2023 Regional Convention

Region 19 Convention and Competition
Thursday, May 18 - Saturday, May 20, 2023
Host Chapters: Shades of Harmony & The Annapolis Blend

Check back often as this page will be updated on a regular basis
updated 05-28-2023

Schedule of Events

Deadlines

COMPETITOR INFO

Registration/Ticket Sales

POST-CONVENTION INFORMATION

Order photos from convention weekend here from JB Photographer's website
Judges' Overall Comments available here (member login required)
Post-Convention survey available here

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
**Times are tentative based on information at the time of distribution.
The final schedule, based on the actual number of contestants, will be published approximately 30 days before contest.

Click here for the floor plan of the Lancaster Convention Center

Mass Sing Songs
Music and tracks for mass sing songs may be found here (Members Only login required)
Songs for Mass Sing:
It's the Music That Brings Us Together
Send Your Love
One Song at a Time
How We Sang Today

Quartet Contest On Stage Times

Chorus Contest On Stage Times

On-Site Rehearsal Schedule

Walk-On Schedule

COVID Protocols for Region 19 Educational Events
The health and safety of our members remains an important concern of the Regional Management Team. Members are reminded to use good judgement regarding their own health and the health of others. Beginning in January 2023, COVID vaccinations are strongly recommended but will not be required in order to participate in “live” events hosted by the region. Similarly, negative COVID tests will not be required but are encouraged. Masks will be optional and your personal choice. This policy could be adjusted should there be a change in local, state, or national guidelines.

DEADLINES

COMPETITOR INFORMATION

INTERNATIONAL ENTRY FEES AND DEADLINES:

Quartet entry fee is $100
Chorus entry fee is $150
Please note that the International entry deadline (Quartet: March 20/Chorus: March 21) is 60 days prior to the contest date (May 19/May 20).
Open Division competitors will be in the random draw with International Division competitors.
Evaluation Only competitors will compete first.
If you register for competition after the 60 day entry deadline, you will have an additional $100 fee added onto your registration. As well as the late fee, your chorus/quartet will not be entered into the initial draw for order of appearance which takes place 55 days prior to competition. A secondary draw two weeks later will be done for any late entrants.
No entries will be accepted after the late entry (45 day) deadline - no exceptions!
Please note: in addition to the Quartet/Chorus Entry Fee, each attending Region 19 member must purchase an All Events Badge (Regional Convention Fee)

ORDER OF APPEARANCE (OAP):

The drawing for order of appearance for both competitions was March 27, 2023 at International Headquarters.
The order of appearance is posted here or on the Sweet Adeline International Regional Competition page.

QUARTETS:

Your quartet's name and personnel must be registered (Form QR-1) with International Headquarters no later than January 15, 2023 to be eligible to enter to compete or perform for evaluation in this year's Regional Competition.
Quartets registering after January 15 will be assessed an additional $50.00 processing fee and must be registered prior to your region’s late entry date (45 days prior to the regional quartet contest date).
Members may now compete in up to two different quartets during the same regional contest, as long as they are in different competition divisions (e.g., one quartet in the International Division and one in the Open Division).
- No more than two members per quartet may compete in the second quartet in the same regional contest.

VIDEO EVALUATION:

Any quartet or chorus, including prospective choruses and current champion quartets and choruses, may submit a video recording for Evaluation Only or Open Division by the official panel at a regional competition by so indicating on the entry form submitted to the Competition Department at IHQ.
- For more information, see the SAI Competition Handbook, Section VI: Video Evaluation Guidelines.
Please note: The 3 year competition requirement for choruses is currently suspended, and in its place is a temporary policy stating that all choruses must compete either in 2022 regionals or 2023 regionals.
- For 2022, video submissions were allowed to fulfill that competition requirement.
- There is no such stipulation for the 2023 competition season: video submission cannot be used to fulfill the competition requirement in 2023.
- This means that if a chorus did not compete in 2022 regionals, they must either compete in 2023 regionals or request a presidential waiver through their region’s Education Coordinator.
- For questions about this requirement or the waiver process, please email Region 19’s Education Coordinator Lori Jo Whitehaus , or competition@sweetadelines.com.
Video submissions are subject to the standard entry fees ($150 for choruses, $100 for quartets). Late entry fees also apply if entry forms are received after the entry deadline.
Video submissions must be submitted digitally to Stephanie Everett, Competition Coordinator, by May 11, one week prior to the Regional Competition.
- The Song Information Sheet confirming your song choices, the Open Division Cue Sheet (Open Division Competitors ONLY), and the List of Competing Members form (choruses only) must also be submitted.
- If a chorus or quartet is not able to submit their video digitally, please contact Stephanie Everett before May 1 for additional options.

