Adelaide Sound Connection: In the Adelaide City region of South Australia
Every Wednesday evening at Ashford, a close knit group of women gather to forget the workaday cares of the world. They belong to the Adelaide Sound Connection - a group of enthusiasts who just love singing.
At their rehearsal sessions they move through a complete vocal exercise regime before tackling their first song. Whether its jazz or gospel, Irving Berlin or Peter Allen - the group brings together women from different backgrounds with a range of very different vocal skills.
“Hello, I'm Angelina De Jong. I am a purchasing officer, I live in Richmond and I sing tenor. Hi my name is Margaret Wong and I’m the Assistant Director of this chorus. I live in Ashford and I sing Bari. Hello. I'm Corrie Cardiff, I'm nursing and live in Aberfoyle Park and I'm baritone. I'm Jenny and I'm a mum and a housewife. I live at Vista and I sing baritone.”
Put all twenty-six members together, unaccompanied apart from the prompt of a pitch pipe and you get a unique sound.
At this stage, Jenny Gibson doesn't yet wear the Adelaide Sound Connection uniform. She will when she passes her formal audition.
“You perform as a part of a quartet to the directors to show them that you can hold your part.”
And why a quartet when there are so many colleagues to back you up? That goes back to the establishment of Sweet Adelines International, which began in America in 1945. It is dedicated to giving women the chance to sing BarberShop Quartet music which, or so many years was the musical domain of men.
“A group of women decided that women were just as capable of singing this kind of harmony. The songs (just) had to be written a little differently to accommodate the female voice.”
The Adelaide Sound Connection began in 1988 in the lounge room of a committed local singer and now offers its special brand of choral enthusiasm to everyone.
“We sing at opening ceremonies, we sing at dinners, we sing at people's parties - Eightieth birthday parties, seventieths.”
And Yvonne Twining's reasons for joining are typical of many who make it here for rehearsals each week.
“I just wanted to sing. When my boys had grown up and were well on their way with their own lives I said now it's my turn.”
For further information about bookings or membership of the Adelaide Sound Connection contact 8261 8107. If you have any other questions please email info@postcards.sa.com.au
