Singing has been a part of my very being since I was born! Raised in a home where my mom sang to me, we all sang in choirs, classical music was the norm on the radio (KFSD anyone?) And of course junior high and high school I was THE choir geek! Performing has always been a passion of mine. Fast forward almost 30 years from graduation, and after raising two kids, and being a Girl Scout leader for 11 - and finally graduating my now adult Girl Scouts - I happened upon the San Diego Chorus. It was truly a life changing evening - my first visit to Rehearsal. After my audition, an explanation of what Barbershop was (and boy was I confused!) and then being told I was a Baritone (?HUH?) I was up on the risers trying desperately to follow along! But oh my! My heart was lifted and the passion of singing good music just stunned me. As I tell people, I was hooked within the first 15 minutes! One whole year later, my excitement and passion hasn't waned. In fact, it has grown exponentially! I was very fortunate to be adopted by a Quartet (Chordial) and we competed in April and even won the Best Novice Quartet award! My very first competition was in fact the Sweet Adeline International Contest in Houston. Quite a baptism by fire! I felt taken in and accepted wholly by this amazing group of women, nurtured and cared for immediately. To the point, when we lost our home to a fire in February, 2012, it was two Chorus sisters who were there with me and my family that night. The women of the Chorus reached out the entire time, and if my family or I had any needs, they were taken care of by them. And THAT was when I was a member for less than a year! The San Diego Chorus has been an oasis in this time of my life. Singing and pushing myself to get better under the direction of Kim Vaugn and the director team, competing with a group who want to win as much as I do, and growing emotionally, mentally and in all other ways is only the tip of the iceberg of how I feel. I sing with women who have been doing this for 40 years, and I am determined to do the same!
As my mentor told me my first night, singing with the Chorus "is like drinking from a fire hose". And yes, it is. But I find that I've become accustomed to being blown away with how much work, practice, patience and trust in myself it's taken me to become a Sweet Adeline! And while I'm holding the wily, winding, waggling end of the fire hose, taking tiny sips every week, the base of that hose is firmly connected to the amazingly strong group of women, whom I am ever so privileged to call my Singing Sisters; women who have handily changed my life!
Jennifer French
The Red-Headed Baritone
Rookie of the Year 2011/2012
Chordial Baritone - Winner of the 2012 Novice Quartet of the Year
And grateful Member of the San Diego Chorus - Sweet Adelines
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