COMPETITION RECORDINGS:

Video recordings for each competitor’s performance are available for purchase. Information and digital links will be distributed to the contact information provided on the Performance Video Request Form a few days after contest weekend.
Audio recordings are no longer distributed in CD format with each competitor's score sheet packet; any competitor who does not order a video download of their performance will receive an audio download a few days after contest weekend.
This year there will be no Director videos available for purchase.
Before sharing your performance video please make sure you have obtained permission from Sweet Adelines International.

SEATING:
At the International Convention 2022 in Phoenix, SAI implemented a General Seating concept, with the exception of VIP seating. This year Region 19 will be implementing the same General Seating policy. Per the Regional Standing Rules (Section VII: Regional Convention, G1), VIP seating will be available for past Region #19 International Champion Quartets, current Region #19 Regional Quartet Champions, current and past International Presidents, previous International Chorus Champion directors, Region #19 RMT, RCSC committee members (including past RCSC for two years), and visiting dignitaries. Normally includes the Most Improved Chorus in VIP seating; however, there was no 2022 Most Improved Chorus. Should there be a 2023 Most Improved Chorus, its members will be assigned VIP seating for the 2024 Regional Contest. Those with special seating needs, and their caretakers, if necessary, will also be accommodated (this request may be found on the Regional Convention Registration form).

PURSE BAGS

Please make sure that you bring your chorus bags to the chorus briefing.
Each chorus is responsible for providing its own purse bags labeled with the chorus name.

PATTERN WALK-THROUGH

All In-Chapter Hosts will be taken through the pattern on Friday morning (refer to the Schedule of Events).
See the Pattern section for a video of the pattern walk through and pattern maps

PHOTOGRAPHY

All photography orders and fees will be turned in at the Joint Briefing on Thursday (this is a new process this year)
CHORUS PHOTOGRAPHY WILL BE DONE ON STAGE AGAIN THIS YEAR, and the photographer will be shooting from the video platform.
- Your chorus should have a pose prepared.
  - As the lights go down after your performance, you should immediately strike your pose.
  - All chorus members will be responsible for making sure their face is in a window so it can be seen in the photo.
  - When the lights come back up, the pose should be held until the lights go down again.
  - When the lights go down the chorus may release the pose and exit the stage.
- Remember the photographer must take a picture wide enough to fit the chorus.
  - This means there might be space at the top and bottom of your photo.
    - For better results, smaller and mid-size choruses should stand close together.
    - Medium choruses who are not using every step on the risers may consider doing so just for the photo pose if they prefer the 8 x 10 prints.
    - It is recommended for the larger choruses that an 8x12 or 10x20 photo be selected.
It is important to include detailed costume descriptions on the order form. The photographer uses this information to match each proof with the order. Orders without descriptions may be considered incomplete.
Pictures will be mailed directly to each chorus or quartet approximately six weeks after competition; therefore, a shipping charge is required on ALL photo orders. All Pennsylvania residents MUST be charged 6% sales tax to your order total.
Any non-competing quartet may also order photos. You will be contacted with a scheduled time slot for you to report to the photography room.

