2006 Participating Groups
 | | The Baudboys
Back around 1990, a couple of the founding members of the coed Microtones decided that they wanted to form a men's a cappella group at Microsoft so that they could sing the charts from their college groups. The original quartet consisted John Rae-Grant, bass and musical director, Bill Pope, baritone, Bob Gunderson, 2nd tenor, and David Olsen, 1st tenor. True to their profession, the group's chosen name, The Baudboys, referred to the method by which modem speeds were rated. The group performed only a few times in its first years of existence, doing lunch time gigs on the Microsoft campus.
As members left Microsoft over the years, they would also leave the Baudboys, prompting natural turnover in the membership. During the 1990's, the group expanded it's membership, aiming to have two full quartets within the group. Since that time, the group has remained at 7-9 members, but the expanded membership has allowed the group to sing more complex arrangements than the 4-part charts that the founders envisioned.Members: Owen Braun, Mark Adolph, Dave McEwen, Jonathan Schwartz, Paul Eng, Elliot Lewis, Graham Sheldon
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DISH
DISH formed in late 2004 with the intention of creating sassy, original and musically excellent a cappella. They recruited potential singers through the magic of Craigslist, and after a rigorous audition process found the seven sparkling vocal personalities they call DISH. Dirty, Delisha, Diva, Sugar, Candy, Saucy, and Deep DISH offer up some scrumptious a cappella. Their lyric-writing bursts usually happen in the middle of rehearsals, and they store these disruptions in a book fondly called the DISHionary. Because traditional a cappella music doesn't cater to the bottom range of women's voices, they write many of their own arrangements. Their self-titled first album was released this year.Members: Hayley German, Devon Webster, Shauna Hill, Llyra de la Mere, Natalie White, Laney Williams
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 | | Double Deuce
Double Deuce was formed in 1998, even though they discovered each other about 15 years ago. Each of the members brought years of singing experience to the quartet, and they soon found that audiences enjoyed their combined a cappella sound. In the beginning they concentrated on barbershop, but as time went on, they incorporated contemporary harmonies from groups like the Four Freshman and the gospel sounds of the Gaither Quartet. They have entertained audiences throughout the Northwest, performing virtually everywhere from concert stages to small coffee houses to private homes.
Members: Rick Smith, Matt Yorkston, Dan Evans, Jerry Potter
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Four Real
Four Real, quartet hails from Abbotsford, British Columbia, as a registered quartet with Sweet Adelines International. They started singing together in the Fall of 2004, and have developed a harmonious friendship over and above the music by sharing their personal challenges and victories in life. Most of their rehearsals end up having more storytelling time than singing time! They are proud members of Green Heart Chorus, the 2004 Small Chorus Champions of Western Canada with Sweet Adelines International. Four Real is excited to have the opportunity to participate in this Northwest Regional A Cappella Festival.Members: Linda Dickinson, Cindy Rintoul, Erin Toews, Leigh Fadden
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 | | Klapa Doo Wopella
Klapa Doo Wopella is one of the world's oldest ongoing musical ensembles devoted exclusively to singing a cappella. KlapaDooWopella specializes in traditional Croatian "Klapa" singing. Klapa singers are a cappella minstrels that hang out on boat docks and street corners along the Adriatic coast of Croatia.
The passionate harmonic blend of traditional Klapa songs evokes uncaught fish, raging seas, and lost love. Despite forays into other genres, the quartet always returns to its first love, the moan of the sea that is the primal chord of the Klapa song.Members: James Hoath, Phil Parham, Bill Weis, Ted Hunter
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Mockingbird
Mockingbird is an acappella trio, consisting of Robin Wallbridge, Sherrie Lutsch and Lesley Rigg. They have been delighting audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest for over eight years.
Brewing their own songs, both humorous and heartfelt, about daily life (motherhood, coffee, rain, relatives and love), they also sing messages about tolerance, unity, and peace.
Mockingbird is available for benefit concerts, special events, library programs, fairs, festivals, and private parties. Members: Sherrie Lutsch, Robin Wallbridge, Lesley Rigg
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 | | Tongue Tied
Tongue Tied A Cappella has been dazzling audiences since 2002. Their distinctive arrangements create a very unique sound in the a cappella world. From classic '80s rock to original heartfelt ballads, Tongue Tied A Cappella covers a broad spectrum of previously unattempted a cappella sounds. This group of five from Northern Utah has entertained thousands, sharing stages with The Standards, T Minus 5, Eclipse, and many others. They have performed all over the Western US, and competed in the Northwest Regional Harmony Sweepstakes in 2003. Their first album "Mix It Up" showcases their mix of incredible sound, luscious bass, and original harmony.
