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.
Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers, established in 1945, committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performances. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women. "Harmonize the World" is the organization's motto. It has a current membership of 23,000 and holds an annual international singing competition.
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.
The Westminster Chorus is a men's a cappella chorus based in Westminster, California. International Chorus Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society in 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2019, and Choir of the World in 2009, they are composed almost entirely of men under the age of 40.
The Sound of the Rockies (SOR) is an a cappella men's chorus based in greater Denver, Colorado. They are a multiple-time bronze medalist chorus for the Barbershop Harmony Society. In 2007, they co-hosted the International Convention in Denver with the Denver Mountainaires. The chorus comprises between 90-100 voices currently.
Metropolis is a barbershop quartet affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society. The group won five consecutive medals with the Barbershop Harmony Society at their annual International Convention. Metropolis has performed over 460 stage shows in the United States and in Finland, Russia, England, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Japan and Ireland. They have performed in over 190 cities around the world and over 40 states/provinces in the USA & Canada.
The Texas Millionaires Chorus is a men's a cappella chorus based in Fort Worth, Texas. A member of the Southwestern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Millionaires have been performing throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex for over 50 years. From 1951 to 1998, they were known as the Cowtown Chorus.
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 Homestead Harmonizers is a chorus created in response to a charter to operate a barbershop chorus in Beatrice, Nebraska issued on December 12, 1988, by the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. The members of the Homestead Harmonizers range in age as young as the early teens to 80 plus years, including men from 23 different communities in southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas.
The Virginians is a barbershop chorus located in Richmond, Virginia. Mike Wallen is currently its musical director, and has been serving in this capacity since 1998. It recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is one of the oldest continuous singing groups in the Greater Richmond Area. Originally chartered in 1952 as the Tobaccoland Chorus, the chapter was renamed to the Virginians in 1990.
The Pride of Baltimore Chorus was an all-female, a cappella chorus based in metropolitan Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in the early 1990s, the chorus once boasted over 110 members hailing from 5 different states: Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. They were a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, the world's largest women's singing organization.
The Bryn Mawr Mainliners is a men's a cappella chorus, based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1963 as an official chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the chorus is rich in both history and accomplishment.
The Mid-Atlantic District is one of 17 districts of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The district, with three regional divisions, has approximately 90 chapters in the following states: VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, DC, WV, NY.
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 White Rose Chorus is the York, Pennsylvania, chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, under the direction of Bob Crist III. It was the second society chapter to be chartered in Pennsylvania (1946), and the first in its district to surpass 100 active members. In 2018, the White Rose Chorus was ranked "Most Improved" among eight competing choruses in its division, and the best in its plateau level.
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.
The Brothers in Harmony (BIH) are a 100-plus member American a cappella chorus based in Hamilton, New Jersey, under the direction of Jack Pinto. The award-winning chorus is part of Mid-Atlantic District of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The Brothers in Harmony were the 1999 Mid-Atlantic Champions and 1999 M-AD Representatives to the International Competition; 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 M-AD Intermediate Chorus Champions; 2007 and 2008 International Finalists; and 2010 International 9th place Finalists. In 2013 they came in 6th place at the Toronto International Convention. In 2015 they placed 8th at the Pittsburgh International Convention behind the champion Westminster Chorus and other Mid-Atlantic District choruses, The Alexandria Harmonizers and the Voices Of Gotham.
Main Street is a barbershop quartet that started singing as a group on March 20, 2011.
Harmony Express is a 4-part a cappella chorus for both women and men based in Germantown, Maryland. The non-profit chorus is under the direction of Frank Kirschner as of 2017. It is the performing arm of the Germantown Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The chorus was featured in the documentary Barbershop Singing Old and New.
