For the City Times

A capella music will ring at Pacelli High School in Stevens Point, Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, as two divisions of the Land O’ Lakes District of the Barbershop Harmony Society host their Spring Convention.

A major part of the convention is a contest with quartets and choruses from several states attempting to qualify to compete at the district’s fall convention, held in Rochester, Minn., in late October. The local chapter of the Society, The Northern Gateway Chorus of the Stevens Point Barbershoppers, is hosting and organizing the event.

In addition to the fall convention qualifier, the convention also includes a Land O’ Lakes International Preliminary Quartet. High scorers in this event are vying for a chance to compete at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Convention in Las Vegas this July.

Friday evening, May 5, beginning at 6 PM, nearly two dozen quartets will each sing two songs for a panel of judges. The seven highest-scoring quartets from that pool will compete again Saturday afternoon, May 6, at 4 PM in the finals.

Earlier on Saturday, beginning at 10:30 AM, The Northern Gateway Chorus will compete with eight other barbershop choruses to appear in Rochester in October.

The competitions are open to the public, with each session of competition costing $20 per person. All seats are general admission. Reserved seating, which includes admission to all three competition sessions, is $55. Tickets are available in advance from the gentlemen listed below and at the door.

For more information, contact Jack Edgerton at (715) 344-5746 or John White at (715) 347-0390.