2009

• Gourmet Coffee
• A Pasta Affair to Remember
• Regional Competition 2009
• An Acappella Salute
• Old-Time Gospel Show
• Singing Valentines
• Sing We Noel Concert

2008

• New Years Eve Concert
• Allied Arts Fund Article
• Becoming a Master
• Regional Competition 2008
• Singing Valentines
• Winter Showcase
• An Acappella Salute

2007

• Harmony for the Holidays
• 9 -11 Day of Remembrance

"Sing We Noel" Christmas Concert - December 6 - 12, 2009

Proceeds from the concerts go to supporting KOTA Care and Share Food Drive. A Cappella Showcase is proud to have donated over $41,000 through our previous Christmas performances.

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"A Pasta Affair To Remember!"

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Regional Competition 2009

Every year, the A Cappella Showcase chorus prepares itself for the Annual Region 8 Competition sponsered by the Sweet Adelines International. This year A Cappella Showcase won 4th place overall and 3rd place in our Division, Division II. This was an exciting, fun filled event that showcased the very best of ladies barbershop singing in the Rocky Mountain Region.

2009's competition was held April 30th through May 2nd in Colorado Springs, CO at the Pikes Peak Center. Region 8 included Sweet Adelines quartets and choruses from Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota. More than 700 women of all ages competed before expert judges.

Regional Competition decides the best quartets and choruses in the region. Our “Show of Champions” featuring our top scoring Region 8 choruses and quartets began at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening. Winners of the contests were eligible to compete on the international level. The winning quartet is now eligible to compete internationally in October 2009 in Nashville, TN. The winning chorus will compete in Seattle, WA in 2010.

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Old-time Gospel Show

On April 18th, A Cappella Showcase was proud to share the stage with their hosts, the Shrine of Democracy Men's Barbershop chorus. The occasion was an oldtime gospel show complete with quartets, a bell choir and plenty of "Hallelujahs!" and "Amen's!"

We started the concert by walking in arm-in-arm up the aisle and greeting one another like we were at a tent meeting. The informal stage was set up like the men and women were couples in church. The men sang several favorites like How Great Thou Art and Down to the River to Pray (from Brother Where Art Thou). Other musical numbers included There's a Meetin' Here Tonight, I'm Feelin' Fine, Yes Indeed, I'll Fly Away, and When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder. The audience was in for a treat when the Black Hills Gospel Quartet shared their Southern Gospel-style music. A Cappella Showcase joined in with Testify to Love and Walk Him Up (from Purlies). The bell choir added an excellent "New Orleans-style/Dixieland" rendition of What a Friend We Have in Jesus, complete with drum, tuba, and clarinet. We had so much fun at this relaxing concert venue, that we intend to re-create it for our next Christmas concert. Including asking the Shrine of Democracy to join us!

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Singing Valentines 2009

We will sing your special someone a song, provide chocolates from Mostly Chocolates, and a rose for only $40, OR choose a song and chocolates for $35.

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New Years Eve Concert

There's No Business Like Show Business
Seasons of Love from - "Rent"
Seize the Day from - "Newsies"
Think of Me from - "Phantom of the Opera"
Broadway Baby from - "Follies"
Twelve Days after Christmas
You Can't Stop the Beat from - "Hairspray"
Who will Buy? from - "Oliver
Walk Him Up from - "Purlie"
The Sound of Music - medley
Auld Lang Syne

Please see next article below for details on the New Years Eve Concert posted by the Rapid City Journal.

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Broadway Partnership

By Eric Lochridge, Journal staff | Saturday, December 27, 2008

The Black Hills Symphony Orchestra and the A Cappella Showcase will perform together for “Lullaby of Broadway,” a New Year’s Eve concert featuring music from traditional Broadway musicals.

Symphony conductor Bruce Knowles said the show will feature songs from Broadway musicals such as “The Producers,” “Miss Saigon,” “Chicago” and “The Sound of Music.”

“I tried to get a wide variety, a wide spectrum of Broadway music for this,” Knowles said.

Judy Vidal, musical director for the A Cappella Showcase, said that she’s a fan of Broadway musicals and that performing them with the symphony will be a “big adventure” for the groups.

“All of the numbers but one are Broadway tunes,” she said. The chorus and the symphony will do most of the songs together, but the groups will also perform a few separately.

“I think a lot of people will have that ‘ah’ moment when they hear the music they’re familiar with,” Vidal said.

