Historic Night For Scottsdale Chorus

In a hotly contested chorus final, Scottsdale edged out the Harborlites by 5 points to win their first-ever consecutive gold medal at #SASTL. The dazzling set also earned them the audience award for Most Entertaining.

The now 6-time international champion presented “Top of the World Medley” with extensive front row work, which included gymnastics and cheer lifts. Under the leadership of Master Director Lori Lyford, the entire package was based around jumping in and learning to fly and the joyful energy was only augmented by incredible singing. Well, and trampolines, jump ropes, conga lines, audience participation, and a hint of…rap.

Enjoy their entire package from finals:

The final scores worked out to:

1. Scottsdale (2982)
2. Harborlites (2977)
3. Rich-tones (2959)
4. Skyline (2801)
5. Pearls of the Sound (2697)
6. Song of Atlanta (2687)
7. Pride of Portland (2686)
8. City of Lakes (2605)
9. Metro Nashville (2604)
10.Buffalo Gateway (2528)

See the full scores.

Other highlights from finals included:

Buffalo Gateway Chorus built their package around the cold and snow of Buffalo, complete with hats, scarves, and gloves, and plenty of warm humor.

Skyline Chorus from Rocky Mountain Region 8 brought a robust sound with a dramatic (and funny) tribute to the superwoman inside all of us.

The Harborlites Chorus from Huntington Beach, CA, brought more dazzling front row footwork with cartwheels and lifts and lock and ring chords for days.

Harmony Heartland Region 4 was well-represented by Metro Nashville Chorus with a fairy tale search for a princess with a modern day twist that included “Brave” by Sara Bareilles.

City of Lakes from Minnesota brought a parade of costumes, music, and sound and a message of diversity and individuality, which included “Seasons of Love” from Rent.

All the way from Sweden, Pearls of the Sound transported us the burlesque shows of Paris, complete with a full drum kit, beatboxing, and cowbell.

Song of Atlanta also transported us to Moulin Rouge with a colorful story of love….and diamonds. The ladies also transfixed us with their voices and dance moves for the Can Can.

North by Northwest Region’s Pride of Portland took the stage with a full sound, excellent dynamics, and classy footwork in a tribute to “Hello, Dolly.”

The Rich-Tone Chorus out of Richardson, TX were greeted with exuberant applause and they kept that energy going straight through their set, celebrating 50 years as Sweet Adelines. The group proved to be equally entertaining in their stand and sing songs, as they were with their uptunes “Can’t Stop This Feeling” and “This is Me.”

See all of the videos from finals on the Sweet Adelines YouTube Channel.

 

Sirens Shine at Sweet Adelines International St. Louis

The festivities of the Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition are well underway, with the Harmony Classic kicking off nearly a week of barbershop harmonies in St. Louis last night. It was truly an international affair with groups from across the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Harmony Classic features the top 10 small and mid-sized choruses in a 12-15 minute performance package.

See the full lineup of this year’s Harmony Classic competitors.

Sirens of Gotham topped the field in Division A, as well as the overall Harmony Classic Title, with a colorful presentation and a score of 1232. The group is directed by Mira Taferner and Kari Francis.

It was a great night overall – here are the other Division A scores:

2nd Place: Carolina Harmony Chorus, Score 1202
3rd Place: Circular Keys Chorus, Score 1187
4th Place: Vocal Motion Chorus, Score 1171
5th Place: Bella A Cappella NZ, Score 1081

In Division AA, it was Wellington City Chorus of New Zealand who took home First Place with a score of 1229. The group is directed by David Brooks and Henrietta Hunkin.

Here are the other great scores from Division AA:

2nd Place: Mission Valley Chorus, Score 1177
3rd Place: Greater Cleveland Chorus, Score 1176
4th Place: No Borders Show Chorus, Score 1172
5th Place: Women of Note Chorus, Score 1136

All Harmony Classic performances are now available for viewing on the Sweet Adelines YouTube Channel.

Tune in for the rest of the competitions this week via the Sweet Adelines website. The webcast is free, but donations are welcomed and encouraged!