Voices of Sweet Adelines International Will Soar for Five Days in Houston

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Sep 13, 2011, 08:20 ET

TULSA, Okla., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 7,000 a cappella vocalists from around the world prepare to blast off to Houston for Sweet Adelines International's 2011 Convention. Attendees will unite for competition, education and exhibition the week of Oct. 17-22, 2011 at the Toyota Center and the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC). From dawn to dusk, each day will be jam-packed with the best of barbershop harmony.

The convention commences on Monday, Oct. 17, at 9:00 a.m., with Harmony Bazaar exhibits at the GRBCC. Dozens of vendors will be showing off a variety of merchandise including apparel, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, ornaments, plus much more. Sweet Adelines International's sales department will be on hand with the latest items such as learning tracks, sheet music, the commemorative 2011 Houston Convention charms and many other products barbershop singers wouldn't want to live without.

More than 65 quartets and 40 choruses are perking up their barbershop chords to heat up the Toyota Center stage during five days of exciting and awe-inspiring competitions. The Harmony Classic Contest kicks off competition week at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, featuring the top small and mid-sized choruses. The vibrant Young Women in Harmony Festival chorus also takes the stage that evening to entertain the audience with a lively performance.

The close-harmony international quartet semifinal competitions open on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 10:45 a.m. The top 10 quartets return for the finals on Friday, Oct. 21 at noon. The 2011 International Champion Quartet, MAXX FACTOR, will relinquish their crowns to one winning quartet.

The chorus semifinal competitions open on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10:45 a.m. and the 10 best choruses will reach the finals on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 3:00 p.m. The 2011 International Champion Chorus, Scottsdale, will hand over the title to the 2012 champion.

On Friday morning, singers will assemble at the Toyota Center Plaza for a spectacular Mass Sing performance in honor of the city of Houston. Members of the community and media are invited to join Sweet Adelines International members, friends, family and fans for this free event open to the general public. Mass Sing begins at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.

The final day of competition features singers under the age of 25, all eager to expose their talent in the 2011 Rising Star Quartet Contest on Saturday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. This annual barbershop contest offers an avenue for young members to compete with 17 Rising Star quartets from across the country as well as Canada and New Zealand. The 2010 Rising Star Quartet Champion Royal Blush will relinquish its title to the winning quartet.

All competition sessions are open to the public. Tickets may be purchased at the Sweet Adelines International ticket office in the GRBCC beginning Monday, Oct. 17, at 9:00 a.m. Tickets range in price from $10 for students up to $45 for adults per competition session. For more information on the Sweet Adelines International Convention, call 800.992.7464, 918.622.1444 or visit http://www.sweetadelineintl.org/houston.cfm.

Sweet Adelines International is a musical force in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., where it was founded in 1945, this nonprofit music education organization is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women encompassing nearly 24,000 members, 1,200 registered quartets and 600 choruses in most of the fifty United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands and Wales.