AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Championship Barbershop Chorus
Our Music Director is Patrick McAlexander. Mr. McAlexander is the leader of a Music Leadership Team responsible for all aspects of our music program. That includes the selection and licensing of songs. He leads the effort to identify opportunities to improve music knowledge. Where possible he works on technique and performance in order to improve the quality of our shows. The Music Team identifies opportunities for individual coaching and arranges for various offsite retreats. During our all day annual retreat, we focus on improving our singing, choreography, and other aspects of our performances.
The Tidelanders are a Championship Barbershop Chorus!
We have competed in the South Western District (SWD) Chorus barbershop championships many times. The Tidelanders have won the District Chorus competition 17 times.
District Wins
| Year | Director | Location | Men on Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | V. L. Hooper | Ponca City | 41 |
| 1968 | Connie Keil | Dallas | 60 |
| 1969 | John Devine | Austin | 59 |
| 1972 | Mike McCord | San Antonio | 81 |
| 1975 | George Howe | Abilene | 81 |
| 1976 | George Howe | San Antonio | 74 |
| 1979 | John Devine | New Orleans | 85 |
| 1980 | John Devine | Dallas | 68 |
| 1982 | John Devine | San Antonio | 99 |
| 1983 | John Devine | Dallas | 88 |
| 1994 | Betty Tracy-Clipman | Tulsa | 75 |
| 1995 | Betty Tracy-Clipman | Houston | 74 |
| 2001 | Roy Prichard | Little Rock | 76 |
| 2003 | Todd Wilson | Corpus Christi | 76 |
| 2011 | Vickie Dennis | Dallas | 54 |
| 2014 | Vickie Dennis | Dallas | 55 |
| 2015 | Greg Caetano | Dallas |
Judging Categories
The SWD judges a Chorus Competition in three main categories:
- Music: the performance of the song its respective arrangement. This category includes the specific musical aspects that make this style of music barbershop. It includes musical elements like construction, embellishments (crescendos, dynamics), harmony, melody, harmony, rhythm and meter, and tempo.
- Performance: how well the performers are able to bring the song and arrangement to life and convince the listeners of the truth of their story. The judge in this category evaluates the emotional quality of the performance – is it convincing and does it evoke emotions?
- Singing: does the performance of the singers reflect the barbershop style of a cappella music as intended. The judge in this category is watching for consistency across the ensemble and unity in the vocal expression of the music. It includes skills such as expression, intonation, pitch and vocal skill.
Southwestern District (SWD) Map
The SWD includes cities across the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
