Sunshine Harmony began its journey in June of 2022 and chartered with Harmony, Inc. in December 2022 with twenty-six members.
In sharing our love for music and singing, Sunshine Harmony enjoys performing in The Villages and outlying areas for clubs, senior centers, churches, schools, hospitals and community events. These performances are a highlight of our year in addition to having an annual show where we showcase our chorus, quartets and ensembles for the public.
We perform each spring at the annual Area 6 Convention and Contest referred to as AC&C. This gives us an opportunity to obtain a score from the judges, be coached by a judge from each category following the contest and to put a stake in the sand to see our progress from year to year. The chorus scored high enough at our first Area 6 Contest in April of 2023 to qualify for International.
Sunshine Harmony again qualified for the International Contest in 2024. We were thrilled to then compete in Louisville, Kentucky that November. We had a wonderful time and scored in the top 20 of all choruses in the organization! We are excited to continue to learn, grow and move forward together as we share our love of barbershop in Central Florida.
The Roots of Barbershop
In sharing our love for music and singing, Sunshine Harmony enjoys performing in The Villages and outlying areas for clubs, senior centers, churches, schools, hospitals and community events. These performances are a highlight of our year in addition to having an annual show where we showcase our chorus, quartets and ensembles for the public.
We perform each spring at the annual Area 6 Convention and Contest referred to as AC&C. This gives us an opportunity to obtain a score from the judges, be coached by a judge from each category following the contest and to put a stake in the sand to see our progress from year to year. The chorus scored high enough at our first Area 6 Contest in April of 2023 to qualify for International.
Sunshine Harmony again qualified for the International Contest in 2024. We were thrilled to then compete in Louisville, Kentucky that November. We had a wonderful time and scored in the top 20 of all choruses in the organization! We are excited to continue to learn, grow and move forward together as we share our love of barbershop in Central Florida.
The Roots of Barbershop
Barbershop singing has its roots at the turn of the 20th century. Around that time, the local barbershop was not only a place for a shave and a haircut, it was also a social gathering place for men. In addition to exchanging local gossip, singing simple melodies to which others could harmonize became a feature of many barbershops.
Barbershop is sung a cappella, which is an Italian term literally meaning “in the manner of the chapel”- that is, without instrumental accompaniment. The vocal harmonies are produced by four parts: Lead, Tenor, Baritone and Bass. The melody is sung by the Lead voice, the Tenor voice sings the harmony above the Lead and the lowest harmony is sung by the Bass. The Baritone voice completes the four-part chord. Close harmony and ringing chords are key features of the barbershop style.
Today, barbershop is sung by men, women and mixed choruses and quartets around the world. The repertoire can vary from traditional barbershop melodies like “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “Heart of My Heart” to film and Broadway show tunes like “This is Me” from the Greatest Showman and contemporary classics like “Africa” and “All About That Bass.”
Harmony Inc.
Harmony, Inc. was founded in 1959 when a group of women with a love of barbershop were seeking a more inclusive, democratic, and educationally based organization. Today, the organization is made up of chapters across the United States and Canada. These chapters are organized into six geographic areas. Each spring our areas host conventions and contests.
These are a time for learning, fellowship, fun and an opportunity to meet other singers who are a part of the organization. Traveling together to this contest each spring is a wonderful opportunity for the chorus to get feedback from the judges and inspiration from watching other choruses. It motivates us in our desire to continue improving. Choruses who qualify are invited to sing at an International Contest each fall, which each area takes turns hosting.
Sunshine Harmony is a member of Area 6 which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
