HEX. Harmonious Christmas Greetings. and a happy Sing Barbershop New Year! HARMONY EXPRESS DECEMBER ISSUE 335

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1 HEX The official publication of The British Association of Barbershop Singers DECEMBER ISSUE 335 HARMONY EXPRESS Harmonious Christmas Greetings and a happy Sing Barbershop New Year!

2 Page 2 Harmony Express December 2017 HARMONY EXPRESS Published by the Marketing Department of the British Association of Barbershop Singers. All rights reserved. Copyright Editorial Please send all articles and photographs to: harmonyexpress@singbarbershop.com Moving House? Change of ? membershipsecretary@singbarbershop.com The editor reserves the right to edit any material in the interest of clarity, accuracy or suitability to fit the space available, and the decision of the editor as to the publication of any material is final. Advertising in Harmony Express See costs on the Harmony Express page of the BABS web site or contact: harmonyexpress@singbarbershop.com Diary Dates th January BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry 20th January Guild of Judges Exec Meeting 16th - 21st January BHS Mid-Winter Convention Orange County, CA 27th - 28th January BABS Directors Academy Nottingham 17th February Great Western Chorus BarberSoul Show Bristol 17th - 18th February Guild of Judges Seminar Walsall 17th March BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry 18th March BABS AGM Coventry 5th - 8th April Spanish Barbershop Convention Benalmadena 13th May Mixed Quartet Contest Gateshead 25th - 28th May BABS 44th Annual Convention Harrogate 8th June Guild of Judges Exec Meeting 23rd - 24th June BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry 1st - 8th July BHS International Convention Orlando 28th - 29th July BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry 24th - 26th August BABS 40th Harmony College Nottingham 15th September BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry 16th September BABS Autumn Members Meeting Coventry 26th - 28th October LABBS Convention Harrogate 24th November BABS Board & Charity Trustees Meeting Coventry nd - 27th January BHS Mid-Winter Convention Nashville 24th - 27th May BABS 45th Annual Convention Bournemouth 30th June - 7th July BHS International Convention Salt Lake City Next Issue: February Copy Date: 30th January

3 The British Association of Barbershop Singers Executive Directors & Charity Trustees Chairman Peter Cookson T: E: Vice Chairman Martin Baglow T: E: Finance Director Paul Williams T: E: Marketing Director Laurie Whittle T: M: E: Administration Director Ashley Baker T: E: Music Services Director Alan Hughes T: E: Membership Services Director Colin Roper T: M: E: Special Events Director Derek Parmenter T: E: The British Association of Barbershop Singers A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. Registered Office: 6 Corunna Court, Corunna Road, Warwick, United Kingdom CV34 5HQ Registered Company No: Registered Charity Ref No: The British Association of Barbershop Singers is affiliated to the Barbershop Harmony Society in America. Members of Making Music and the Association of British Choral Directors in the UK. The Chairman Signs In BABS and the Barbershop Harmony Society On 6th December 1975, BABS entered in to an Affiliation Agreement with SPEBSQSA (now known as the Barbershop Harmony Society) for the purposes of preserving and encouraging barbershop harmony in the UK. The Agreement was signed by Don Amos, Chairman of BABS and Barrie Best, Executive Director of the Society. This agreement came about following significant promotion of barbershop in the UK by SPEBSQSA at the request of the newly formed British Association. For example, in May 1974 Barrie Best led a 100 man chorus made up of 75 chapters from 19 States and 4 Canadian provinces on the first Society sponsored tour of the UK. 93 non singers also accompanied them. Since those early days our affiliation with BHS has grown to become a strong bond of fellowship in barbershop harmony. Through 2017 BABS and BHS have been reviewing the terms of the Affiliation Agreement and in November signed revised documents which better reflect the status of BABS as a mature organisation. Key elements of the new agreements which directly benefit individual BABS members are: * A 25% discount on music and merchandise purchased from the BHS online store * Access to the weekly BHS Livewire news update * Access to the Society s digital Harmonizer magazine * Member pricing for attending Society s educational events (e.g. Harmony University) Other changes are of relevance to the development of the BABS Guild of Judges and general education and training. * Access given to BABS judges to BHS judges training material * Participation of BHS certified judges from time to time at our Convention Peter Cookson BABS Chairman Page 3 to augment the BABS judging panels * Participation of BHS trained specialists in our educational and training events Finally there are important changes to the qualification rules for BABS choruses and quartets to compete at International. From now on the highest scoring national chorus, national quartet and senior quartet in our domestic contests will automatically qualify for International when judged by a panel of BABS judges. (Until now competitors had to be invited by the Society to compete unless they achieved a defined minimum score when judged by a panel of BHS judges). Additional competitors are eligible to enter for wild card positions. Youth quartets will still be accepted by video submission. These arrangements put BABS competitors on a comparable entry process to BHS districts. With these rules we believe quartets will be encouraged to stay together as they can recompete for an International place and it ensures the best competitors represent BABS at International. These changes won t have a major impact on your weekday rehearsals but they are significant as we develop BABS position within the global barbershop fraternity. With best wishes from all the Board for a Happy Christmas and Harmonious Peter Cookson BABS Chairman

4 Page 4 Harmony Express December 2017

5 Recruitment & Retention A Challenge! Page 5 Despite the likelihood of yet another new chorus competing in Harrogate next year, the challenge to recruit and retain members in the face of ever increasing competition for people's leisure time is evident from these numbers. The Influence figure highlights the importance of maintaining a high club profile in your locality through frequent public appearances which, more often than not, encourage potential members to give it a go, at a subsequent weekly session, or forthcoming well targetted Time To Sing Event. It's also no surprise that the majority of T2S events take place in the last quarter of the year when people are looking for activities to fill those Winter nights was made available to fund Time to Sing in 2017, with nineteen held during the year, resulting in me sending out almost 200 new member welcome packs. As well as a grant of up to 200 along with 1000 free A5 leaflets + subsidised extras, free demographic analysis and subsidised distribution of high volume leaflets, enhancements will be made to the materials available in 2018 including free dots + tracks for You ll Never Walk Alone. Chairmen s Days at Directors Academy and Convention We're grateful to Chairmen who attended either or both of these in 2017 for agreeing, with the BABS Board, objectives intended to benefit all clubs, including the sharing of good and bad experiences relating to Time to Sing events, to MD recruitment and to using Making Music resources, to enable us to develop best practise guidelines. We would like these to be available for the next Club Chairmen's Meeting, but need to ask for more experiences to be shared please. Regional Events Those meetings also led to the recent staging of the two new and very successful Regional Events reported elsewhere in this magazine. Fancy hosting a Regional Event in your area? My presentation at the Autumn Members Meeting encouraged Club Chairmen to collaborate in proposing similar or more locally appropriate get-togethers in 2018 and ing them to me as soon as possible for the BABS board to consider. Funds are limited so first come first served. Teach tracks for Polecats Volume One For our 40th celebration in 2014, the regard in which BABS is held by our American colleagues, enabled us to make a special arrangement to issue these Tim Waurick teach tracks to every member, free of charge. This was then extended to allow subsequent new members to receive them two per month, with each of my six welcome s. New members registered with BABS in October will be the last to commence the two tracks per month cycle as this arrangement ends on 31st December 2017, by which time clubs should ensure they have these tracks locally available to their members including newbies registered in August, September and October. Colin Roper BABS Membership Services Director membershipdirector@singbarbershop.com New! BABS National Barbershopper of the Year 2017 This new annual award will recognise an outstanding individual contribution to UK Barbershop by a BABS Club member. Please nominations to me by the end of this year so that the BABS board can consider them in time to announce the recipient at the AGM in March So who is your local barbershop hero? Colin Roper BABS Membership Services Director membershipdirector@singbarbershop.com Do you have a local barbershop hero?

