Since 1978, the River Blenders Chorus of Sweet Adelines International has been delighting audiences with outstanding music and entertainment. This St. Louis, MO women's acapella chorus has gained prominence as the Spirit of the Midwest Region 5 Champion Chorus over 16 times! Our most recent win was in April of 2023. We will be representing Region 5 at the International Contest in October of 2024!!
Mission Statement
Elevating women singers in our community through education, performance and competition in barbershop harmony and a cappella music
Vision Statement
Inspiring and empowering voices to joyfully bring harmony to our community and beyond
Our Core Values
Pursuit of Musical Excellence
- Continuously improving vocal skills, musical precision and performance techniques in the barbershop art form through ongoing education, vocal coaching and workshops.
- Being an innovative chorus, pushing the boundaries of traditional four-part harmony through exploration of new musical arrangements, techniques and performance styles.
- Embracing new challenges and striving for higher levels of musical excellence in performances and competitions.
- Consistently striving to achieve A level scores in competitions by prioritizing preparation, professionalism, attention to detail and a strong work ethic.
Inclusive and Supportive Atmosphere
- Fostering a sense of belonging, friendship and mutual support where each member’s unique talents are valued and supported.
- Developing a supportive environment for youth's growth in barbershop singing by providing educational opportunities within the chorus and promoting youth participation in regional and international events.
Community Engagement and Impact
- Enhancing awareness of the art form of barbershop and promoting an inclusive chapter by recruiting singers from diverse communities.
- Actively engaging with the community through music to make a positive impact by providing entertaining, uplifting and creative performances.
Performances
The River Blenders Chorus performs at a number of community events, self-produced shows, and annual competitions. We are available to sing at your next function or event. If you're looking for a unique musical experience to liven up your event, please check out our Book Us! section.
Education
In addition to performing, another great passion of ours is learning more about the art of acapella singing. Vocal instruction is a regular part of chorus rehearsals, and a very important component of the chorus experience. A couple times a year, we receive coaching from a visiting master in the art of barbershop, where we learn many wonderful tricks of the trade.
Because our chorus values area youth singers, we have held an annual Sing for Scholarships contest. It occurrs on the Main Stage at the St. Louis Art Festival and includes area soloists, 18 and younger, competing for cash prizes.
Competition
In the spring of every year, the River Blenders Chorus participates in the Sweet Adelines International, Spirit of the Midwest Region 5 chorus competition. Competitions are much anticipated events for choruses and quartets to come together, present a musical package, and receive valuable feedback on their performances from a panel of judges.
The winners of the regional competition in both quartet and chorus categories compete at the International Convention and Competition, which is held annually in the fall. Previous International Competitions have been held in Houston, Seattle, Nashville, Honolulu, Las Vegas Phoenix and St. Louis.
Quartets
Most choruses have a number of members who form their own quartets in addition to singing with the chorus. We are currently have several wonderful quartets, and we are very proud of them! Head over to our Quartets section and learn more about the different groups.
Affiliation
The River Blenders Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, a not-for-profit organization of approximately 16,000 members in 18 countries, with more than 430 chapters. The Headquarters are in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
16,000 members in 18 countries, with more than 430 chapters.
