifted to the stage, where the Coronet Club Chorus opened with a medley of Renee Craig’s (Cracker Jills, 1957) great numbers, including Showtime, Tonight and Champion Strut. Directed by Karen Breidert (Jubilation, 1985; “the BUZZ”, 2005), the chorus and eight step-out singers dressed in gowns and crowns set the tone for musical magic, nostalgia, and fun. Mike Maino introduced Liz Hardcastle (Ambiance, 1986) as “everyone’s favorite emcee,” and the comic moments and humor of the show were off and running. Liz is a master at keeping the show moving while generating laughs and sharing insights. Liz remarked later that she had missed an opportunity for humor by failing to point out that all the chorus directors this year were baritones! If you know Liz’s emceeing, you can just imagine what she could have done with that fact. One of the comic highlights of the show was Liz directing the audience to watch the Jumbotrons for the 2026 PSA, only to realize the 2026 PSA was AWOL. Several queens declared Liz’s reaction to the missing PSA was more entertaining than the PSA would have been! Mary Duncan (Class Ring, 2019) directed an energetic version of Renee’s Send Your Love and Patty Pennycook (Swinglish Mix, 2003) directed Renee’s touching Coronet Waltz for Clever Girl (2025) as President Janell Lind (Melo-Edge, 1983) officially welcomed Clever Girl into the club. It’s always a moment of joy and tears as the new queens’ dream of becoming part of the Coronet Club actually comes true in front of the entire arena. Clever Girl’s set included the haunting song Clever Girl, and their performance was a resounding reminder of why the quartet was named international champion. The 2025 show included two video tributes to queens from earlier times – the 50-year tribute to the Front Office Four (1975) and the 25-year tribute to Signature Sound (2000). Janell pointed out that the Front Office Four and Melo-Edge shared a special bit of history: they were both guests on The Phil Donahue Show, a U.S. talk show that ran from 1967-1996. The Coronet Club Show featured three cameo performances: Viva! (2020), “the BUZZ” (2005), and Bling! (2015). It’s wonderful to have queens from previous years remind us why they were named champions! Cameo performances are show favorites, and the Coronet Club is honored to offer the audience a chance to enjoy beloved quartets after they retire. Other favorite quartets entertained with full sets, including LoveNotes (2014), Martini (2012), and Lady A Cappella (2024). LoveNotes brought back their 70’s hit Bohemian Rhapsody, Martini shared a tender slide show tribute to Bron Dixon and the Bron’s Tones (1971) while singing If, and Lady A Cappella’s set included Nick Denino doing vocal percussion and the Starlettes joining the quartet on stage.

The Starlettes Chorus is made up of winners of the Rising Star Quartet Contest, a competition for young singers. Directed by Caitlin Castelino (LoveNotes, 2014), the talented Starlettes sang two songs from the ‘70s and joined the Coronet Club chorus for the show finale. The stage was transformed from the stark competition setting by colorful and artistic graphics displayed throughout the show. The graphics were created by Gina Ogden (Showtime, 1994), and the riser and stage decorations were created by Marilyn Conlan (Yankee Misses, 1959). Marilyn has only missed performing in two Coronet Club shows since 1959, and it’s inspiring to witness her at age 91 still on the risers, singing, smiling, and dancing. The show then featured the In Memoriam slideshow to mark the passing of beloved Queens during the year. Sadly, this past year we lost Bron Dixon (Bron’sTones, 1971), Iris Cokecroft (Hurricane Honeys, 1967) and Dale Syverson (Tiffanys, 1973 and Rumors, 1999). The slideshow reminds us of the joy these singers brought to the organization. The second half of the evening featured a performance by Three and a Half Men, 2024 Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) champion quartet. They received multiple standing ovations for their magnificent singing and humor. Baritone Tony DeRosa has earned the most quartet gold medals in BHS – five of them! Less than 24 hours after his performance on the Coronet Club Show, Tony directed the Toast of Tampa Chorus to a 2026 Sweet Adelines International Chorus Championship! Pure magic! The Coronet Club Chorus returned to the stage sporting ‘70s costumes and no crowns, singing a Bee Gees Medley under the direction of Anne Downton (Frenzy, 2017). During a rehearsal, Anne shared with the chorus that she wasn’t alive in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Marilyn Conlan said to prepare for the ‘70s set, all she had to do was go into her closet and pull out an outfit she actually wore in the 1970s! The rousing finale of the show was the Survivor Medley, directed by a spirited Kim Newcomb (The Ladies, 2023). The chorus had fun with this number and made us all believe they were survivors and would be back for another opening and another show in Columbus in 2026. If you missed Columbus 2025, you missed a great show, but you can fix that by attending the 2026 show, where the guests will be All the Queens’ Men and Lemon Squeezy, BHS 2025 International Champion Quartets. All in all, it was a solid gold evening with the champions. Elizabeth Brannon is a member of Rich-Tone Chorus (Region #25) and was the technical director for The Coronet Club Show in Columbus (2025).

