Sweet Adelines International 75th Jubilee Commemorative Album

1970s

In 1973 we held the first international chorus contest in Washington, D.C. with eligibility determined by the choruses winning the championship in their regions in 1972. SPOTLIGHT: JUDGING PROGRAM

1980s

1990s The three-year competition requirement for charter renewal began in 1984. In 1985, the Quartet Elimination Session replaced Quartet Quarterfinals at international contest in Kansas City, Missouri (USA). Chorus finals were added to the international convention. In the International Finals, (choruses and quartets) competitors were required to perform a "performance package" in addition to the two required contest songs. Also in 1985, the Small Chorus Award was instituted at regional contests requiring a score of 321— C level — or higher. In 1988 and 1989, changes to the “internationally sponsored awards” at regional contests included the addition of the Most Improved Chorus Award and the Novice Quartet Award. Additionally, choruses could request to perform for evaluation only for a letter grade. The Total Singing Time minimum limit was changed from four minutes to three minutes, and cumulative scoring began at international competition for both choruses and quartets. Also, the qualifying score for regional or international awards was raised from 321 minimum to 360. 1990 was the inaugural year of wild card quartets — the five quartets in the organization who did not win first in their regional competitions but who received the overall highest scores, were now eligible to compete at international contest. The Harmony Achievement Award was approved in 1990, and first awarded in 1991 to the Cedar Rhapsody Chorus. The award recognizes the highest scoring smaller chorus at the international level, as the Small Chorus Awards do at the regional level. Beginning with the 1998 international competition in Nashville (USA), ten choruses participated in the finals competition rather than five, and quartet quarterfinals were eliminated.1999 was the year the Rising Star Quartet Contest for girls aged 25 and under began at International Education Symposium (IES). A BIG change occurred in 1999 — the tie-breaking category was reversed from music to sound. The Harmony Classic contest was added to IES for the first time, with the top five scorers for each division from all regional contests performing in each contest. Wild card quartets increased from five to ten. Musical accompaniment was then allowed in performance packages for non-contest material only.

2000s

In 2003, all regions were required to provide PC laptop computers, software, and printers for computerized tabulations by the panel secretary. This was the first time a computer was seen in the pit. The option for any chorus to submit a videotape of a contest performance for adjudication by the judging panel began in 2004. It met the three-year competition requirement for re-chartering.

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