Author: Amanda Cornaglia

Intergenerational Showcase at the Grand Ole Opry

Day 2 at #BHSOpry in Nashville was dedicated to the youngest and oldest members of the barbershop community with the day-long Junior and Senior Chorus Invitationals.

23 choruses with singers ranging in age from 9 to 94 crossed the hallowed stage at the Grand Ole Opry, treating the audience to three songs each. The shine of the costumes were only outdone by the smiles of the performers, with eight choruses earning the top rating of Superior including:

A CAPPELLA! (James Hubert Blake High School, Silver Spring, MD)
Chandler High School Treblemakers (Chandler High School, Chandler, AZ)
Harmony Explosion Chorus (Columbus High School, Columbus, NE)
Hurricane of Harmony (Gaither High School, Tampa, FL)
Provo High School Combined Choirs (Provo High School, Provo, UT)
Rowdy Rhythm (Peters Township High School, McMurray, PA)
Dixie District Seniors Chorus (Dixie District)
Carolina Statesmen (Carolinas District)

Hurricane of Harmony directed by Debbie Cleveland earned the Plateau AAA Award, A CAPPELLA! directed by Sandra Zinkievich the Plateau AA Award, and Upbeat! from Lopez Early College High School in Brownsville, TX earned the Plateau A Award. Hurricane of Harmony also won the Audience Favorite Award, meaning we’ll get to see a reprise of their set during the Saturday Night Show.

The special Presenter’s Award was given to the Wildcat Chord Ringers, a group of nine elementary and middle school students from Quinton Township School in New Jersey. The youngest performers of the day not only pulled off some great chords, but also several wardrobe changes and full theatrics that kept the audience laughing.

The day also included honoring NAfME Music Educator of the Year Lori Lyford who led both her women’s chorus, Chandler High School Treblemakers and the Chandler High School Men’s Choir onto the Opry Stage.

In a field of accomplished singers and longtime members, the Dixie District Seniors Chorus was named the International Seniors Chorus Festival Champion. They are led by director Jimmy Tompkins.

A Win For Youth and Heritage at #BHSOpry

The first day of contest and shows at the 2019 BHS Midwinter Convention was especially significant. It started with the first-ever Next Generation Junior Quartet Contest and ended with a barn-burning Heritage of Harmony Show on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry.

The significance of both events is the demonstration of the Barbershop Harmony Society’s ongoing mission of “Everyone in Harmony” with a focus on youth and the roots of barbershop in African-American music tradition.

15 young quartets, all singers under the age of 18, took the stage in front of a rowdy crowd in the ballroom at Opryland. There were both men’s and women’s quartets and one mixed quartet. While most of the singers were in high school, Elementary Mix from Quinton, NJ – a quartet of elementary school students – charmed the crowd with their rendition of “The Chordbusters March.”

At the end of the contest, the Quin-Tones, a men’s quartet from Salem, NJ, took home the gold medals with a score of 219 points, edging out both 2nd and 3rd by just one point. Singing “My Ideal,” these young gentlemen demonstrated musicality and personality far beyond their years.

Tying for 2nd and 3rd were Singing Double, a quartet of two sets of twins from Tampa, FL, and Vintage Mix, seasoned barbershopping quadruplets from Milwaukee, WI.

Singing Double
Singing Double; Photo: Rick Krebsbach
Vintage Mix
Vintage Mix; Photo: Rick Krebsbach

 

See the full results.

The excitement carried right across the street to the iconic Grand Ole Opry for the Heritage of Harmony Show, featuring The Fisk Jubilee Singers, The Fairfield Four, HALO, Crossroads, Signature, After Hours, and a cameo from Throwback.

The evening was a true celebration of barbershop not only coming to terms with a segregated past, but celebrating a new path forward where diversity and inclusion is paramount.

HALO and The Fairfield Four
HALO and The Fairfield Four at Grand Ole Opry

One Minute With: Vintage Mix

The festivities at #BHSOpry are just getting underway and the NextGen Junior Quartet Contest kicks off the contests Thursday at 4 pm Central.

One of the top groups heading into the contest is Vintage Mix, a mixed quartet of quadruplets from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We caught up with them just after a live interview on the storied WSM Radio in Opryland.

Here is One Minute With: Vintage Mix –

New Tunesday – January 22, 2019

The great music keeps on rolling in – here are some of our favorite new releases this week:

The Swingles

An original folk tune written by group tenor, Oliver Griffiths, is the perfect way to celebrate your most important relationships this new year.

Peter Hollens

The one man a cappella band brings his favorite song from Lion King. Enjoy the many faces and sounds from this irrefutable YouTube star.

The AcaLumni Project

What a nice surprise it was for the Acaville team to get a virtual Valentine from the world’s first internet-based a cappella group. “You’ve Got a Friend” is the latest release from this group of a cappella alumni from around the world. Like what you hear? Send your own valentine this year with their help!

Jared Halley

The Ohio-based YouTube star with many clones released his latest cover – this time of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

HIVE

We’re not sure there’s ever been a video that perfectly captured the essence of a group like this one. Enjoy “On and Ever Onward” arranged by Lisa Forkish.

Rifftide

Born out of the very active BYU a cappella scene, this cover of “Dream” is visually stunning with cinematography work from Tyler Edwards.

RANGE

With a roster full of up and coming Broadway stars, Range out of NYC covers Meadowlark with full blessing from Stephen Schwartz.

燃点人声乐团Ignite Vocal

Is it just us, or does it feel like we’re ready for another boy band wave? In the meantime, here’s 18 boy bands in one pretty package from Ignite Vocal out of China.