SingUnited International
A worldwide nonprofit organization that advances women's barbershop harmony through education, performance, chorus participation, and quartet singing.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
SingUnited International, formerly known as Sweet Adelines International, is a worldwide nonprofit music-education and performance organization for women who sing barbershop harmony. Established in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1945 by Edna Mae Anderson, the organization was created to give women opportunities to learn music, form quartets, develop choruses, and participate in the distinctive chord-based vocal style associated with barbershop singing. Its motto is “Harmonize the World.” The organization began when Anderson brought together women interested in the musical and social experience that their husbands were enjoying through the men's barbershop movement, then represented by the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, now called the Barbershop Harmony Society. By the end of its first year, the organization had incorporated its first Oklahoma chapter. That chapter had 85 members and was named Atomaton, a name intended to combine the ideas of an atom and a ton of energy. Although the organization was founded in the United States, its membership expanded beyond the country in 1953 when a chapter in Brandon, Manitoba, became the first chapter outside the United States. The word “International” was formally added to the name in 1991, reflecting a structure that had already developed into a cross-border network. The organization operates through geographic regions, with choruses and quartets affiliating through regional structures. Most regions are in the United States, while others serve Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and members elsewhere through a satellite arrangement. Its activities center on musical education, local chorus and quartet participation, performances, conventions, and competitive singing. The organization has historically described itself as one of the largest singing organizations for women. Reference material associated with the former Sweet Adelines name reports approximately 23,000 current members, more than 1,200 registered quartets, and hundreds of choruses, while an earlier 2012 description reported approximately 24,000 members, about 600 choruses, and participation in numerous countries. Membership is organized around learning and performing in English-language barbershop harmony, with members ranging from recreational singers to highly accomplished competitive performers. A major institutional feature is the annual international convention and singing competition. The first convention took place in 1947 and included a contest for women's barbershop quartets. In 1973, the organization introduced its first international chorus competition, helping establish chorus performance as a central part of its competitive identity. The annual event also functions as a large-scale educational and social gathering, bringing singers, directors, arrangers, coaches, and supporters together. The organization has also pursued public engagement around vocal education. In 2009, it conducted a large group singing lesson at its convention in Nashville, Tennessee, with 6,651 singers participating in a ten-minute lesson led by quartet champion and music professional Peggy Gram. The event was recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest singing lesson at that time. In May 2026, the organization changed its name and logo to SingUnited International. The rebrand was presented as an effort to express greater inclusion and create a name with broader resonance for future growth. The change preserves the organization's underlying mission of musical education, community participation, performance, and the development of barbershop harmony while placing greater emphasis on unity and accessibility. Because the historical record and much public recognition remain associated with Sweet Adelines International, both names are relevant when describing the organization.
History
SingUnited International traces its origins to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1945, when Edna Mae Anderson organized women who wanted to learn and perform barbershop harmony. The organization emerged in the context of the expanding American barbershop movement. Many of the women's husbands participated in the men's organization then known as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, later renamed the Barbershop Harmony Society. Anderson's project provided women with an independent setting for musical education, quartet formation, and chorus singing. The first Oklahoma chapter was incorporated by the end of 1945. It had 85 members and used the name Atomaton, a reference to the Atomic Age and to the chapter's energetic beginnings. The organization's early purpose was practical as well as social: members were to be taught music, encouraged to develop vocal groups, and given opportunities to promote barbershop quartets and related ensembles. A convention was introduced in 1947 as a way to bring members together. The event included a competition for women's barbershop quartets, establishing a competitive tradition that became a defining part of the organization's identity. The first listed quartet winners were the Decaturettes of Decatur, Illinois. Over time, the convention developed into an international gathering combining education, performance, organizational business, and competitions. The organization expanded outside the United States on March 23, 1953, when a chapter in Brandon, Manitoba, became its first international chapter. International participation continued to grow, although the formal name change to Sweet Adelines International did not occur until May 1991. By then, the organization had developed a broad regional structure serving members in the United States and several other countries. The organization's history also reflects the racial exclusion that affected parts of the mid-century barbershop movement. In 1957, Harmony, Incorporated separated from Sweet Adelines over a dispute involving the admission of Black members. At the time, both Sweet Adelines and the men's barbershop organization restricted membership to white people. Both organizations later opened membership more broadly. Modern SingUnited International presents itself as a diverse worldwide organization for women from varied backgrounds who share an interest in singing. For administrative and musical purposes, choruses and quartets affiliate through geographic regions. The regional system has primarily served areas of the United States, while also covering Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and international members outside the main regional footprint. Region numbers and boundaries have changed over time as the membership network evolved. Chorus competition became a formal international feature in 1973, when the first international chorus contest was held in Washington, D.C. Racine Chorus from Racine, Wisconsin, won the first international champion chorus title. Its director, Jarmela Speta, was notable for having previously been a member of an international champion quartet, illustrating the organization's connection between quartet and chorus achievement. The organization expanded its public educational profile through large-scale participation events. During its 2009 convention in Nashville, Tennessee, it organized a ten-minute singing lesson attended by 6,651 singers. Led by Peggy Gram, the lesson was certified by Guinness World Records as the largest singing lesson. The event demonstrated how the organization could combine technical vocal instruction with mass participation and public visibility. For much of its modern history, the organization was known as Sweet Adelines International and reported tens of thousands of members, more than a thousand registered quartets, and hundreds of choruses distributed across multiple countries. On May 19, 2026, it adopted the name SingUnited International and introduced a new logo. The stated rationale was to communicate inclusion and provide a stronger platform for future growth. The rebrand marks the latest stage in the organization's development from a Tulsa-based women's singing chapter into an international nonprofit network devoted to barbershop harmony, musical learning, performance, and community.
