Donna St. Germain doesn鈥檛 look like what you may expect of a singer in a barbershop quartet.

She鈥檚 a woman, for one thing. And on a rainy Wednesday night, when she鈥檚 preparing to rehearse with an all-female acapella chorus, the 55-year-old Cloverdale resident is wearing a brilliant pink shirt instead of a striped vest. Instead of a striped hat, her hair frizzes gently around her ears and she鈥檚 holding a large purse instead of a jaunty cane.

But St. Germain has been a tenor in a competitive, all-female barbershop quartet for 20 years.

She first got the barbershop bug when she was growing up in 91原创. There was a pizza shop on Fraser Highway where the 91原创 men鈥檚 chorus would go for a bite to eat after their rehearsals.

鈥淓very now and then, my sister and I would go down with our parents for late night pizza, or just to sit and hear them. And their quartets would get up and sing, their chorus would get up and sing,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I just loved the acapella. I was kind of always drawn to it.鈥�

A singer throughout childhood, St. Germain was involved in school choirs, musical theatres and vocal jazz groups. It wasn鈥檛 until her 30s that she got a chance to sing the acapella music she had loved as a kid.

鈥淚 went in the first night and I was hooked. Absolutely hooked,鈥� she said about joining . 鈥淎nd I haven鈥檛 looked back.鈥�

Westcoast Harmony is an all-women acapella chorus that operates under , a global organization that focuses on female barbershop-style music. Within the chorus, some members have banded together to create barbershop quartets that also fall under Sweet Adelines鈥� oversight. St. Germain鈥檚 Uptown Suite! is one of many, including VITA, Brava!, Frenzy, Yes鈥檓 and the relatively new Simmer!.

Cloverdale鈥檚 Linda Wilson, 62, is Simmer!鈥檚 baritone. Last year was her first time singing in a barbershop quartet, although she had been involved with the chorus for years.

鈥淚t looked like fun, and it鈥檚 another step to improve everything we do in the chorus,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淵our voice, your confidence, just that challenge of trying to get four women鈥檚 voice to sing in the same sound.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 another risk,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 guess I鈥檓 a risk taker.鈥�

Both St. Germain and Wilson agree 鈥� singing in a barbershop quartet is fun. But it鈥檚 a lot of work if you want to succeed under Sweet Adelines鈥� rules.

Every year, different areas around the world hold competitions for Sweet Adelines鈥� barbershop groups. Quartets and choruses compete to be the top singers in their region, and then go on to try their talent on the international stage.

Last year, Uptown Suite! managed to get a wild card into the international competition, held in Las Vegas, after coming in second during the regional competition.

鈥淚t鈥檚 huge,鈥� St. Germain said about the competition. 鈥淚t鈥檚 somewhat intimidating, because 鈥� you see [a lot of the singers] go through the ranks. For so many years you see them competing, whether it鈥檚 the same foursome or whether they鈥檝e split apart or gone with other pairs or other singles.鈥�

The elite of the elite, the quartets who win during the international competition, become Queens of Harmony.

鈥淭hat crown is the most prestigious prize,鈥� Wilson said, about the crowns given to Queens of Harmony.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what everyone鈥檚 going for,鈥� St. Germain added.

That鈥檚 what St. Germain and the fellow members of Uptown Suite! will be going for this year, when they compete in Sweet Adeline鈥檚 regional competition at the Pattison Theatre from May 3-5.

鈥淲ell the hope is always there, because that鈥檚 what everybody strives for,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any strive for it, and many many many never make it that far.鈥�

Wilson hopes to someday get the crown as well, but that鈥檚 not Simmer!鈥檚 focus right now.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not even thinking that far,鈥� she said.

鈥淥ur main purpose was not the competition. It was actually to see if we could blend our sound, if we could sing together, if we could have a pleasing result, and have fun.

鈥淏ecause to me, this is extra. Every Wednesday night, running here after work. It鈥檚 gotta be good to be doing the extra,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚f quartetting is another practice time, then it鈥檚 got to be rewarding. And we want to laugh.鈥�

editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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