Update from BABS quartet prelims

Update from BABS quartet prelims
Type of post: Chorus news item
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Paul Searson
Status: Current
Date Posted: Wed, 15 Nov 2017
Grand Central Chorus were well represented in the recent Barbershop In Harmony (BinH) Mixed Quartet and the BABS quartet prelims competitions, both held at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester over the weekend of 11th and 12th November.

First up on the Saturday afternoon were the mixed quartets. Chorus members Dick Knight and Paul Searson, together with their wives Delyth and Karen, took to the stage for their first contest performance as “Crown Derby”, and were pleased to be placed 9th (out of 17), with a score of 67.4%.




Sunday was given over to the quartet prelims competition, with 31 quartets vying to make it into the 16 quartets going through to the semi final competition, which will take place at the BABS Convention in May 2018, in Harrogate. Congratulations to “Locksmiths” (with our Chorus Director Zac Booles singing baritone) who were the top-placed quartet, with a score of 79.1%!




Taking part in their first ever competition were Grand Central’s “Central Locking” (Bryan Smith, Mike Flint, Bill Lumley and Nelson Blackley), who gave a solid debut performance and were placed 27th, with a score of 59.9%.




Closing out the days proceedings as 'mike coolers' were “Finest Hour”, who chose this performance for Phil Cuthbert to make his final stage appearance and say his farewells, and to introduce Jonny Pipe as the new “Finest Hour” bass. The first public performance with Jonny was something fitting for Remembrance Sunday; a song written in 1917 during the First World War that tells of a young man’s parting words to his mother as he goes off to fight for freedom. Click here to watch the recording of their mike cooling performance.


Thanks and congratulations to all those involved in organising and running the event. Photos and video are courtesy of the British Association of Barbershop Singers; videos of all of the contest performances can be found on the British Association of Barbershop Singers Youtube channel here.