- 2026
Rebrand to SingUnited International
[1]On May 19, the organization changed its name and logo to SingUnited International, emphasizing inclusion and future growth.
- 2009
Largest singing lesson record
[1]A convention event in Nashville brought 6,651 singers together for a ten-minute lesson that Guinness World Records recognized as the largest singing lesson.
- 1991
Name formally changes to Sweet Adelines International
[1]After decades of international chapter growth, the organization formally adopted the name Sweet Adelines International.
- 1973
First international chorus competition
[1]The first international chorus competition took place in Washington, D.C. Racine Chorus became the inaugural international champion chorus.
- 1957
Harmony, Incorporated separates
[1]Harmony, Incorporated split from Sweet Adelines over a dispute concerning the admission of Black members, an issue connected to racial restrictions then present in the barbershop movement.
- 1953
First chapter outside the United States
[1]A chapter in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, was chartered on March 23, marking the organization's international expansion.
- 1947
First convention and quartet contest
[1]The organization held its first convention and introduced a competition for women's barbershop quartets.
- 1945
Organization founded in Tulsa
[1]Edna Mae Anderson established the organization in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to provide women with musical education and opportunities to form and perform in barbershop quartets and choruses.
- 1945
First chapter incorporated
[1]The first chapter was incorporated in Oklahoma with Anderson as president. It had 85 members and was named Atomaton.
Products and positioning
A global, nonprofit community and education organization centered on women's barbershop harmony, combining structured musical development with chorus participation, quartet singing, performance, and competition.
Competitive music event · 1947
International chorus and quartet competition
The annual international competition is the organization's principal showcase for ensemble performance. It brings together leading women's quartets and choruses to perform barbershop arrangements before an international audience and adjudication system. The event grew from the quartet contest introduced at the first convention in 1947 and later incorporated formal chorus competition in 1973.
Membership program · 1953
Regional chorus and quartet network
Members participate through local choruses and quartets affiliated with geographic regions. This structure supports rehearsals, coaching, performances, regional contests, and progression toward international events. The network is concentrated in the United States but includes established participation across Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and other international markets.
Music education · 1945
Barbershop harmony education
Educational activities teach members the musical, vocal, and ensemble practices needed for barbershop singing. Instruction covers group blend, harmony, repertoire, performance, and the development of quartets and choruses. Education is delivered through local, regional, and international activities rather than as a conventional commercial product.
Marketing campaigns
- 2026SingUnited International rebrand
Global
The organization introduced a new name and logo intended to present a more inclusive identity and support future international growth.
Outcome. The organization now operates under the SingUnited International name, while Sweet Adelines International remains its principal historical name and alias.
- 2009Largest Singing Lesson
United States · International membership community
The organization used its Nashville convention to stage a mass vocal lesson led by Peggy Gram. The event combined public education, member participation, and promotion of barbershop vocal technique.
Outcome. A total of 6,651 singers participated, and Guinness World Records certified the event as the largest singing lesson.
Brand decisions
2026
Rebrand as SingUnited InternationalStrategyBackground
The organization sought a name and visual identity intended to communicate inclusion and provide broader resonance for future growth.
Action taken
On May 19, 2026, it changed its name and logo from Sweet Adelines International to SingUnited International.
Aftermath
The organization continues its nonprofit mission in women's barbershop harmony under the new name, with Sweet Adelines International retained as a historical name and alias.
1991
Formal adoption of the Sweet Adelines International nameStrategyBackground
The organization had maintained chapters outside the United States since 1953, but its formal name had not yet fully reflected that international structure.
Action taken
The organization changed its official name to Sweet Adelines International.
Aftermath
The name became the organization's principal international identity for decades.
Sources2 sources
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