Global InformationBritish Association of Barbershop Singers information
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British Association of Barbershop Singers | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Barbershop music |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Website | www |
The British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) is a British organisation of male barbershop singers.[1] It was formed in 1974 and is affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society.[2][3] Since 2023, BABS and its female counterpart in the UK, the Ladies' Association of British Barbershop Singers, have been in talks to consider proposals to work more closely together.[4]
Every year the association runs contests in parallel for barbershop choruses (male and mixed-gender) and quartets as part of the BABS Annual Convention. The British convention is the largest barbershop convention of its kind outside of North America. The chorus competitions are currently each held on a single day, while the quartet competition is spread over the convention weekend (with a preliminary round to eliminate all but the top 16 quartets usually held about 6 months prior to the semi-finals).
Concurrent with the national quartet contest, BABS holds an International Quartet Qualifying Contest, which past BABS gold medal quartets may also enter, to determine qualification for the next year's BHS International Quartet contest. In conjunction with the preliminary quartet contest, BABS also holds Seniors Quartet and Youth Quartet contests; BHS is asked to permit the respective winners to compete in the subsequent corresponding international contest, subject to a qualifying score.[5]
National contest winners (in the categories of chorus and quartet) by year are as follows:[6]
Year Chorus[7] Quartet[8][9] Youth Quartet Seniors Quartet Mixed Chorus 2024 Meantime Chorus[10] Fifth Element[10] Ami Quartet[10] Mixed Blessings[10] Crucible Vocal Project[10] 2022–23 Cottontown Chorus Trailblazers The Breakfast Club[11] Midnight Train[12] Bristol A Cappella 2021–22 Meantime Chorus[13] Limelight[14] Hot Ticket[15] Crown Derby[16] The Bristol Mix 2020 No competition 2019 Hallmark of Harmony Sound Hypothesis Apollo II[17] Bagatelle[18] A Kind of Magic 2018 Cottontown Chorus The Locksmiths Northern Quarter[19] One Foot in the Stave[20] Momentum 2017 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Portobello Road Sound Hypothesis Three 'n' Easy[21] EQMC 2016 Cottontown Chorus Finest Hour 4 On Demand[21] South Parade[22] Strictly A Cappella 2015 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Tagline Trailblazers[22] The Grand Dads[23] 2014 Hallmark of Harmony Park Street Proper Sound[24][23] Figaro[25] 2013 Cottontown Chorus The Emerald Guard Park Street[26] Soundcheck[27] 2012 The Grand Central Chorus iQ Mach 4[28] Just In Time[28] 2011 Cottontown Chorus Crossfire Mach 4[29] Rockaholix[29] 2010 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Steel 2009 Cottontown Chorus Evolution 2008 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Monkey Magic[note 1] 2007 Cottontown Chorus Q.E.D. 2006 Cambridge Chord Company Pitch Invasion 2005 Cottontown Chorus The Works 2004 Cambridge Chord Company Prime Time 2003 The Grand Central Chorus Sound Crew 2002 Cambridge Chord Company The Light Industrial Choral Society 2001 The Grand Central Chorus Matrix 2000 Hallmark of Harmony The Likely Lads 1999 Cambridge Chord Company Shockwave 1998 Shannon Express Chordial Exchange 1997 Hallmark of Harmony Cambridge Blues 1996 Grand Central Chorus Hooked On Harmony 1995 Shannon Express Smilin' Thru 1994 Hallmark of Harmony Sound Assembly 1993 Grand Central Chorus Island Engagement 1992 Rainy City Chorus Quattro 1991 Hallmark of Harmony Talk Of The Town 1990 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Curtain Call 1989 Hallmark of Harmony Quartz Precision 1988 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol High Time 1987 Pilgrimaires Times Square 1986 Hallmark of Harmony Junction 33 1985 Pilgrimaires Gilt Edge 1984 Crawley Chordsmen On Spec 1983 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Mancunian Way 1982 Roker Peers Limited Company 1981 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Regency Pride 1980 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Par Four 1979 No competition 1978 Crawley Chordsmen Newtown Ringers 1977 The Great Western Chorus of Bristol Fortunairs 1976 Crawley Chordsmen The Barrytones 1975 Crawley Chordsmen Five Bridge Four 1974 No competition Ringleaders
- ^ "Come and Join Us". British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "About". BABS Guild of Judges. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Barbershop is universal". Barbershop Harmony Society. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "BABS and LABBS Joint Statement April 2023". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Contest Rules" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. July 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Results Archive". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Chorus Champions since 1974" (PDF). singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Quartet Champions since 1974" (PDF). singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "BABS Quartets". babsquartets.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Sing2024 Results: Award Winners". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Chorus Final". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Final". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Official Contest Result: National Quartet Prelims (Senior Stream)". singbarbership.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream) – RNCM Manchester: 2018/2019" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Senior Stream) – RNCM Manchester: 2018/2019" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Youth Quartet Contest / Seniors Quartet Contest" (PDF). Harmony Express. British Association of Barbershop Singers. December 2016. pp. 12–13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Youth Quartet Contest / Seniors Quartet Contest" (PDF). Harmony Express. British Association of Barbershop Singers. December 2015. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ a b "BABS Seniors Gold Medal Quartet / BABS Youth Quartet Winners" (PDF). Harmony Express. British Association of Barbershop Singers. December 2014. p. 4. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Student barbershop quartet crowned national champions". University of Liverpool. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Combined Contests (Streamed Quartet Prelim) – Seniors Stream, 2013/2014" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Quartet Prelim Contest 1 / 2 (Seniors / Youth Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 20 November 2011. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ a b "National Quartet Prelims (Seniors / Youth Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 21 November 2010. pp. 17–19. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Monkey Magic". babsquartets.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
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