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Sound of the Heartland Sweet Adelines Chorus

Sound of the Heartland Chorus started out as Valley Center Chorus of Sweet Adelines International in 1971.  We moved to Newton, Kansas in 2004 and changed our name to reflect the wide area our members come from.  The chorus is composed of talented women from many walks of life, and ages from 8 to 89.  We come from Newton, as well as several different cities around the area, including Hutchinson, McPherson, Rose Hill, Valley Center and Wichita. nbsp; We are dedicated to singing four-part harmony, barbershop style, an original American musical art form.  Since its beginning, the chorus has been promoting musical excellence, personal growth and fellowship through its educational programs, performances and regular participation in competition.

The high quality of singing can be attributed in part to directors such as Gaylene Pierce, Ruby Pike, Nancy Scriven and current director LaDonna Cheatham.  These women have shared their expertise in and knowledge of barbershop music and made good use of many coaches.  Of course the singers, who possess varying degrees of musical abilities, have had to do their share also.  Over the years they have continued their appreciation of barbershop harmony through continued education and performance, thus perpetuating confidence and pride in their achievements.

SOTH is one of the 600+ choruses that make up Sweet Adelines International, a highly respected worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women. Over 27,000 members are based in the United States, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and the Netherlands. There are also prospective choruses in Denmark, Greece and United Arab Emirates. We all sing in English – truly an international organization with the fitting motto “Harmonize the World.” 

 

LaDonna Cheatham, Co-Director

LaDonna has been directing the Sound of the Heartland Chorus (formerly Valley Center) since Sept. 1994 and recently began co-directing the Oklahoma Jubilee chorus in Tulsa, OK.  She came to our chorus with experience as director of the McPherson Chorus, as a member of the music staff of the Wichita Chorus and as a member of the Sweet Adelines International Region 7 Music Education Staff.  LaDonna earned the level of and was recognized by SAI as a Certified Director in 1997.  She earned the final step to becoming a Master Director when she led the chorus to a 600+ score at Region 7 competition in April 2007.

LaDonna has competed in several quartets at the Regional level, singing bari, bass and lead.  Her highest accomplishment so far in a quartet has been 5th place in the 2006 International Quartet Competition in Las Vegas.

Her musical knowledge and experience expands beyond the world of Sweet Adelines.  She has served as Director of Worship at her church, has directed a men’s barbershop chorus, coaches choruses and quartets, and teaches and takes private vocal instruction.  She has also sung in and arranged music for a gospel quartet.

LaDonna is married to Tony Cheatham who is a piano technician/restorer.  They have lived in McPherson since 1977, have two grown sons, Jeremy and Timothy, daughters-in-law, Ericka and Jenny, three foster children, and grandchildren Paige, Tanner, Simon and Olivia.

Karen Martin, Co-Director

Karen Martin lives in Dewey OK and has a lifetime of musical experience. She sings Tenor in the Dewey United Methodist church choir and has sung in various community choirs and choruses over the years. She joined Sweet Adelines in 1983 and Oklahoma Jubilee in 1986.  Her first experience with Sweet Adelines came in high school when she sang in a barbershop quartet.  She has since sung in quartets and small groups, too many to count.

“K-Mart” as we lovingly call her, got her nickname one day when an International chorus-coach was having trouble remembering names of the SEVERAL ‘Karens’ on the risers, so Karen Martin became “K-Mart” forever.

Karen is a “home-grown” director.  She started her musical leadership in Oklahoma Jubilee as assistant bass section leader and  was principal bass section leader for over 15 years. She was also an associate director, then an assistant director before becoming the director of OJ.  Her enthusiasm is infectious and a driving force in both OJ and Sound of the Heartland choruses and her musical knowledge and excitement is evident to all who observe her.

Music Team and Boards

ADMINISTRATIVE

Mary Koehn, SOTH President

Yvonne Garbey, OJ President            

Cathy Anderson, Director’s Assistant

Karen Phillips, Director’s Assistant

Nancy Brennan, SOTH Treasurer

Rose Lambert, OJ Treasurer

 

2008 International Dream Team

Mary Jane Waltner

Anita Fangmeier

Karen Phillips

Cathy Anderson

Karen Martin

LaDonna Cheatham

Visual Team

Suzanne Cunningham, Visual Co-Chair

Linda Schroeder, Visual Co-Chair

Jo Ann Lemley, Choreo Team

Molly Clark, Choreo Team

Deb Ary, Choreo Team

Robbie Dockery, Costume Team

Dava Ray, Costume Team

Diana Cain, Make-up Team

Dava Ray, Make-up Team

 

Music Team

Sue Moore, Music Education Coordinator

Deb Ary, Tenor Section Leader

Scotty Frakes, Tenor Section Director

Anita Fangmeier, Asst. Tenor Section Director

Peggy Wagner, Lead Section Leader

Diana Cain, Lead Section Director

Karen Phillips, Asst. Lead Section Director

Nancy Brennan, Baritone Section Leader

Martha Baker, Baritone Section Director

Kandia Anderson, Asst. Baritone Section Director

Linda Schroeder, Bass Section Leader

Barbara Moore, Bass Section Director

Mavis King, Asst. Bass Section Director

The Sound of the Heartland Chorus of Sweet Adelines International is an affiliation of women of all ages who sing to promote and share our love of four-part barbershop harmony with the communities around us, to develop friendships in an atmosphere of respect, to gain personal growth and provide education through performance and competition, and to strive and be recognized for musical excellence.





 

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