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Masterworks Choral Ensemble Presents Bringing Down the House:
Northwest Regional Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival

Olympia – 02/04/2008 – Great news for a cappella fans: Harmony Sweepstakes is
just
around the corner! Masterworks Choral Ensemble presents the 14th annual
Northwest
Regional Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival on March 8, 2008 at the
Washington
Center for the Performing Arts.

What's so exciting about Harmony Sweepstakes? Primarily, it's an enthusiastic
reception
for vocal groups from our region. It's also an unabashed celebration of this
amazing
instrument we call the human voice. And, it's a friendly competition that
results in the
winners going on to the national finals.

Here in the Northwest, come March, we're ready for diversions that shake and
stir. This is
precisely when things are heating up in the a cappella world. Across the U.S.
eight
regional competitions are held from March 8 to April 20. The same simple
ingredients go
into each one: vocal groups of three to eight members have 10 minutes each to
perform
their best unaccompanied vocal music before a live audience and a panel of
judges. Any
style of a cappella music is welcome in the mix.

This year's Northwest Harmony Sweepstakes features The Coats as host and guest
artist.
The Coats (formerly The Trenchcoats) won the regional and national championships
in
1994, and graciously returned once before to host the Northwest Harmony
Sweepstakes.
Based in Seattle, they are one of the region's best vocal bands and one of the
most in-
demand acts on the country's corporate and college circuits.

Radio personality Smilin' Jay of Mixx 96.1 KXXO returns with his own amazing
vocal range
to emcee this year's event. And, five of the six groups have appeared in the
Northwest
Harmony Sweepstakes before, including Olympia's own "boy band," The Akafellas.
Other
competitors include The Baudboys, Rezonate, A Toast of the Town, V-Chords, and
Vocalocity. Audience members will be entertained with a full range of a cappella
styles —
pop, rock, jazz, doo-wop, folk, country, gospel, R&B — and plenty of vocal
percussion.

With a cappella harmony bringing down the house, this is one night on the town
music
lovers won't want to miss. The show begins at 7:30 and the evening concludes
with an
"afterglow" in the lobby of the Washington Center, where concertgoers can sing
along with
performers.

Tickets are available at the Washington Center Box Office, 512 Washington Street
SE,
Olympia, or by calling 360-753-8586. Information about Harmony Sweepstakes is
available online at www.harmony-sweepstakes.com. Information about Masterworks
Choral Ensemble is available at www.MCE.org.


# # #


SUMMARY
Who: Masterworks Choral Ensemble presents
What: Bringing Down the House:
Northwest Regional Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival
When: Saturday, March 8, 2008, 7:30pm
Where: Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington Street SE,
Olympia
Cost: $23 adults, $11 students