How we choose Convention songs

Fascinating Rhythm is an all-female choir, and we sing close harmony a cappella based on the traditional barbershop style. Our varied repertoire includes songs from 1920s jazz classics to modern-day show tunes and anthems and reflects our fun, dynamic chorus personality.

We pride ourselves on musical excellence and are always looking for ways to challenge ourselves as singers and push the boundaries of the modern barbershop genre. But not every song can be adapted to four-part harmony or performed without musical accompaniment.

So, we asked Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director Jo Thorn and our good friend, musicologist and arranger, Dr Liz Garnett, to reveal what makes a piece of music a good choice for barbershop competition and how songs make their way into the chorus repertoire.

Give Me A Barbershop Song

Traditional barbershop songs have no musical accompaniment and are made up of four vocal parts – the melody and three harmony parts. All four voice parts will sing the song’s lyrics together most of the time (in other words, the harmony parts don’t just go ‘oo’ or ‘dm-dm’ as a backing track behind the tune). 

The melody usually sits with the Lead line. The Tenor part harmonises above the Lead, whilst the Bass is the lowest harmony part; the Baritone line sits in between and may move above and below the Lead throughout the song.

According to the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS), barbershop harmony works best for songs that have a lot of harmonic seventh chords. These chords create a feeling of ‘tension’ in the music that you want to ‘resolve’ by moving onto another chord that sounds more comfortable. This transfer through musical tension and release gives barbershop its unique ‘feel’ and provides a sense of satisfaction for singers and audiences alike.

LABBS organises an annual Convention, bringing together quartets and choruses from across the country to share their love of singing, musicality and performance. The Convention competition follows Contest Rules (based on those devised by the Barbershop Harmony Society) and requires songs to be arranged suitably to the barbershop style.

Listen To The Music

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director and Music Team strongly influence song choices for the chorus.

“I like music from across the board. I love the old-fashioned traditional barbershop songs, but being able to hear more contemporary numbers on the Convention circuit makes my heart soar! I try to keep a mix of traditional and contemporary music in the chorus repertoire.” 

Jo

Fascinating Rhythm mostly sings music that is arranged in the barbershop style (i.e. a cappella four-part close harmony), but we do have a couple of songs that include additional Soprano and Alto parts. “This Is Me” from the musical The Greatest Showman has sections that are sung in six voice parts, and “Mr Blue Sky” by the Electric Light Orchestra has been arranged in ten parts!

Fascinating Rhythm’s Music Team regularly reviews the chorus repertoire, deciding which songs to keep and which ones to retire. Songs that remain part of the repertoire, year after year, are those that resonate with audiences and get a good response from chorus members. The songs that tend to have a shorter lifespan are former Convention numbers that have been worked on so much that the chorus has fallen out of love with singing them or songs chosen quickly but didn’t resonate with the singers.

One of Fascinating Rhythm members’ favourite songs is “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel. It goes down well with audiences because the performance and message resonate with people.

“I love seeing the response from Fascinating Rhythm when they sing something that is relevant to them; songs like “Titanium” and “Shine” that have a strong message that we can really get behind and give meaning to as singers. And it’s great to watch how audiences react to anthemic songs like that.”

Jo

“Sometimes a song will grow with you as you develop as a chorus; other times you grow out of a song because you want to move on as a singer and performer.”

Liz

Go Your Own Way

A few years ago, Fascinating Rhythm’s Music Team decided to develop a new approach for choosing competition songs. Instead of looking at what other choruses and quartets had taken to the Convention stage, they wanted to work from a blank canvas and asked Liz to create some new bespoke arrangements for the chorus. 

Liz is a talented arranger, vocal coach and musical director who has quite literally written the book on barbershop singing! She accepted the challenge of exploring the boundaries of the barbershop genre to bring new songs and exciting arrangements to the LABBS Convention stage.

Since 2015, Fascinating Rhythm has performed ten of Liz’s arrangements in competition, and we have another new song (no spoilers!) lined up for October 2022.

–   LABBS 2019: the Cole Porter hit song “It’s De-Lovely” and “City Of Stars” from the musical La La Land

–   LABBS 2018: Imelda May’s “Meet You At The Moon” and “A Night Like This” by Caro Emerald

–   LABBS 2017: “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore and Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why.”

–   LABBS 2016: “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby” by Louis Jordan and Billy Austin, and the Ella Fitgerald classic “Someone To Watch Over Me.” 

–   LABBS 2015: “Sway (Quien Sera)” by Dean Martin and another Ella Fitzgerald number “Manhattan.”

Jo and Liz now have a tried-and-tested pattern for bringing new arrangements to the barbershop genre. Reflecting on their collaborative partnership.

“I’ve known Liz for a long time, and she is a safe pair of hands, musically. Liz understands the journey I’ve been on as a Musical Director, and it feels really personal to have her create bespoke arrangements for the chorus to sing.”

Jo

Making Your Mind Up

For Fascinating Rhythm’s Music Team, the process of choosing a contest song begins at least a year in advance of the Convention competition! The chorus will typically work on its competition songs for several months in the run-up to Convention, so they have to be sufficiently challenging and engaging pieces of music for the Musical Director and singers to be able to work on them in detail for an extended period of time.

