I had a very eventful weekend. About 9 or 10 months ago I joined a women’s barbershop chorus called the Pride of Kentucky. This is the local chapter of the Sweet Adelines International organization. Shortly after I joined they competed in the international competition where they finished 11th. I was unable to compete with them at that time for a couple of reasons. First of all, I was pretty new and rather overwhelmed to have to deal with the pressure and intensity of such a big competition, but secondly (and more importantly) Rachel had just joined our family a mere 2 and a half weeks previously, and wild horses couldn’t have pulled me away from her.
Fast forward to this past weekend. We had our regional competition for the chorus this past weekend in Covington Kentucky. It was a pretty big event because one of the big gun choruses was going to be competing against us for the first time in quite a few years. (Whoever wins sits out the following year, and between my chorus and the other one, we had been pretty much taking turns winning.) This other chorus, Gem City, is a top notch group having not lost in regional competition in nearly 40 years, and having won the international competition 5 times, the most recent time being about 10 years ago. We had never beaten them.
Another chorus, Capital City, is another strong chorus in our region. They had been losing to us, but always close, so we knew they were just as hungry to beat us as we were to beat Gem City. We approached this competition with a genuine sense of purpose.
Long story short (or is it too late for that now?), we won! (YEAH!!!) But it gets better than that. We are judged by a panel of four judges. One judge specializes in sound, another in music, another in expression, and the final one in showmanship. We sing two songs, a ballad (slow) and an up-tune (fast). Each judge can award 100 points per song, so there is a maximum of 800 points available. Prior to Saturday the best score our chorus had ever achieved was 656. This is not too bad, but we truly believed that we could do even better. Our goal was to break 680.
Our total score was 690. This is an “A.” As we reviewed the score sheets after the competition, the judges were so complementary. Editor’s note: Our score of 690 is the highest that has been given in any of the regional competitions thus far.
So next we will be competing in the international competition in the fall of 2009 in Nashville, TN. Stay tuned.
So let’s hear it for your Region 4 chorus champions, the Pride of Kentucky!
One of the things about Sweet Adelines is their penchant for sparkles, poofy hair, and caked-on make-up (let’s not forget the false eye lashes). Just to torment you a little, I will tell you that there are actual photos of me in said gaudy finery, but they will not be displayed on this forum. They were be available for viewing at an exorbitant fee. (Let’s face it, I don’t think you could afford it.)
Felicitaciones, por lo que entendimos ganastes una medalla en un concurso que tiene que ver con los coros…no?
Muy lindo tu blog.
Noelle,
I’m so very, very proud of you! This is wonderul! You are such an inspiration for how to live your life doing what you love!
But I have to see those pictures!!!!
Love ya and Congrats!
Trish!
Awesome Noelle! Congratulations! My husband and daughter can sing…I cannot.
WAY TO GO an as far as far as the picture if you took the picture it was meant to be seen
Noelle, That is so great!! Congratulations!! I wish I had that talent. I’m sure Rachel is blessed to hear such a beautiful voice from her mother. Something I’m sure my kids wish they could claim. And as far as the picture, I’m with Marlene, if it was taken, it was meant to be seen.
I have a hard time picturing you with sparkles, poofy hair, false eyelashes and make-up. I guess we (the readers of your blog)will have to appeal to Jeff for him to post the pictures of you.
And congratulations! I’m hoping to go to the competition in Nashville next fall with my mom!
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Even I am hoping to see the pictures. But if nothing else, I will eventually see the video… and a video is just a stream of individual pictures, so we’ll get to see her one way another 😉
Love ya’, sweetie!
Congrats!!
o yea of little faith. of course we can afford to see the picture. it is of you. if I can stand to have my picture taken, you can show us the picture. fair is fair.
All I can say is, You ROCK!!! (Although I am still DYING for a picture of you in the fake eyelashes and caked on makeup–and I am sure if I try hard enough I can bribe someone into getting me a copy–remember, I can make donuts, homemade bread, choc chip cookies–Jeff, are you listening. . . )
Any and all payments for picture seeing can be made to me. Luckily for all of you, I can be bribed.