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A barbershop quartet is a group of four singers who sing music in the barbershop style, characterized by four-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment, or a cappella. The four voices are: the lead, the vocal part which typically carries the melody; a bass, the part which provides the bass line to the melody; a tenor, the part which harmonizes above the lead; and a baritone, the part that frequently completes the chord. The baritone normally sings just below the lead singer, sometimes just above as the harmony requires. Barbershop music is typified by close harmony— the upper three voices generally remain within one octave of each other.
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C. Cash and Rupert I. Hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1938, the organization quickly grew, promoting barbershop harmony among men of all ages. As of 2014, just under 23,000 men in the United States and Canada were members of this organization whose focus is on a cappella music. The international headquarters was in Kenosha, Wisconsin for fifty years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. In June 2018, the society announced it would allow women to join as full members.
Acoustix is a Dallas, Texas-based quartet that won the 1990 International Quartet Championship of SPEBSQSA. They have all, at different times, been members of the Dallas-based Vocal Majority chorus.
Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1930s–present), is a style of a cappella close harmony, or unaccompanied vocal music, characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a primarily homorhythmic texture. Each of the four parts has its own role: generally, the lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead. The melody is not usually sung by the tenor or baritone, except for an infrequent note or two to avoid awkward voice leading, in tags or codas, or when some appropriate embellishment can be created. One characteristic feature of barbershop harmony is the use of what is known as "snakes" and "swipes". This is when a chord is altered by a change in one or more non-melodic voices. Occasional passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.
Vocal Majority (VM) is a Dallas, Texas-based men's chorus of over 150 singers, who bill themselves with the tagline "Pure Harmony." VM is the performing chorus of the Dallas Metro chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Vocal Majority has won thirteen International Chorus Championships, a Barbershop Harmony Society record. The first eleven gold medals were earned under the direction of Jim Clancy, who retired from International competition after 2010. The most recent championships, in 2014 and 2018, came under the direction of Jim's son Greg Clancy, the current Musical Director of VM.
Founded in 1985 with just a few dozen men, the Masters of Harmony is a 110-member men's chorus, based in Greater Los Angeles, California. Winner of eight consecutive gold medals (1990–2011) in international barbershop chorus competitions, the group possesses a diverse repertoire encompassing not only barbershop music but also classical, jazz, patriotic, sacred, standards and Broadway pops, and sings for various groups and organizations throughout the greater Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. The chorus won another barbershop international competition in 2017, bringing their total gold medal count to nine.
Pacific Coast Harmony (PCH) is the San Diego, California, chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The mixed-gender chorus sings in the a cappella style known as barbershop music. In its origin, PCH was an all-male chorus, placed 19th overall at the chorus competition at the Society's international convention in Indianapolis in 2006, and placed 22nd in Portland in 2012 and Las Vegas in 2017. In 2019, Pacific Coast Harmony converted to mixed-gender membership, and is currently directed by Sweet Adelines member Bonnie McKibben.
Ringmasters is a Swedish barbershop quartet affiliated with the Society of Nordic Barbershop Singers (SNOBS). The quartet received first place gold medals at the Nordic Barbershop Quartet Contest in Stockholm, and won the Barbershop Harmony Society International Collegiate Championship in July 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee. On July 8, 2012, at the Society's International Convention in Portland, Oregon, they became the first quartet from outside North America to win the prestigious gold medal as International Quartet Champions. The quartet sings non-traditional barbershop harmonies with a contemporary touch. They still tour and perform all over the world.
The Chorus of the Chesapeake is a men's a cappella chorus, based in Dundalk, Maryland. Chartered in 1957 as the Dundalk chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the chorus is rich in both history and accomplishment.
The Heralds of Harmony is a Tampa, Florida-based men's a cappella chorus that has been entertaining Florida audiences in the barbershop style continuously since 1945, and is currently ranked among the nation's best male vocal ensembles. The Tampa Bay Heralds of Harmony is a men's chorus affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). The Heralds of Harmony are multiple-time Sunshine District barbershop chorus champions, and consistently represent the district at the BHS international chorus contest. The Heralds have ranked as high as 3rd in the world, achieving their first international medal performance in 2023.
The Northwest Sound Men's Chorus is a men's a cappella chorus in Bellevue, Washington, as a chapter of the Evergreen District, a part of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The chorus celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010. Its membership draws from the Greater Puget Sound area. The group does a yearly community outreach, "Sing, Sing, Sing!", that offers free singing lessons for men of all ages.
