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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.
Vocal Majority (VM) is a Dallas, Texas-based men's chorus of over 150 singers, who bill themselves with the tagline "Pure Harmony." The VM got its start when founder and first Marketing Director, Bob Arnold, gathered together 12 singers in December of 1971; it has since grown to over 150 members. 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.
Barbershop in Germany is the association for barbershop music in Germany. It was founded in October 1991 and has an official alliance with the US-based Barbershop Harmony Society.
The Ambassadors of Harmony (AOH) is a 120+ member men's barbershop chorus, based in St. Charles, Missouri. The chorus won International Championship gold medals in 2004, 2009, and 2012 – each time singing two arrangements by David Wright, under the direction of Dr. Jim Henry – and then again in 2016 and 2023, under the co-direction of Jonny Moroni and Dr. Henry. Their 2009 victory broke a nearly three-decade winning streak by the Vocal Majority.
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, 2019, and 2024, and Choir of the World in 2009, they are composed almost entirely of men under the age of 40.
The British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) is a British organisation of male barbershop singers. It was formed in 1974 and is affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society. Since 2023, BABS and its female counterpart in the UK, the Ladies' Association of British Barbershop Singers, have been in talks to consider proposals to work more closely together.
Vocal Spectrum is a barbershop quartet from St. Charles, Missouri. In 2004, Vocal Spectrum won the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Collegiate Quartet Contest, and on July 8, 2006, they became International Champions, winning the society's International Quartet Contest. A distinctive feature of the quartet is tenor Tim Waurick's ability to sustain notes for upwards of 30 seconds, and the tenor's and lead's incredibly high vocal range, featured in many of the group's recordings and live shows.
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 Jazz Firm was a British vocal quartet specialising in close harmony jazz and barbershop arrangements. The quartet won the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) quartet competition in 2003.
Max Q is the barbershop quartet that won the gold medal Barbershop Harmony Society International Barbershop Quartet Contest at Denver's Pepsi Center July 7, 2007. The quartet's run for the title is featured in the 2009 feature documentary American Harmony.
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 Heralds are affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) and are multiple-time Sunshine District barbershop chorus champions. They consistently represent the district at the BHS international chorus contest, where they ranked 2nd in the world in July 2024, at a percent higher than their 2023 3rd-place score.
Amersham A Cappella is a ladies' barbershop chorus affiliated with LABBS. The chorus is based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
The Great Western Chorus of Bristol is a men's a cappella chorus singing primarily in the Barbershop style. It is a founder member of the British Association of Barbershop Singers, with whom the chorus shared its 40th anniversary in 2014. The Great Western Chorus is the most successful chorus in the association.
Harmony, Incorporated, is an international organization of women singers whose purpose is to empower all women through education, friendship and singing. Founded by 1959 by Peggy Rigby, Charlotte Sneddon, Mary Avis Hedges, Jeanne Maino and Mary Perry in Providence, Rhode Island, the organization currently has just under 2000 members in the United States and Canada and is closely affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The Grand Central Chorus are members of the British Association of Barbershop Singers. They are five-time BABS National Chorus Champions.
Finest Hour is a British barbershop quartet. It won several the 2016 British barbershop quartet championship in 2016, and the 2017 European barbershop quartet championship. The quartet competed in the international Barbershop Harmony Society competitions in 2017 and 2019, where they placed 28th and 22nd respectively. They also hold the UK record for the highest qualifying score of 83%.
Cottontown Chorus is a male a cappella group from Bolton, England, formed in 1979. The group is affiliated with the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) and has won the BABS gold medal in the category for national chorus eight times since 2005 close to the record of The Great Western Chorus of Bristol who have won the gold medal ten times.
References
- ↑ "Barbershop timeline". Cottontown Chorus. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "Contest results". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "Results archive". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "1976 Chorus Champions Crawley Chordsmen – There's a Ring to the Name of Rosie". youtube.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "1984 Chorus Champions The Crawley Chordsmen – There'll Be No New Tunes On This Old Piano". youtube.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "Contest rules – article 7(j)". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "Crawley Chordsmen were the UK's first Barbershop Chorus, who started singing together in 1964. This record was released in 1977. Part of the museum collection". Crawley Museum. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ↑ "Roll of honour". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
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