For more than seven decades, the Wichita Chorus Sweet Adelines has perfected the harmonies of barbershop singing in Wichita, and this winter you have the chance to experience them yourself. 

“Barbershop has been around Wichita for many, many years, and is a real legacy in Wichita,” said Wichita Chorus member Rachel Newell. 

The Sweet Adelines is an international organization, and the Wichita chapter is one of the first three choruses formed in the entire organization. Not only does the group have a longstanding history with Sweet Adelines International, at 72 years old the chorus is one of the oldest women’s musical organizations in the state of Kansas. The group performs barbershop — four-part harmony sung a cappella — an art form that’s been heard around Wichita for decades. 

“The barbershop art form is so unique,” Newell said. “We rely on our ears to create a unit sound that communicates the meaning of each song. When people come, they’re often amazed at the sound that is produced by a cappella singing.”

The group has earned honors internationally and locally, performing at regional and international competitions through Sweet Adelines. Most recently, the Wichita Chorus took home first place for a small chorus and third place overall in their spring regional competition, where the Wichita Chorus competed against groups across seven states. 

The Wichita Chorus Sweet Adelines is sharing its award-winning sound with Wichita this winter with a festive holiday concert titled “That’s Christmas to Me,” a performance master director Melynnie Williams says will include something for everyone. 

“The wonderful thing about a cappella, is we sing all different genres of music in the barbershop art form. In our Christmas show, we’re going to perform contemporary songs, holiday songs, and also sacred songs. That’s the amazing thing about a cappella music — songs are written in different genres that speak to people of all different ages,” Williams said. “We’ll sing songs that all generations love.”

The chorus will perform two shows on Dec. 16 at Morningstar Church near Kellogg and Greenwich, including a matinee at 2:30 p.m., and a longer performance at 7:00 p.m. The show will include the group’s competition package — the songs it will perform at the regional competition in the spring — as well as a variety of holiday classics. The show also includes moments and memories of past holidays that chorus members will share with the audience. 

“This holiday season can mean so many different things to people. It can bring back memories that we’ve lost, memories of family time together, special traditions and more. The focus of the show is really about what the holidays mean to you,” Williams said. 

The show is not only a chance to connect with local barbershop greatness, it’s also an experience unlike any other. 

“The drama and the energy that we put into each one of those arrangements is amazing,” Newell said. “Every singer has a role to play in four-part harmony that brings out the lush melodies from each amazing song. It’s just so unique.”