6 Page 6 Harmony Express December 2017 CORPORATE MATTERS Summary of the BABS Autumn Members Meeting The Board would like to thank all clubs who were able to send representatives to the meeting at Aston University on Sunday 17th September. The following is a brief summary of the main points from the meeting. Chairman s Update Peter Cookson, BABS chairman, provided an update on some of the key activities that BABS have been involved with since the AGM, and gave an overview of the bursaries awarded to chorus and quartet contest winners. Peter moved on to describe the various visits he had been on such as to the BHS international contest in Las Vegas and the SNOBS convention. Music Services Alan Hughes, Music Services Director, updated the meeting on the big events and developments since the AGM: Convention: 37 choruses competed in Bournemouth with an average score across all competitors of up from 63.6 last year. Alan congratulated all contest and divisional winners and talked about the movement between divisions. Alan also congratulated Portobello Road for winning the quartet contest and the competitors who attended BHS international. Sing for Pleasure: Alan talked about the strengthening relationship between BABS and Sing for Pleasure (SFP), an organisation who are involved with musical education. SFP ran a workshop for music teachers focussing on Barbershop which was a great success. Harmony College: Alan described another successful weekend with lots of positive feedback. Alan also gave details of a very special 40th anniversary Harmony College in 2018 where there will be lots of new stream additions and the guest educators will be Jonny Moroni, David Wright and Vocal Spectrum. Directors Academy: Alan confirmed this will take place in Nottingham at the end of January 2018 and the guest educator will be Don Rose, who will focus on swing music. Quartet Development: Alan talked about the importance of Quartet Exploration days and said he was looking for someone to manage the process - any interested parties should contact Alan direct on musicservicesdirector@singbarbershop.com Membership Colin Roper, Membership Services Director, highlighted the following projects: Time to Sing: 5 clubs have run courses so far in 2017 with 9 more planned, and 157 new member packs have been sent out. Regional Events: One event has already taken place in early September with 82 singers representing 15 clubs, and another is due to take place at the end of September in Yorkshire. Mixed Chorus Contest: Colin announced that the contest will take place on the Sunday of convention before the quartet finals. Barbershopper of the Year: Colin announced a new national award for local heroes to be awarded at convention next year. Any nominations need to be sent to Colin by 31st December Special Events Derek Parmenter, Special Events Director, gave updates on the following: 2017 convention: Derek commented on a successful and well-attended convention which overcame heightened security and saw the first time of the on demand service to watch performances after the event. Nearly 30,000 views have taken place since May Convention: Derek confirmed this would take place in Harrogate and the guest act would be Central Standard Chorus from America. Derek confirmed that several new initiatives were under review, and also that mixed chorus competitors will need at least a day registration for the Sunday to compete in the contest. Derek also announced that the 2019 convention will take place in Bournemouth. Prelims 2017: These will take place in Manchester and will also host the BinH mixed quartet competition, with Mixed Quartets and the Senior competition taking place on the Saturday and the Youth and Open contest on the Sunday. Derek announced that the 2018 prelims will also take place in Manchester. Marketing Laurie Whittle, Marketing Director, gave a detailed description of how BABS have been growing skills through External marketing, Developing partnerships, Quality presentation (what we do, what we say and how we say it both internally and externally) and showed examples of Brand building across BABS and how they are presented across the various national events. Administration Ashley Baker, Administration Director, gave the following updates: Departmental Vacancies: There are vacancies for an Campaign Manager, Harmony Foundation Development Officer and Young People In Harmony Co-ordinator. Please see the adverts in this edition of HEX for more information on this. Ashley also announced his intention to stand down from his role as Administration Director at the end of 2018 so appealed for attendees to consider potential candidates at their clubs. Continued over...

