News Bulletins
The Sound of Illinois Chorus earned 925 points to take First Place, in the Illinois District Barbershop Harmony Society contest held April 18, 2009 in Peoria, Illinois. The chorus had already earned a wild card invitation to this summer’s Barbershop Harmony Society international chorus competition in Anaheim, CA, based on its performance at the September 2008 Illinois District contest.
The 2009 Annual Spring Show was Feb 28, and Mar 1, 2009, and featured the special guest quartet Crossroads. The show, entitled Remember Radio, was at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA). It is a musical celebrating old time radio with a detective serial starring Bart Holiday, Private Eye. Also featured were performances by a number of area Barbershop Quartets. More details at this link.
Singing Valentines was Feb 13 & 14, 2009. Click here for pictures.
To Contact us, Click Here For information on how you can support the Sound of Illinois Chorus, click here.
The Sound of Illinois sponsors Harmony Bus Tours. Click for more info.
Who is The Sound of Illinois?
The Sound of Illinois is the Bloomington, Illinois Chapter of SPEBSQSA, Inc. also known as the Barbershop Harmony Society. The society is the largest and oldest all-male singing organization in the world with over 35,000 members in more than 800 chapters in the United States and Canada as well as affiliates in Europe and Australia. Founded in 1942, the Sound of Illinois chorus is under the direction of Terry Ludwig and currently has about 116 men on the membership roster. We have entertained Central Illinois music lovers for over 65 years with our own unique brand of four part a cappella harmony. Audiences across the state know us for our energetic and entertaining presentation of the authentic American art form known as barbershop harmony.
In addition to directing The Sound of Illinois Chorus, Terry Ludwig also sings in the Wound 4 Sound quartet. Email Terry at t.ludwig@soundofillinois.com.
The picture below was taken just before we went on stage at the July 4, 2008 International Contest in Nashville, Tennessee, to perform our Civil War set. Click on the picture to magnify it.
Our Mission Statement: To bring Central Illinois men together in harmony and fellowship to enrich lives through singing.
Chorus Accomplishments
April 18, 2009, Peoria,
IL
The Sound of Illinois Chorus of Bloomington, Illinois took first
place in the Barbershop Harmony Society Illinois District Chorus Competition.with
925 points (77.1 average, and 110 points better than the closest competitor).
This is the fourth time the Bloomington chapter has won the Illinois District
Chorus Championship, having previously won in 1956, 1959, and 1976.
September 27, 2008, Peoria, IL
With 73 men on stage, the Sound of Illinois Chorus of Bloomington, Illinois took
second place in the annual Barbershop Harmony Society Illinois District Chorus Competition
with an 81.6 percent, our best score ever, which puts us squarely in the
A chorus ranks and will very likely qualify us again as a wild card chorus to compete
in the International contest being held July, 2009, in Anaheim, CA.
July 4, 2008,
With 84 men on stage, The Sound of Illinois
Chorus took 21st place, in the 70th Annual
International Barbershop Harmony Society contest. With over 800
Barbershop choruses worldwide, only the top 28 choruses are invited to compete
for the International title based on the results of 16 Worldwide District
competitions held this past September and October. Masters of Harmony
139-man chorus from
Next year’s the International contest will be held in
April 12, 2008,
Peoria, Illinois:
Sound of Illinois takes second place at 2008 Illinois District Spring
Convention, April 12. Out of 1200 possible points, we received 918. Lombard's
West Towns Chorus won first place with 937.The high score qualifies
us to compete in Nashville, TN, July 4, 2008, in the 70th
Annual International Barbershop Harmony Society contest
September 29, 2007, Peoria,
Illinois:
The Sound of Illinois Chorus of Bloomington, Illinois took
third place in the annual SPEBSQSA Illinois District Chorus Competition
with our best score in many years: a mere six points lower than the 1454
second place chorus. This earned
us an “A” chorus rating and the opportunity to compete as a
wild card chorus at the International Convention next July in Nashville. Of several chapter quartets competing,
Wound 4 Sound, earned a 3rd place finish in the quartet
competition.