Each member of the Music Team can suggest up to five songs that they would like the chorus to sing. There are no boundaries or parameters to constrain their choices (so they can take inspiration across all genres and artists), but they must find clips or videos of the songs to support their suggestions.

The Music Team then gets together for a ‘screening night’ to watch all the video clips and vote on how much they like the songs. A shortlist of half a dozen songs is drawn up using the combined voting scores, and these are sent over to Liz for her opinion on which ones would suit the barbershop style and make for an excellent contestable arrangement.

“By the time the shortlist gets to me, the songs on it have already been through a number of filters, so I don’t have to think about whether it will suit the chorus. There is usually one or two songs on the list that I think will be suitable for the Convention stage. But not all songs work in the barbershop style, and I won’t force a song where it doesn’t want to go musically, so I’ll feedback the reasons why I think each song on the list will or won’t work as a barbershop arrangement.”

Liz

Re-Arranged

Arranging a song to make it suitable for the contest stage means meeting specific stylistic criteria. Many classic 1930s songs will easily translate to the barbershop genre, but more recent songs can be trickier to adapt to a four-part a cappella style. 

“Not all songs suit the traditional barbershop style. Sometimes, I need to apply a bit of creativity to make a song ‘barbershoppy’, but there’s no point trying to shoe-horn a song into a style that doesn’t work for it. It’s important to think about the audience experience – you want the song to feel ‘true’ for the listener; you don’t want the arrangement to distract them from enjoying the message and the music.”

Liz

Fascinating Rhythm is lucky to have a strong musical connection with Liz as a vocal coach and arranger. When arranging songs for the chorus to sing, Liz is able to hear Fascinating Rhythm’s unique sound inside her head and consider the preferred vocal range for each voice part.

And it’s not just Fascinating Rhythm who get to enjoy bringing Liz’s bespoke arrangements to life – they feed into the wider barbershop repertoire for other choruses and quartets to sing!

Thank You For The Music 

Fascinating Rhythm’s unique sound comes from a combination of a good choice of song, use of vocal expression and focusing on delivering an authentic performance. 

And, according to Liz (who wrote another book about it!), the relationship between chorus and director is key to making good music.

“It’s about your Musical Director’s ears. Fascinating Rhythm is lucky because Jo has the skill and intuition to encourage the chorus to make good music. Her directional gestures are made in response to the sound she wants to hear and the sound she is getting from the singers. A lot of Fascinating Rhythm’s sound comes from how Jo listens. The chorus sound would change if they had a different conductor.”

Liz

Dr Liz Garnett 

Dr Liz Garnett is a musicologist, choral clinician and close-harmony arranger with a long-standing interest in the barbershop genre. She is one of the UK’s most prominent arrangers of music in the barbershop style and has coached and arranged for many of the UK’s top choruses and quartets. 

Liz has been a member of LABBS for over 25 years and is the Musical Director of the Telfordaires, a male barbershop chorus. She was a Music Category judge and held the position of LABBS Music Director for three years. 

Liz has also adjudicated in barbershop and mainstream choral classes at Eisteddfods and music festivals.

If you enjoyed reading about our chorus and the kind of music we love to sing, you might also like to see other articles in the Fascinating Rhythm Insight series:

01 – Why singing is good for you

02 – Making your performance authentic

03 – Performance through vocal expression

04 – Teamwork makes the dream work

05 – Why warm up?

06 – The new members’ guide to joining a choir during a pandemic!

07 – Breathing to Sing

08 – Junior FR: how it started/how it’s going

09 – Singing is a family affair

Deke Sharon Workshop

Fascinating Rhythm enjoyed a live, in-person coaching session with ‘The Father of Contemporary a cappella’, Deke Sharon, as part of a workshop on a cappella singing. More than 120 delegates attended the event held at Christ Church Downend on Monday, 21 March 2022. 

The workshop saw Fascinating Rhythm put through their paces, focusing on getting in the groove and singing from the heart. The choir worked on two of Deke Sharon’s musical arrangements: ‘Good Old A Cappella’ (first released by The Persuasions) and ‘Seasons of Love’ from the Broadway musical Rent.

“It was amazing to hear how quickly the songs took shape; we certainly filled the rafters with some amazing harmonies! Deke interspersed the learning process with amazing stories, great humour and fantastic demonstrations – it’s fair to say this part of the evening was uplifting and joyous.”

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo

This was followed by coaching under glass experience, through which Deke helped the chorus work on two signature tunes from their repertoire: Billy Joel’s ‘And So It Goes’ and the Doobie Brothers ‘Listen To The Music’. Deke took Fascinating Rhythm on a journey from singing with great emotion to being comfortable engaging wholly with the audience.

“It was an absolute thrill to work under glass with Deke Sharon. He was really sweet and asked if he could play in the sandpit with us and try a few things. We spent some time getting some sadness into ‘And So It Goes’ and reducing the volume so you could hardly hear us sing. Then Deke got us to try and make eye contact with the audience and with each other as we sang Listen To The Music, which was great fun. The audience seemed to really enjoy the performance more when we looked at them rather than our Musical Director.” 

