NEW GLARUS — When the members of this village's yodeler club perform during tonight's Wilhelm Tell Festival, they'll do it knowing they can yodel with the best — even in Switzerland.

Jodlerklub New Glarus, now in its 80th year, is made up of about 27 yodelers ranging in age from mid 20s to 80. This June the ensemble earned the second-best ranking during an international yodeling competition held in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Tony Zgraggen, a club member who immigrated to the United States in 1981, said the group of yodelers "is stronger than ever before."

"When I joined the group we were only 14 to 15 members," he said.

Tonight's performance is part of the 71st annual Wilhelm Tell Festival happening today and Sunday in New Glarus, about 30 miles south of Madison.

Another festival highlight is the "Wilhelm Tell Drama" that depicts the story of Swiss independence. About 1,000 people are expected to see the play this weekend, which will be performed three times, including once in German.

For the Jodlerklub, this weekend's festival is a chance to perform an encore of "E Jodler," the song they sang in competition in Switzerland.

About 12,000 yodelers, alphorn blowers and flag throwers performed before about 360,000 spectators over a three-day weekend, Zgraggen said.

"The competition for us went really, exceptionally well," he said. "It's quite a strict judging."

The club practices once a week from March through October and performs about 15 times a year.

Zgraggen said members buy and listen to yodeling compact discs to try to stay as true as possible to the traditional Swiss yodels.

"I think that's what makes us successful," he said. "There's not a huge trick like learning a language."

Before the competition, the club had a yodeler from Switzerland come to New Glarus for a week-long "crash course" to help the group polish its competition song.

"We have quite a few members that don't speak any German at all," Zgraggen said. But as long as they have a good singing voice they learn to sing in German fine, he said.

IF YOU GO

What: The Wilhelm Tell Festival.

When: Today and Sunday.

Where: New Glarus.

More information: Call the New Glarus Chamber of Commerce office at 800-527-6838 or visit www.wilhelmtell.org or www.swisstown.com.