Barbershop singers gather to compete
Power of Harmony Convention being held
The pitch pipe is about to blow on Barbershop Harmony New Zealand’s postponed Power of Harmony Convention. It was to have been held in Palmerston North last September.
A cappella singers and fans will descend on the city from September 23-25 for competitions and networking.
It’s the first time since 2000 that Palmerston North has hosted the convention, and there will be an opportunity on the Saturday night for the public to enjoy four-part singing at the Show of Champions. It will feature the winning choruses and quartets from the convention contests.
The choruses and quartets are judged on musical interpretation, presentation, and singing quality. This year, qualifying was done by video.
Changes to border restrictions mean there will be Australian judges this year, and the convention administrators are also coming from across the Tasman.
The headlining Show of Champions quartet is Wellington-based Grand Central. It consists of Will Hunkin (lead), Kisena Asi (bass), Jeff Hunkin (baritone) and Henrietta Hunkin-Tagaloa (tenor). Will and Jeff are members of Musical Island Boys, who won the 2014 International Quartet Championship at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international convention in Las Vegas.
There will also be a Big Sing on September 23, at 9.45am under the clocktower in The Square, providing a free public taster of barbershop singing.
In 2020, the US-based Barbershop Harmony Society decided to encourage women to join the society — not to sing in separate quartets and choruses, but to sing parts traditionally sung by men and with men. For the first time, convention competitions are open to men and women.
Co-hosting the convention is the Manawatunes Chorus. Formed in 1996, Manawatunes has about 18 members who sing a capella (unaccompanied) harmony.
Manawatunes Chorus manager Bill Milham says hosting the convention is extra special because it is part of the city’s, albeit elongated, 150th anniversary. He says organisers are lucky with Palmerston North because the venue — Regent on Broadway — accommodation and restaurants are nearby and within walking distance.
About 500 delegates from New Zealand have registered for the convention. The last one that was able to go ahead was Christchurch in 2019.
It will be a busy convention for Milham. He’s in the senior male quartet Exclamation, and male quartet Espresso Blends — the lead singer in both. The other Manawatu¯ quartet competing at the convention is Smile and Wave.
Show of Champions is a chance to see the very best barbershop singers in New Zealand perform in one place, Milham says.
On Wednesday and Thursday before the convention, the Young Singers in Harmony National Convention takes place in the city.
The secondary schools competition culminates with the Parade Of Champions on Thursday evening at the Regent on Broadway.