Going For A Song: Granite City Chorus In Concert

The Granite City Chorus are holding a concert at the Phoenix Centre, Newton Dee, Bieldside, on Saturday 22^nd June.  Brian Welch writes.

The Granite City Chorus has been in existence since 1990, from an initial idea by Bob Stevens, our current Honorary President, a name is synonymous with its home city, although it began life as the Royal Mailers which reflected its Post Office origins.

And, just to confuse things further, its ‘Sunday name’ is The Aberdeen Barbershop Harmony Club.

Having come first in the Light Entertainment and Barbershop Chorus sections of  the Aberdeen and North East Festival this month, the group can legitimately claim to be ‘the best male barbershop chorus in the North of Scotland’ and currently boasts a membership of just under fifty.

The singing style of the chorus is the four-part, unaccompanied, close harmony of tenor, lead (melody), baritone and bass voices combining to create the unique Barbershop Sound and, as a variety of song types can be arranged in the Barbershop style, its present repertoire covers a range of songs from traditional barbershop to Scottish and vintage pop standards.

The Club is one of over 50 which are members of the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) and is affiliated to the parent society, the Barbershop Harmony Society of America and to the UK choral organisation Making Music, previously known as the National Federation of Music Societies.

As the group is both a Social and Competitive chorus, the members sing for fun and the entertainment of others, but they also like to compete in annual barbershop conventions against many other choruses from around the UK and Europe.

The Chorus is also available for in the City and Shire corporate events, club functions, private parties and it regularly performs for local residential homes and sheltered accommodation and has a range and depth of material that can be adapted to deliver that 4^th dimension to any event

Anyone who wishes to join the Chorus – which practises every Tuesday night from 7 – 10 p.m. in the Woodside Church Hall, off King Street – wants to engage it for a function, or is just interested in getting further information about it, is invited to contact the Chorus Manager via the Contacts Page at www.granitecitychorus.co.uk

About the Barbershop Style

The notion of men singing together as a group is thought to have originated in the coffee shops of 17^th century England.  But it was much later, towards the end of the 19th century that actual barbershop singing, where an individual would sing the melody which others would harmonise around as men waited to get their hair cut singing, was started in America.

This form continued, even in competition, until the 1930’s when written music in parts was introduced, although informal harmonising, otherwise known as ‘woodshedding’ is still practised today and has its own association.

About The Granite City Chorus’s concert on 22^nd June.

There will be four acts on the evening, including the Aberdeen debut of iQ, the 2012 gold medal quartet, it is iQ’s debut in Aberdeen which is not to be missed.

Tickets for the concert, which is being held at the Phoenix Centre, Newton Dee, Bieldside, at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday 22^nd June, are available from the Aberdeen Box Office.

The Granite City Chorus is directed by Colin Reid.

Further information can be obtained  at:

Web site:                   www.granitecitychorus.co.uk
Mobile phone:         07909 108 633
Email Address         granitecitychorus@hotmail.co.uk
Facebook :               Granite City Chorus
Twitter:                      @granitecitychor