Voices of Gotham (VoG) is a competitive and performing chorus composed of approximately 60 singers from New York City and surrounding areas. VoG represents the 'Hell's Kitchen, New York' chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and is the 2013 Mid-Atlantic District Chorus Champion. VoG was designated the 10th best barbershop chorus in the world in the 2017 Barbershop Harmony Society International Chorus Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. Voices of Gotham was founded by 12 'charter members' on January 8, 2008 and holds weekly auditions for prospective singers.
The Marcsmen are a premier men's a cappella group based in San Antonio, Texas. Chartered by the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) in 2008, the chorus has qualified for International Chorus competitions of the BHS 6 times, most recently for the 2020 competition in Los Angeles, California. They won their first Southwestern District championship in 2012 and won back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019.
Masterpiece is the barbershop quartet that won the International Quartet Championship for 2013 at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual international convention, in Toronto, Ontario. The quartet's preliminary qualifying score of 88.5% was the second highest among 2013's international competitors. The foursome placed third and fourth in the two preceding international contests, and won two CARA awards in 2013 prior to their international championship. Hailing from the Society's Far Western District, this quartet sings in the barbershop style with contemporary influences.
Musical Island Boys is the barbershop quartet that won the International Quartet Championship for 2014 at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual international convention, in Las Vegas, Nevada. From Wellington, New Zealand, the quartet began in 2002 at Tawa College, and competed in its first international barbershop contest in 2004. They won the international collegiate contest in 2006 at Indianapolis, and won second-place silver medals in 2011, 2012, and 2013 international contests. Other awards include the New Zealand and Pan-Pacific Open Gold Medals at the 4th Pan Pacific Barbershop Convention in 2004, and second place in the International Open Barbershop Championships in 2011.
Main Street is a barbershop quartet that started singing as a group on March 20, 2011.
Instant Classic is an American barbershop quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana, comprising David Zimmerman, Theo Hicks, Kohl Kitzmiller and Kyle Kitzmiller.
Forefront is the barbershop quartet that won the International Quartet Championship for 2016 at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual international convention, in Nashville, Tennessee. The quartet had placed second in the 2014 and 2015 international contests, after competing at the international level annually since 2010. Forefront formed in August 2009.
James Earl Henry, most commonly referred to as "Jim Henry", is a vocal music professor, barbershop bass singer, and co-director of the Ambassadors of Harmony (AOH). He is a multiple international award-winning quartet member, whose quartets have appeared nationally on the NBC, PBS, and Fox television networks. Henry is the current director of choral studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and a contributing author of widely used musical reference works.
Finest Hour is the 2017 European barbershop quartet champion. The quartet also won the 2016 British barbershop quartet championship in Harrogate in May 2016. Finest Hour went to Las Vegas for the international competition in 2017, placing 28th in the world. Since then, their qualifying score of 83%, the UK record for a male quartet, scored in May 2018 in Harrogate, qualified them again to represent the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) at the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS)'s 2019 international competition held in Salt Lake City, where they placed 22nd.
References
- 1 2 3 "Official Scoring Summary, BHS, International Convention Quartet Finals, Orlando, Florida" (PDF). harmonize.ws. Barbershop Harmony Society. July 7, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- 1 2 Vlahos, Nick (July 27, 2018). "Nick in the AM: Peoria-area barbershop-quartet singers win international title". JournalStar. Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ Keeley, David (March 16, 2016). "Old Capitol Chorus brings Monopoly board game to life at the Englert". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- 1 2 "Quartet Members Hit the Right Notes". Bradley Magazine. Bradley University. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ↑ Mason, Derrick (July 13, 2018). "Freeport High School teacher wins international barbership quartet competition". Freeport Journal Standard. Freeport, Illinois. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ International Contest and Judging Committee - Society for the Preservation and Encouraging of Barbershop Singing in America (1993). "New Judging System" . Retrieved October 28, 2023.
...September 1993: All Contests start using new system.
- ↑ "Official Scoring Summary, BHS, International Convention: International, Quartet Finals, Las Vegas, Nevada" (PDF). harmonize.ws. Barbershop Harmony Society. July 8, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ↑ "Official Scoring Summary, BHS, International Convention: International, Quartet Finals Collegiate, Kansas City, Missouri" (PDF). harmonize.ws. Barbershop Harmony Society. July 5, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ↑ "Official Scoring Summary, BHS, International Chorus Preliminaries and District Quartet Convention, Illinois District, Quartet Finals, Peoria, Illinois" (PDF). harmonize.ws. Barbershop Harmony Society, Illinois District. September 25, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