Audience members probably will know at least some of the music because the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center has hosted several of the shows.

“A lot of these are on videotape, and a lot have been through here on the Broadway series. ‘Chicago’ was here last year, and ‘Saigon’ was a few years ago,” Knowles said. “It’s a good opportunity to revisit all these tunes.”

The symphony’s annual New Year’s Eve performance features a different theme each year, and Broadway tunes haven’t been in the group’s repertoire recently.

“I really like all these selections because they blend some familiar things with some obscure ones,” Knowles said.

He said the addition of the A Cappella Showcase will round out the performance, both its sound and its presentation.

“It gives another dimension to the symphony,” Knowles said. “They’re excellent show people as well. It brings a lot of life, a lot of sparkle to everything.”

Vidal said the chorus’ show is designed to hold the attention of the audience.

“We try to make that visual very strong,” she said.

Jo Prang, a baritone with the chorus, said singing with the symphony is a change for the vocalists.

“We’ve never done this before,” she said.

Broadway songs are a bit of a departure from the chorus’ usual music, and working with the symphony has been a challenge for a group that doesn’t usually have musical accompaniment. But having the instrumental backup has been interesting.

“We thought Broadway tunes would be a really good way to bring the two groups together,” Prang said.

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Allied Arts Fund - 2008 March for the Arts

Our chorus philosophy embraces continual improvement in vocal and performance excellence. New members are welcome to join us on the journey.

Last season ACS performed in Rapid City, Belle Fourche, Hill city, Hart Ranch, and Colorado Springs.

We invite area women who are interested in singing and performing to attend one of our Tuesday evening practices at 7:00 p.m., Dakota Middle School, 615 Columbus and learn more about the innovative, goal-oriented and fun-loving musical community that is A Cappella Show Case.

Anyone who has enjoyed a performance of A Cappella Showcase won’t be surprised to learn that there’s a special camaraderie among the women who comprise the chorus.

“We’re united by the common goal of a cappella, Sweet Adelines’style” says Director Judy Vidal, “which requires learning your part perfectly, then maintaining that part while singing in the chorus with the other three parts, and ultimately, performing with a great face, personality and… choreography! Let’s just say the women of A Cappella Showcase are high achievers, women who embrace challenge!”

A Cappella Showcase is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide singing organization for women, 27,000 members strong, in 14 countries, on five continents. All singing in English! A Cappella Showcase is an auditioned chorus with members from Spearfish, Sturgis, Ellsworth AFB, Wall, and Rapid City. Repertoire includes Broadway tunes, barbershop ballads, doo-wop, jazz, country, gospel, and patriotic songs. Our 2007 repertoire included Christmas songs as our annual show for the KOTA Care and Share Food Drive was held December 7th and 8th at Dakota Middle School. A Cappella Showcase's annual shows have raised over $40,000 for the food drive, in addition to entertaining audiences with exciting performances and outstanding guest quartets such as Tonic Sol-Fa, Four Shadow, and Impulse.

A Cappella Showcase is a “self-contained orchestra”… so arrangements contain the full spectrum of melody, harmony, and rhythmic elements. The group competes annually in the Rocky Mountain regional spring competition of Sweet Adelines International. “The 5-state regional chorus competition pits us directly against the highly accomplished choruses from Denver, Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, Fort Collins”, said Vidal. “A Cappella Showcase is a champion for non metropolitan area choruses, in staying in the top five year after year.” In 2007, A Cappella Showcase placed fourth overall, and second in the mid-sized chorus division.

Members of the group represent a wide range of ages and life experiences. Our occupations and family units are diverse; our love of singing and performing unites us.

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Becoming a Master

The Pitch Pipe – April 2008, Volume 61, Number 4

Sweet Adelines International has seen some extraordinary educators among its membership rolls and history books, directors, coaches, educators and top voices coming together to educate and mentor singers throughout the years. But until this year the International Faculty Program has never advanced a member to Master Faculty.

Sharon Babb, Colorado Spirit Chorus, Region 8, has the esteemed honor of being the first to hold the title of Master Faculty in Sweet Adelines International’s Faculty Program.

Her wisdom, creativity, experience and passion have gotten her to this point, and have created the master many of you have been fortunate enough to work with.

Sharon has set the bar for other educators within the organization. It’s a heady goal to be accomplished, if you have what it takes.

