QCED (Quartet Champions of Evergreen District) is a fraternity of past quartet champions from the Evergreen District of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The Evergreen District encompasses Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; as well as Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. Annually, the District holds a competition among its quartets and those who win the District Championship are inducted into QCED.
QCED also hosts one shows a year at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.. The proceeds are used to support coaching opportunities for quartets in out-lying areas around the District and assist our quartets who will be singing at the BHS International competition.
How QCED came to be
Back in 1972--at the Islander Resort on Lopez Island, WA--several past District champions had been talking about getting a group together with the purpose of "upgrading the calibre of performance of Evergreen District Quartets." Their objectives were to:
- provide fellowship with others who have won the District Championship,
- promote and encourage quartet singing within the District,
- support and promote efforts to advance the level of singing, coaching, and judging skills within the District, and
- give financial assistance to quartets representing the District in International Competition.
For over ten years the group grew slowly. Finally it became apparent the Lopez Island location was too remote to guarantee attendance by many of the former champs, nor could sustain a good-sized audience at shows. In 1985, through the untiring efforts of the late Bob Swanson, the annual QCED meeting and show was moved to Seaside, OR as a joint venture with the Seaside Chamber of Commerce.
In 1999, we moved to Ocean Shores, Washington and in 2020 put on our second annual show there. Due to the pandemic, we have had a hiatus, but are back in Ocean shores on February 2023.
After 50 years of existence QCED has given tens of thousands of dollars to the promotion and betterment of our unique style of four-part harmony.