PERMISSION TO POST VIDEOS:

By being a competitor in any 2023 Regional Competition, you have been granted permission to post the Sweet Adelines International video recording of your performance, only after your performance has been adjudicated.
It is understood that you have obtained all applicable licenses and/or permissions from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for your chorus or quartet. Sweet Adelines International reserves the right to revoke this permission for any reason.
For specifics regarding social media copyright/licensing rules and regulations, please consult these entities. Sweet Adelines International and Region 19 appreciate your conscientiousness regarding copyright matters.
This means that choruses and quartets, by submitting their regional entry forms and signing the releases in the entry forms, have been given permission to post their contest videos after adjudication at contest, assuming that they have obtained all the appropriate licenses.
- They will not need to reach out to HQ for permission.
- If there happens to be some question as to the timing of sharing their video, they are of course encouraged to reach out to Sweet Adelines International.

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS:

Only those awards designated by the International Organization may be announced or presented within the framework of the Regional Quartet and Chorus Competitions

Eligibility:

To be eligible to win ANY award based on performance, the contestant must have a total score of 400 points ("C+" level) or above with the exception of the Most Improved Award which does not require a minimum score.
Any chorus/quartet that chooses to submit a video entry in lieu of competing in person is not eligible for International division awards.

Midsize (AA) and Small (A) Chorus Divisions

In addition to the current standard chorus competition, internationally-sponsored chorus competitions will include the following divisions:
- Small (Division A) Chorus 15 – 30 competing members on stage
- Midsize (Division AA) Chorus 31 – 60 competing members on stage
Medals will be presented to the first, second, and third place choruses in both divisions.
The five highest scoring first-place choruses among all of the small (A) and midsize (AA) divisional winners will be invited to the subsequent year's Harmony Classic to compete in a small (Division A) chorus competition and a midsize (Division AA) chorus competition, respectively.
- The maximum number of singing members on stage for Division A (small) choruses has been increased to 40 and for Division AA (Midsize) to 75 for the Harmony Classic. The Board recognizes that once a chorus wins an opportunity to compete at the International level, this is used as a membership recruitment opportunity. The rule change supports a chorus' opportunity to grow, but still maintains the integrity of the two divisions. This rule change does NOT affect regional competitions. Small choruses still compete with 15-30 singing members and midsize choruses with 31-60.

REGIONAL AWARDS:
Audience Choice/Bravo Award

The Audience Choice/Bravo Award is a regional award available to Open Division Quartet and Chorus competitors selected by the audience. It is to be awarded prior to the announcement of official results. If there is only one eligible competitor, the Bravo Award is given.
Information on the Open Division may be found on SAI’s website here (SAI member login required) – includes FAQs, judging criteria, and scoresheets.

Regional Novice Quartet Award

The purpose of this award is to honor the highest scoring Novice Quartet who has scored at least 400 points in Region 19 each year.
Novice is defined as no more than two (2) members having competed together or separately, in any previous Regional or International Contest.

Platinum Quartet Award

To be eligible for the award, the quartet must be the highest scoring of all qualified senior quartets, (all members aged 55 or over) and score 400 or above.

Most Improved Quartet Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize the quartet which shows the most improvement over the 2022 Region 19 Competition.
In order to be eligible for this award, quartets may only have one personnel change since last regional Quartet Competition.

Janet Ashford Most Improved Chorus Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize the chorus which shows the most improvement over the 2022 Region 19 Competition.

SHOW OF CHAMPIONS:

The Saturday Night Show lineup, schedule, and time allotments cannot be determined until contest results are released.
Those eligible to perform will be:
- Host Chorus
- 1st Place Small Chorus (Division A)
- 1st Place Midsize Chorus (Division AA)
- Quartet Audience Choice/Bravo Award Winner
- Chorus Audience Choice/Bravo Award Winner
- Novice Quartet
- Platinum Quartet
- Most Improved Chorus
- Most Improved Quartet
- Region 19 2023 Quartet Champions
- Region 19 2023 Chorus Champions
The schedule for performers will be distributed directly after the chorus contest.
All performers are to arrive in costume.