7 Insurance: Ashley gave an overview of the agreement that BABS has with Making Music which means all BABS clubs have public liability insurance and gave information on how clubs can get the insurance details. Young People in Harmony: Ashley gave an overview of the Board s strategy and invited Windsor Rackham, YPIH co-ordinator, to talk about the current projects and how the project is moving forward. Harmony Foundation: Ashley gave details on the 11 scholarships awarded for Harmony College. Finance Paul Williams, Finance Director, presented the 2018 budget to the attendees and he thanked the Directors for all their help throughout the year. Peter Cookson reminded the attendees that this was Paul s last Members Meeting on the board and thanked Paul for his long service. Resolutions The Members voted unanimously in favour of the following three resolutions: 1. To raise the annual BABS subscription from 45 to To appoint Pippa Goodall (Capital Chorus) to the position of Finance Director, effective 1st January To re-elect all other Directors. Discussion item - Distribution of Polecat 2 Vale of York asked if the board planned to distribute the Polecat 2 teach tracks in the same way that the Polecat 1 tracks were distributed ahead of the 40th Anniversary. The board said that there were no current plans to do this and they had not budgeted for this so to do this would take funds from other projects. Discussion item BABS Digital presence The attendee from Vale of York gave an impassioned presentation to the meeting offering their services to assist BABS and its member clubs with digital expertise. The board agreed to consult with them to decide how best to get them involved. Anyone wishing to see the full AGM minutes should contact their nominated Company Representative Ashley Baker BABS Administration Director and Company Secretary The British Association of Barbershop Singer Next Members Meetings Annual General Meeting Sunday 18th March 2018 New Venue Holiday Inn Coventry M6 Junction 2 Hinckley Road, Coventry CV2 2HP Campaign Manager Page 7 Opportunities to Get Involved These vacancies open up the opportunity for individuals to get involved with BABS at a national level. All posts are voluntary. Closing date for applications: 31st December 2017 BABS are looking for someone to become our new Campaign Manager (ECM) as the current ECM has decided to step down. The ECM would be responsible for receiving campaign briefs from board directors, creating templates, managing campaigns and reporting on results. Ideal candidate would have experience of managing campaigns through systems such as MailChimp, Aweber, GetResponse, or similar. BABS currently send out approximately 5-7 campaigns to our membership each month so this is likely to take up to around 20 hours per month. Interested? Contact Ash Baker by ing administrationdirector@singbarbershop.com Harmony Foundation Development Officer Do you have what it takes to develop and grow a grant-giving charity which aims to promote and educate people in Barbershop Harmony? We are looking for a dynamic, proactive, and innovative individual to work with the board of trustees to: * Develop grant-giving strategies and new initiatives * Develop and maintain a fundraising strategy to ensure a steady stream of funds to the charity * Work with the BABS marketing team to ensure that the Foundation is visible and available to BABS members and the general public * Be a point of reference for all stakeholders on matters relating to the charity, respond to queries and be a visible presence at BABS events where appropriate (e.g. convention) Experience in the charity sector is desirable but not essential. Interested? Contact Ash Baker by ing administrationdirector@singbarbershop.com Young People in Harmony Co-ordinator Are you passionate about increasing youth participation in Barbershop? We are looking for a good communicator who is driven and proactive to work with the board of directors to: * Maintain contact with clubs already running youth projects * Assist and encourage clubs to start new youth projects * Liaise with external organisations * Regularly report to the board and feed into strategy discussions This role will mainly focus on projects for school age children but will also have links with university-age projects. Experience in education or other youth music activities is desirable but not essential. Interested? Contact Ash Baker by ing administrationdirector@singbarbershop.com

8 Page 814 British Association of Barbershop Singers 44th Annual Convention 25th - 28th May 2018 From Alan Bithell Harmony Express December 2017 Harrogate Headline Guest Central Standard Chorus Barbershop Harmony Society 2017 International Third Placed Chorus Harrogate The Place to Be in 2018! Register at BABS Convention Manager For many of us in BABS, we are currently in that limbo between conventions. If you are a competitor, you may have already started learning or rehearsing the songs you will perform next May. And, whether a competitor or a viewing delegate you may have already purchased your registration and show tickets whilst in Bournemouth last May. So you are virtually set and only need to keep your eyes on the Convention website to ensure you know what the weekend has in store for you. Two thirds of you are yet to purchase your registrations and show tickets which are available for you from the Box Office. For those of you who focus on the one day of your contest performance, or perhaps only enjoy the one day of chorus contests, we have created the Prime Package of a two-day registration plus the Saturday evening show at a very special discount. Why not take advantage of this and see what else our event has to offer. One event which is now available for so many more to experience is the Mixed Chorus Contest, which has been a trial for the past couple of years and due to its success is being brought into the mainstream Sunday schedule. There will be a maximum of eight choruses competing within this contest so if you wish to take part, the application details and the entry deadline are on the web site. Another trial which was a resounding success last year was the on-demand service, providing access to the contest recordings from a few days after the event right through to next May. We will be offering a similar service for Sing2018.

9 The Place to be in 2018 Page 9 This is in addition to the excellent recording and fold-back sound system which has added to the contestants performance experience and has been complimented by so many over the past couple of years. As a singer with Cottontown Chorus I can say with confidence that BABS contest sound system compares very favourably to that which we faced on the International stage in Las Vegas. Also worth watching out for will be the advertisements for themed meal days and special meal with a drink prices. You may be glad of the chance to stay put, relax and eat at the venue rather than wander around the packed restaurants of Harrogate. It is probably very early to think about this but we will have professional security services at the venue doors and bag searches will be taking place. Make sure that you plan your weekend so you do not descend on the doors in massed numbers expecting to dash in for your performance time - allow yourself some flexibility. Hopefully this is enough to think about for now but as always, keep your eyes peeled for developments on our Convention website. Alan Bithell BABS Convention Manager Visit the BABS Convention Web Site Over 50 hours of Singing, Entertainment and Fun! The Place to be for Singing From Friday through to Monday morning. Whether you re competing, singing tags, quarteting, attending the massed sing or taking part in the afterglows, there ll be plenty of opportunity to sing and ring some chords. The Place to be for Entertainment Three brilliant shows with top quality barbershop acts, plus of course our International guests, Central Standard Chorus from Kansas City. Plus we have our legendary Convention Party on Sunday night with the chance to take a break from barbershop and dance the night away! The Place to be for Enjoyment Convention is more than just contests, there are plenty of events for you to attend. These include masterclasses, workshops, sing a tag, sing with the champs, church service and the massed sing. The Place to be for Competition An exciting prospect, with Quartet contests on Friday and Sunday, the Chorus contest on Saturday and the Mixed Chorus contest on Sunday. There will be over 1200 competitors on stage throughout the weekend. The Place to be for Friendship What makes our Conventions such a success is the interaction of everyone who comes. It s a great time to socialise, eat, drink, meet up with old friends and make new ones too. The Place to be for Exploring Harrogate is one of the most beautiful towns in the UK, with immaculately maintained green spaces. A shoppers paradise with independent boutiques alongside High Street names. There are restaurants offering the best choice, pavement cafes, plus of course, the famous Bettys. Start planning your 2018 Convention now! It s Your Convention Make a Weekend of it! Register Now! Come and Harmonise in Harrogate

10 Page 10 Harmony Express December 2017 Barbershop Singers Favourite THE VENUE The Harrogate Convention Centre is a purpose built venue, with plenty of room for everyone. The large comfortable auditorium is cool and airy with floor and tiered seating giving good views of the stage. There are ample bars and plenty of food options. The Convention Centre is close to restaurants and shops and there is a wide choice of hotel accommodation from 4-star to friendly B&Bs. Harrogate is the home to the award-winning Turkish Baths and Health Spa. Restored to its original Edwardian glory, it offers the very latest in spa treaments as well as a traditional Turkish Bath experience - not to be missed. THE TOWN Harrogate is one of the most beautiful towns in the UK, this former Spa town destination has wide leafy avenues, pavement cafes and boutique shops. Characteristic architecture, grand boulevards, immaculately maintained green spaces, it is consistently voted as one of the best places in the UK to live. A shoppers paradise; independent boutiques nestle alongside High Street names offering something for everyone. There is a world of food on to choose from, with restaurants offering the best choice from around the globe, plus of course, the famous Bettys. Many are within walking distance of the Conference Centre. Harrogate sits on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors. There is much to visit in the area including Bolton Abbey, Fountains Abbey and Harrogate s RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Why not bring the family and consider extending your stay and enjoy the special atmosphere of Harrogate and North Yorkshire. If you are planning to bring the family, then there s plenty of family friendly places to visit. Start planning your visit soon! A Friendly and Welcoming Town

