The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.
2006 Mid Atlantic Champions
Regency (Baltimore, MD): This outstanding five man vocal musical ensemble began singing on the street corners of Baltimore nearly 20 years ago. Incorporating their own stylistic interpretations of Swing, Motown, Rock 'n Roll, Beatles, and even Country Western into their songs, Regency brings alive the music that America has learned to love. Their repertoire includes the hot sounds of today mixed with the Motown magic of yesterday – including the music of Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, and The Temptations. The group's dynamic stage presence, original choreography, and unique ability to engage their audiences produces an energetic and entertaining show with audiences invariably clamoring for more after each finale. The ensemble has appeared in concert with many national headline acts including Sinbad, Patti LaBelle, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, Ramsey Lewis, Spyrogyra, and The Four Tops. Regency has come in second twice – once in 2003 and again last year. Will this year be their year?
Members: Dewayne McNeill, Milton Ames, Aubrey Brown, Jr., John Tiller, Isaiah Simmons
2006 Results |
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1st
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Regency |
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2nd
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New Release |
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3rd
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Glorious |
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Audience Favorite
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Regency |
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Best Original Song
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"Traveling Light" - Marianne Pastelak, Vocal Obsession |
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Best Original Arrangement
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"Dig a Little Deeper" - arr. Glorious |
2006 Participants:
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Glorious, Richmond, VA: Glorious A Cappella is a group of strong mature men that has been together since 1997. During this time, they have become a group of tight knit, polished and professional performers. Their unique a cappella style leaves very little room for imperfections in their sound. Drawing from our individual spiritual backgrounds, and combining tried and true spirituals with an upbeat tempo, Glorious A Cappella creates a unique listening experience. Punctuality, Professionalism and Worship are the cornerstones to their organization Members: Barry Fleming, Michael Lemon, Eugene Gleaton, Julius Smith, John Elliott. |
| New Release, Washington DC: Imagine a laser tenor, a perfect pitch lead, a solfege-singing bari, and a monster bass, from three different states... and you've got New Release! Formed in April 2005, this extreme-energy ensemble earned silver medals three months later at the International Collegiate Quartet Contest in Salt Lake City. Believing strongly in uplifting youth in harmony, New Release has toured 11 states from Florida to Oregon, leading master classes and coaching at college campuses, high school quartet adjudications, and a cappella festivals, including SoJam in North Carolina.
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Rare Blend, Clermont, FL: Hailing from central Florida, Rare Blend fuses gospel, vocal jazz classical, swing and doo wop. Whether singing for thousands at a festival, hundreds at a convention, dozens in church or an intimate private party, Rare Blend is striking a heart-chord with Central Floridians. This will be Rare Blend’s second appearance at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. Members: Betsy Reid, Rebecca Roberson, Shannon Elswick, Greg Patterson |
| Regency, Baltimore, MD: This outstanding five man vocal musical ensemble began singing on the street corners of Baltimore nearly 20 years ago. Incorporating their own stylistic interpretations of Swing, Motown, Rock 'n Roll, Beatles, and even Country Western into their songs, Regency brings alive the music that America has learned to love. Their repertoire includes the hot sounds of today mixed with the Motown magic of yesterday – including the music of Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, and The Temptations. The group's dynamic stage presence, original choreography, and unique ability to engage their audiences produces an energetic and entertaining show with audiences invariably clamoring for more after each finale. The ensemble has appeared in concert with many national headline acts including Sinbad, Patti LaBelle, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, Ramsey Lewis, Spyrogyra, and The Four Tops. Regency has come in second twice – once in 2003 and again last year. Will this year be their year? Members: Dewayne McNeill, Milton Ames, Aubrey Brown, Jr., John Tiller, Isaiah Simmons |
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Transit, North Carolina: Combining soaring leads, smooth harmonies, and a thumping rythm section, Transit demonstrates the power, versatility, and emotion of the most natural instrument of all – the human voice.
Members: Joseph Bates, Nick Lyons, Dave Sperandio, Brent Stephens, James Wallace |
| Vocal Obsession, Aberdeen, MD: Vocal Obsession consists of five friends who have sung in various ensembles for the past twenty years, and decided to form a group devoted to a cappella music. They have performed separately, gaining recognition in ensembles and as soloists in the US and Europe (including Orlando, Chicago, Amsterdam, Montreux, Vienna, Strasbourg, and Liege). In 2003, they decided to band together to sing sans instruments. This is Vocal Obsession’s second appearance. They won Best Original Song in 2005!
Members: Marianne Pastelak, Donna Youngberg, Dotti Smith, Charles Braungard, Harry |
Maloy |
2006 Judges:
Claire Gardiner has been a member of the Vienna-Falls Chorus of Sweet Adelines International since 1984. She began directing the chorus in 1993. Claire has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and is a former high school music teacher. Currently, she is employed as a Senior Copyright Examiner in the Performing Arts Section of the Copyright Office in Washington DC (one of only a few government jobs requiring a music degree). Claire serves as a faculty member for her local five state region within Sweet Adelines, where she teaches arranging classes and coaches many choruses and quartets. She also has coached choruses and quartets in England. She has led Vienna-Falls to four Regional Championships and many other top-four placements in Regional competitions. Claire was certified as a Master Director in 1995. She has also sung in many quartets, one of which won the Regional Championship in 1989. Her current quartet, ZQ, just competed last weekend, as did the Vienna-Falls chorus. When Claire is not singing, directing, coaching, or working, you can find her out on the road riding her 2005 Honda Gold Wing Motorcycle!
David Buffum is a producer, arranger and award-winning director of a cappella music in the Philadelphia and DC areas. For eight years, David produced the popular Philadelphia A Cappella Fest, which enables local secondary school vocal groups to sing with nationally renowned collegiate and professional groups. A founding member of the acclaimed a cappella group The Vineyard Sound, David has been singing for over 20 years, has arranged dozens of contemporary pieces, and has performed for and with celebrities internationally and at home. David has served as a judge at the Harmony Sweepstakes New York Regional for three years, and also at the ICCAs.
In his three decades in the world of a cappella singing, Kenyon Erickson has performed with groups including the Tone Rangers (which he has directed since its inception in 1986), and the Cornell Hangovers. As a Tone Ranger, Kenyon has formed a lasting bond to the Mid-Atlantic Harmony Sweeps - the Rangers hosted the event four times, won in 2002, and were recognized with three separate "Best Arrangement" honors and three separate "Audience Favorite" awards. Kenyon earned his undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Utah, where his voice teacher was the famed baritone, Philip Frohnmayer. He has long been active in the choral music scene in Washington, singing with the Cathedral Choral Society and various a cappella chamber choirs. In his spare time, Kenyon sings in the American Red Cross Choir, runs long pointless distances, and directs the 25-voice children's choir at his church (barred from this year's competition due to its size).
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