British Association of Barbershop Singers

British organization

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British Association of Barbershop Singers

Genres| Barbershop music
Years active| 1974–present
Website| www.singbarbershop.com

Musical artist

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

|
|
|
|
|

2025  | Cottontown Chorus[10] | The 1234[11] | The Six Foot Four[12] | The Old Romantics[13] | Lux A Cappella[14]
2024  | Meantime Chorus[15] | Fifth Element[15] | Ami Quartet[15] | Mixed Blessings[15] | Crucible Vocal Project[15]
2023  | Cottontown Chorus  | Trailblazers  | The Breakfast Club[16] | Midnight Train[17] | Bristol A Cappella
2022  | Meantime Chorus[18] | Limelight[19] | Hot Ticket[20] | Crown Derby[21] | The Bristol Mix
2020  | No competition
2019  | Hallmark of Harmony  | Sound Hypothesis  | Apollo II[22] | Bagatelle[23] | A Kind of Magic
2018  | Cottontown Chorus  | The Locksmiths | Northern Quarter[24] | One Foot in the Stave[25] | Momentum
2017  | The Great Western Chorus of Bristol | Portobello Road  | Sound Hypothesis  | Three 'n' Easy[26] | EQMC
2016  | Cottontown Chorus | Finest Hour | 4 On Demand[26] | South Parade[27] | Strictly A Cappella
2015  | The Great Western Chorus of Bristol] | Tagline  | Trailblazers[27] | The Grand Dads[28] |
2014  | Hallmark of Harmony  | Park Street  | Proper Sound[29][28] | Figaro[30]
2013  | Cottontown Chorus | The Emerald Guard | Park Street[31] | Soundcheck[32]
2012  | The Grand Central Chorus | iQ  | Mach 4[33] | Just In Time[33]
2011  | Cottontown Chorus | Crossfire  | Mach 4[34] | Rockaholix[34]
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  | The Grand Central Chorus | Hooked On Harmony
1995  | Shannon Express  | Smilin' Thru
1994  | Hallmark of Harmony  | Sound Assembly
1993  | The 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

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Now "The Great British Barbershop Boys"[35]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Come and Join Us". British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
2. ^ "About". BABS Guild of Judges. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
3. ^ "Barbershop is universal". Barbershop Harmony Society. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
4. ^ "BABS and LABBS Joint Statement April 2023". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
5. ^ "Contest Rules" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. July 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
6. ^ "Results Archive". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
7. ^ "Chorus Champions since 1974" (PDF). singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
8. ^ "Quartet Champions since 1974" (PDF). singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
9. ^ "BABS Quartets". babsquartets.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
10. ^ https://hubble-live-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/babs/file_asset/file/970/BABS-2025-National-Convention-Chorus-Finals-OSS-3.pdf
11. ^ https://hubble-live-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/babs/file_asset/file/969/BABS-2025-National-Convention-Quartet-Finals-OSS__1_.pdf
12. ^ https://hubble-live-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/babs/file_asset/file/968/BABS_2025_National_Convention_Quartet_Semi-Finals_OSS.pdf
13. ^ https://hubble-live-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/babs/file_asset/file/968/BABS_2025_National_Convention_Quartet_Semi-Finals_OSS.pdf
14. ^ https://hubble-live-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/babs/file_asset/file/971/BABS_2025_National_Convention_Chorus_Finals_OSS-2.pdf
15. ^ a b c d e "Sing2024 Results: Award Winners". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
16. ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
17. ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
18. ^ "Official Contest Result: Chorus Final". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
19. ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Final". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
20. ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
21. ^ "Official Contest Result: Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream)". British Association of Barbershop Singers. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
22. ^ "Official Contest Result: National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream)". singbarbershop.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
23. ^ "Official Contest Result: National Quartet Prelims (Senior Stream)". singbarbership.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
24. ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream) – RNCM Manchester: 2018/2019" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
25. ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Senior Stream) – RNCM Manchester: 2018/2019" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
26. ^ 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.
27. ^ 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.
28. ^ 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.
29. ^ "Student barbershop quartet crowned national champions". University of Liverpool. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
30. ^ "Combined Contests (Streamed Quartet Prelim) – Seniors Stream, 2013/2014" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
31. ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Youth Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
32. ^ "National Quartet Prelims (Seniors Stream), Official Contest Result" (PDF). British Association of Barbershop Singers. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
33. ^ 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.
34. ^ 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.
35. ^ "Monkey Magic". babsquartets.com. British Association of Barbershop Singers. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* BABS website