I first realized I wanted to be an educator when I was in first grade. My teacher, Mrs. Thurmond, in our one-room, rural Missouri school asked me to lead a reading and writing group. I have been blessed with being under the tutelage of great educators ever since.

I learned to sing with my mother and in church. I learned shape note singing, piano, organ, and clarinet. In high school and college, I sang in and directed glee clubs and chorales.

When I was in elementary school in the 1950s, I saw a magazine article about the founding of Sweet Adelines. I remember thinking, “I’m going to be in that some day.” I joined Sweet Adelines with my friend Julie Haller at the invitation of our school secretary, Helen Erickson.

As it is today, the best way still, of attracting members is through personal contact. I walked into Centennial Chapter in Boulder, Colorado. Sylvia Alsbury was directing, and that night Lynn McCord and Mavis Burtness were coaching I never missed a rehearsal after that?

After teaching classes at the chorus and regional level, I was encouraged (by Regional and International leaders) to join the International Faculty Program.

I admire all of the members of Sweet Adelines International. They are so willing, smart, friendly, talented and wonderful. My personal idols and mentors include but are not limited to Mavis Burtness, Betty Clipman, Britt-Helene Bonnedahl, Nancy Bergman, Ase Hagerman, and Karen Breidert.

I would describe my teach style as focused and learner-centered, with an emphasis on organization, humor and singing.

My goals have always been to improve myself, to be a better service to my family, to others, and to the organization.

Goal setting is crucial to quartets, choruses, regions, international committees and the International Board. Personally, goals have always guided and continue to guide my life. It’s important to envision the goal, write it down, and work on it in some way every day.

I am humbly grateful to be named a master teacher in an organization whose primary purpose is education. To be a teacher in an organization that promotes harmony and understanding is a rare privilege indeed. I hope to serve Sweet Adelines International in any way of which I am capable, able and requested to do so.

There have been many memorable Sweet Adelines teaching experiences – my first regional class, my first class at a judging seminar, the International Music Class that Julie Haller and the 1987 High Country International Championship chorus presented in Houston and my first IES class. But the one that is most exciting is the very next one.

I would like to see the International Faculty Program continue to develop the teaching skills and overall quality of the International Faculty who stand in front of our members through training, opportunity and appraisal.

The teacher must be the ultimate student. Our guiding principle must be the need to study, learn and pass on what we learn to others. It is the highest privilege, calling and reward.

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Rocky Mountain Regional Competition 2008 Salt Lake City
May 8 thru 10

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Winter Showcase in Hill City - January 19, 2008

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An A Cappella Salute!

Her love of music and singing extends to her involvement with her church choir and her various communities solo performances. She’s been a lead in three different quartets, culminating that experience by competing on the regional stage. For nineteen years, she has been the guru Lead section leader. In conjunction with the director, she works to continually produce a cohesive, musically proficient Lead section. She shares her musical expertise and willingly extends an open invitation to all who seek assistance with singing and songs.

Betty credits Sweet Adelines for adding a new dimension to her life. She states, “I know from experience that you can count on a Sweet Adeline when you need a shoulder to lean on.” She shares she has never regretted attending her first rehearsal and beyond a doubt, neither has the chorus! Betty epitomizes the meaning of Sweet Adeline.

“I heard good things about this chorus, so in 1978, I attended a rehearsal and joined.” A former board member, Esther sings Bass. “I love the singing, the shows and competition.”

Recently, Esther went through chemotherapy treatment. “Sweet Adelines was the stability that gave me something to look forward to.”

And Esther, you have given back to all of us – love, friendship, and devoted dependability.
A Cappella Showcase salutes you!

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Harmony for the Holidays - December 8 - 9, 2007

A Cappella Showcase presented its Christmas Showcase 2007, “Harmony for the Holidays” at Dakota Middle School.

The program featured "Impulse", an internationally acclaimed Sweet Adelines quartet from Denver, Colorado that just placed 17th in the world at the Calgary International Conventional, the Celebration Singers from Central and Stevens High School, and "Going for Baroque", a famed local talent quartet. Proceeds from this show went to supporting KOTA Care and Share Food Drive.
A Cappella Showcase is proud to have donated over $40,000 through our previous Christmas performances.

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9-11 Day of Remembrance - September 8, 2007

The A Cappella Showcase chorus sang at the Rapid City Elks Lodge # 1187.

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