11 Page 11 Registration & Show Tickets Book Now! It s cheaper to Buy in Advance Venue Cymru, based in Llandudno, have done a superb job for us since 2011, and we have appointed them to act as our booking office for SING2018 in Harrogate. They will handle sales and despatch of all registrations and show tickets bought up to the 9th May. After that the BABS Box Office at Venue Cymru is closed. Registrations and show tickets will then be on sale at Convention from the BABS Registration desk, which is open from 9.30 on Friday 25th May Registration Options (Shows not included) Full Weekend: Friday through to Monday. Access to all contests and events. Two-Day: Saturday & Sunday. Access to all contests and events on those two days. One-Day: Either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Access to all contests and events on the chosen day. Book Now! The Box Office will be open Monday to Friday for telephone orders (Online bookings open 24 hours, 7days a week). All payments will be processed by Venue Cymru. Please provide actual name and chorus/quartet title for each person, this information will be used on the Registration Badge. If you use Ditto, then Ditto will appear! Corrections or amendments after you have received your badges, will be subject to an admin charge. So take care! Bookings for 10 People or Less You can purchase your registrations and show tickets as follows: * On line at * By telephone: (Weekday office hours only) Once payment for your registration and tickets has been made, you will be contacted by the team at Venue Cymru to provide the name details for each attendee along with the club, chorus or quartet name. Bookings for Groups over 10 People For group bookings you can place your order for registrations and show tickets directly with Rachel at Venue Cymru who will be looking after registrations: * By telephone: (Weekday office hours only) * By BABSRegistrations@venuecymru.co.uk You will be sent an electronic form for you to list the delegate names. This should be returned quickly to complete the booking and full payment taken. Please note that only when the form is returned and payment is made, that Registrations and Show Tickets will be reserved. So get your form back as soon as possible. Everyone attending, or wanting to enter the convention centre, must either register and pay a registration fee or purchase a separate show ticket as appropriate. The purchase of a show ticket gives limited access for a period of 30 minutes prior to and immediately after a show for the selected show only. Access to any other event(s) or activity is not permitted. Registrations up to 9th May 2018 The Box Office will sell these and Show Tickets up to 5.30pm on the 9th May These will be posted direct to you by Venue Cymru. After that Registrations and Show tickets can only be bought at convention. Payments processed by Venue Cymru. Registration at Convention Available for purchase from BABS Registration Desk. Show tickets will also be on sale. Payment at Convention Credit/Debit Card - processed by BABS Cheques - make payable to BABS SPECIAL OFFER The Prime Package 2-Day Registration and Saturday Show BOUGHT BEFORE 9th MAY Registration Prices 1 Day Registration 2 Day Registration BUYING AT CONVENTION Registration Prices Show Ticket Prices Full Registration Adult Under Junior (5-16 yrs) Under 5 s Free Free Free Friday Evening Saturday Evening Sunday Evening Adult Under Junior (5-16 yrs) Show Ticket Prices Friday Evening Saturday Evening Sunday Evening Adult Under Junior (5-16 yrs) Day Registration 2 Day Registration Full Registration Adult Under Junior (5-16 yrs) ONLY Offer ends 31st January 2018 Get full access to all events on Saturday and Sunday, plus a seat for the big show on Saturday evening featuring our guest chorus Under 5 s Free Free Free Harrogate - The Place to be in 2018

12 Page 12 Harmony Express December 2017 Having a Good Time! Harmony College 39 Weekend

13 BABS Harmony Foundation Supports Harmony College Page 13 Harmony Foundation Scholarship recipients pictured with Peter Cookson (extreme left) at the Jubilee Campus of Nottingham University Joe Liles Award: Directors Scholarship: College Chorus Scholarship: Personal Development Scholarship: Audition Chorus: John Ellis Scholarship: Quartet Scholarship: New Member Scholarship: Special Award: Report from Anna Thackwray Wow! What can I say?! I have been introduced to yet another wonderfully fabulous world of Music. The Harmony College weekend was amazing, I have met some of the most friendly, passionate and extremely talented "Barbershoppers". The learning: Well, I could write a book with all the different techniques I have learnt about and totally plan to apply these to the classroom. Barbershop/acapella will definitely be part of the music programme at Stamford Welland Academy. Watch this space! I would like to thank Ron Moore (from Shannon Express), who has supported me and my barbershop activities at SWA, and BABS for honouring me this amazing opportunity to further develop my musical knowledge. This is one of the beauties of Music; there is always something else to learn. Rob Mance, Portobello Road, Neil Firth and many more... Fountains of invaluable information, knowledge and talent. I look forward to using these new skills to progress our vocal skill at SWA and keeping up-to-date with any local Barbershop events that may be of interest to my students and I. Thank you so, so much Anna Thackwray Stamford Welland Academy HARMONY FOUNDATION 11 Full Scholarships Awarded Robert Gall (MUBS) Nick Jones (Bristol), Martin Proctor(Reading) Jacob Pearce (Reading) Andy Bird (Harpenden), Jonathan Stevenson (Bristol) Alistair Wall (Bristol) John Masters (Ocean Harmony) Joshua Ellingford (Sheffield) Douglas Hill (Harpenden) Anna Thackwray (Cambridgeshire Teacher) Donations HARMONY FOUNDATION The charity exists to develop and promote harmony singing through encouragement, development and education. Donations are used to provide grants to help people to develop their skills and extend their musical knowledge. WAYS TO DONATE ONE-OFF DONATIONS These can be made at any time through the Charities Aids Foundation via the BABS web site. BEQUESTS You can leave a legacy in your will. PLANNED GIVING Set aside a small amount monthly by direct debit. EASY FUNDRAISING Donate by purchasing your online shopping at no extra cost to you. An easy way of helping us. MORE INFORMATION Contact: Ashley Baker, BABS Administration Director E: administrationdirector@singbarbershop.com HARMONY FOUNDATION