Fascinating Rhythm’s Assistant Musical Director, Wendy

 “It was such a thrill to sing to a live, very appreciative audience (mostly of our peers) and to be in Deke’s very safe hands – he masterly managed us and our audience in this unique, live coaching experience.”

Jo said

Reflecting on his experience working with the chorus, Deke said, “Fascinating Rhythm is the best kind of barbershop chorus: technically spectacular yet sings with undeniable presence and heart. Go change the world!”

Bristol harmony

The evening was shared with other choirs from the Bristol area, and Deke Sharon also coached Bristol Fashion on two of their repertoire songs. It was lovely to see and hear Bristol Fashion sing ‘live’ after two years; their songs were breath-taking and beautifully delivered. The workshop finished off with Fascinating Rhythm joining Bristol Fashion on stage, alongside Black Sheep Harmony and Cleeve Harmony members for an incredible and emotional rendition of ‘Anthem’ from the musical Chess.

“It was fantastic! What a hugely enjoyable and inspiring evening. Singing and learning new songs with singers from other Bristol choruses, making new friends and meeting up with old ones – such an amazing way for the singing community to get back together after the last two years!”

Lead Section Leader Karen

Looking back on an incredible evening, Jo said

 “What an absolute treat this was for us. We live to sing to an audience, and this was Fascinating Rhythm’s first opportunity post-Covid. To be put through our paces by the master himself, Deke Sharon, was sheer joy! Deke fully understands the power of music: how it heals, brings communities together, and brings strength and courage at times of need. I love his ethos and approach. This evening served as a very timely reminder of why we do this amazing hobby of ours. As Deke says – it can literally save a life….”

Deke Sharon

Deke Sharon is a renowned singer, arranger, musical director and producer and is responsible for the current sound of modern a cappella singing. Deke is an honorary member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and an honorary member of Brigham Young University’s Vocal Point a cappella singing group.

The workshop was initially planned for January 2022 but was postponed due to coronavirus restrictions. Fascinating Rhythm was invited to take part by Beth Morgan, who runs The Creative Choir Leader and directs The Great Day Choir. 

Junior Fascinating Rhythm celebrates Eisteddfod success!

Junior Fascinating Rhythm (Junior FR) members are celebrating singing success at the recent Thornbury Eisteddfod, part of the Thornbury Arts Festival 2022. The girls picked up several trophies and were invited to sing again in the Presentation Concert at which they were awarded a bursary.

Choir Performances

Junior FR’s senior girls (aged 11-16 years) competed in the ‘Choirs 18 and Under’ category. They received a Distinction for their beautiful performance of ‘Lullabye’ by Billy Joel and the Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Mr Blue Sky’. The adjudicator was impressed by the musical phrasing of the two songs, which was something the girls had worked hard on in preparation for the competition and complimented them on a ‘touching performance’. In recognition of their musicality, the girls were presented with two trophies: Best Performing Choir in their class and Best Choir Overall In Competition.

Junior FR’s junior girls (aged 7-10 years) competed in the ‘Choirs 11 and Under’ category. They were Commended for their performance of ‘Hakuna Matata’ from Disney’s The Lion King and ‘Janie Mama’, a Jamaican children’s song. The adjudicator awarded the girls a trophy for being the Best Performing Choir in their class.

Junior FR’s Musical Director, Wendy, said “We always look forward to the Thornbury Eisteddfod – it’s a big event in our calendar. At Junior FR we really enjoy the whole process of getting our songs ready for competition and we are always well-received by the adjudicators and organisers. I’m delighted that the senior girls have been recognised for their outstanding performance.”

Solo and Duet Performances

Several of Junior FR’s senior girls also performed in solo and duet categories of the music festival.

Evie and Caitlin sang in two classes: Under-14s Show Songs and Under-14s Traditional Songs. They performed exceptionally well, with Evie securing first place and Caitlin second place in both categories. Evie was awarded a trophy for achieving the highest score across the board in traditional song.

Lily won the Under-12s Show Song class, and her duet with Amelie in the Under-12s Duet class was considered ‘outstanding’ and won the whole category with a score of 90 points. In recognition of the high quality of their singing, Lily and Amelie were also invited to perform again in the Winners’ Concert on 25 March 2022.

Anna and Izzy sang together in the Under-14s Duet class. They gave a mature and professional performance and scored 83 points.

Eisteddfod Winners Concert

Junior FR was invited to sing at the Eisteddfod Winners Concert on 25 March 2022, where they were presented with the Robert Hall Bursary of £100 in recognition of their outstanding performance. This is the second time that Junior FR has received the bursary, which is awarded at the discretion of the Eisteddfod Committee.

Wendy said “I’m over the moon that Junior FR has once again received the Robert Hall Bursary! It’s lovely to get the recognition and the money will be spent on something that will really enhance Junior FR’s singing and performance. Last time, we bought portable speakers that we could use in rehearsals; this time it would be lovely to spend it on a specially-arranged piece of music.”

