The chorus at Farrington High School will be standing a little taller thanks to a gift from the Melodeers of Northbrook, Ill.

The 145-member women's chorus needed risers for practice in the days prior to Sweet Adelines International Barbershop Chorus Competition, which begins Wednesday at the Hawaii Convention Center.

They shipped their own risers to Honolulu, but instead of making it a round trip, the Melodeers decided to donate the risers to a local high school.

“;We are thrilled that the risers are going to a local high school that will put them to good use,”; said Melodeer Dawn Sylvester.

The donation presented an opportunity for the chorus to introduce the students to barbershop harmony. The school's chorus teacher, Mary Taylor, will also receive an educational packet that helps teach how to perform and sing four-part harmony in the barbershop style.

The Farrington students are also invited to watch the Melodeers compete.

The Melodeers, the only Sweet Adelines International Chorus to win four consecutive international championships, are among the 8,000 a cappella vocalists from around the world who will be participating in Sweet Adelines' 62nd annual convention and competition.

A preview to the competition will be a “;Showcase”; tomorrow, features war dances of Fiji, Otea of Tahiti, hula and champion quartet performances. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $25 and $35, to benefit the Young Singers Foundation and Young Women in Harmony Program.

The competition begins at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday with quartet semifinals. Chorus semifinals are on Thursday. Finals are at noon Friday for the top 10 quartets; 10:45 a.m. Saturday for the choruses.

In addition to the competition sessions, thousands of singers will gather for a free Friday morning mass singing at the Convention Center at 11:15 a.m.

Tickets for competition sessions are $40 to $45, available at the convention center at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Call (800) 992-7464 or visit www.sweetadelineintl.org.