Harmony UK Podcast

We hear about change and challenge for 2023 - with London City Singers as they begin a new year as members of LABBS. With Meantime Chorus as they prepare for their first international chorus contest. And we'll hear the case for for a new group within British Barbershop for singers who identify as LGBTQ+

Listen to a spectacular concert featuring Bristol's seven Barbershop and close harmony choruses. The Big Bristol Barbershop Bonanza took place on November 19th 2022 and stands as a celebration in song as the choruses pick up the threads after the years of Covid restrictions. The choruses featured include Avon Harmony, Bristol Fashion. The Great Western Chorus, Fascinating Rhythm, Bristol A Cappell...

Our third visit to Bristol to meet the members of the Fascinating Rhythm Chorus. We find out how they're looking to the future, and we meet the musical director of Black Sheep Harmony ahead of the Big Bristol Barbershop Bonanza Concert on November 19th.

Our second of three visits to the city of Bristol to meet The celebrated Great Western Chorus who've been entertaining audiences for almost 50 years, and Bristol A cappella, who broke new ground almost a decade ago as as one of the UK's first mixed-voice Barbershop choruses.

With six choruses, some of them almost fifty years old, the city of Bristol has long been a powerhouse for barbershop Harmony in Britain. This is the first in a short series of podcasts in which we'll visit some of the Bristol Choruses as they prepare for one of their biggest concerts ever in November 2022.

During the Coronavirus Pandemic the Collective Virtual Choir became a lifeline for thousands of people around the world seeking to sing with others while confined at home. As well as producing a wealth of choral videos, the Collective offered companionship, inspiration and countless opportunities for joint rehearsal and coaching. In August 2022 more than 100 members met in person for the first tim...

The proposal to merge LABBS and BABS, the two largest of the three British-based barbershop organisations, would be the biggest change to the hobby since 1976 . Natalie Feddon and Alan Hughes, chairs of the two groups talk about the proposed merger and what it might mean.

A celebration of Barbershop Harmony and the first convention since the pandemic for Sweet Adelines Region 31. Hear from a range of participants including Fortuity Quartet, chorus champions Forth Valley and the surprise winners of the quartet contest, Muddy Stilettos

In this edition we travel to Helsingborg for the European Barbershop Convention with BABS mixed chorus EQ Rendezvous and their co-founders Delyth and Dick Knight. This is the story of their week amid talented friends from across The Continent.

More from BABS in Harrogate, their first convention in three years - with new men's quartet champions Limelight, Sound Hypothesis, Crown Derby, and international seniors champions One Foot In The Stave.

All the excitement of a return to singing at the first BABS Convention since the Pandemic. Hear from International guests Forefront, BABS Youth Quartet champs Hot Ticket, and choruses Meantime, MaleVox. Cottontown and Lux A Cappella. (First of 2 parts)

With music and chat live from Harrogate and BABS Sing22 Convention. Including BABS seniors quartet champions Crown Derby, Lux A Cappella Chorus, Members of Cottontown Chorus and Sound Hypothesis along with Tagline Lead James Gower-Smith.

Saturday at BABS 2022 Convention in Harrogate with live songs and chat from ForeFront and Hot Ticket, along with reaction to the results of the 2022 Male Chorus Contest

The first full-length in-person British Barbershop convention since 2019. Hear songs and words from International Seniors champions One Foot In The Stave and much more from excited participants from across the UK

Tagline Quartet are celebrating ten years of worldwide international success. The quartet talk about their time together, their decision to take a step back from performance for a while, and their own favourite songs.

Barbershop singers have been without their beloved conventions for three years, so we'll be looking ahead with anticipation to gatherings this spring hosted by BABS and SAI Region 31. We'll hear from Sound Hypothesis about an invitation to compete in July at the BHS international Quartet Contest, and we'll hear about a controversial, proposal regarding mixed-voice singing.

Midtown Quartet were BABS special guests in Sheffield for QuartetCon, the UK's first competitive barbershop in-person singing event since the pandemic. In this podcast we hear from Midtown and some of the other quartets who lit up the stage.

As the Barbershop World returns to in-person singing we hear about the experiences of three groups, Capital Connection, Spirit of Harmony and Aberdeen Chorus. And we look ahead to BABS QuartetCon, the first UK-wide quartet contest weekend to be staged since the pandemic.

They have fifteen BABS quartet Gold medals between them. Now seniors quartet One Foot In the Stave have added video laurels to their tally of awards, and the quartet are preparing for a second successive appearance on the international contest stage where they hope to improve on a silver medal in early 2020. We meet them during a regular Sunday rehearsal on zoom.

As lockdown rules relax and singers begin to gather again in outdoor spaces we meet two quartets, Indigo League (pictured) and One Foot in the Stave, whose videos have been acclaimed. You can also find out about ambitious plans from the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers

In this edition we celebrate The Cambridge Chord Company's 30 years of creative achievement and contest success, following the sad news that the Chorus is to disband. Plus how innovation and Zoom has helped LABBS thrive through lockdown, and a lookahead to two forthcoming virtual Barbershop Conventions.

In this edition LABBS has become the first all-women's Barbershop organisation to sign an affiliation agreement with the Barbershop Harmony Society. Former LABBS chair Nancy Philbin discusses what it means for her 2200 members. And promoting diversity in British Barbershop - we speak to Laurence Hasson, vice-chairman of BABS about how he plans to make the organisation more inclusive.

The final part of he story considers the choices made by women's barbershop groups, how conventions have changed, and the growth of musical education among Barbershop singers. We also look head to an uncertain future.

1974 saw the creation of the first ever British Barbershop organisation. In this second podcast about the origins and history of UK Barbershop singing we trace the events of that year, including an inauguralConvention in Newcastle-On-Tyne

Harry Danser was an inspirational figure who introduced the Barbershop hobby to Great Britain. He and his sons, John and Tony, were instrumental in forming the first quartet, The Barbershop Four, and the first chorus, The Crawley Chordsmen. Harry's grand-daughter Jane Danser is pictured with "Harry the Bari", a giant teddy presented to her Grandpa, which became the Crawley Chordsmen's mascot.