Honoring Our Class of 2025 50, 60, and 70 Year Members

Recognition By: International President Mary Rhea

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50 YEAR MEMBER AWARDS Jenifer Allbaugh OK City Chapter, #25

Janet Hendrix Rich-Tone Chapter, #25

Anne Nelson Member-at-Large

MerVon Badesheim Capital City Sound Chapter, #13

Sue Higgins Heart of Michigan Chapter, #2

Lisa Newman Pride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Hari Barrett Member-at-Large

Pat Hippen Member-at-Large

Diana Newman Pride of Kentucky Chapter, #4

Susan Bersch Bridges of Harmony Chapter, #9

Karen Hoepner Red Cedar Sounds Chapter, #6

Nancy Branam Verdugo Hills Chapter, #11

Karen Holdridge* Skyline Chapter, #8

Barbara A. Nielsen Harbor City Music Company Chapter, #19

Marlyn Bridwell Member-at-Large

Glenna Howard* OK City Chapter, #25

Janice Brown Emerald City Chapter, #25

Joyce Ireson Grand Harmony Chapter, #16

Joyce Burke OC Sound Chapter, #21

Janet Kamrad Spirit of the Gulf Chapter, #9

Elizabeth Callahan Houston Horizon Chapter, #10

Janet Klepper Member-at-Large

Janna Chelland Grand Rapids Chapter, #2

Joyce Kovacs Bay Area Showcase Chapter, #12

Charlene Clarke Valley Forge Chapter, #19

Donna Kready Topeka Acappella Unlimited Chapter, #5

Sharon Dady Harmony Central Chapter, #5 Mary Ellen Dahlgren Coastline Show Chapter, #1 Martha Delargey Shoreline Sound Chapter, #2 Vickie Dennis OK City Chapter, #25 Sonne Durphy Chapter-at-Large, #16 Clara Eggers Member-at-Large Mary Ann Fase Grand Rapids Chapter, #2 Marilyn Ferguson Diamond State Chapter, #19 Lynn Forrest Boston Skyline Chapter, #1 Elaine Gain Greater Kingston Chapter, #16 Diane Grace Midwest Crossroad Chapter, #3 Cindy Green Queen Charlotte Chapter, #14 Debbie Haller Alamo Metro Chapter, #10

Mary Lou Kudela City of Lakes Chapter, #6 Diane Landry Toast of Tampa Show Chapter, #9 Susan Loftus Choral-Aires Chapter, #3 Ethel Lowther Alamo Metro Chapter, #10 Nancy Maass Pacific Empire Chapter, #12 Joan Machtel Crosstown Harmony Chapter, #3 Theresa Mahar Scottsdale Chapter, #21 Hilda Mancillas Alamo Metro Chapter, #10 Connie Miller City of Lakes Chapter, #6 Priscilla Mitchell The Annapolis Blend Chapter, #19

Linda Ninekirk Antelope Valley Showcase Chapter, #11 Judy O ‘Brien RiversEdge Chapter, #13 Marlys Ohnstad Zumbro Valley Chapter, #6 Diane Porsch Buffalo Gateway Chapter, #17 Tori Postma Chapter-at-Large, #8 Ella Russell North Metro Chapter, #16 Sue Schmid Fox Valley Chapter, #6 Linda Schumacher Kansas City Chapter, #5 Autumn Scraper Lions Gate Chapter, #26 Pat Shein Harborlites Chapter, #21 Virginia Sivils Greater Richmond Chapter, #14 Susan Smith Harborlites Chapter, #21 Gena Sommer Sound Celebration Chapter, #5 Susan Spires Member-at-Large Shelly Sweet Rubenic Chapter-at-Large, #3 Judy Vidal Black Hills Showcase Chapter, #8