August 21, 2004 Buckeye
Invitational, Columbus, Ohio
The Sound of Illinois was invited to compete with top choruses from
all over the country in this annual event in Columbus, OH. Our chorus took
3rd place in the men's division and congratulates the Pontiac women's
chorus, the Vermillion Valley Show Chorus, for placing first in the
women's division.
Previously...
1st Place in Illinois District 1956 at Joliet
3rd Place in International Contest 1957 at Los Angeles
1st Place in Illinois District 1959 at Rock Island
4th Place in International Contest 1960 at Dallas
1st Place in Illinois District 1976 at Charleston
10th Place in International Contest 1977 at Philadelphia
Invitation to Visit
Are you a frustrated performer or just wish to know more about four-part vocal harmony? The Sound of Illinois Chorus invites you to join us as we meet each Tuesday night in Grace Hall of the Second Presbyterian Church, 313 N. East St. in downtown Bloomington. Mapquest link for directions.
Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until 10:00. Each practice contains a variety of musical and social activities that are geared toward the education of the individual singer as well as the development of choral and quartet groups. All men who love to sing are welcome to attend. No formal musical training is required, nor must you be able to sight-read music. We also welcome visitors.
Recent and Up-coming Performances/Events
Feb 28-29, 2004 - Annual Spring Show featured
Power Play.
Aug 20-22, 2004 - Buckeye Invitational, Columbus, OH
Feb 26 & 27, 2005 - Annual Spring Show featured
Metropolis
Mar 4 & 5, 2006 - Annual Spring Show
featured
Gotcha!
Sept, 16, 2006 - Grand
Reopening/Dedication, Steps of the Bloomington Center For the Performing
Arts (BCPA)
Nov. 4, 2006 - Concert at Lincoln College,
Lincoln, IL
Dec. 16, 2006 - Sounds of Christmas, State Farm Atrium, Bloomington
, IL
Feb. 24 & 25, 2007 - Annual Spring Show featured
2006 International Quartet Champions
Vocal Spectrum.
July 21, 2007 - Annual Dinner Show, ISU Bone Student Center, 6 PM.
October 25, 2007 - Annual Central Illinois Youth in Harmony
Festival
Dec. 15, 2007 - Sounds of Christmas, State Farm Atrium, Bloomington
, IL
Feb. 14 and 15, 2008 - Singing Valentines, all over McLean County, IL.
Feb. 23 & 24, 2008 - Annual Spring Show
featured
Hot Air Buffoons.
April 27, 2008 - Habitat for Humanity Performance (Sunday
afternoon).
June 5, 2008 - Midwest Barbershop Campout (Thursday
– Sunday)
June 13-14, 2008 - Chorus Retreat
Coaching Session
June 29 - July 6, 2008 - BHS International Convention/Contest in Nashville, TN.
Chorus
Contest is
Friday, July 4
July 20, 2008 - Chorus Performance at 2nd
Presbyterian Church,
Sunday 9 AM Service Only
Sept 26, 2008 - Illinois District Fall Convention/Contest
Oct. 23, 2008 - Youth In Harmony (YIH) Fall Festival at the Bloomington
Center for the Performing Arts
Nov 4, 2008 - Christmas Music Kickoff Night. Come join us for 6 weeks
just to sing at the Sounds of Christmas December 13.
Dec. 1, 2008 - Christmas at the Courthouse, Downtown Bloomington.
Dec. 13, 2008 - Sounds of Christmas, 2 Shows on Saturday Evening at
State Farm Atrium, Bloomington
, IL
Feb. 28 & Mar 1, 2009 - Annual Spring Show
, Remember Radio, featuring
Crossroads.
Chorus Events
After each annual chorus competition, the chapter celebrates with a Stag Party on the regular Tuesday meeting night. To see the rowdy goings-on, click this link.
The Sound of Illinois has consistently finished as one of the Top Choruses in the twice-yearly Illinois District competitions. At the district convention in Peoria Sept 27, 2008, we kept that tradition alive by placing second. Out of 1200 possible points, we received 979. Northbrook's New Tradition Chorus won first place with 1041. Our score will very likely qualify us as a wild card chorus to compete in the International contest next July in Anaheim, CA.
The chorus qualified to compete in the international competition in 1956, 1959, 1976, and 2008 by winning the district contest or by scoring extremely well. To see the results of the recent international and district competitions, click the appropriate link.
