Riverport Chorus Concert

Last night I drove over the state line to Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a wonderful concert by the Riverport Chorus, a group of about 40 women who excel at singing four-part a cappella harmony, barbershop style. The members reside in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois and are part of a larger organization of 28,000 women worldwide known as Sweet Adelines International, and "Sisters" to the men's component known now as the Barbershop Harmony Society, originally called SPEBSQSA, or the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America.

June, the director of the chorus, is a friend of mine from church choir, where she sings alto, and her husband, Brian, sings tenor in our choir. Brian is also a long-time barbershopper, singing in the New Tradition Chorus in Northbrook, Illinois.

The concert was "cabaret style," meaning the audience was seated at tables and food and drink were available for purchase. The concert was entitled Fall In! and songs followed the themes of "Fall," "Halloween," and "Veteran's Day."



Riverport is a nine-time regional champion chorus and has competed in several international competitions in cities including Houston, San Antonio, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Portland, Phoenix, Detroit, and Calgary, where they have placed as high as tenth in the world.

The ladies of the group assembled baskets of themed items, such as chocolate, car care, salon day, and people purchased raffle tickets which they deposited by the baskets they were interested in winning. Brian won a couple baskets, including this one...



For the final number, audience members who had ever been associated with Sweet Adelines were invited to join in singing the Sweet Adeline theme song, "Harmonize the World"...



After the concert, June made her way back to our table to visit with her husband, daughter-in-law and son, and three grandchildren.



Here are a couple samples of the glorious sound these talented and dedicated singers combine to create...