Listen to:
We Built This City | Listen to:
Sunglasses At Night
Members: Jason Mark Tesch, Jake Tesch, James A. Case, Ryan J Brierley, Todd Becraft
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Transit Quartet
Transit, is an international women's barbershop quartet, adding equal parts of Canadian and American flavors to their mix. This group of creative and lively women offers a twist on familiar tunes like "Hooked on a Feeling," they do a hot swing rendition of "Jazz Me Blues," and audiences warm to their Celtic arrangement of "The Parting Glass." Transit has performed throughout the US and Canada over the past 15 years, bringing individual talents from backgrounds in musical comedy, cabaret and choral singing. This eclectic group will be sure to conjure up fond memories as well as create new ones!Members: Leslie Liberman, Katy Hawley, Corinna Barriock, Rose Epp
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2006 Judges
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Michael Butterworth
Michael Butterworth earned his MFA in theatre directing from the University of Montana and his PhD in theatre from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He is an alumnus of Masterworks Choral Ensemble in Olympia, staging and writing for some of their Renaissance winter concerts. His regional directing credits include Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Montana Actors' Theatre and Pinkalicious, the Musical at Millbrook Playhouse. He has directed over 30 high school and college productions and currently teaches at Liberty High School in the Issaquah School District. |
Trist Ethan Curless
Trist Ethan Curless is a co-founder of the vocal group, m-pact, the 1996 National Champions of the Harmony Sweepstakes, and is now a full time member of The Manhattan Transfer. A native of Cheyenne, WY, Trist is no stranger to vocal harmonies! He attended the University of Northern Colorado, majoring in music education. In 1995, he co-founded the pop-jazz vocal group m-pact, with which Trist has performed in festivals and concert halls around the world. He’s also written, arranged and produced many of the group’s songs.
Trist can be found on the other side of the microphone as well, working as an audio engineer for several vocal groups and bands, including Straight No Chaser and Take 6.
When he’s not performing and mixing, Trist also finds time to teach private voice and participate as a clinician and adjudicator in clinics and festivals worldwide.
Trist is having the time of his life making music with m-pact, Straight No Chaser, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, New York Voices, Vox Audio, VoicePlay, and now The Manhattan Transfer! |
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Scott Farrell
Scott Farrell, A Northwest native, has been a professional actor, singer, music director and teacher for over 40 years. As a featured singer he has appeared in theatres and nightclubs around this world, including New York City, Miami, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, London and Bermuda, For sixteen years he was music director for Greg Thompson Productions, one of the largest producers of staged revue shows in the world, where he arranged and directed over 50 world-class productions He is a former music faculty member at The Evergreen State college, where he directed the college’s choral group, The Evergreen Singers. Based out of Seattle, with an additional studio in Olympia, Scott currently provides private and group vocal experiences through his company, Harmonic Oasis LLC, helping people connect more deeply with their vocal selves. |
Dan Schumacher
Dan Schumacher is a member of The Bobs, an accappella group based in San Francisco, California. The tallest Bob to date, Dan was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and studied vocal jazz and opera. He sang with vocal groups Monkey Puzzle and Kickshaw (with Blake Lewis) before joining the Bobs, with whom he often sings his socks off (apologies for the smell). He doesn’t fit in most rental cars. |
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Melanie Wroe
Melanie Wroe is an a cappella and choreography junkie. She began in a musical family with a barbershop mother and rock and roll brothers, sang and danced her way into adulthood, and eventually landed back in the world of barbershop. She has been active in Sweet Adelines for 27 years, participating in two internationally-acclaimed choruses and three regional championship quartets. Melanie is a Certified Showmanship Judge, and an educator/coach here and abroad specializing in visual presentation, show development and motivation. Her husband and two sons can't sing a note, but they make a fine audience. |
 
Complete list of 2006 participants
Interested
in
Performing?
We are always seeking groups who would like to participate
in our events.
Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between
3 and 12 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the
details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in
order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape
and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The
purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for
the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance
order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may
be waived.
How to enter
Please send music and photos to the
regional director :
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Victoria Montrose (Pacific Northwest)
The Pacific Northwest Regional Festival is sponsored and produced by Masterworks Choral Ensemble (MCE). Victoria is the Business Manager of MCE, as well as a board member and proud tenor. MCE is a Southwestern Washington community chorus dedicated to performance, community service, music education and leadership in the arts. Their mission is to perform sacred and secular choral, orchestral and newly commissioned works; to participate in community service activities and to provide a leadership role in developing, sponsoring and broadening the vocal arts.
PO Box 1091, Olympia, WA 98501-1090
360-491-3305 x5
masterworkschoral (at) gmail.com
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