It is our pleasure to announce that the Southwestern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society will be represented in a most outstanding way this week at the 2019 Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Six quartets and three choruses will ring chords before an audience of thousands in the LDS Conference Center.
"How fortunate we are to be represented by so many talented groups, some having done before and some for the very first time," says Randy Rensi, Director of Contests and Judging for the SWD. "Let's be sure to support our fellow SWD brothers in Salt Lake City or watch on the webcast and share your appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the wonderful hobby we share."

Here are our Southwestern District representatives (and remember, all times shown are in the Mountain Time Zone):

Clutch will be the eighth quartet to perform during the Quartet Quarterfinals Session One starting at noon on Tuesday, July 2. In the 2018 BHS International Convention, Clutch scored as the 11th quartet overall, and performed as the mic tester quartet for the Quartet Finals session. Coming from Dallas Metro Chapter, Clutch members are Charlie Lotspeich, Scott Hale, Steven Keener and Marcus Kang.

Tempest takes the stage as the 26th quartet during Session Two of the Quarterfinals starting Tuesday, July 2 at 6 p.m. They come from the Austin, TX Chapter and this is the first time that Chris Kirkland, Daniel Cooper, Chuck Loesch and Mike Wilson have competed in a quartet at International.

Legacy Road, the current SWD Champion Quartet from the Dallas Metro Chapter, comes on in the #33 slot in Session Two, with Eric Bell, Bret Morris, Will Renfroe and Joel T. Rutherford.

Showpiece proudly represents Louisiana, having competed in the 2018 International Convention quarterfinals before. Phil Zeagler, Daniel Zeagler, Geoff Kannenberg and Chip Davis return to the International stage in the #41 slot during Quarterfinals Session Three, 10 a.m. July 3. Showpiece took 37th place in the 2018 International Convention Quartet Quarterfinals.

Two Next Generation quartets represent the Southwestern District this year in the Varsity Quartet Contest being held July 3 at 5 p.m.

On the Rocks with Francesco Logozzo, Trevor Crawford, Nick Ruiz and Travis Roy are singing third for that session.

Next is Discord, and Kevin Krawczynski, Ryan Mattingly, Dan Rohovit and Zac Caraway will appear on stage in the #20 slot.

Two choruses from Texas will compete again this year in the LDS Conference Center during the Chorus Competition starting at 10 a.m, July 5.

The current SWD Chorus Champion, The Marcsmen, perform 21st. This chorus from San Marcos, TX placed number 13 in the 2018 International Chorus Competition.

Space City Sound represents the Houston, TX area, and competes in the fourth slot. These guys scored 14th in the 2018 International Convention, coming within one point of The Marcsmen.

To round it all up, the Vocal Majority, current 2018 International Chorus Champion, presents their swan song set at the end of the chorus competition.

But that's not all for this 13-time gold medal chorus. The VM hosts a Gold Medal Hour at 9 a.m., Thursday, July 4, and performs in the World Harmony Showcase at 1 p.m, Saturday, July 6. Both events take place in the Hilton Grand Ballroom.
And as if that's not enough, at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, July 7, the talented chorus will be featured with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (formerly The Mormon Tabernacle Choir) during "Music and the Spoken Word." According to the Music and the Spoken Word website, having been "...on the air for 90 years and over 4,600 weekly broadcasts, Music & the Spoken Word is the longest-running uninterrupted network broadcast in the world... It is not a worship service. The program has always been designed to be a non-denominational program, and to be enjoyed by people of many walks of faith." 

Click here for more information about "Music and the Spoken Word."

Richard Howell, President of the SWD, says "On behalf of the entire Southwestern District, I would like to extend my best wishes to all of the quartets and choruses who will be performing next week in Salt Lake City at the BHS International Convention. Everyone has worked very hard the past few months and your diligence has now paid off. This will no doubt be a high point in your Barbershop journey and we are so pleased that each of you are a representative of the Southwestern District of Champions. Best of luck to all of you."

Click for more information about the 2019 BHS International Convention.