BLOOMINGTON -The public is invited to Tuesday's "preview night" for the Sound of Illinois chorus, the Bloomington-based barbershop group that will compete July 3 in the Barbershop Harmony Society's international competition in Anaheim, Calif.

The preview night, at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Hall at Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Bloomington, will be the final rehearsal for the group before it leaves June 29 for California. There, it will compete against 29 other choruses from around the country. The group recently took top honors at the Illinois District of the Barbershop Harmony Society's spring conference.

The 60-man local group, which includes residents from the Twin Cities and throughout Central Illinois, has been performing since 1943. President is Jim Waldorf of Bloomington.

This is the second consecutive year and fifth time the Sound of Illinois, directed by Terry Ludwig of Springfield, has qualified for international competition.

Last year, the chorus placed 21st in Nashville. In previous appearances, when the field was 16 groups, the chorus was third in 1957, fourth in 1960, and 10th in 1977.

A local quartet, Upturn, will compete in the collegiate competition. Two are members of Sound of Illinois: Bass Donovan Davis, a student at Illinois Wesleyan University; and Lead Matt Carlen, who attends the University of Illinois. Tenor Jeremy Kings and Baritone Paul Cochran also are IWU students.