Wednesday, May 1, 2002

Southland Quartet concert May 18

"I want a girl, just like the girl, that married dear old Dad."

"Wedding bells are breaking up that old gang of mine."

"The bells are ringing for me and my gal."

If any of those lines have you humming, you won't want to miss the 10th annual Southland Barbershop Chorus presentation. The well-known local group, along with a few friends, will be serenading the audience at the Sams Auditorium Saturday, May 18.

The Chorus will be joined by two quartets, Endeavor and Loose Change. Endeavor came home with an impressive 14th place ranking in last year's International Barbershop Quartet competition. The group was also named Sunshine District Champion and the 2001 SPEBSQSA International Semifinalist.

Loose Change is known for its humorous acts and pantomimes while wooing the crowds with delightful sounds. The North Clayton High School Chorus will also perform.

Southland donates all proceeds from the annual event to charity. This year the Southwest Hospice and the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America's (SPEBSQSA) educational program. The SPEBSQSA provides tapes and books to teachers which are used to teach students some of the standard songs from their American heritage.

The Southland Chorus repertoire will include a sampling of patriotic and religious tunes. Tickets are on sale at the three local Gold's Gym locations and may be purchased by calling 770-487-6772. Advance tickets are $10, students and seniors $8. Add $2 for tickets the night of the event. The show will start at 7 p.m.

A little background on barbershop:

Barbershop was originally sung in - you guessed it - barbershops! The barbershop was a gathering place for men of the community, and while they waited their turn they would often harmonize a current popular song. It was also sung on street corners (it was sometimes called "curbstone" harmony) and at social functions and in parlors. The first use of the term "barbershop" was in a song written in 1911 that declared: "Mr. Jefferson Lord, play that barbershop chord."

Barbershop is a uniquely American music style/art form, created at the turn of the century by ear harmonizers, or "woodshedders," who sang without benefit of printed arrangements. It is largely the old songs because the kinds of melodies that are best adapted to the style are those written in the heyday of Tin Pan Alley, from 1890 to 1920. Most Vaudeville shows had a barbershop quartet, although the singers did not use that name.

Barbershop is four-part, a cappella (unaccompanied), close-harmony singing. The melody is carried in the second voice, called the lead. The tenor harmonizes above the melody; the bass sings the lowest notes; and the baritone fills in the missing notes to complete the chord, sometimes above and sometimes below the melody.

Information from the SPEBSQSA web site:

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