Patricia Naman Toast of Tampa Show Chapter, #9

Jo Wyatt Cedar Harmony Chapter, #5

Lola Negaard Antelope Valley Showcase Chapter, #11

*deceased

60 YEAR MEMBER AWARDS Alice Bell Valley Forge Chapter, #19

Kathryn Jones Member-at-Large

Barbara Perry* Member-at-Large

Betty Clipman The Woodlands Show Chapter, #10

Dottie Kaufmann Chapter-at-Large, #3

Helen Shores Kansas City Chapter, #5

Kay Davis* High Country Chapter, #8

Maggie Kause Vienna-Falls Chapter, #14

Peggy Sinden Kansas City Chapter, #5

Donna Dudgeon Dogwood Blossoms Chapter, #17

Charlotte Kranyecz Lehigh Valley Chapter, #19

Wanda Spivey Chapter-at-Large, #5

Ruth Gove Boston Skyline Chapter, #1

Portia Little Harmony Hills Chapter, #4

Brenda Strauss Member-at-Large

Peggy Gram Top of the Rock Chapter, #25

Carolyn Marelich Mission Valley Chapter, #12

Carol Wiersema* City of Lakes Chapter, #6

Cathy Hebert High Country Chapter, #8

Linda Melcher Song of the Lakes Chapter, #2

Judie Wykoff Bay Area Showcase Chapter, #12

Marilyn Herke Member-at-Large

Judy Olson Twin Cities Show Chapter, #6

*deceased

70 YEAR MEMBER AWARDS Lois Napier Anderson Chapter-at-Large, #16

Mary Ann O'Neil Verdugo Hills Chapter, #11

Joanne Smith Pride of Toledo Chapter, #17

Merilyn Bryan Spirit of the Gulf Chapter, #9

Helen Peters Heart of Illinois Chapter, #3

Fidell Stewardson Member-at-Large

Joan Galbreath Member-at-Large

Carol Schaberg Chapter-at-Large, #5

*deceased

January 2026 | 57

Endless Stories. Lifelong Impact. Every Sweet Adelines story looks different—but each one is shaped by music, mentorship, and belonging. During the month of March, honor someone that helped shape your unique story with a gift and help others write their own story.

Coming March 2026

58 | January 2026

January 2025 | 57

Harmony Roundup is a place to share your adventures and achievements! Let us know what your chorus or quartet has been doing in your community. Email your submissions and photos to communications@sweetadelines.com.

Where We Sang

Singing the U.S. national anthem were Grand Rapids Chorus (#2) at a West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game; Spirit of Syracuse (#15) at a Syracuse Mets baseball game; Emerald Valley Chorus (#12) at a Eugene Emeralds baseball game; and Indi-Anna Chorus (#17) at the InFirst Bank Veteran’s Marathon. Durham Shores Chorus (#16) sang the Canadian national anthem at the President’s Cup lacrosse tournament in Whitby, Ontario (CAN). Potomac Harmony Chorus (#14) performed at the Arlington County Fair. Illuminate Quartet (#15) performed at Ausable Chasm, a scenic canyon in the Adirondack Mountains (USA). Brindabella Chorus (#34) performed at Floriade, Australia’s largest celebration of spring.

RiverSong Chorus (#5) sang the U.S. national anthem at a Kansas City Monarchs baseball game.

Aberdeen Chorus (#31) marched in the Celebrate Aberdeen Parade. Sound Wave Quartet (#13) sang the U.S. national anthem at a Boise Hawks baseball game.

Carolina Harmony Chorus (#14) performed at the Cary Lazy Days event in Cary, North Carolina (USA).

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Capital Accord Chorus (#19) sang tags with visitors at the Takoma Park Folk Festival.

York Harmony Chorus (#16) sang at the Thomas Foster Memorial Friday night concert series.

Lehigh Valley Chorus (#?) sang at Art in the Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania (USA).