REGISTRATION/AEB & TICKET SALES

REGIONAL CONVENTION REGISTRATION FEES/ALL EVENTS BADGE (AEB):

Members: $100
Youth Members (25 or under): $50
Guests: $110
Youth Guests (25 or under): $60

Per the Region 19 Standing Rules, all attending Region 19 members must pay regional convention registration fees (separate from Quartet and Chorus Entry Fees, which are paid to International).

REGISTRATION PROCESS:

Registration for choruses and CAL/MAL members may be accessed in the Links to Google Forms links found in Documents and Forms
Registration packets will be available at the Registration table in the Boutique. Due to the lifting of COVID requirements, others may pick up your packet for you.

ONLINE AEB AND TICKET SALES:

All Events Badges (AEB's) may be purchased on-site at Registration (Freedom Hall A).
- On-site AEB price: $105 Region 19 Members/$52.50 Youth (25 or under)/$115 Guests/$57.50 Youth Guest (25 or under)
- AEB's which have been ordered online will be available at Will Call/Ticket Sales onsite at convention.
Single session ticket sales for contest sessions and the Show of Champions may be purchased on-site at Registration (Freedom Hall A).
- Each single event ticket price: $40 Adults/$20 Youth (25 or under)
- Tickets which have been ordered online will be available at Will Call/Ticket Sales onsite at convention.

DOCUMENTS AND FORMS

Sweet Adelines International Competition Handbook
- Each year Sweet Adelines International makes updates to the Competition Handbook and distributes them to the Chapter Team Leadership/Presidents and Directors and registered quartets. Choruses and quartets are strongly advised to carefully review the most current publication of the Competition Handbook which is issued by International.
Chorus Entry Form (Sweet Adeline International website -- Member Login required)
Quartet Entry Form (Sweet Adeline International website -- Member Login required)
Open Division Cue Sheet: Chorus
Open Division Cue Sheet: Quartet
Chorus List of Competitors
Links to Google Forms (Region 19 website -- Members Only Login required)
- Includes the following forms:
  - Registration for Chapters and CAL/MAL
  - In Chapter Host
  - Quartet and Chorus Video Download Order
  - Rehearsal Request Time
  - Video Billboard Ads
  - Quartet and Chorus Special Assistant Request
  - Quartet and Chorus Final Pose
  - Song Information Sheet
  - Quartet Photography Form
  - Chorus Photography Form
  - Webcast Questionnaire for Competitors

HOUSING & ENVIRONS

Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square
25 S. Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603
717-239-1600

HOUSING PROCESS: ROOM BLOCK AT LANCASTER MARRIOTT IS SOLD OUT
Other options within a 10 mile radius are (prices quoted from Expedia.com):

Holiday Inn across the street $197/night
Candlewood Suites 6 miles away $165/night
Soudersburg Motel 8.7miles away $96/night
Clarion Inn 9.3 miles away $133/night
Sleep Inn & Suites 9 miles away $141/night

HOTEL INFORMATION:

All standard rooms include a complimentary mini-refrigerator, flat screen TV, alarm clock, iron and ironing board, safe, hair dryer, and two free parking spaces in the attached garage.
Credit cards accepted: MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club. Personal checks are not accepted by Marriott Bonvoy.
NOTE: Room fees may not be divided among guests by the hotel at check-in or check-out. Please work out payments among roommates.
Based on hotel room occupancy on the previous night, rooms cannot be guaranteed to be ready upon arrival until the 4:00 PM published check-in time. The hotel will make every effort to have rooms ready as soon as possible; however, standard check-out time is 12:00 PM for departing guests, and all rooms must then be cleaned. If you plan to arrive before 4:00 PM, and if your assigned room is not ready, the hotel CANNOT change room assignments. There will be a place provided for you to store your luggage, so you may attend the scheduled activities until your room is ready.
Basic high-speed internet fee: $11.95 per day. Enhanced high speed internet fee: $16.95.
- NOTE: In addition to other benefits, all Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Members receive free basic high-speed internet. If you would like to receive free wifi, you are encouraged to become a member by going here (only the chorus member providing the credit card information to reserve the room is required to be a member to receive the free basic service, but then all those in the room may use it).
NO signs may be hung on room doors or in the elevators under any circumstances!