14 Page 14 Harmony Express December 2017 Views from Harmony College A Weekend of Learning, Singing and Fun

15 Page 15 A Fabulous Barbershop Event 246 Get in Harmony at the 39th Harmony College

16 Page 16 BARBERSHOP IN HARMONY Harmony Express December Mixed Quartet Contest Sunday 13th May 2018 The Sage - Gateshead The Contest Following the rotation protocol, the 2018 Barbershop in Harmony s Mixed Quartet Contest will be hosted by Region 31 Sweet Adelines International, during their 2018 Convention in May. Venue The Sage in Gateshead, located on the bank of the River Tyne, right opposite the famous Newcastle Quayside. Eligibility Mixed quartet can consist of any combination of males and females. However, all singers must be a member of one of the three Barbershop in Harmony organisations. Entries These will be handled by Sweet Adelines. Entry fee is 30 per quartet and the contest is limited to 15 quartets. Winners will receive a 500 Closing Date award. Closing date is the 14th January 2018, 14th January 2018 Hurry - get your application in to Sweet Adelines through their web site below. Barbershop in Harmony, is a collaboration between: The Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS). Region 31(Quartet of Nations) Sweet Adelines International and the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS). With a collective voice of over 6000 singers, the three organisations are working together to promote and raise the profile of barbershop singing in the UK.

17 A Great Weekend of Learning, Singing & Fun! Page 17 The British Association of Barbershop Singers are celebrating 40 years of Harmony College. This is a weekend for all barbershop singers to enjoy. We have courses to suit all levels of experience, some that concentrate on singing, whilst others are there to develop knowledge of music and the craft of barbershop harmony singing. Exciting Choice of Streams Audition Chorus Stream Due to popular demand there will be two audition choruses, each led by a leading USA director. These are aimed at experienced singers who want to work at a high level. Audition by recording. College Chorus Stream For those singers who want to experience performing with a big chorus. No audition required, Directing Stream Aims to unravel the true scope of the director s role within a chorus. Save the Date 24th - 26th August 2018 Quartet Stream For male, female & mixed quartets to learn from some of the best coaches. Personal Development Stream A choice of courses, designed to help enhance personal knowledge. Extreme Quartet Stream Spend the weekend singing six songs, and then singing them with different quartets. Youth Chorus Stream An opportunity for younger singers to get together with similar aged barbershoppers. The chorus will be led by leading educators. College Prospectus and Booking Details available in the New Year! Look out for full details of the BABS 40th Harmony College, when they are published on the BABS Harmony College web site: College Educators An experienced team of UK Educators will deliver quality education across a wide range of subjects. They will inspire, motivate and enthrall you, in a unique and friendly atmosphere. Guest Educators To mark the 40th Anniversary, we have some special barbershop educators from the USA including; Vocal Spectrum, David Wright, Jonny Maroni and Justin Miller. Outstanding reasons why you should attend this unmissable BABS educational event. Be Part of the Big Celebration Bigger, better and more exciting, the BABS 40th Harmony College is one not to be missed! Harmony College YEARS 40th Harmony College August 2018 Jubilee Campus Nottingham University

18 82 Members Attend Inaugural BABS Regional Event Page 18 Harmony Express December 2017 At Directors Academy in January 2017, Club Chairmen and the BABS board agreed that it would benefit members to encourage clubs local to each other to propose organising events of mutual interest which BABS would support. Andy Vaughan, Chairman of Ouse Valley Chorus, put his hand up to organise the first one based on his and surrounding smaller choruses wish for the opportunity, outside of Harmony College, to sing in a big chorus - and the plan to hold Andy s BIG BABS Chorus Day was hatched. So while principally aimed at BABS members within 90 minutes drive of the venue, newbie barbershoppers and 40 year Convention veterans alike arrived from as far afield as Edinburgh and Bristol, all with the expectation of both a great social event and top-class coaching from two of BABS best, Duncan Whinyates and Zac Booles. 82 singers representing 15 clubs met at The College of Animal Welfare near Huntingdon on Saturday 9th September to test their mettle on Rogers & Hammerstein's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone". And what a fabulously enjoyable experience we had under Duncan and Zac's expert direction and skilled coaching methods pitched at exactly the right level to ensure everybody gained something in terms of confidence and capability. Funded by BABS there was no entry fee to be in Andy s BIG Chorus, however attendees were happy to donate 463 to BABS Harmony Foundation Charity and, as thanks to the CAW staff for their contribution to a most successful event, 100 was also donated to their sponsored charity, Nowzad, which works to ease the plight of animals in war zones. Fancy hosting a Regional Event in your area? 463 Raised for Harmony Foundation My presentation at September's Autumn Members Meeting encouraged Club Chairmen to collaborate in proposing similar or more locally appropriate get togethers in 2018 and ing them to me as soon as possible for the BABS board to consider. Funds are limited so first come first served. Colin Roper BABS Membership Services Director

19 Page And Another 50 Voices In Harmony Together in Yorkshire Following discussions during the Club Chairman s meeting earlier this year, two of our northern smaller choruses decided to have a singing, social and coaching day with invitations sent to two local non BABS clubs, who, after all, enjoyed a common interest in barbershop style. With a grant from BABS to get the ball rolling, plus support and encouragement from Colin Roper, four choruses: Northern Accord, The White Rose Chorus, Harrogate Harmony and The Daytones met on Saturday 30th September at Starbeck Methodist Church near Harrogate. The emphasis was on socialising and singing, but with the element of coaching (led by Peter Bryant). The day started with a very relaxed and friendly warm-up with fifty plus men on the risers. After a short refreshment break each chorus performed a song of their choice, led by their own MD - and commented on by Peter, the idea being that, at the end of the day, a comparison could be made when they repeated that song (after the coaching session). By then it was time for lunch and meeting with friends old and new. Returning to the risers the whole group sang a preselected song Can You Feel the Love working on sound etc. The four MDs, Hazel Jiggins (White Rose Chorus), Les Maghee (Northern Acchord), Harold Blackburn (Harrogate Harmony) and Godfrey Churchouse (The Daytones) each contributing. Another break, then each chorus repeated their earlier song, with obvious improvements, A local cafe had agreed to supply pre-ordered sandwiches, but the majority took a packed lunch, with tea and coffee provided! The hospitality of the church was incredible, and the venue was ideal for our purpose, with every facility available. Regards Harry W Ambler The White Rose Chorus Advertising at Convention Reach over 2,500 Barbershop Singers Advertise Your Club - Advertise Your Quartet - Advertise Your Business Convention Programme The programme is A5 in size, printed in full colour throughout. Free to delegates Full Page Half Page Quarter Page For further information marketingdirector@singbarbershop.com Trade Stands There are a small number of display areas available Full Weekend Saturday & Sunday One Day For further information marketingdirector@singbarbershop.com

