I'm a family barbershopper. I've been in SAI 3 times now. I got my husband into barbershop over 30 years ago and he's sung in 3 different choruses as well. My husband and son sing with a BHS chorus currently and I sing with an SAI chorus. I've sung in a mixed quartet with my husband (and originally with our son) for 14 years. Our quartet raises money for our local Harmony Explosion camp, the one place our whole family was welcome.
Our experience as a quartet is that we are completely ignored by all the barbershop organizations, the BHS included, because we don't fit their model. We aren't 4 guys or 4 gals. We also sing in the barbershop style but don't do strictly what is considered 'barbershop'.
We are interested in the new BHS vision because for the first time, we might actually have a place in the barbershop world. We certainly don't have one in SAI. My husband and son were disappointed at the last regional SAI convention we attended. There was supposed to be tag singing on Saturday evening. It ended up being a handful of SAI barbershopper husbands plus some queens of harmony in a side room while the bulk of the convention attendees sat in the ballroom rocking to the DJ they hired. Needless to say, I'll be at Regional alone from now on - no fun for a singing family there.
So more important to me isn't the history of the organizations or whose version is being represented. It's where is my barbershopping family going to have the best time and feel the most welcome? Jury is still out but the pitch from the BHS sounds more inviting at this point. And here's something else to think about. As the Harmony Explosion camps turn out more people who have sung with both genders and all races, creeds and colors, oblivious to all of that, where will they find a home? Is it one of the existing organizations? Or do they start something new and truly inclusive?
I'm a family barbershopper. I've been in SAI 3 times now. I got my husband into barbershop over 30 years ago and he's sung in 3 different choruses as well. My husband and son sing with a BHS chorus currently and I sing with an SAI chorus. I've sung in a mixed quartet with my husband (and originally with our son) for 14 years. Our quartet raises money for our local Harmony Explosion camp, the one place our whole family was welcome.
Our experience as a quartet is that we are completely ignored by all the barbershop organizations, the BHS included, because we don't fit their model. We aren't 4 guys or 4 gals. We also sing in the barbershop style but don't do strictly what is considered 'barbershop'.
We are interested in the new BHS vision because for the first time, we might actually have a place in the barbershop world. We certainly don't have one in SAI. My husband and son were disappointed at the last regional SAI convention we attended. There was supposed to be tag singing on Saturday evening. It ended up being a handful of SAI barbershopper husbands plus some queens of harmony in a side room while the bulk of the convention attendees sat in the ballroom rocking to the DJ they hired. Needless to say, I'll be at Regional alone from now on - no fun for a singing family there.
So more important to me isn't the history of the organizations or whose version is being represented. It's where is my barbershopping family going to have the best time and feel the most welcome? Jury is still out but the pitch from the BHS sounds more inviting at this point. And here's something else to think about. As the Harmony Explosion camps turn out more people who have sung with both genders and all races, creeds and colors, oblivious to all of that, where will they find a home? Is it one of the existing organizations? Or do they start something new and truly inclusive?