PARKING:

Each room reservation includes two (2) free parking spots in the attached garage.
Entrance to the garage is 38 S. Duke St. Lancaster, PA 17603. Standard on-site parking fee is $2 hourly, $19 daily.
For anyone not staying at the hotel overnight and planning to stay for more than eight (8) hours, there will be discounted parking tickets available for $10.00.
- To obtain a discounted parking ticket, keep the normal parking ticket provided when pulling into the garage. BEFORE leaving the event, stop by the hotel's registration desk to pick-up a discounted parking ticket.
- When leaving the garage, you will insert the normal parking ticket, followed by the discounted parking ticket and then you will be charged $10.00.
Hotel Valet is available for $35.00 per night.

DINING OPTIONS:
Please click here to view Lancaster Marriott's webpage regarding dining options.

ATTRACTIONS & SHOPPING:
Please click here to view Lancaster Marriott's webpage regarding local attractions and shopping.

HOSPITALITY SUITES:
In addition to the Regional Afterglow Party that will be held outside Freedom B, a limited number of our function spaces will be available Saturday night for chorus hospitality suites. A small donation of $100 is requested. Contact Sally Kelly if you are interested.

PATTERN AND BACKSTAGE INFORMATION

There will only be one riser configuration, utilizing 11 sets of inverted risers. According to International Guidelines, 11 sections should comfortably accommodate 120 chorus members.
There will be two handheld mics and one stationary mic available for those doing Open Division.
Complete instructions, a time schedule, the order of appearance, and a traffic pattern will be sent to Chorus Presidents and/or Team Coordinators, Directors, and Competing Quartets a few weeks before contest weekend.

PATTERN MAP

ONLINE CONVENTION PROGRAM

To save resources, the convention program is available online only. Click here to view and/or download.

SONG ASSESSMENT
For questions about the song assessment tool, please email songassessment@sweetadelines.com.

As the International Board of Directors actively rejects any song with racist lyrics, messages, or history, and declares that these songs are unacceptable for performance in any setting, the Song Assessment Tool has been created to rate all music as “Admissible” or “Inadmissible”.
All songs that are sung in any Sweet Adelines International contest must have received an “Admissible” rating prior to their performance. Admissibility can be achieved one of two ways:

1. Checking the Song Evaluation Database (SED)

If the title and arranger of the song you intend to sing are already rated in the tool, you do not have to submit them again.
- If it is “Admissible” then you simply put the date that you checked the tool on your entry form to show it was admissible.
- If the song was submitted, but not your specific arrangement, you must submit the arrangement through the tool, but you will not have to submit research.

2. Submitting a new song through the Song Assessment Tool (SAT)

If the song and arranger that you intend to sing is NOT already on the database, you will need to fill out the Song Assessment Tool to get it rated. It is advisable that this is done as soon as possible, as regionals season is a busy time for the Song Assessment Committee.

Competitor Entry forms contain space for competitors to include the Song Titles, Arrangers, and Dates that each song was rated as “Admissible”. Competitors should fill out these forms with any and all songs that might be performed at regional contest. ENTRY FORMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IF THIS SECTION IS BLANK. Competitors will then turn in a Song Information Sheet at their briefing, which is their last opportunity to make any changes to their song choice.

Helpful resources:

Please note: Any performance containing a song that is found to have NOT received an “Admissible” rating (either from the current database, or from a new submission) will be immediately stopped, and the competitor will be disqualified.

Important: When checking the Song Evaluation Database, if your song has been rated admissible, please be sure to check for “Yes: Caution” or “Yes: Note”. If your song has one of these notes listed, it is important that you click the link in the next column and read the notes added by the Song Assessment Committee. Some songs do require a lyric change or specific MC work in order to be admissible for contest.

JUDGING PANEL