Whangarei Harmony Chorus (#35) performed at the Whangarei Maritime Festival.

How We Sang

San Diego Chorus (#21) received a Fiscal Year 2026 Organizational Support Program Grant, provided by the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture through the Office of Cultural Affairs. Blue Sky Harmony (#34) performed at Brisbane Sings 2025. Endeavour Harmony Chorus, Riverland Harmony Chorus, and Coastal a Cappella Chorus (all #34) performed at Blackheath Choir Festival. Skylark Quartet (#34) was named the 2025 Barbershop Harmony Australia Women's Quartet Champion and came in third place overall. Wollongong Harmony Chorus (#34) performed at the Kiama Choir Festival. Virtual Q (#31) won a third place medal at the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers contest.

Suncoast Harmony Chorus (#9) sang at the Hernando Beach Front Porch Art Walk in Hernando Beach, Florida (USA). Aurora Australis Chorus (#34) earned two first-place medals and one second-place medal as well as $350 AUS in prize money at the City of Ryde Eisteddfod.

Lone Star Chorus (#34) sang at the Saginaw Train and Grain Festival.

Hobart Harmony Chorus (#34) performed at Government House in Hobart at an award ceremony and reception in recognition of the volunteers at Print Radio Tasmania.

January 2026 | 61

Brisbane City Singers Chorus (#34) performed at the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Showcase Concert.

Murrumbidgee Magic Chorus (#34) won Open Section and Australian Song section and placed second in Sacred Song and A’capella at the City of Wagga Wagga Eisteddfod.

A Cappella Bella Chorus (#2) sang at Feeding The Soul of The City, a local concert series in Muskegon, Michigan (USA).

Why We Sang

A Cappella West Chorus (#34) was a guest performer at the Western Australia Massed Choir Festival at the Perth HBF Stadium.

Lady Shave - Porvoo Chorus (#32) performed around Helsinki as part of Kurorojen Kierros, one of Finland’s largest choir events.

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San Diego Chorus (#21) received a Fiscal Year 2026 Organizational Support Program Grant, provided by the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture through the Office of Cultural Affairs. Blue Sky Harmony (#34) performed at Brisbane Sings 2025. Endeavour Harmony Chorus, Riverland Harmony Chorus, and Coastal a Cappella Chorus (all #34) performed at Blackheath Choir Festival. Skylark Quartet (#34) was named the 2025 Barbershop Harmony Australia Women’s Quartet Champion and came in third place overall. Wollongong Harmony Chorus (#34) performed at the Kiama Choir Festival. Virtual Q (#31) won a third place medal at the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers contest.

Coastal a Cappella Chorus (#34) performed at the Central Coast Council’s Citizenship Ceremony.

River Magic Chorus (#4) sang at a celebration of the 105th birthday of women’s suffrage at the Cabell County Courthouse (West Virginia, USA).

Harmony Bells Chorus (#32) sang for runners of the Rosa Bandet loppet, (Pink Ribbon Run), an annual charity event in Lidingö, Sweden that raises money for the Swedish Cancer Fund (Cancerfonden).

Talk of Tulsa Show Chorus (#25) members sang the U.S. national anthem at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Tulsa Walk to End Alzheimers then sang along the route to encourage walkers.

Wollongong Harmony Chorus (#34) sang for Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid.

Crescent City Sound Chorus (#10) participated in Culture Collision, an event that brings together local arts and culture organizations, at the New Orleans Museum of Art Magic City Chorus (#26) sang for the walkers at the Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (CAN).

Inland Empire Chorus (#21) sang at the Believe Walk in Redlands, California (USA) in support of breast cancer research.

Harmony Northwest Chorus (#13) hosted a community booth at Camp Korey, a free-of-charge camp for children with life-changing disabilities.

Indian Blue Chorus (#34) sang at a City of Joondalup Citizenship Ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Emily Hamilton, MLA social media.)