Duettists Lily and Amelie also sang at the concert and were presented with the Jonathan Parfitt Cup, which is awarded for an outstanding performance. The award is made at the discretion of the Eisteddfod Committee with advice from the adjudicator. Lily and Amelie were one of only two performances that achieved an outstanding mark of 90, making them deserving winners of the cup.

Kate Phillipson-Masters, Chair of the Eisteddfod Committee, said “It was so good to have the Junior FR girls perform at the concert. They really are a most impressive group.”

Keeping it in the family

One of Junior FR’s newest and youngest members, Eva, was delighted to sing in the Eisteddfod for her first choir performance.

Eva said “It is fun and I like singing a lot. I like learning new songs like ‘Amazing Grace’. This was my first ever competition. I felt scared at first but when I started singing, I felt comfortable. I like that my family can sing too.”

Eva has a long-standing connection to Fascinating Rhythm because her great-grandma Thelma sang Bass with the chorus for many years and her great-aunt Lesley currently sings in the Lead section.

When Thelma retired from singing a few years ago, she become an honorary member of Fascinating Rhythm. She went along to the Eisteddfod to support Eva and the rest of the Junior FR girls. Afterwards, Thelma said “I felt so proud to watch Junior FR in the Eisteddfod competition. I have supported them since their formation but to have my great-granddaughter singing with them was so very moving. She is following in my footsteps and her aunt Lesley’s. I am so proud of Eva and have noticed already, despite being a new JFR member, her confidence in everything; her enthusiasm, calmness and dedication to learning her music without input from others. She is showing how much she enjoys singing, something she has always loved since she was little. It is with huge pride that I see my lovely girl so happy and contented. I hope Eva will enjoy having music in her life as I did and that she will be a good asset to the Junior FR chorus.”

Reflecting on the girls’ performances and successes in the competition, Thelma said “I enjoyed both the junior and senior girls’ sections. They were so very well performed and deserving of their high marks. I especially loved ‘Mr Blue Sky’ which the older girls sang; it was a difficult arrangement – well-done girls!”

Joining Junior FR

Junior FR is currently recruiting new members so if you, or someone you know, is interested in taking up singing or joining, please contact us via our website.

Junior FR is a choir for girls aged 7 to 16 years old. There is no audition process for new members and no previous singing or musical experience is needed. Members meet weekly during term-time at Iron Acton Village Hall (Friday afternoons, 4.00-5.30 pm), perform at events throughout the year and help to raise money for various charities.

Fascinating Rhythm Celebrates Membership Achievements

Fascinating Rhythm members have welcomed another new member to the risers and awarded long-service badges to long-serving members of the choir.

Fascinating Rhythm’s newest recruit, Julie, has passed the first stage of the assessment process to become a full member of the chorus. Julie will join the Lead section.

“I’ve found joining Fascinating Rhythm a very welcoming, organised and efficient process. Everyone is warm and supportive and I was thrilled to pass my audition. I’m looking forward to being able to join in with more of the songs and can’t wait to be part of a competition, as well as learning so much more about singing at the various workshops. It’s been so uplifting and I really look forward to practising every Thursday!”

Julie

Fascinating Rhythm membership pin badges have been awarded to seven long-standing chorus members in recognition of their membership milestones:

– Mel has been a chorus member for 5 years

– Joan, Jo F, Peggy, Rose and Alison have all been part of the chorus for 10 years

– Sue has been part of Fascinating Rhythm for 15 years

“At Fascinating Rhythm, we very much enjoy celebrating our members’ commitment and contribution to our chorus family. These long-service awards give us the opportunity to celebrate on a regular basis and make our members feel valued appreciated and recognised.”

Membership Secretary, Kitty

Fascinating Rhythm also held an Extraordinary General Meeting on 10 March 2022 to elect members to vacant committee roles. The chorus welcomed Lesley as interim Chair, Jane as Vice-Chair and Chloe as Public Relations Officer.

“I’m very happy to be supporting Fascinating Rhythm as interim Chair. Our singing family is very important to us and I’m delighted to be able to help on the committee for a while. I’d like to welcome Jane and Chloe – they will both be a great asset to the team. It is going to be nice to help them settle into their roles over the next few months. I’d also like to thank the previous committee members, who have carried out a huge amount of work of the last few years, and hope they enjoy a well-earned rest.”

Lesley

Fascinating Rhythm supports Ups and Downs Southwest

Fascinating Rhythm members have selected Ups and Downs Southwest as their chosen charity for 2022.

Ups and Downs Southwest is a local charity that supports families, professionals and all those involved in the care and education of people with Down Syndrome across the Southwest.

Fascinating Rhythm has plans for a range of fundraising activities throughout the year in support of Ups and Downs Southwest. The first of these will be a public performance at the Keynsham Memorial Park in May 2022. 

