Farmington Valley Chorus Earns Spot in International Competition

For the past 37 years, the Farmington Valley Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International has been entertaining audiences with the catchy sound of barbershop harmony.

In May, the local chapter won two medals in the national competition in Springfield, Mass., earning them a spot in an international competition in Hawaii in November 2013.

"We'll be competing with choruses from all over the world," chorus member Pat Coffey said.

While many of the Farmington Valley chapter members are from the Farmington Valley, others come from across the state and as far away as Maryland.

"We've been all over the world. We've been to Hawaii, England, Ireland, all for the love of singing," Coffey said.

The Farmington Valley Chorus is directed by Cheryl Wilcox and consists of women of all ages and backgrounds, something Coffey said makes the group so unique.

"We have a lot of mother-daughter combinations here and it's so great when you can sing with someone from your family and bridge the generation gap," Coffey said.

Music for the chorus is chosen by the group's Music Team which posts sheet music and recordings on the Farmington Valley Chorus website for members to practice on their own.

The group has a Choreography Team that develops the physical expression for the songs and a Management Team that handles the finances, marketing, membership and communication for the group.

Love to sing?  The chorus welcomes women to visit any Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Palmer Hall, First Church of Christ, 689 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury.