ONE SHOW ONLY! Harmony Road, September 8th

San Diego Chorus Welcomes Guest Coach Ryan Heller for Fall 2023 Recharge

9/19/2023

The San Diego Chorus is delighted to welcome coach Ryan Heller to their Fall 2023 Recharge event. Ryan recently assumed the role of Director of Alamo Metro Chorus in San Antonio, Texas, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International. With his trademark exuberance, Ryan is as energy-driven as the sound and performances that he inspires from each musician!

A "barbershop brat," Ryan joined the Barbershop Harmony Society as a high school freshman, singing with then Evergreen District champs, Vocal Gentry. Under Ryan's past leadership, the Pride of Portland Chorus won regional championships each cycle of competitions, making six appearances on the international stage with five top ten finishes. In April of 2013, Ryan received his Master Director 700 award when Pride of Portland Chorus took first place at our regional contest, with a record-breaking score of 701 points.

Heller also holds the title of the Artistic Director and Conductor of Chorus Austin in Austin, TX. Chorus Austin has been honored with numerous awards, including the 2018 Austin Critic’s Table Award for Best Classical Performance, and the 2017 Dale Warland Singers Commission Award from Chorus America. Past positions include Music Director / Conductor of the Southwest Washington Symphony, and Co-founder / Conductor of Portland Vocal Consort and the Columbia Chorale of Oregon.

Ryan's vibrant career also includes frequent engagements as Musical Director / Chorusmaster of musical theater productions throughout the West Coast, including Sweeney Todd, Annie, Brigadoon, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Magic Flute and La Cenerentola. In 2016 Heller served as Conductor for the world premiere opera The Canticle of the Black Madonna; He has appeared or recorded with numerous groups, including the Austin Symphony, Portland Opera, Rose City Chamber Orchestra, William Hall Master Chorale, Capella Romana, Astoria Music Festival, and Broadway Rose Theater Company. He has had the pleasure of touring with several ensembles throughout the USA, Europe, New Zealand, and China.

Ryan was the Co-Founder, Conductor and Artistic Director of the Portland Vocal Consort, one of Portland, Oregon’s, premier professional choirs, and spent a decade as the Conductor / Artistic Director of the Southwest Washington Symphony; In 2001, he Co-Founded the Columbia Chorale of Oregon, a group he led until 2010.

Heller has led ensembles across the United States with appearances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Chicago’s Symphony Hall. He has toured internationally in Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Finland, Estonia, Sweden and, China, where he led combined choirs from Texas at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing and at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

Heller holds a Master of Music degree in Conducting from Portland State University and his Bachelor’s of Music degree in Conducting from Chapman University.

An Oregon native, Heller is a passionate advocate of new music, and a lover of a cappella, opera and musical theater.

The San Diego Chorus hosts Recharge weekends for Chorus Members bi-annually. The 3-day events are coaching intensives, featuring Guest coaches from across the U.S. and internationally. The San Diego Chorus is currently ranked 5th Internationally and recently accepted a Wild Card invitation from parent organization Sweet Adelines International. The Chorus will take the stage as contestant #1 in the Quartet and Chorus Semi Finals in Kansas City in October of 2024.

The San Diego Chorus will be one of 32 competitors performing in the International Semi Finals, presenting a barbershop ballad and up tune. Contests are adjudicated by four judges, each of whom intensively evaluate one of the four categories that comprise the overall score: Sound, Music, Expression and Visual Communication. Every competing organization has the potential to earn 100 points per category per song. The total possible points available for a performance is 800.

Choruses that rank within the top 10 earn a chance to present a second entertainment package in the finals for the championship title. The 15 minute finals package blends a barbershop number with contemporary a cappella numbers.

Heller is one of several world-class coaches the San Diego Chorus will work over the next year as they prepare for competition. Master Director Kathleen Hansen expects big things from the Chorus, and is looking forward to competing.

"The singers of the San Diego Chorus bring a high level of musical excellence to our organization," Hansen says. "Working with individuals with our unique blend of talent and dedication is a rare opportunity. We're already leaning into the heavy lifting of preparing for competition and I see us as being well positioned for international advancement."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicole Knox sings with Nick of Time A Cappella Quartet and is a member of the San Diego Chorus, where she was named the 2023 Sweet Adeline of the Year. A fractional Chief Marketing Officer by trade, she encourages organizations and singers by sharing her time and expertise in support of best-in-class brand, marketing and communications.

ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO CHORUS
Founded in 1951, the San Diego Chorus of Sweet Adelines International performs award-winning, four-part harmony in the barbershop style. Twice named International Chorus Champion of Women’s Barbershop Harmony, the nonprofit performing arts organization entertains in many musical genres along with its signature vibrant choreography. Led by Master Director and Sweet Adelines International Faculty, Kathleen Hansen, the San Diego Chorus is dedicated to local education, entertainment and competition. The Chorus welcomes women and non-binary treble singers who share a love of music and dedication to personal and musical growth regardless of age, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender expression. Rehearsals are held weekly on Wednesday evenings in Room 207 of the Casa del Prado building in Balboa Park. Additional information can be found on their website at SanDiegoChorus.org.

ABOUT SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL
Sweet Adelines International is a musical force in the United States and around the world. The organization is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma where it was founded in 1945. This nonprofit music education organization is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women, encompassing more than 25,000 members, 1,200 registered quartets, and 600 choruses in the United States, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Wales. More information is available on the International Web site by visiting, http://www.sweetadelineintl.org.

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Interested in singing with the San Diego Chorus? Here's what you can expect.

9/1/2023

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The San Diego Chorus welcomes interested women and non-binary singers to visit and participate in our open weekly rehearsals anytime, year-round. Several times a year, we host a Singer Open House, which is a special evening designed to help prospective members experience the joy of singing 4-part a cappella harmony and learn more about our vocal assessment and self-paced, "soft" audition and membership pathway.

If you plan to visit during a Singer Open House or any other rehearsal, please RSVP to let our team know so we can be standing by to greet you.

Here are some helpful answers to frequently asked questions from guests and prospective members. Our goal is to provide a welcoming, inclusive experience that makes you feel right at home from start to finish.

If you have any special needs in regards to accessibility, please reach out so we can ensure you visit is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT TO WEAR

Dress comfortably in clothes that support movement and deep breathing. Avoid anything hot or constraining. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

WHERE TO GO

We rehearse in Room #207 of the Casa del Prado Building in Balboa Park. This building is next door to the Casa del Prado Theater, across the courtyard. Plan ahead for parking, which can be tricky. Find more details about our rehearsal location, parking and download a map here. The Casa del Prado offers accessible parking and an elevator, making our second floor rehearsal space accessible for all.

SAY HELLO

Be sure to RSVP on our website to let us know you're coming. Our New Member team will be standing by to greet you outside of room 207. We'll answer questions and guide you through your visit.

GUEST MUSIC

We'll check out a Guest Music binder for you to reference during rehearsals. Please be sure to return yours at the end of the night. If you decide to move forward in your audition process, you'll also receive a Guest Log in to access a special section of our Members Only website that offers music and learning tracks.

WARM UPS

We begin every rehearsal with stretching and gentle body movement to physically prepare our bodies for singing and alignment. It's a great way to shake off the day, stretch out tired muscles and prepare for excellent posture on the risers. After physical warm ups our focus shifts to guided vocal warm ups. Comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended.

VOCAL ASSESSMENT

We'll share some background about the qualities and structure of vocal parts in barbershop music, and conduct an informal vocal assessment to help you identify which part may be the best fit with your range.

PARTICIPATE IN REHEARSAL

The best way to experience our music and culture is by jumping right in! Once you've identified a vocal part, we'll help you find a spot on the risers near a helper who sings the same vocal part.

ENJOY A SHORT PERFORMANCE

If you visit during a Guest Open House, we'll invite you to take a seat in the audience so that our singers may perform a few of our favorite numbers for you to enjoy. This is a great way to get a sense of our overall sound and how music and movement work together for our chorus.

PATHWAY TO MEMBERSHIP

Ready to take the next steps? We're here to help every step of the way! Learn more about how our vocal assessment and audition pathway work. Our year-round, soft audition process allows you to move at your own pace and includes lots of opportunities for help - just ask!

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

The San Diego Chorus believes that every voice matters. We welcome singers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people from varied religions. Learn more about our intentional approach to creating a diverse, inclusive and welcoming culture.

WHAT AM I SAYING YES TO?

Membership in the San Diego Chorus involves growth as a musician, performer, competitor and SO much more! Keep reading to learn more about the exciting and unique facets of our chorus culture, what a typical year may look like and much more.

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San Diego Chorus Welcomes Guest Coach Ryan Heller for Fall 2023 Recharge

Interested in singing with the San Diego Chorus? Here's what you can expect.

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