Why "Barbershop" Harmony?

Almost every man gets the urge to sing at some time or other. His voice may be such that, for the sake of his family and peace in his neighborhood, he should confine it to a barrel at the bottom of a deep well, but the urge is still there.

 Conversely, there are countless males, from 18 to 81, who can sing acceptably and want to sing, but do not have the ambition or the courage to present themselves to a formal choral singing group for a tryout, or subject themselves to the necessary practice and disciplines if accepted. Furthermore, many of them feel that conventional chorus work lacks the spontaneity and sparkle inherent to vocally “doin’ what comes nacherly.”

 Today the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc., furnishes the outlet for self-expression that many thousands yearned for but never found, until they joined this organization. However, in no sense does it attempt to replace the conventional men’s chorus or glee club.

 In the early stages, the Society’s members usually made up in volume for what they lacked in quarteting quality. But such a movement was found to attract many really expert practitioners in the noble art of “catch-as-catch-can” harmonizing -- grass-roots singing in the American tradition -- the kind that can fill the souls (and sometimes the eyes) of the singers and the audience.

 One doesn't have to be an expert or possess a musical degree to sing with the “Barbershoppers.” However, the intricate harmony patterns of barbershop quartet singing represent a real challenge to the expert vocalist as well as the average singer. There are many in the Society, with fine musical backgrounds, who marvel at the effects obtained from group singing of four-part barbershop arrangements. So expert have some become that SPEBSQSA choruses are rated highly, even by the music critics who were inclined to take Barbershopping with a grain of salt in the early days of its mass revival.

The movement attracted the interest of substantial men everywhere, with the result that the Society is more soundly organized and financed than most international social organizations. Its regional and International contests are news from coast to coast and its voices are heard regularly on local and national radio broadcasts throughout the United States and Canada.

 Society welcomes into membership good citizens from every walk of life who get a lift from being an essential part of a chord of music, whether it originates from the heart or from the official Society arrangements. Its chapters offer a wholesome hobby. It provides an outlet for the man who has the urge to sing. It gives him the opportunity to make lasting friendships both at home and in far away areas. SPEBSQSA provides a release from the stresses of modern living, through membership in an organization that has gained the respect and affection of millions who turn out regularly to hear its performances.

 If you are interested, we have space on the risers for YOU, every Tuesday night at 7:30 PM, at the Valley Oaks Village Apartments. Just give us a call at 661-309-3052, and remember...