By Benedicte Dansie
As The International Barbershop Convention being put on by the Barbershop Harmony Society at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah comes to a close, one can truly see the love of music and performance that everyone involved in this amazing event has. Every single performer works hard, not for their own personal gain, but because they want to share with the world one of the things they love most: barbershop. This idea was really manifest to me on my last day covering The International Barbershop Convention.
Westminster Chorus, the 2019 Gold Medal Winners, opens the Quartet Contest Final with a brief performance. For their second number, they sing “The Greatest Showman Medley,” which blows audiences away during the Chorus Final. No matter how many times I watch their performance (it’s now on YouTube) I can’t get over it. I don’t think I have ever seen an entire choir perform with as much joy and energy as they do. They give themselves over completely to the music, pouring their love not only into the piece, but into the audience as well.
After Westminster Chorus finishes, the quartets Wildfire and the Newfangled Four take to the stage to give a short performance and test the mics. They kick the event off with grace and humor before succeeding the stage to the competing quartets. The top ten quartets are a delightful mix of new faces and seasoned barbershoppers that offer a unique blend of classics, musical theater, and pop. Some of my favorite pieces sung were Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary,” Wicked’s “For Good,” and Wicked’s “As Long as You’re Mine.” At this phase in the competition, most groups stick with very traditional barbershop arrangements and harmonies that really showcase their blend and skill as a group.
While waiting for the contest results to come in, the 2018 Quartet Winners After Hours sing away their gold. They choose to have their final song as the current champions be “The Hills are Alive” from The Sound of Music. The group explains to the audience that they havechosen this piece because it highlights how delightful music is and shows the pure love of song they all feel, and they want to share that love of music with the audience. It is a beautiful arrangement and performance of the piece, leaving the quartet and many audience members quite moved.
The International Barbershop Convention is a spectacular opportunity not only for those competing, but for those attending as well. I have never attended an event, performance, concert where the love of singing as an artform is so cherished. Attending the Convention is an absolute joy and I recommend that at some point in the future, if you have a chance, you take the opportunity to attend, because it really is an awe-inspiring experience.
The Barbershop Harmony Society Presents The International Barbershop Convention
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Conference Center, 60 N Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
June 30-July 7, 2019
Tickets: $0-349
Contact: (435) 932-0647
The Barbershop Harmony Society website
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