Sunday Best, Coastal Blend, and Beginners Luck compete at Ripon, CA
On Saturday, February 25th, the small town of Ripon, CA, again hosted the Far Western District NorCal Novice Quartet Contest. Seven mixed-voice quartets, six men’s quartets, and two high school quartets gave the enthusiastic audience a great show of lively barbershop harmony, and everyone had a wonderful day.
The GSC was well represented by three mixed-voice quartets – Sunday Best, Coastal Blend, and Beginners Luck. Beginners Luck, also known as Lynda Williams (tenor), Ian Blackwood (lead), Allen Takahashi (baritone), and newest chorus member and Membership VP Jack Gordon (bass) took the stage first, following last year’s First Place novice contest winners First Strike (who headlined the 2011 Sing For Your Life show in Santa Cruz). Beginners Luck placed 5th in the mixed voice division and 8th overall.
Next up from the GSC was Sunday Best, featuring Lara Pacheco (tenor), chorus President Nick Roberto (lead), Trudi Mock (baritone), and chorus Director Jordan Johnson (bass). The audience was delighted, and Sunday Best placed 2nd in the division and 2nd overall.
Finally, we heard Coastal Blend, with Dale Summer (tenor), Ian Blackwood (lead), Nancie Barker (baritone), and Dan Jett (bass). This entertaining quartet took 4th place in the mixed voice division and 7th overall.
After the contest was completed, each quartet received an evaluation of their performance from one of the judges, then everyone moved to Mountain Mike’s Pizza for “afterglow” – the traditional post-performance party that barbershoppers all over the country enjoy. We heard some great singing, met some fabulous folks, and generally had a wonderful, full day of singing, listening, and performing.