2008 International
Competition - Chorus
2008 International
Competition - Quartet
2007 International
Competition - Chorus
2007 International
Competition - Quartet
2006 International
Competition - Chorus
2006 International
Competition - Quartet
2005 International
Competition - Chorus
2005 International
Competition - Quartet
2004 International
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2003 International
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2002 International
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2001 International
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2000 International Competition - Chorus and Quartet
1999 International Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2008 Fall District Competition - Chorus
2008 Fall District Competition - Quartet
2008 Spring District Competition - Chorus
2008 Spring District Competition - Quartet
2008 Spring District Competition - High School and College
2007 District Competition - Chorus
2007 District Competition - Quartet
2006 District Competition - Chorus
2006 District Competition - Quartet
2005 District Competition - Chorus
2005 District Competition - Quartet
2004 District Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2003 District Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2002 District Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2001 District Competition - Chorus and Quartet
2000 District Competition - Chorus and Quartet
1999 District
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
1998 District
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
1997 District
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
1996 District
Competition - Chorus and Quartet
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Previous Shows
The 2008 Annual Spring Show was titled "My Fellow Americans." The show was a musical celebrating our American heritage and also featured performances by a number of area Barbershop Quartets and the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Regiment Band . Special guests of the show were the comedy quartet Hot Air Buffoons.
The 2007 Annual Spring Show was titled "Technical Difficulties." The show was a comedy featuring our chorus as well as performances by a number of area Barbershop Quartets. Special guests of the show were the 2006 International Barbershop Quartet Champions, Vocal Spectrum. All members of the quartet sing with the Ambassadors of Harmony (2004 International Chorus Champions). In July of 2004, Vocal Spectrum won the 2004 International Collegiate Quartet Contest held in Louisville, KY. On July 8th, 2006 they won the coveted International Barbershop Quartet Contest in Indianapolis, IN – becoming the first quartet to win all 3 possible medals (Collegiate Quartet, Men’s Quartet, and Chorus Medal).
The 2006 show theme was "Off Broadway." The Sound of Illinois Chorus sang a selection of entertaining and well known songs from some some popular Broadway shows. The show also featured four of our local chapter Barbershop Quartets. Our guest quartet was the 2004 International Championship Quartet, all the way from California, Gotcha! Beginning in 1999 the quartet climbed through 12th, 8th, 6th, and 2nd in the world before capturing the International Championship in Louisville, KY in July of 2004. Gotcha! has performed in over 100 shows across the US, Ireland, and Canada...on stage, radio, and television.
The 2005 Annual Show, our 63rd, was "A Tribute to Hee-Haw." The Sound of Illinois Chorus sang a variety of a cappella songs and reenacted some popular Hee-Haw skits. The show also featured four local Barbershop Quartets. Special guests of the show were the 2004 International Fourth Place Bronze Medalist Quartet, all the way from California, Metropolis.
In 2004, our 62nd Annual Show, the theme was "...and they called it DIXIELAND." The exotic sights and sounds of Mardi Gras filled the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts auditorium. It was a trip to New Orleans with chapter quartets, a live Dixieland band and our feature guest quartet Power Play, the 2003 International SPEBSQSA First Place quartet
In 2003 for our 61st annual show, we presented Swing. Our guest quartet was Excalibur, the 2002 International SPEBSQSA seventh place quartet.
The guest quartet on our 1999 show was The Gas House Gang. If you have RealPlayer, you can click here to hear them.
Other performances include the Concert Under the Stars series in Bloomington's Miller Park in July, Sounds of Christmas program in December sponsored by WJBC, The Music Shoppe, and State Farm Insurance Company, and Singing Valentines in February. The rest of the time you will find the chorus performing for area nursing homes, hospitals or churches, opening ceremonies for sporting events, and area business/organizational banquets and events. We sang the National Anthem at Wrigley Field July 13, 1997. To see a picture, click here.
Chorus Funding
Funding for the chorus is through membership dues, program fees, patron gifts, concert fees, and fund raising events. A portion of the money raised each year by the Sound of Illinois goes to support the society-wide charity Harmony Foundation which is dedicated to encouraging vocal music in our schools through the Young Men in Harmony program.
