By Daily Press staff
The Santa Monica Chapter of Sweet Adelines International recently bellowed their hearts out, earning first place in a regional competition.
The chorus won the mid-sized chorus division at the organization’s regional competition held in Bakersfield, Calif., from March 24 to 25. Several members of the group also won medals in the regional quartet contest.
More than 1,000 singers representing 18 choruses from California and Nevada competed for prizes in this year’s regional contest. In addition to earning first place, the Santa Monica group also scored enough points to place third in the overall competition.
Quartet Serious Treble placed third and were the rated the most improved quartet, having raised their score more than 100 points from last year. They also won the Sizzle award for the highest score in showmanship. Three members of the quartet — Shelly Wilner, Debra Hockenberger and Melissa Hockenberger — are from the Santa Monica chorus. A fourth member, Jeannie Vercillo, is a member of Verdugo Hills Showtime Chorus from Verdugo Hills, Calif. Shelly also won the contest for musical arrangement.
Other Santa Monica chorus members competed in quartets “Check It Out” and “Ooh La La,” which placed sixth and 13th, respectively, out of 24 competing.
Last year, the Santa Monica chorus was the top-scoring small chorus in the country, which makes them eligible to compete at the International Education Symposium in San Antonio, Tex., from July 12 to 15. The chorus will be putting on a fund-raising event to present their Harmony Classic Competition package on June 24.
Laura Pallas, director of the local chorus for the past 19 years, is a musician, performer and international competitor who specializes in vocal production and technique.
The Santa Monica Chorus is the oldest Sweet Adelines chapter west of the Rocky Mountains. They received their charter on July 25, 1949, only four years after the founding of Sweet Adelines International, a non-profit musical education association for women that endows its 30,000 members with mastery of four-part harmony, barbershop style.
The purpose of the organization is to teach and train its members in singing the barbershop style and to promote excellence through competition and other public and private performances.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 6, 2006. Read the original PDF.