20th Annual

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music, celebrates its 20th year in 2004. 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.

Alpha

Back in the early 90's, Alpha brought imagination, determination, and integrity to their artistry when the model for groups of their kind was a safe commercial blend. Their superiority in every aspect of vocal arranging and performing began to get them known in Puerto Rico and Latin America. Their performances in major sporting events, as background vocalist with award winning vocalist and bands, and several appearances on entertainment TV programs has earned them their place as one of the most enduring and best-loved vocal groups in Puerto Rico. Truly inspired by groups like Boyzz to Men, Glad, and Take 6, Alpha fashioned their own a cappella style: "a Latin Jazz Gospel vocal band where ALL the instruments are sung instead of played". Get ready to have the most fun you can legally have while listening a cappella. ç Que sabor!
Members - Edgar Rios, Abel Martinez, Abi Hernandez, Ludwig Henderson, Sonlys Andino, Shalom Rodriguez, and Johnny Davis Figueroa.

2004 Results
1st Place	Alpha
2nd Place	Down For The Count
3rd Place	Vocal Ease
Audience Favorite	Alpha
Best Arrangement	"Where is Love," Swing Shift

2004 Participating Groups

Alpha - Back in the early 90's, Alpha brought imagination, determination, and integrity to their artistry when the model for groups of their kind was a safe commercial blend. Their superiority in every aspect of vocal arranging and performing began to get them known in Puerto Rico and Latin America. Their performances in major sporting events, as background vocalist with award winning vocalist and bands, and several appearances on entertainment TV programs has earned them their place as one of the most enduring and best-loved vocal groups in Puerto Rico. Truly inspired by groups like Boyzz to Men, Glad, and Take 6, Alpha fashioned their own a cappella style: "a Latin Jazz Gospel vocal band where ALL the instruments are sung instead of played". Get ready to have the most fun you can legally have while listening a cappella. ç Que sabor!
Members - Edgar Rios, Abel Martinez, Abi Hernandez, Ludwig Henderson, Sonlys Andino, Shalom Rodriguez, and Johnny Davis Figueroa.

Down for the Count a high-energy group of talented young singers and musicians which came together in defiance of the on-again / off-again vocal jazz program at California State University, Northridge. The music they sing is a tribute to the swing bands of the Count Basue era done a cappella and with a modern twist. Most of their of their repertoire are original arrangements.
Members - Andreas Preponis, Colleen Keene, Francesca Delfin, Genevieve Artadi, Matt Reynolds, & Tara Romine

The Funk Divas are an a cappella force to be reckoned with. Hailing from all over the world, (Sweden, Chile, Russia, New Caledonia, and the United States) these five women are blending their voices as one with a fresh, contemporary sound. Each a dynamic soloist in her own right, these five artists represent the best vocal talent that Musicianis Institute has to offer. With custom tailored arrangements by Douglas Wood (formerly of the award-winning Chicago Voice Exchange) the Funk Divas will rock the house with soul, passion & air-tight harmonies.
Members - Shawna Basick, Natacha Volk, Maiya Sykes, Sonia Baicheva, Mini Neufeld

Paradigm 7: Started off as members of an adult church choir based in Lakewood, CA. There, they developed an appreciation and love for harmony that would lead them to venture into other categories of music from jazz to R&B, to Broadway tunes. Aside from performing at numerous business functions and private gatherings, this quintet plans to focus more on developing their original arrangements in the coming year.

Members - Hau'oli Guerrero (tenor), Adrian Martin & Kristian Martin (bass), Melissa Martin (soprano), Elena Zamuner (alto)

Starstruck: Bringing a fresh and exciting style to barbershop music, Starstruck are a treat for the ears - and the eyes. These sparkling 15 years old are the 2002 Sweet Adelines Region 11 Young Women in Harmony quartet champions, and they'll show you what it's all about. Ventura County favorites Starstruck recently appeared (for the third year) with Dick Van Dyke and his Vantastix on the 7th Annual Ventura County High School Choral Benefit Show
Members - Joanna Wilkinson (tenor) Erin Cardin (lead) Alison Wilkinson (baritone) Tracey Tipton (bass).

Swing Shift - This stylish SSATBB sextet was formed in Santa Monica in 2002. Swing Shift has performed at private parties, churches, and appeared as one of the featured a cappella groups on KLCS's television series Mosaic. They specialize in jazz standards from the 30's on, with special attention to the richly harmonic songs of the stage and screen hits of the era.
Members - Lisa Clark, Lisa Dunn, Arlene Evans, MacainTreat, Richard Gilinsky, Joe Obermueller

Triage - 1. A system of prioritizing need to ensure the most efficient use of facilities (i.e.: notes). 2. A system used to allocate a scarce commodity (notes) to those capable of deriving the greatest benefit. Formed in 2002, the musical group Triage is a mix of eclectic backgrounds and a shared love of harmony. They arrange and perform a cappella and accompanied music in a wide range of styles, including classical, jazz, and rock-and-roll. Never have so few done so much with three little notes (apologies to Winston Churchill).
Members: Daryl Lubinsky, Sheila Coyazo and Stacey Morse

Vocal Ease - Blended harmonies filling the hall with symmetry of sound, that's Vocal Ease, University of Arizona's premier, female, a cappella vocal ensemble. From being featured artists at the Tucson Jazz Society's Primavera concert in Spring 2001 to providing music while customers enjoy a cup of java, this versatile performing group is in their third season of performing.
Members - Katherine Byrnes, Kim Henry, Carolyn Johnston, Tamara Bill, Julia Higgins, and Eliza Tebo

Vocal Muse - Five women, all creative, all unique, in a group that strives to reinvent itself with each performance. Vocal Muse is part jazz, part R&B and part rock - all arranged by members of the group and reformulated through the lens of our own musical tastes. Good songs performed in a new way - that is what inspires us.
Members - Julie Delgado, Lynn Kowal, Kendra Lavon, Kris Matheny, Amalia Stephenson

Judges

SIXTH WAVE - describes themselves as an "a cappella jazz group." However, their repertoire includes everything from an incredibly fast version of "Cloudburst" (jazz) to a rendition of Danny Elfman's "Stay" which is really superior to the Oingo Boingo original. They also do "Gimme that Wine" (swing) and a number of Beatle's songs. To top it off, they're the only group I know who has an Yma Sumac song in their repertoire. They ARE amazing!
Members: Elin Carlson - 1st soprano Cindy Bourquin - 2nd soprano Amy Fogerson - Alto Gerald White - Tenor Gary Rosen - Baritone Eric Bradley - Bass