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San Francisco Soundwave!
A chapter of
Sweet Adelines International
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About SF Sound Wave
San Francisco Sound Wave Chorus has been a part of the Bay Area musical community since 1955 and are the 2008 2nd Place Small Chorus Award Winners. We are a chapter of Sweet Adelines International.
The chorus is committed to singing four-part harmony in the barbershop style. Barbershop music, with its close, unaccompanied four-part harmonies and ringing chords, is a uniquely American folk art. Our repertoire includes songs from many eras such as the roaring 20's, the big band years and doo-wop.
Members range in age from ten to eighty-something and come from a wide range of occupational backgrounds. Membership includes women from all walks of life who come from four different Bay Area counties. The chorus provides a supportive environment for women who want to develop their musical skills -- while some members sight read music, others learn by using audio learning tapes. In our quest to improve, members participate in offsite vocal workshops and educational weekend retreats to hone their performance skills.
Read about Sweet Adelines in "American Profile" online.
Singing in the Community
 |  | | SFSW has sung at Pacifica FogFest for the past several years | SFSW performs often at local retirement centers |
One of our main goals is sharing the barbershop art form with the community, which we accomplish through an annual show and many performances at local community venues throughout the year. You'll find us singing at street fairs, retirement centers and holiday events throughout San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties.
Laura Gaither and Diane Myrick, our Co-Directors
 | Laura Gaither is a native San Franciscan and now lives in Pacifica with three cats, two bicycles, and a Jeep. Laura has been a member of the San Francisco Sound Wave for 20 years. She was a section leader and an assistant director, progressing through the Directors Certification Program to certified director status in 2007. S he’s a senior in the "Learning Arm Waving" program. She’s also the former director of the Blossom Valley Chorus. She’s a self-taught guitarist and throughout high school and beyond, played and sang at various school functions, graduations, folk masses, and weddings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Laura found Sweet Adeline’s while watching a Phil Donahue show back in the late 80s. At the time, he was featuring current barbershop quartet champions in the Chicago area: The Melo-Edge and The Side-Street Ramblers.
When not waving her arms in front of the chorus (or at LAW school), she’s usually out on the bike trail or two-stepping to the latest country dance tunes.
Music has always been her passion and looks forward to working with co-director Diane, the region, and other front-line directors as we surf the new “Wave” of musical fun and leadership with the San Francisco Sound Wave Chorus.
Diane Myrick has enjoyed singing with the San Francisco Sound Wave since 1997.
After earning a MFA in Music Therapy from the University of the Pacific in 1982 Diane moved to San Francisco. Soon after she had her second son, her husband suggested that she find a way to get some music back in her life. He has been sorry ever since!
She enrolled in the Sweet Adeline Directors Certification Program in 1999 and completed the series in 2004. She became an assistant director of the SFSW upon completion of that program.
Diane was a founding member of the barbershop quartet Pitchcraft and remains an active member of that group.
When her hobby allows time she works in administration for a downtown theatre.
Diane just loves working in front of a group of singers. She really gets a thrill hearing the whole sound and how the parts fit together. She feels that it is so much like putting together a puzzle where each part needs to be in the correct spot for the whole to come together, and when it all works…it is WONDERFUL! | | |
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