Join Us!

Welcome, first-time guests!

Are you considering coming to Southwest Vocal Alliance (SVA) chorus for the first time?

We’d love to have you!

Feel free to stop by any of our scheduled Monday night rehearsals throughout the year.


🎵Monday Night Rehearsals - 6:30p.m.  |  1445 W. Northern Ave. Phx, AZ 85021

We host fun Guest Night Events, Afterglow's, and Members Only Events.
Come visit us and learn what were all about

💙

You can contact our membership team at membership@svabhs.com or ‪(623) 239-2924‬ or by filling out our membership interest form.


 

Rehersal Site Information

We rehearse every Monday from 6:30-9 pm at  |  1445 W. Northern Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85021.
Desert Christian Fellowship Church, in the main building worship center. 

Our rehearsal space is at a church, but we are an independent secular chorus, open to all genders, orientations, ages, and backgrounds. 


 

View on Google Maps website


What to expect at your first rehearsal

We recommend coming 10 minutes early to your first rehearsal. When you walk into the worship center of Desert Christian Fellowship Church, someone will greet you. You’ll get a name tag and a guest book with our sheet music. Tip: We suggest bringing water!

We’ll figure out which vocal part you want to try (Tenor, Lead, Baritone, or Bass - see below for more information about each part). You’ll be paired up with someone who sings the same part, and you can ask them any questions about the music.

During rehearsal you can either choose to sing along by sightreading or just listen. (Sightreading absolutely isn’t required to be a member - after your first rehearsal you can access audio learning tracks to help you learn the music). We’ll briefly introduce you to the group during rehearsal. Rehearsal lasts 2.5 hours and we typically take one official break about halfway through, but you can use the restroom at any time. Feel free to sit down if you don’t feel able to stand for long periods of time.

Either before or after rehearsal, you’ll meet Maddie or another member of the Membership team and Danny, our director. Maddie, or a membership team representative can answer your questions about the process of becoming an SVA member. You can also get a sneak peak of our membership and audition process in our FAQs.

After your first rehearsal, you’ll receive an email with an invitation to join our Discord and our website. The website lets you access sheet music and audio learning tracks to prepare for your audition, and Discord is where we chat and stay in touch with each other.

 

There are four vocal parts: Tenor, Lead, Baritone, and Bass.
Even if you’ve sung in a barbershop chorus before, the ranges for each part may be different from your past experience, as mixed gender choruses have different ranges. If you aren’t sure which part to sing we’ll help place you. All vocal parts are open to all genders. Here’s a description of each part:

  • Tenor - The highest part. Tenor is comparable to the Soprano part in other choruses, except that Tenor typically doesn’t have the melody.
  • Lead -  Lead is comparable to the Alto 1 part in other choruses, except that Lead typically has the melody.
  • Baritone - Baritone has a similar but slightly lower range as the Lead part. Unlike Lead, Baritone rarely has the melody. Baritone is comparable to the Alto 2 or Tenor part in other choruses. 
  • Bass -The lowest part. Bass is comparable to the Bass part in other choruses. 



See the typical ranges for each part below: ðŸ‘‡   



For a more indepth resource, see the B.H.S. Intro to Barbershop.

 


 

About SVA



 

Southwest Vocal Alliance is Arizona's premiere award-winning mixed barbershop chorus and 2024 Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention participant. We're a fun-loving a cappella chorus that sings and performs a wide variety of songs and styles, including barbershop, pop, rock, country, and doo-wop. SVA is part of the Far Western District of the Barbershop Harmony Society.


We recently competed and won the Arizona division contest. Watch the ballad that helped us take home the win!

 


Why come to SVA?

SVA could be a great fit for you if you want to:

  • Sing with a group of a cappella singers.
  • Participate in a barbershop style chorus.
  • Be part of an inclusive culture. We’re open to all genders, ages, and backgrounds.
  • Meet new friends and be part of a community. Whether you recently moved to Phoenix and don’t know many people yet, or just want to meet more awesome folks, SVA is warm and welcoming to all.
  • Combine fun and musical excellence.
  • Sing a wide range of songs and styles.
  • Sing with your family and/or friends. - We have many couples and family members who sing together.
  • Participate in a non-religious group. - Our rehearsal space is at a church, but we are an independent, secular chorus open to all genders, orientations, ages, and backgrounds. 
  • Meet on a consistent basis. - We rehearse every week. 
  • Gain first hand experience in the Barbershop style of singing.
  • Reading or sightreading music isn't required, and we have audio learning tracks to help you learn your part. 
  • Feel the joy that singing brings. Your Voice, Your Journey, Carpe Diem!
  
 

 

 

Musical information ðŸŽ¶

We sing a very wide range of genres, including barbershop, pop, rock, country, and doo-wop. To get a taste of our musical style, check out this video. Here are some examples of our current repertoire: 

  • I See the Light | Arrg. Theo Hicks
  • Hallelujah | Arrg. Adam Scott
  • Crazy Little Thing Called Love  | Arrg. Aaron Dale
  • I Have Dreamed | Arrg. David Wright
  • Imagine | Arrg. Pentatonix
  • Somebody to Love | Arrg. Kevin Keller
  • This Time Around  | Arrg. Kohl Kitzmiller
  • Wagon Wheel | Arrg. Aaron Dale
  • You’re My Best Friend  | Arrg. Adam Scott

 

 

How to become a member

See our Membership FAQs (especially the New and prospective members section) for information about the audition process and joining. 


The first step is coming to a rehearsal or reaching out to our membership team 

at membership@svabhs.com or ‪‪(623) 239-2924‬‬ or by filling out our membership interest form.