Virtual Q (#31) performed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, England (UK), for the unveiling of a monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ veterans and serving personnel. They wrote on their social media, “The ceremony was life-affirming and hopeful — a moment of recognition, remembrance, and healing. To stand amongst those most affected, surrounded by respect, pride, and emotion, was something we will always treasure. Our honour was made even greater as we sang Fran’s arrangement of Something Inside So Strong while King Charles laid flowers at the new memorial — a moving & powerful moment for us as singers. It was made even more personal for us as a quartet, as Emma served in the Royal Navy and was discharged under the former ban — a powerful reminder of why this memorial, and the recognition it represents, matters so deeply.” –Fran Carter sings bass and Emma Riley sings baritone in the quartet.

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Virtual Memorial Wall

Honor the memory of a Sweet Adeline by having their name added to the new Sweet Adelines International Virtual Memorial Wall. Memorial donations help continue the legacy of our beloved members by providing funds for the events, education, and other programs that keep our organization thriving. To find out how to give a memorial gift in the name of a Sweet Adeline, visit www.SweetAdelines.com/Give or email Becky Duncan, Assistant Director of Philanthropy at becky@sweetadelines.com.

In Memory • September-December 2025 Lisa Berkowitz Sound of Sunshine, #9

Deanna Curry Greater Harrisburg, #19

Melanie Fawkes Spirit of the Gulf, #9

Karen Holdridge Skyline, #8

Trudy Mitchell Aberdeen, #31

Cathy Bilbrey Chapter-at-Large, #4

Dixie Dahlke Chapter-at-Large, #5

Mary Connie Fitzpatrick Spirit of the Gulf, #9

Joan Homokay Island Grove, #1

Patricia Wilcoxon Chapter-at-Large, #17

Chelsea Broome Shoreline Sound, #2

Karen Davenport Motor City Blend, #2

Patricia Hargraves A Cappella Bay Show, #9

Kathy Jackson York Harmony #16

Sandy Corzatt Crystal Chimes, #25

Judy Dyke Bay Area Showcase, #12

Gloria Heuschkel Grand Rapids, #2

Rebbecca Kincaid Tulsa Metro Sound, #25

Janet Ashford Pride of Baltimore (Dissolved), #19

Maggie Butts The Annapolis Blend, #19

Loretta Field Columbia River, #13

Wilma Cornell A Cappella Bay Show, #9

Jean Ferguson Liberty Oak, #15

Wanda Beecher

Vickie Davy Enchanted Mesa Show, #21

Charlotte Hoffman Lone Star,, #10

Carol Austin Harborlites, #21

Kelly Deare RiverSong, #5

Sandy Huskins Verdigo Hills, #11

Lisa J. Boyer Colombus, #4

Evelyn Edwards

Ruth Jaeger Milwaukee Showcase DISS

Memorial Gifts Sweet Adelines honored with a Memorial Gift

Anita Barry Jersey Harmony, #15

Mary Brookshire Sacramento Valley, #12 Phyllis Brose Melodeers, #3

Claudia Engstran Northern Lights, #6 Barbara Festa Island Hills, #15

Mary Klaers Scottsdale, #21 Ann Kochman Shoreline Sound, #2

Betty Lou Surber Mendo Lake Chapter, #2 Norma Moore Dundalk, #19 Betty Pettibon Greater, #19

Pat Shento-Roman Sounds of Pittsburg, #17 Carol Shyrigh Columbus, #4 Ruth Uglow Chapter at Large, #22

Claudia Roth Member at Large Linda Rightor Columbus, #4 Lilas Schmidt Hickory Tree, #15

65 | January 2026

Accolades

Accolades as of January, 2026

Advanced to Certified Director Jan Fisher, Talk of Tulsa Chapter, #25

Advanced to Master Director Kim Nuttall, Milltown Shound Chapter, #31 Shannon Lange, Greater Cleveland Chapter, #17 Chelsea Selvaggio, Greater Cleveland Chapter, #17

Advanced to Harmony 500 Derek Glenna, Twin Cities Show Chapter, #6

LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR?

Ask about the Director Search Advertising Program!

Email communications@sweetadelines.com for details. January 2026 | 66

INSIDE BACK HC-AA CHAMPION GATEWAY 2026 Harmony Classic Division AA Chorus

Gateway Chorus

42 | January 2026

REGION # 26, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA

2026 International Champion

Toast of Tampa Show Chorus

REGION # 9, Tampa, Florida, USA