LAST night was the first and final dress rehearsal for a local singing group before they head to Perth to compete in a national competition.
After the recent performance at the Fairbridge Festival, the 27 members of the all-female chorus, Voices of the Vasse, gathered at the Salvation Army Hall to prepare for their performance at the Sweet Adelines Convention in Perth next month.
“We’re all really excited,” director of Voices of the Vasse, Stephanie Bruce said.
“It’s a great opportunity to compete and perform.”
The Voices of the Vasse began 15 years ago, and has been chartered with Sweet Adelines International for eight years.
The Sweet Adelines is an international organisation for all-female singing groups who perform in four-part barbershop harmony, which means the harmonies are close together.
There are 30 different Sweet Adeline choruses in Australia, which compete in national competitions once every three years as part of their membership to the international organisation.
The Voices of the Vasse have previously travelled interstate to compete, but are pleased to be able to stay a little closer to home this year.
They will compete in the Division AA, for groups with 15-30 members, but other choirs from around the country have many more members than that.
“One group in the competition has between 80-100 members, but we will be in a smaller division,” Stephanie said.
After Division AA, there is Division A, for groups of 30-60 members, then Open Division for the larger groups with 60 or more members.
This will be the third time the chorus performs in the national competition, but with changing membership over the past few years, this will be the first time at the competition for nearly half the group’s members.
“They’re a little nervous, but they’re excited,” Stephanie said.
“The dress rehearsal is the benchmark that makes sure we are ready to compete.
“I think we are ready to take this show to Perth.”