Fascinating Rhythm member, Joan, says, “When I was invited to become a Trustee for Ups & Downs Southwest as their Treasurer, I had very little knowledge of the amazing work that is done to help and support children with Down Syndrome and their families. At my first Board meeting, the biggest surprise was when I learned that the charity is entirely funded by charitable donations. Like many other charities, the pandemic has made securing funding a real challenge, so when the opportunity came to make nominations for Fascinating Rhythm’s charity of the year, my first thought was Ups & Downs Southwest, which I am glad to say was chosen for the year 2022-23.”

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo, who works as a Director for Ups and Downs Southwest, is delighted that Fascinating Rhythm has chosen to support the charity through its fundraising efforts this year.” I am so humbled that my amazing ladies have voted for Ups and Downs Southwest. It is going to be a very special year supporting the charity which is so close to my heart. To be able to use our hobby and sheer joy of singing for a good cause is such a win, win” she says.  

Three years ago, Fascinating Rhythm collaborated with Ups and Downs Southwest on a video of the song ‘This Is Me’ that was featured in the movie ‘The Greatest Showman’.

To find out more about Ups and Downs Southwest and how you can support their work or make a donation, please visit their website.

Sing A cappella with Deke Sharon

Live in-person workshop

Monday 21st March 2022 at 7:30 pm

Christ Church, Downend, Bristol BS16 5UF

Come and enjoy an evening with arguably one of the most influential international musicians, composers, directors, producers and arrangers of our lifetime, Deke Sharon. 

In the first hour, Deke will lead us learning one of his a cappella arrangements. In the second half, we will enjoy watching Deke coach two of Bristol’s leading a cappella groups, including the award-winning, Fascinating Rhythm. 

All participants will be sent music and resources via email 2 weeks before the event. 

Read more about Deke Sharon HERE

Fascinating Rhythm Gets Fully Rob-Mance-ipated

Fascinating Rhythm members spent the weekend of 22-23 January 2022 at The Greenfield Centre enjoying two days of intensive vocal coaching with Rob Mance, Musical Director of barbershop choruses Vocal Standard and Central Standard. 

Fascinating Rhythm had planned to go away on a chorus retreat in April 2020 for an immersive coaching experience, but those plans had to be cancelled due to the covid-19 pandemic and lockdown. After spending more than a year meeting online before returning to in-person rehearsals, coming together for a coaching weekend felt like another step towards getting back to normality.

Getting to know you…

Fascinating Rhythm first met Rob earlier in the month when he visited one of the choir’s regular Thursday evening rehearsals to introduce himself and his innovative coaching approach. Rob is a professional singer, vocal coach, musical conductor and experienced Barbershop Harmony Society judge.

“What a joy to meet Jo and Fascinating Rhythm for the first time! After having to delay this trip a few times due to the pandemic, the anticipation for our meeting was high – and the chorus did not disappoint!”

Rob said.

Big journeys begin with small steps

Rob is a specialist in posture and vocal pedagogy. Throughout the weekend, he worked with individual chorus members to improve their singing posture and vocal technique. By encouraging each singer to make small adjustments to their technique, Rob was able to create a step-change in the ensemble chorus sound. 

“After just a few minutes of coaching, we heard a huge difference to everyone’s sound – it was truly amazing!”

said Brenda.

Reflecting on the success of the weekend, Rob said, “A couple of things really stood out to me. First, the chorus was so ready and willing to try anything. This open and encouraging culture led to significant growth over our three days together. Second, their Musical Director, Jo, is a driven and dedicated leader whose attention to self-growth and the growth and nurturing of her singers is noticeable and admirable. I absolutely look forward to many more sessions with Fascinating Rhythm.”

What a difference a day makes!

Fascinating Rhythm’s Music Team were delighted, inspired and enthused by the new techniques and approaches Rob introduced.

“What a weekend – a great way to start the year off! It was an inspiring weekend of listening, supporting, participating and taking on board and embracing all the little tweaks to make your voice the best it can be. It was great to hear the difference it made to individual voices.”

Tenor Section Leader Ali.

“I’m sure I speak for the whole Bass Section when I say that it has been an absolute privilege to receive coaching from Rob Mance. The individual advice each of us has received will be invaluable in helping us work towards reaching our full potential.” 

Bass Section Leader, Brenda

“What a truly revelatory weekend. What Rob showed us is that there is a really good singer lurking within us all – all we need are the correct techniques to let them out. Continuous practice will take us to the next level!”

Baritone Section Leader Wendy D.

“Rob Mance has totally inspired me to become the best singer I can be. He has also inspired the whole chorus to work together as a team to put all our new learnt tools into place. 2022 – bring it on!”

Assistant Director Wendy H

Fascinating Rhythm plans for 2022

Fascinating Rhythm members are looking forward to practicing and developing the new skills they have learned over the coaching weekend. With covid restrictions lifting, the chorus plans to compete in some music festivals and at the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers annual convention and have been asked to perform at the Keynsham Memorial Park later this year.

“The whole weekend was so interesting and informative. Rob’s coaching has given us all a tremendous boost of enthusiasm and the confidence to embrace the challenge of becoming the best singers we can possibly be. What an inspirational start to 2022!”

said Brenda.

“The buzz in the Tenor Section is amazing, and we already have plans to have a section rehearsal so that we can practice all the things we learned and achieved over the weekend. Awesome!”

said Ali.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo, had the final word.

“Well, I don’t think I have ever been left speechless before! It was an incredible weekend where personal investment in each singer was top of the agenda. Rob took such great care of everyone. It felt incredibly safe, nurturing and invaluable in moving us forward as an ensemble.”

Joining Fascinating Rhythm

If you are interested in joining a choir and would like to find out more about Fascinating Rhythm, please get in touch via our website.

Fascinating Rhythm is always on the lookout for new members, so if you are interested in taking up a new hobby and joining a choir in 2022, please get in touch via our website.

You can also find out more about what we do by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Fascinating Rhythm Reflects on the Successes of 2021

Fascinating Rhythm members gathered online on Thursday 20 January 2021 for their AGM and awards night celebration.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Chair, Iris, opened the meeting by reflecting on the highs and lows of rehearsals over the previous year – from the technical challenges of Zoom to the unexpected distractions of rehearsing outside and the long-awaited return to Fascinating Rhythm’s ‘home’ at the Greenfield Centre in Winterbourne.

Musical Director, Jo, titled her report of the year “making the most of it”. She reflected throughout her report that, despite the many challenges of 2021, as a chorus Fascinating Rhythm has not only survived but thrived during very difficult times – a true mark of the choir’s bond and culture.

Jo went on to congratulate Fascinating Rhythm’s two newest members, Lily and Hazel, on passing all elements of the assessment process and becoming fully-fledged members of the chorus.

Hazel said

“I am absolutely thrilled to have become a full member of FR. I’ve already learned so much, particularly in the workshop, and I am looking forward to continuing to develop as a singer, and being a part of the FR sound!”

Jo also welcomed Ella, who is in the process of joining the choir having previously sung with Junior FR.

In keeping with tradition, a number of awards were made in recognition of the hard work put in by members of the choir throughout the year:

• Kate B received the Chair’s Award for having undertaken a coronavirus risk assessment and developing a covid-19 policy to support a safe return to in-person rehearsals
• Anne-marie and Emma received the Director’s Award for their sterling effort in getting signed off on a huge number of songs from Fascinating Rhythm’s repertoire and their overall general attitude to our ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos
• Iris received the Members’ Award for stewarding the choir through the challenges of a second pandemic year

All members of the committee were re-elected and Fascinating Rhythm members voted for their charity of the year for 2022 to be Ups and Downs Southwest.

Looking forward to 2022, Iris said

“I’m excited about the year ahead. Now that we have taken the decision as a chorus to start rehearsing without masks we are taking another step back to normality. We are all looking forward to a year of less Zoom and more ‘in the room’, working on our craft and being able to have sing-outs again.”

How To Join Fascinating Rhythm

Fascinating Rhythm is always on the lookout for new members, so if you are interested in taking up a new hobby and joining a choir in 2022, please get in touch with our Membership Secretary via our website.

You can also find out more about what we do by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A fantabulous night to meet Rob Mance!

Fascinating Rhythm’s ladies started 2022 on a high, spending an evening with barbershop legend Rob Mance, who directs both the Sweet Adelines International affiliated ladies a cappella choir Vocal Standard and the Barbershop Harmony Society men’s chorus Central Standard. 

Rob Mance is a professional singer, vocal coach, musical conductor, and an experienced Barbershop Harmony Society judge. He specialises in posture and vocal pedagogy.

Fascinating Rhythm hadn’t met or worked with Rob before, so the evening was spent getting to know each other, with the ladies singing through some well-loved songs and learning more about Rob’s coaching approach. By the end of the evening, the chorus was energised and ready for the work they will be doing with Rob during an intensive coaching weekend later this month.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo said,

“We feel so lucky to have managed to secure these sessions with Rob Mance – it has been two years in the making. Every group I know he has worked with has high praise for his approach and ensuing results. I know that we will gain a huge amount from our time together.”

Fascinating Rhythm had initially planned to spend a retreat weekend with Rob in April 2020, but the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic resulted in a change of plans and saw the coaching being postponed twice. 

Following the introductory session on Thursday night, Fascinating Rhythm members are looking forward to a more in-depth coaching weekend with Rob on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 January at the Greenfield Centre in Winterbourne.

Rob Mance is visiting the UK for ten days. Whilst he is in the Bristol area, Rob will also be working with local choruses Avon Harmony, Bristol Fashion, the Great Western Chorus, the ladies a cappella group RhythmMix, and barbershop quartets Specs Appeal, Off the Record and Sonic.

Singing is a Family Affair

Fascinating Rhythm’s ladies often say that being part of a choir is a great way to make friends who become like an extended singing family. A love of singing and making music often runs in families, so we celebrate some of Fascinating Rhythm’s actual family connections in this article.

Lara and Marilyn – Singing is a Family Affair

Lara currently sings Tenor with Fascinating Rhythm. Her mum, Marilyn, sang Lead with the chorus in the early 2000s and, being a good seamstress, also enjoyed being a member of the Wardrobe Team.

“I was first introduced to barbershop when I was about 15 years old. My step-dad, Simon, sang with Thames Valley Chorus and Mum and I would go to rehearsals and performances to support him. I loved the choreography and the harmony,” remembers Lara. 

When their family moved to Wiltshire, Simon joined the Great Western Chorus (GWC) in Bristol. At one GWC event, Lara and Marilyn were approached by GWC’s Musical Director, Linda, who asked if they did any singing and directed them to Fascinating Rhythm.

After passing their auditions (by singing ‘Happy Birthday To You’), Marilyn chose to sing Lead, and Lara joined the Baritone section. They practiced together in the car on the way to rehearsals and always went home on a high afterwards. They fondly remember the LABBS Conventions in 2003 and 2004 as particular highlights of their time singing together – especially the anticipation of waiting to go on stage and show the judges the Convention packages.

“When we joined Fascinating Rhythm, the chorus had about 23 members and was busy preparing for LABBS Convention – polishing their contest songs and trying on fancy frocks – the team spirit was amazing,” says Lara. “It was such a thrill to get up on stage for the first time. It was the most amazing adrenalin rush, and I’ve been hooked ever since!”

Marilyn continued to support Simon and the Great Western Chorus, travelling to the USA with them when they were British Association of Barbershop Singers Gold Medal winners but found she couldn’t continue with Fascinating Rhythm at the same time. 

Lara went to live in America, which meant leaving Fascinating Rhythm for a while, but she has returned to the chorus, now she is settled back in the UK.

On singing with her family, Lara says, “Unfortunately, my daughter is not interested in singing at all, but my son did sing with a boys’ choir for a long time and loved it, so the singing genes went down the line in that direction. There was an occasion when I had both of my children up on stage to sing a Christmas carol with Fascinating Rhythm, which means there have been three generations of our family singing with the chorus for a brief, glorious moment!”

Di and Mads – Singing is a Family Affair

Di is a long-standing member of Fascinating Rhythm’s Bass section, and her daughter, Mads, sang Baritone with the chorus before branching out to establish her own singing career. They share a love of crafting and have both been members of the Wardrobe Team.

“I first saw Fascinating Rhythm sing as guests at a concert hosted by Dursley Male Voice Choir, which my husband had joined when we moved to Dursley from Wales. There was a fabulous afterglow in the pub afterwards. Having always been involved in amateur operatics and similar activities, I approached Jo to ask if she needed any more singers. She said yes, and I’m still here 11 years on!” remembers Di. 

A year or so later, Di encouraged Mads to come and sing with the choir. “Mads was just finding her voice and needed to build her self-confidence – I knew Fascinating Rhythm could help her do that!” Di says. “I felt so proud to be able to watch her confidence grow and often had a lump in my throat when she was asked to sing a solo.”

“Mum had been a member for a while, and I’d seen a couple of the choir’s shows”, reflects Mads. “I’d always sung but never done anything in an ensemble before, and barbershop just seemed to be different to the usual options – plus it was a chance to spend time with Mum, especially as I no longer lived at home.”

Di and Mads agree that the best thing about joining Fascinating Rhythm was getting to spend more time together. They have particularly fond memories of the LABBS Conventions, especially the year the chorus came fifth in the competition and was awarded ‘Most Improved Chorus’ and Jo received ‘Most Improved Director’. 

As well as singing as part of the chorus, Di and Mads also sang together in the quartet Free Range with Dot and Lesley. They agree that one particular highlight was the quartet’s trip to Spain to take part in the Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers Convention. 

One special memory for Mads was being awarded ‘Singer of the Year’ with less than 2-years of service. “It may not seem much but, as someone who was so uncertain of my voice and capability, it gave me such a boost. In fact, Fascinating Rhythm continued to give me those boosts which eventually enabled me to have the music career I do today” she smiles.

Di and Mads agree that singing in a chorus is a hugely positive hobby and extol the virtues of being part of such a strong sisterhood. “Many of us have had tragedies and incredible high spots, and the support offered by these ladies is tremendous and unstinting. Chorus is a safe place to go and leave all your troubles at the door and really lose yourself in the creation of glorious music,” says Di. Mads agrees, “Fascinating Rhythm is the loveliest, most supportive and fun-loving group you could ever wish to meet. You will work really hard, but you will learn so much about the craft of singing and performance and yourself in the midst of that. It taught me to enjoy rather than fear performing, and that has had a wide-ranging influence on other areas of my life since – for the better!”

Follow these links to watch Mads performing her debut single; The Heart Has A Thousand Tongues, and the follow-up, Black Cat.

Lesley and Thelma – Singing is a Family Affair

Lesley has been a member of Fascinating Rhythm for 25 years. She is Assistant Section Leader for the Lead section and has sung in various quartet line-ups. Her mum, Thelma, sang Bass with the chorus and was an active member of the Wardrobe Team for many years.

After seeing a leaflet advertising a local singing group, Lesley and Thelma joined Fascinating Rhythm. Thelma had recently moved closer to Lesley and had been involved in amateur dramatics in her old village, so the pair thought they’d give singing a go! They started out singing Lead and had to speed-learn the repertoire so they could sing with the chorus at a garden party concert six weeks later!

“The best thing about singing with Mum was sharing a passion for the same thing. That was a really special thing for us, especially the quality time together when we had weekends away for LABBS Conventions,” reflects Lesley. “We don’t really share any other hobbies other than the enjoyment of gardening, which is being passed down to my daughter.”

Lesley and Thelma have many special memories of their time together with Fascinating Rhythm, particularly the many Conventions they attended – sharing a room, enjoying some great afterglow parties and staying up into the wee small hours!

“I remember one year when my quartet Free Range competed at Convention. We put our heart and soul into our performance. To see the pride on Mum’s face when we came off stage was so lovely,” says Lesley.

Lesley’s daughter, Abi, also joined Fascinating Rhythm for one of the chorus’s Learn To Sing workshops, which meant three generations of the family singing together that day.

“It was such fun and exciting, but sadly, Abi didn’t get bitten by the singing bug!” muses Lesley.

Thelma decided to retire from singing in 2020 and was awarded honorary membership for her long service to the chorus. She often talks about Fascinating Rhythm and visits when she can – even joining one of the choir’s Zoom social evenings during the lockdown.

“I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of joining a choir-like Fascinating Rhythm to just do it! You may fall in love with the joy of singing, and it could become a big part of your life. I’ve been part of Fascinating Rhythm for over 25 years now, and my children have grown up with their Mum and Nan singing barbershop – it’s been part of their lives too!” says Lesley.

Jo and Linda – Singing is a Family Affair

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director Jo has been singing barbershop since she was 12 years old. She is lucky enough to have sung with her mum, Linda, and her Grandmother, Irene! 

“As a family, our barbershop roots stretch right back over three generations, with both of my grandparents being heavily involved, so I guess there was no escape!” Jo laughs.

When Jo joined Fascinating Rhythm in 2004, Linda was taking a break from singing to care for Jo’s dad. Eventually, Jo persuaded her mum to come and join the chorus, and they sang Baritone together. Linda became Baritone section leader, a role she held for many years. She was there to support Jo when she transitioned from being a singing member of the chorus to Musical Director.

Being part of Fascinating Rhythm allowed Jo and Linda to share their love of singing and passion for barbershop. The opportunity to sing together for so many years helped to create a special mum-daughter bond, including laughing over the wrong (sometimes rude!) song lyrics and crying during songs with personal meaning, and spooking each other out when harmonising because their voices are so similar. Although Linda now lives too far away to sing with the chorus, she and Jo have lots of great memories and plenty of YouTube clips to reminisce over when they get together.

“It was so great to share our love of singing and benefit from proper catch-up time in the journeys to and from chorus rehearsals. We are both baritones at heart, and Mum has the best baritone voice and work ethic ever!” reflects Jo. “When I became Musical Director, I would frequently catch Mum’s eye during rehearsal, and I could tell by that silent communication that I was doing okay.”

Sarah and Lily – Singing is a Family Affair

Sarah sings Baritone with Fascinating Rhythm (and occasionally dabbles with singing Lead). Her daughter, Lily, recently joined the Baritone section, having sung previously with Junior FR. 

Sarah joined Fascinating Rhythm after she was asked if she could sing by a member of the Great Western Chorus. Initially, she went to a Learn To Sing day in January 2014 and loved it. Then, she came along to a rehearsal six months later and passed her audition three weeks after that.

“I’d heard the Great Western Chorus sing and seen the quartet Havoc. Then, I discovered that Vanessa (who I knew through my elder daughter) was in Fascinating Rhythm, and she told me about the Learn To Sing day. I went along, and someone there told me I had a ‘very barbershop face’!” remembers Sarah.

Lily started coming along to watch Fascinating Rhythm rehearsals with her mum. She began singing with Junior FR when Sarah was involved in directing their production of ‘Cinderella’ and took part in the following year’s show, “Little Red Riding Hood’, for which her mum made her dress up as a Land Girl and danced the Charleston!

“I went to my first LABBS Convention when I was nine years old. I watched all the quartets and gave them marks. I loved it and have been every year since,” says Lily.

Sarah and Lily love singing in the Baritone section together, and they help each other learn and practice songs between rehearsals. 

“It’s brilliant because Lily is better than me and will help me learn. Plus, she knows how to download the teach tracks to her phone, so I’m hoping she’ll do mine too!” says Sarah.

If you are thinking of learning to sing or joining a choir, Fascinating Rhythm can give you a warm and friendly welcome. You can even bring a family member along for support!

To find out more about joining Fascinating Rhythm, please get in touch via our website. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

You might also like to see other articles in the Fascinating Rhythm Insight series:

01 – Why singing is good for you

02 – Making your performance authentic

03 – Performance through vocal expression

04 – Teamwork makes the dream work

05 – Why warm-up?

06 – The new members’ guide to joining a choir during a pandemic!

07 – Breathing to Sing

08 – Junior FR: how it started / how it’s going

10 – How we choose Convention songs

11 – Mixing it Up

12 – Love to Sing