20 Page 20 Harmony Express December 2017 QUARTET PRELIMS Following the success of Prelims at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester last year, it was an easy decision to return this time round. Having only one suitable hall available, and an excellent field of entries, we again split the event by holding the Seniors' and Youth contests on the Saturday evening, with the remaining competitors singing the following day. Youth Contest Unfortunately there were only 3 entries in the Youth Contest this year. Congratulations go to 'Sound Hypothesis', who won with a score of 75.5%, compared to last year's winners who scored 71.3%. As well as receiving a 500 Bursary from BABS Harmony Foundation, they also qualified for the semi-final round of the National Quartet Contest in Harrogate next May. Second placed quartet Northern Quarter also made the draw. Seniors Contest This year there were 4 entries in the Seniors' contest (7 in 2016). 'Triggers Broom' winning gold with a score of 65.1%. They received a 500 Bursary from BABS Harmony Foundation. Last year s winners Three n Easy, competed for an International Qualifying score and will be BABS representatives at the Barbershop Harmony Society s Seniors Contest. BARBERSHOP IN HARMONY Prelims 2017 Another Great Barbershop Weekend 31 Quartets Compete Prelims Over the two days we heard 31 quartets, all vying to win a place in the top 16 and thereby securing a place in the semi-finals in Harrogate next May. Leading the field, with a score of 79.1%, were 'The Locksmiths', with 'Trailblazers' scoring next highest with 76.5%, followed by Fifth Element who scored 76.0%.. At Harrogate the sixteen qualifiers will be joined in the semi-finals by 'The Emerald Guard', 'Finest Hour' and 'Portobello Road', who will all be singing for a qualification score for International in So, using the Manchester venue again worked exceptionally well and Prelims will be held there next year. Huge thanks must go to Derek Parmenter, our Special Events Director, who managed the event as efficiently and un-flustered as usual, to the judges for a monumental task exceptionally well carried out, to the stage crew and technical teams, to all the spectators who were enthusiastic throughout, and, most importantly, to each and every singer who participated - a truly great job! 2017 Mixed Quartet Contest 17 Quartets Compete at the Royal Northern College of Music The Barbershop in Harmony Mixed Quartet contest is run on a rotational basis by the three UK organisations. This year s event was hosted and managed by BABS and ran over the same weekend as their Quartet Prelims. The contest, held on Saturday afternoon at the Royal Northern College of Music, featured 17 quartets, showing just how popular this form of barbershop singing has become. In front of a very enthusiastic audience, the quartets delivered some exceptional performances. The quality shone through too, with six of the quartets scoring more than 70%. In first place was Hannah and the Hurricanes scoring 78.5%, second was Scramble with 75.9% and third was Scandal with a score of 74.3%. The full results sheet is on the BABS Guild of Judges web site. Next year s contest will be hosted by Region 31 Sweet Adelines International, at their Convention in Gateshead. Andrea Day, Duncan Whinyates, Hannah Braham and Tim Briggs pictured with their individual awards, the Neil Watkins Trophy and of course their gold medals. They also received 500.

21 Page 21 Sound Hypothesis 2017 BABS Youth Quartet Champions Arran Bayliss-Chambers, Conrad Godfrey, Arun O Sullivan, Alex Moore 1. Sound Hypothesis 75.5% 2. Northern Quarter 72.1% 3. Wavelength 63.6% Triggers Broom 2017 BABS Seniors Quartet Champions Paul Jeffery, Andy Salter, Adrian Armstrong, Steve Cox 1. Triggers Broom 65.1% 2. Timeless 64.2% 3. Waikikamukau 57.3%

22 Page 22 Harmony Express December 2017 CHORUS COMPETITION Current Award Holders The Crawley Trophy - First Placed Chorus The Great Western Chorus of Bristol The Bristol Cup - Second Placed Chorus Hallmark of Harmony The Wearside Trophy - Third Placed Chorus Grand Central Chorus Jim Carter Small Chorus Trophy Meantime Chorus Cambridge Most Improved Chorus Scroll Ocean Harmony Division Two Winner Tuxedo Junction Division Three Winner Vocal Fusion Division Four Winner Ocean Harmony LABBS Entertainment Award Tuxedo Junction National Chorus Contest Chorus Finals Draw Saturday 25th May am 1. Kentones 2. Wight Harmony 3. The ViPs 4. Capital Chorus 5. Shannon Express 6. Vale Harmony 7. Vocal Fusion 8. Anvil Chorus 9. Ouse Valley Chorus 10. MK Acappella 11. Ocean Harmony 12. Kings of Herts 13. Meantime Chorus 14. Thames Valley Chorus 15. Cambridge Chord Company 16. Hull Barbershop Harmony Club 17. Rolling Hills Chorus 18. Cottontown Chorus 19. Oxford Harmony 20. Three Spires Harmony 21. Telfordaires 22. Sussex Harmonisers 23. Harmony Revival 24. Tuxedo Junction 25. Southern Union 26. Clwyd Clippers 27. White Rose Chorus 28. Harmony Lincs 29. Major Oak Chorus 30. Heart of England Chorus 31. 5Ways 32. Knights of Harmony 33. Mantunian Way 34. Grand Central Chorus 35. Fine City Chorus 36. Granite City Chorus 37. Solent City Chorus 38. Royal Harmonics 39. Spirit of Harmony QUARTET COMPETITION Current Award Holders The Tyneside Trophy - First Place Portobello Road Michael Sides Rose Bowl - Second Place The Locksmiths Ian Stone Trophy - Third Place The Britpack BQC Most Improved Quartet Trophy Tonic Sheng Pitch Pipe Novice Quartet Award Sound Hypothesis Seniors Quartet Trophy Triggers Broom Youth Quartet Trophy Sound Hypothesis National Quartet Contest Quartet Semi Finals Friday 25th May. 1.00pm 1. HeadQuarters 2. The Emerald Guard 3. The Brit Pack 4. Nova 5. Three N Easy 6. Poacher Relish 7. Incline 8. Northern Quarter 9. Sound Hypothesis 10. The Locksmiths Semi-Final Draw 11. Tonic 12. Portobello Road 13. Deadlock 14. Fifth Element 15. Trailblazers 16. Fling 17. Finest Hour 18. Kerfuffle 19. The Tagpipes International Qualification The Emerald Guard, Portobello Road and Finest Hour are competing to qualify for the Barbershop Harmony Society s 2019 International Contest. These quartets are not competing in the BABS National Quartet Contest.