The Annual Youth in Harmony Festival
This festival is a day-long event focused on vocal education and training for High School music educators and their students. The workshop is held in the fall of each year and is organized by the Sound of Illinois chorus. It is also is financially sponsored by the Sound of Illinois Chorus, the Illinois District of SPEBSQSA and Region 5 of the Sweet Adelines International.
During the day students learn vocal technique and production while learning four songs for performance on the evening show. Highly acclaimed male and female music clinicians are brought in for the day as well as award winning male and female quartets. For 2008 we had InPulse as our men's quartet and Luminous as our women's quartet.
The day long workshop is held in Bloomington/Normal and is FREE. This Fall, about 325 students from the following High Schools participated:
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Argenta-Oceana Bloomington Central Catholic Bradley Bourbonnais Champaign Centennial El Paso-Gridley Fieldcrest |
Heyworth LeRoy Mt. Zion Olympia Pontiac
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Spingfield High Urbana Woodland
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Thetenth annual workshop was held on Thursday, October 23, 2008, at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The clinicians were Jim DeBusman and Kathy Filipiac. The guest quartets were InPulse and Luminous. For more information about Youth in Harmony, contact Rich Hansen at hansenr@mtzion.k12.il.us or Greg Grey at bshopgreg@aol.com .
Contact Us
The Sound of Illinois Chorus wants to sing for you…..
Let us share our musical talents and our highly entertaining show package and program tailored to your special cause.
We maintain an active schedule of sing-out performances for any group or gathering, large or small:
Private Parties, fund raising events, conventions, concerts, dinners, sporting events, business promotions, singing valentines, and special occasions.
Plus: many performances for community services, hospitals, nursing homes and church organizations.
From a full 80 man chorus, to a mini chorus of 10-20 men, to a quartet, we can provide the musical entertainment that best fits your needs and budget.
Call Jim Waldorf at 309-663-4880 or email jwald1603@aol.com.
Some Barbershopping History
Barbershopping really has nothing to do with a barber shop except that back in the early days of our country the barber shop was a gathering place on Saturday nights. Men came there for their weekly shave and haircut and to catch up on the latest happenings. The grooming combination of “shave and a haircut” was affordable in those days, costing just two bits. Remember?
While waiting their turn in the barber chair the group would often pass the time singing natural four-part harmony. A good barber also had to be a good singer so he could fill in any missing part in a quartet.
Some of the details of the founding of Bloomington’s barbershop chapter may never be known because the organization was formed mainly for fun and there was a minimum of organization and a maximum of good fun at the outset. The Bloomington Chapter received its charter membership in the SPEBSQSA on April 12, 1942. The first regular meeting was held at 7:30 p.m. April 27, 1942 in the American Legion Building.
Some Interesting Barbershopping Links
- Listen to Streaming Barbershop Music on your computer
- SPEBSQSA
- Wound 4 Sound Quartet
- The Ultimate in Barbershop Links
- SPEBSQSA Jukebox to hear RealPlayer song clips
- District Pages
- Land of Lincoln Chorus (Springfield, IL)
- Harmonize.com
- Harmonize.ws
- Heritage Station Quartet Home Page
- The Singing Buckeyes
- Harmonet Reporter
- Adam Porter's List of Links to Other Barbershopper's Home Pages
- Where to Get The Harmonet's Frequently Asked Questions List... and other BBS links
- Sweet Adelines
THE BARBERSHOP WEBRING
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A full site list is available here.
SOI HARMONY BUS TOURS!!
Sponsored by the
Sound of Illinois Barbershop Chorus
Come join us on
one-day excursions to area Dinner Theatres!
Current tours
planned are:
“Mary Poppins” ~ Cadillac Palace Theatre ~ Chicago, IL
“Singing in the Rain” ~ Little Theatre on the Square ~ Sullivan, IL
“Pump Boys and Dinettes” ~ Drury Lane ~ Oakbrook, IL
“FootLoose” ~ Theatre at the Center ~ Munster, IN
“Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical” ~ Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse ~ Rock Island, IL
To get your name on
a mailing list for next year, or to get additional information, or to get on a
show’s waiting list for this year, please contact: