Pride of Baltimore Chorus
Encyclopedia
The Pride of Baltimore Chorus is an all-female, a cappella
chorus based in metropolitan Baltimore, MD. Founded in the early 1990s, the chorus currently boasts over 110 members who live in 5 different states: Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. They are a chapter of Sweet Adelines International
, the world's largest women's singing organization.
POB competed in their first regional competition in the Spring of 1994 with only twenty women on stage. By 1996 they had 38 singers and placed third in their Regional competition. They also took first place in the first ever Sweet Adelines International
Small Chorus Festival, held in St. Louis, Missouri
.
From this victory, they returned to Regional competition in the spring of 1997 with 47 singers, moving up to second place.
In the spring of 1998, POB won their first Regional competition, with 55 women on stage. This qualified them for their first international contest, held in Atlanta, Georgia
in the fall of 1999. Their goal in Atlanta was to win a spot among the top ten choruses in the world. With 68 women on stage, they succeeded in meeting their goal. They were the smallest chorus in the top ten and exceeded everyone's expectations by winning sixth place.
After again winning Regionals in 2000, they traveled to Portland
, Oregon
in October 2001 for their second international chorus contest. Hoping to break into the top five, they placed third, winning a bronze medal in the contest with 77 women on stage.
Their third International contest came in the fall of 2003, in Phoenix
, Arizona
. With 99 women on stage, they upset the 3-time international champion The Rich-Tone Chorus
to take a silver medal. Their next international competition was in Detroit, Michigan
in the fall of 2005, where they repeated as silver medalists and placed first in the semifinal round with 115 women on stage.
After the Detroit International, the chorus's Master Director Janet Ashford was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
and needed to undergo treatment as soon as possible. This meant that the chorus would be without a director for an unspecified period of time. As the 2007 contest drew near, it became apparent that Ashford would be unable to travel to the International contest in Calgary
, Alberta
, and another director would need to fill the rather large shoes she left. Jim Arns, director of the four-time international champion Melodeers Chorus
willingly stepped in and took 109 women to the Calgary contest. There they won a silver medal, their third silver medal in international competition.
Though Ashford won some battles against her illness, the cancer returned and she died on 9 January 2009. This was a difficult time for the chorus but they pulled together, determined to continue Janet Ashford's legacy.
The chorus began a search for a new director in April 2009. In July 2009, the Pride of Baltimore announced that its new director was Joe Cerutti. A highly regarded director and educator in the men's Barbershop Harmony Society
, Cerutti is also director of the very successful men's chorus, the Alexandria Harmonizers
.
The chorus rehearses on Monday nights in the White Marsh area of Baltimore, Maryland.
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
chorus based in metropolitan Baltimore, MD. Founded in the early 1990s, the chorus currently boasts over 110 members who live in 5 different states: Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. They are a chapter of Sweet Adelines International
Sweet Adelines International
Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performances. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women...
, the world's largest women's singing organization.
History
The Pride of Baltimore chorus ("POB") was chartered to provide a forum for women from all walks of life who wished to sing and perform at the highest possible level. A focus on outstanding singing, above all else, has been a hallmark of the chorus since its inception.POB competed in their first regional competition in the Spring of 1994 with only twenty women on stage. By 1996 they had 38 singers and placed third in their Regional competition. They also took first place in the first ever Sweet Adelines International
Sweet Adelines International
Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performances. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women...
Small Chorus Festival, held in St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
From this victory, they returned to Regional competition in the spring of 1997 with 47 singers, moving up to second place.
In the spring of 1998, POB won their first Regional competition, with 55 women on stage. This qualified them for their first international contest, held in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in the fall of 1999. Their goal in Atlanta was to win a spot among the top ten choruses in the world. With 68 women on stage, they succeeded in meeting their goal. They were the smallest chorus in the top ten and exceeded everyone's expectations by winning sixth place.
After again winning Regionals in 2000, they traveled to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in October 2001 for their second international chorus contest. Hoping to break into the top five, they placed third, winning a bronze medal in the contest with 77 women on stage.
Their third International contest came in the fall of 2003, in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. With 99 women on stage, they upset the 3-time international champion The Rich-Tone Chorus
The Rich-Tone Chorus
The Rich-Tone Chorus is an all-female, barbershop chorus, located in northern Texas in the United States. The group was founded in 1968 and currently has over 150 members...
to take a silver medal. Their next international competition was in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in the fall of 2005, where they repeated as silver medalists and placed first in the semifinal round with 115 women on stage.
After the Detroit International, the chorus's Master Director Janet Ashford was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
and needed to undergo treatment as soon as possible. This meant that the chorus would be without a director for an unspecified period of time. As the 2007 contest drew near, it became apparent that Ashford would be unable to travel to the International contest in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, and another director would need to fill the rather large shoes she left. Jim Arns, director of the four-time international champion Melodeers Chorus
Melodeers Chorus
The Melodeers are an all-female, a cappella chorus based in the metropolitan Chicago area.-History:Founded in 1960 in Deerfield, Illinois, the Melodeers Chorus is an a cappella chorus of female singers who sing in the barbershop style...
willingly stepped in and took 109 women to the Calgary contest. There they won a silver medal, their third silver medal in international competition.
Though Ashford won some battles against her illness, the cancer returned and she died on 9 January 2009. This was a difficult time for the chorus but they pulled together, determined to continue Janet Ashford's legacy.
The chorus began a search for a new director in April 2009. In July 2009, the Pride of Baltimore announced that its new director was Joe Cerutti. A highly regarded director and educator in the men's Barbershop Harmony Society
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
, Cerutti is also director of the very successful men's chorus, the Alexandria Harmonizers
Alexandria Harmonizers
The Alexandria Harmonizers are an international champion barbershop chorus based in Alexandria, Virginia. Numbering 95 men in 2009, the chorus is the performing arm of the Alexandria Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, under the direction of Joseph Cerutti, Jr...
.
Current activities
The Pride of Baltimore Chorus is now performing in shows and recently returned to the competition stage, competing in the Sweet Adelines International Competition in Houston, Texas on October 20, 2011, placing 12th. The chorus performs throughout the mid-Atlantic region, presenting a variety of music: Broadway show tunes, classical ballads, and contemporary, popular songs — all arranged in the "barbershop style."The chorus rehearses on Monday nights in the White Marsh area of Baltimore, Maryland.