The Waikato Rivertones Chorus, decked out in their new ‘Tickled Pink’ costumes, is holding a concert on Saturday to support their upcoming trip to Kentucky. Photo: Perry Trotter
The Waikato Rivertones Chorus is preparing to take part in the 75th Sweet Adelines International Convention and Competition in the United States.
Waikato Rivertones will join 35 choruses and 44 quartets from around the US and the world set to compete in the October 30 to November 4 event in Louisville, Kentucky. Those taking part are the best among 500 choruses that make up the total membership of Sweet Adelines International.
It is the sixth time the Rivertones will have been at the global competition. The all-women songsters came a respectable 19th out of 30 last time around and want to better that in Louisville.
One of their number, Cambridge’s Adrienne Windsor, said: “We want to improve our placing this time… it would be great to be in the top 10.”
Gaining entry to the global competition came by way of claiming the crown in the 2022 New Zealand Sweet Adelines Chorus Championships, and achieving first place as the Sweet Adelines International Division A Small-size chorus. A win in the Kiwi nationals opens the door to participation in the following year’s international event, which is always held in the United States.
While the Rivertones will compete in the chorus competition, their quartet ‘Unlimited’ will compete in the Sweet Adelines quartet competition.
The champion New Zealand chorus comprises around 40 women from around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, ranging in age from teens through to those in their seventies. They sing a-capella (without musical accompaniment) and are under the tutelage of musical director and Hamilton GP Kate Sinclair.
Last month, they took away a silver at the Barbershop Harmony Spectacular in Auckland.
The chorus, which has been going for 30 years, was one of 12 Waikato-based charitable organisations that earlier this year were presented with funds raised from the 2022 Cambridge Christmas Festival.
Since knowing they were headed to Louisville this month, the Rivertones have been deep into fundraising. Their October 21 concert at Waikato University’s Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts is one of their last big fundraisers before they leave. Entitled ‘On Track to Kentucky’, the programme will feature a special performance of the international competition set, as well as guest appearances by New Zealand songstress Anna Hawkins.
The Waikato Rivertones’ quartet ‘Unlimited’ will also compete in Louisville. They are, from left, Helena Lister, Jill Rodgers, musical director Kate Sinclair, and Mehernaz Darukhanawalla. Photo: Perry Trotter.