23 Finest Hour European Quartet Champions Page 23 It has been an exciting time for us here in Finest Hour. In October we travelled to Bournemouth and came back as European Champions! What a feeling, but we didn t have long to let it sink in. Two weeks later, at prelims in Manchester, our mic cooling set saw our very own Old Man Trouble Phil Cuthbert retire in style, passing the baton over to new kid on the block Jonny Pipe. It was an emotional day all round, and we want to say a massive thanks to Phil for everything he gave to the quartet over the years, it was an absolute pleasure. Now on to the next chapter! As Jonny says, they are very big shoes to Phil. But it seems the future is really bright for the new Finest Hour line-up. Since our first public performance which was so well received in Manchester, we ve traveled up to Edinburgh to sing with the Rolling Hills Chorus and down to Cheltenham to work with Joe Cerutti, no rest for the wicked, eh! We re excited to continue the hard work going forward and are determined to keep improving and want to represent BABS to the very best of our ability. So, watch this space. We are always looking for performance opportunities to perform for you, the best audience in the world, and to help us with our fundraising to hopefully go to the BHS International in the future. Jonny Pipe joins Finest Hour So, please do get in touch! We ll see you in Harrogate for Sing can t wait! European Silver Medal Quartet Portobello Road European Mens Bronze Medal Chorus The Cottontown Chorus

24 Page 24 Harmony Express December 2017 Grand Central Chorus - Keeping Busy It s been a busy few months for Grand Central Chorus! Although the summer period can often be relatively quiet after the concentrated preparation for BABS Convention at the end of May, Grand Central Chorus has been busy over the past few months with various performances at local weddings and other events. This included the wedding of lead section member Keith Holland s daughter in mid-july when the chorus were invited to perform for guests. Keith then surprised the new bride and groom by singing Irish Blessing having secretly rehearsed the song with a scratch quartet from the chorus (and thanks to Bryan, Mark and Frank!). As you can see from all the smiling faces in the picture, those members who attended enjoyed it very much! The Chorus was then also well represented and involved in the 39th Annual BABS Harmony College at Nottingham University over August Bank Holiday, the organisation of which was again superbly led by our Chairman, Alan Goldsmith. This year we had a total of 13 GCC members involved either as part of the College Faculty or on one of a wide range of coaching streams available even our chorus risers made an appearance on the main stage! It was also great to see and hear the awesome Monkey Magic (Alan, Duncan, Joe and our MD, Zac) performing as a guest quartet on the Saturday evening show and celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the first time they all sang together as a quartet at Harmony College in 2007! The Chorus AGM took place in mid- September and was, as always, very efficiently organised by our Secretary, Ian Gooding. The 2017 GCC Barbershopper of the Year trophy was won by our vocal coach Richard Curtis (see picture) who contributes so much to the chorus not only as part of our superb in-house arranging team (along with Zac Booles and Mark Burnip) but in developing the quality of our singing and sound both at weekly rehearsals and during his small group Saturday Clubs throughout the year which have proved invaluable in improving overall standards. A large group of members then travelled across to Coventry in late September to perform as part of a show organised by The Belles of Three Spires LABBS Chorus. Although the acoustics in the school hall were far from ideal, the chorus delighted a packed audience with a 30-minute performance of songs from our current repertoire. We are extremely excited to be going to the Spanish Convention (SABS) in Malaga next April. with over 45 of our members signed up and with arrangements being coordinated by Peter Tatham. Following on from our wonderful visit to the Irish Convention (IABS) in Cork last year, we are hoping this will be equally enjoyable and successful! We last went to the SABS Convention (but Richard Curtis - Grand Central Barbershopper of the Year as the guest chorus) back in 2011 as there was no International Chorus Competition at that time. We know the Convention has really developed and grown over these past seven years and so are really looking forward to competing at SABS in 2018! We also recently said goodbye to a couple of our members - David Tanner, who has moved south from Derbyshire to live in Somerset, after having been such an integral part of the chorus and coaching team over the past four years and Nick Bryant, who has gone to study Mathematics at the University of York - but we are however really hoping to see him during the University holidays and to watching the continued progress of his quartet 4 on Demand. Finally, we now have a redesigned chorus website - it uses the same address but is hosted by HarmonySite, an all-in-one group management software package specifically designed for use by choirs, choruses, orchestras etc. This will ensure that all the activities of the chorus, from the Exec team minutes to the teach tracks, from logging attendance at performances to our image library and news reports, are all in one place and easy to update. Thanks to both Richard Curtis and Paul Searson for all their work over the past few months in successfully delivering this complex project and ensuring such a smooth transition. Nelson Blackley PRO Grand Central Chorus

25 Page 25 Harmony Revival Raise 773 for Celebral Palsy Harmony Revival raised 773 for their chosen Charity 'Stockport Cerebral Palsy'. Pictured are Harmony Revival's Public relations Officer Tony Johnston and long term member Ken Patchen. Receiving the cheque is the CEO of Stockport Cerebral Palsy, Sarah Thomas and their bid writer Clara Dolce. Tony Johnston PRO Harmony Revival - Stockport Northern Acchord work with Charities to raise their club s awareness As we all know, Barbershop singing is not the most high profile form of entertainment in the land, so we at Northern Acchord decided we would take action to raise our profile in our own region. We offered our services to local charities for fund raising concerts in the hope that it would have the double-whammy effect of helping others, whilst getting us better known. We are very happy to say that the response from various charities exceeded our expectation. To date we have performed at concerts for: The Royal British Legion (Twice), Teesside Hospice (Twice), the Cystic Fibrosis Society, Ageing Better Middlesbrough and Christian Aid. We are also currently planning a big event together with the Billingham Silver Band for Marie Curie Foundation. As part of the promotion of the events, we have been able to get major amounts of publicity in regional publications and on local radio, so the double objective has been achieved and the bonus has been the feel-good effect you get from helping others. We can certainly recommend the above action to any other chorus who would like to spread the barbershop word in their area and to help others into the bargain! David Slimings Northern Acchord Quartet Prelims Photographs from Event Photos VIEW & BUYONLINE

