San Diego Chorus Awarded OSP Grant from the City of San Diego's Commission for Arts and Culture7/11/2025  JULY 2025 - The San Diego Chorus is proud to announce the award of a Fiscal Year 2026 Organizational Support Program Grant, provided by the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture through the Office of Cultural Affairs. As a local nonprofit performing arts organization, this critical support helps keep four-part a cappella harmony vibrant, visible, and accessible to singers across the region. The San Diego Chorus has long distinguished itself as a passionate, award-winning advocate for music, education, and community engagement. Each year, the San Diego Chorus reaches more than 30,000 audience members through local, regional, national, and international performances and competitions. Grants and other financial support help offset the rising costs associated with world-class music education, performance programming, and competitive excellence. Founded in 1951, the San Diego Chorus of Sweet Adelines International is known for its award-winning performances of four-part harmony in the barbershop style. A two-time International Chorus Champion, the ensemble entertains audiences with a broad range of musical genres enhanced by its signature vibrant choreography. Under the leadership of Master Director and Sweet Adelines International Faculty member Kathleen Hansen, the Chorus remains committed to local education, entertainment, and competition. The Chorus welcomes women and non-binary treble singers who share a love of music and a commitment to personal and musical growth—regardless of age, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender expression. Weekly rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings in Room 207 of the Casa del Prado building in Balboa Park. Additional information is available at SanDiegoChorus.org. The San Diego Chorus is deeply grateful for the ongoing support of the City of San Diego and looks forward to continuing its mission to spread harmony throughout the city and region through community events and performances at every opportunity.
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 June 2025 – The San Diego Chorus is proud to announce its acceptance of a Wild Card invitation to compete in the 2026 Sweet Adelines International Competition, following a strong performance at the 2025 Region 21 Golden West Contest and Convention, held in April 2025 in Redondo Beach, California. Established in 1952, the San Diego Chorus earned second place in the region with a score of 659, placing them fifth internationally based on global results released by Sweet Adelines International. This outstanding achievement secured the chorus one of a limited number of Wild Card invitations to the international stage in Columbus, Ohio, in October 2026. The order of appearance for the international competition will be determined by random draw, expected to take place in August. The San Diego Chorus is no stranger to international success, having placed 7th in the world at the 2024 competition in Kansas City, and having twice earned the title of International Champion in 1975 and 2001. Preparing for international competition is an extensive undertaking, with choruses typically investing 12 to 24 months of preparation. This includes personal practice, weekly rehearsals, sectionals, and intensive vocal and visual coaching. As a member-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the San Diego Chorus relies on thousands of volunteer hours from its members, along with financial support from fundraising, performances, and grants. The chorus is a proud multi-year recipient of the Creative Communities San Diego Funding Award, granted through the City of San Diego’s Cultural Affairs Division. In 2026, 32 choruses from around the world will compete at the international level. Performances are adjudicated by four judges, each specializing in one of the following categories: Sound, Music, Expression, and Visual Communication. Each category allows for a maximum of 100 points per song, with a total possible score of 800 points per performance. In addition to chorus competitions, the event includes quartet contests, culminating in the International Women’s Quartet Finals, which crowns each year’s Queens of Harmony. Founded in 1945, Sweet Adelines International is dedicated to preserving and advancing the American art form of four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. With over 25,000 members, 1,200 registered quartets, and 600 choruses worldwide, it is one of the largest singing organizations in the world, focused on musical excellence and education. The San Diego Chorus welcomes treble singers year-round through a self-paced “soft” audition process. Interested singers are invited to begin their audition journey at any time. Rehearsals are held weekly on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 PM to 9:45 PM in Room 207 of the Casa del Prado, located in beautiful Balboa Park.
 July 2025 — The San Diego Chorus is delighted to welcome back acclaimed performance coach Cy Wood. A respected figure in the barbershop world, Cy serves as a judge in the Performance Category for the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Cy is the past Executive Director of the Young Professionals Choral Collective (YPCC) and a versatile creative artist and coach. Cy’s journey has taken him across the country—from performing and producing in New York City for nearly a decade, to teaching music and theatre for seven years at Butler Tech School of the Arts in Ohio. His professional portfolio includes Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, special events, national tours, and more. Most recently, Cy and his husband relocated to Palm Springs, California, beginning a new chapter in his artistic career. A third-generation barbershopper, Cy began his barbershop journey at age 15 with the Idaho Gateway Chorus. While in college, he sang baritone with High Flight, a collegiate quartet that won the Rocky Mountain District contest and placed 12th at the 2006 International Competition. In 2012, Cy joined Voices of Gotham (VoG) in New York City, where he quickly rose to leadership as baritone section leader, board member at large, and eventually the chorus’s Choreographer and Presentation Leader. His creative work has been showcased on the international stage and in venues such as Carnegie Hall. After moving to Ohio, Cy sang with Southern Gateway Chorus, a BHS Top Ten chorus, where he also contributed as a music team member and Performance Director. Cy’s quartet experience includes singing baritone with baritone with MixTape, the 2024 Johnny Appleseed District champion quartet based in Ohio. Previously, he sang with On Tap, which won the Mid-Atlantic District Northern Division contest in 2014 and placed 7th at the MAD District contest. The quartet entertained audiences until disbanding in 2015.
As part of its ongoing commitment to artistic excellence, the San Diego Chorus regularly hosts member-exclusive coaching sessions, especially in the lead-up to competition season. Currently ranked 2nd in Region 21 Golden West, the Chorus has accepted a Wild Card invitation from Sweet Adelines International to compete in the International Chorus Semi-Finals in Columbus, Ohio in October. of 2026. The San Diego Chorus will be one of 32 choruses performing on the international stage, presenting a barbershop ballad and uptune. Each performance is scored by four judges across the categories of Sound, Music, Expression, and Visual Communication, with a maximum of 800 points available. Choruses that place in the top 10 will advance to the Finals, where they will perform a 15-minute entertainment package blending traditional barbershop with contemporary a cappella. Cy is one of several world-class coaches working with the San Diego Chorus this year as the group sharpens its contest and entertainment packages. Master Director Kathleen Hansen emphasizes the value of working with multifaceted coaches during this critical phase of preparation: “There are endless facets of musicality and performance that we fine-tune concurrently in preparation for competition,” says Hansen. “Multi-dimensional coaches like Cy bring valuable insight and guidance to our singers as we continue to raise the bar on musical excellence in preparation for performance and competition."
NOVEMBER 3, 2024 - The San Diego Chorus returned from the 76th Annual Sweet Adelines Convention & Competition ranked 7th Internationally. Approximately 76 of San Diego's 80 members took the stage in the Semi-Finals, competing against 33 other a cappella choral organizations worldwide. Semi-Finals contest packages are timed and typically feature two songs - an uptune and a ballad. These pieces are arranged and performed in the classic, 4-part a cappella harmony that is a hallmark of the barbershop style. A panel of eight judges evaluates each performance intensely, focused on four key areas that uphold the core tenets of this American art form. San Diego Chorus's scores in the Semi-Finals phase placed them within the top ten, which secured their position in the International Finals. Finals packages showcase each chorus's musical excellence and personality, blending a barbershop number with several contemporary a cappella numbers that feature dynamic arrangements brought to life through creative themes, choreography, costumes, and scripting. The San Diego Chorus Semi-Finals package included the 1918 ballad Smilin' Through, with music and lyrics from Arthur A. Penn and Ed Waesche. This specific version featured a revitalized and never-before-performed a cappella arrangement by Joey Minshall. The chorus's uptune, A Wonderful Day Like Today, is from the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd, and was also arranged by Joey Minshall, The San Diego Chorus Finals package opened with the Jeremy Johnson arrangement of The Greatest Show from the 2017 film The Greatest Showman. The ballad, I Will Never Pass This Way Again (1972, Ronnie Gaylord) was originally arranged in the traditional barbershop style by Clay Hine, and later refreshed by his daughter, Melody Hine. Next up was the crowd favorite I Will Survive (1978, Dino Fekaris / Freddie Perren) a high-energy number most commonly associated with artist Gloria Gaynor, featuring a new arrangement from Rowena Harper. The set concluded with a jubilant rendition of OneRepublic's I Lived (Noel Zancanella / Ryan Tedder). This energetic and memorable finale was arranged by Jeremy Johnson and truly reflects the heart and spirit of this unique chorus. The San Diego Chorus was unique within the competition based on successful efforts to expand chorus membership in recent years, which resulted in nearly 30% of singers being first-timers to the International stage. Choral organizations like many sectors within the performing arts were deeply affected by the pandemic, experiencing impacts to both membership and funding. In recent years, the San Diego Chorus has opted to focus recruitment efforts on expanding diversity in a holistic sense - with a goal of membership that reflects population trends within the San Diego region. The result has breathed new life into the chorus, attracting singers of all ages, ethnic and racial backgrounds, differently-abled individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Participation in an SAI Chorus competition entails approximately 18 - 24 months of focused preparation encompassing vocal and visual coaching, weekly rehearsals, sectionals, and personal practice. Throughout this competitive cycle, the San Diego Chorus has welcomed esteemed coaches from around the country, including:
Chorus members are required to qualify both vocally and visually in several phases to participate in regional and international competitions. Judges within Sweet Adelines International complete a rigorous, multi-year training and qualification track that includes experiential prerequisites, testing, training, and trial scoring in multiple environments. Upon completion and with appropriate recommendations, candidates are eligible for consideration as a Certified Judge. Once certified, Judges commit to ongoing musical education and training as well as regular involvement in regional and international competitions to keep their certification current. The 2024 Sweet Adelines International Chorus Judging Panel was as follows:
The week-long competition and convention also featured the 2024 Quartet Semi-Finals and Finals as well as the Harmony Classic, a competition for midsized choruses with membership ranging from 31 - 60 members. Attendees enjoyed a diverse offering of musical education sessions, with well-known vocal leaders, many of which include small group singing, coaching under glass, and more. Recent recaps and full performances for all divisions and phases of the competition are available for viewing on Sweet Adeline's YouTube channel. 
 The San Diego Chorus was founded in 1951 and is a two-time International Championship organization, earning the titles in 1975 and again in 2002, under the direction of Marvin Yerkey and Kim Vaughn respectively. Throughout the nearly 75-year lifespan of the organization, the organization has won multiple awards at varying levels including within Region 21 Golden West. Region 21 is recognized as one of the most competitive within SAI, encompassing approximately 16 choruses across southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii. The San Diego Chorus is currently under the direction of Kathleen Hansen.
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CONTACT
619-796-5162 MAILING PO Box 33365 San Diego, CA 92163 NONPROFIT EIN 501c3 95-6095457 AFFILIATIONS Region 21 Golden West Sweet Adelines International COPYRIGHT San Diego Chorus © 2023 All Rights Reserved TERMS & CONDITIONS |
OPEN REHEARSALS
Weekly on Wednesdays 6:45 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. Plan a Visit REHEARSAL LOCATION Casa Del Prado, Room 207 Balboa Park San Diego, CA 92101 Detailed Location Information SINGING HOLIDAY GRAMS 45 |
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