Southwest Vocal Alliance FAQs

Southwest Vocal Alliance is a mixed gender a cappella chorus in Phoenix, Arizona. We currently have around 25 talented, eclectic members. To get a taste of our musical style, check out this video!

We love singing a wide variety of songs and styles, including rock, doo-wop, and barbershop. We’re a proud Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) chorus in the Far Western District (FWD).

We rehearse every Monday from 6:30-8:30pm at Orangewood Presbyterian Church, Page Hall. 7321 N 10th St, Phoenix, AZ 85020.

We’re open to all genders, ages, and vocal backgrounds! 1-2 years of musical experience is preferred, but no previous a cappella experience is required. Reading music isn't required, and we have audio learning tracks to help you learn your part. We’re happy to work with singers!

You don’t need to prepare anything in advance, and you can drop by any Monday (see above for rehearsal info)!

If you’d like to connect with someone from our membership team to ask questions (or just chat!), please fill out our membership interest form.

swvocalalliance@gmail.com

‪(650) 542-9113‬

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, and visit our website svabhs.com.

Thanks for asking! Here are some ways to support SVA:

• Purchase SVA shirts, hoodies, and more on Bonfire.com
• Donate directly through Zelle
• Sign up for Fry's Community Rewards

To join SVA, you must pay SVA dues and be a paid member of our parent organization Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Please note that dues are non-refundable.

• SVA chapter dues: $20 monthly, to the treasurer via Zelle (send to swvocalalliance@gmail.com), cash, or check. Make checks out to “Maricopa County AZ Chapter of SPEBSQSA Inc”
• BHS and FWD Dues: $195 annually or split monthly, paid on the BHS website.

Rehearsal time is vital for the performance quality of our ensemble. While we understand we all have lives outside of this chorus, it is expected that each member will attend at least 70% of the rehearsals. This is subject to director discretion.

Here’s an overview of a typical joining process (usually 4-6 weeks):

1. Prospective member fills out our membership interest form.
2. Prospective member attends first rehearsal.
3. Prospective member begins learning music and attends 5 additional rehearsals (6 total).
4. Prospective member auditions for director. The audition typically consists of singing our audition song (currently Hallelujah) in a quartet (with three other harmony parts).
5. The director may pass you immediately, or may ask you to work on the piece and try again. Please note that audition outcomes are at the director’s discretion.
6. If the audition is passed, the prospective member completes the following steps:
   1. Officially apply for membership via our form.
   2. Join the Barbershop Harmony Society and begin paying BHS dues.
   3. Begin paying SVA dues.
   4. Send SVA your member number.
   5. Agree to our policies and bylaws.

All communication happens through Discord, a community app that's available on Desktop, iOS, and Android. When you attend a rehearsal, we’ll invite you to join our Discord!

All sheet music and learning tracks are available on Discord. After your first rehearsal, you’ll have access to our audition song (Hallelujah). You can also borrow a guest book during rehearsals, but the guest book may not be taken outside of the rehearsal location.

You can purchase shirts, hoodies, and more on Bonfire.com! A portion of the sales goes directly to supporting our chorus.

Southwest Vocal Alliance is excited to have Danny Ryan as our Director, coach and mentor. He was there at inception when the idea took shape for a new BHS mixed chorus in Phoenix.

Danny is a longtime member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and found his love of barbershop growing up as a “barbershop brat.” The Barbershop Life is so ingrained in his DNA that his parents met at a chorus rehearsal while his dad directed a Harmony Inc. chorus, the Valley Belles. It was only natural that Danny joined BHS at 11 years old. He competed on the International Stage at the age of 12 with the Phoenician Chorus (placing 4th), and later won gold with Westminster Chorus in 2007. He competed at the collegiate level and placed 8th in 2008 at the International Varsity Quartet Contest.

In addition, Danny Ryan’s competed internationally with three quartets:

Quartet Name      Year               Placement

Vocal Edition     2013              31st

Vocal Edition     2014              25th

Average Joes     2019              44th

Danny has a real passion for barbershop, a cappella harmony and coaching others especially in vocal production. He truly believes everyone needs music, joy and harmony in their lives.

Chartered in September 2019, the Southwest Vocal Alliance was one of the first new mixed chorus charters of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Founded in 1938 as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of BarberShop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) preserves and extends the reach of a uniquely American close harmony musical art form whose roots lie in African-American improvisation and European harmony traditions. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee since 2007, our nonprofit organization provides active programs and resources in music education, publishing, performance, and community outreach.  Originally founded as an all male organization, the BHS opened its membership up to all genders in the summer of 2018.  In doing so, men’s, women’s, and mixed quartets and choruses can now compete in the same contest and celebrate in the harmonious family.