26 Page 26 Harmony Express December 2017 British Association of Barbershop Singers 3rd Mixed Voice MIXED VOICE BARBERSHOP CHORUS CONTEST 44th Annual Convention 25th - 28th May 2018 Harrogate Chorus Contest Sunday 27th May 2018 Harrogate International Centre BABS is inviting mixed voice groups to enter the 3rd UK Mixed Barbershop Chorus Contest which will be part of the BABS 44th Annual Convention in Harrogate. The open contest will be held around lunchtime on Sunday 27th May 2018 and will be judged under normal barbershop judging rules and categories. Entrants to perform two barbershop harmony songs. Entries are welcome from choruses and choirs of between 18 and 80 mixed voice singers (min age 14). The winning chorus will receive a 500 bursary from BABS Harmony Foundation. Please get your entries in as early as possible, as the contest will be limited to 8 competitors. If you like the idea of mixing it up in harmony, then put the date in your diary, and start thinking about who you can get together with to form a mixed barbershop chorus. Full details and any initial enquiries should be made to the BABS Mixed Chorus Contest Manager mixedchoralcontest@singbarbershop.com Entry Closes 28th February 2018 SING BARBERSHOP The British Association of Barbershop Singers Registered Office: 6 Corunna Court, Corunna Road, Warwick CV34 5HQ Registered Charity No: Registered Company No:

27 Quartets Wanted Sing for the Judges in February 2018 The BABS and LABBS judges are holding their spring seminar in Walsall in February 2018, and would like to have some quartets to come along and sing for us in a small contest on Saturday 17th February Your quartet will need to be available for the full day, and to perform two contest songs in the mock contest in the afternoon, to a room full of judges. Your quartet will then have a live coached evaluation of your performance from all three of the scoring categories. Lunch will be provided and travel expenses reimbursed. For more details and an application form, please contact: Barry Clinton - BABS Guild of Judges Education Manager education.judges@singbarbershop.com Over 57,000 male and female singers around the globe join in barbershop singing in choruses and quartets. They belong to 14 separate barbershop organisations, and their leaders join together to form the World Harmony Council. The World Harmony Council is committed to encouraging and supporting barbershop harmony singing for its member organisations, and to fostering an appreciation of barbershop style music in the world community. The aims are to encourage and support: * the perpetuation of the four-part a cappella barbershop style of singing; * the formation and development of barbershop harmony singing organisations; * the development and exchange of new ideas and initiatives relative to the barbershop harmony singing art; * providing international liaison and information exchange among barbershop harmony singing organisations. GUILD OF JUDGES World Harmony Council Coordinating barbershop groups around the globe Time to Sing Grants Available for 2018 Time to Sing is designed to provide support to clubs with their recruitment campaigns. You can choose the title and length of your course, be it one day, two weeks or six weeks. Financial support from BABS is available along with 1,000 free A5 double-sided leaflets. Extra copies of the leaflets are on offer at very substantial discounts. Learn to Sing remains the most effective approach, but this is just one of the options available. The wider choice of course headings are designed to provide flexibility and allows you to choose which is more relevant to your club. Some of the leaflet options are shown below. TIME TO SING Learn to Sing 6 week singing course for Men The xxxxxxx Chorus in conjunction with Harmony Foundation, part of a national music charity, is encouraging more men to sing. Aimed at both newcomers and those who may not have sung for a while. Just six nights spread across six weeks will help you get started. So make some time to sing, by signing up for this FREE course today! Course Starts Date & Time Venue Location and Postcoode Reserve your FREE place Now! Tel: or learntosing@singbarbershop.com TIME TO SING Come and Sing 6 week singing course for Men The xxxxxxx Chorus in conjunction with Harmony Foundation, part of a national music charity, is encouraging more men to sing. Aimed at both newcomers and those who may not have sung for a while. Just six nights spread across six weeks will help you get started. So make some time to sing, by signing up for this FREE course today! Course Starts Date & Time Venue Location and Postcoode Reserve your FREE place Now! Tel: or learntosing@singbarbershop.com Page 27 World Harmony Jamboree The World Harmony Jamboree is changing its name to World Harmony Showcase! Every year at the annual International Convention the absolute best choruses and quartets from literally around the world put on an amazing show in an intimate setting. The audience is treated, up close and personal, to current Gold Medallists performing the best barbershop available anywhere, with an international flavour. Known for over 20 years as the World Harmony Jamboree, this single performance absolutely showcases the ultimate in our artform. We want to pack the house for next July s Showcase in Orlando, so if you are going to International in 2018, please make sure to buy a ticket to see the best of harmony from around the world. Mike Donnelly President, World Harmony Council Apply Now! TIME TO SING Choice of Course Titles Learn to Sing Learn to Sing in Harmony Learn to Sing Barbershop Come and Sing Come and Sing Barbershop Harmony For more details contact Colin Roper BABS Membership Services Director membershipservicesdirector@singbarbershop.com

28 Page 28 Harmony Express December 2017 European Barbershop Convention Bournemouth 26th - 29th October 2017 The Winners European Mens Quartet Contest 1. Finest Hour % 2. Portobello Road % 3. Backbeat % European Ladies Quartet Contest 1. Soundhouse % 2. Vocaility % 3. Tone-Acity % European Mens Chorus Contest 1. Zero % 2. The EntertainMen % 3. The Cottontown Chorus % European Ladies Chorus Contest 1. The White Rosettes % 2. Amersham A Cappella % 3. Viva Acappella % European Mixed Quartet Contest 1. Potential Scandal % 2. Pastor Hannes Kor % 3. Mayor & the Mayonnaise %

29 OBITUARY MICHAEL O NEILL It was with great sorrow that members of the Cottontown Chorus and the Red Rose Chorus gathered at the funeral of Michael in early August following Michael s passing after a short but tragic fight with cancer. Michael was a true gentleman in every sense of the word and his love of barbershop had been a part of his life for many years going back into the eighties when he came across the Red Rose chorus singing in the St George's centre whilst out shopping with his lovely wife Sadie. Michael got the bug hook, line and sinker and as with everything in life that he did he proceeded to enthusiastically give 100% effort to his new found hobby, both whilst at Preston and later in his move to Bolton and the Cottontown chorus. That love and enthusiasm saw him involved in all aspects of barbershop and in particular gave him the opportunity to go to press many times, at both clubs, producing informative and entertaining newsletters on a regular basis. His snippets of advice, guidance and support were mixed with his humour and his overall love of life and barbershop in particular. Even when on holiday in the States he had to have his weekly fix of barbershop and he made many friends through the hobby on that side of the pond and I am sure that there will be members particularly in Florida that are also mourning his passing. Michael found it difficult to do nothing, and even at his grand age up until his illness he was still working a few days each week and was still giving it the 100% effort that he only knew. Michael was a deeply religious man and we trust that as he goes to the better place he so believed in he will get the opportunity once again to help and support others in the way that he did during his long happy and rewarding life. We will all miss you Michael. Consider Making a Bequest to Barbershop in your Will for further details contact Page 29 BABS Harmony Foundation Secretary administrationdirector@singbarbershop.com David Kitchenham Cottontown Chorus LABBS 2017 Convention Winners Chorus Winners The White Rosettes Quartet Winners SoundHouse