The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE Irish Association of Barbershop Singers will be ‘United in Harmony’ in Ennis this weekend to celebrate their silver anniversary.
With a packed programme of competition, and concerts open to the public, up to 400 barbershop singers will converge on Glór from this Friday to Sunday for the 25th Annual Convention of the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS).
The event officially opens at 7pm this Friday with a gala competition and guest entertainment evening. This will by followed by a winners gala concert at 8pm on Saturday. Both of these events are open to members of the public with 200 tickets available per night.
Quartets and choruses will compete for the prestigious category prizes of National Male Quartet, National Female Quartet, Opened Mixed Quartets,
National Female Chorus, International Quartet and International Chorus competitions over the weekend, with the convention and the competitions kicking off at 2pm.
A team of international judges from all over Europe will preside over the convention and some lively entertainment is guaranteed from the guest groups appearing at the event such as Lemon Squeezy a male quartet from Sweden; and Fortuity a female quartet from the UK.
But of course the real interest lies in the competitors themselves including: Tone Cold Sober, a male chorus from Sligo; Unlimited, a male quartet from Holland; The Polyphonics, a male chorus from Cork; Serendipity, a female chorus from Bray, Co.Wicklow; The Old Spice Quartet, a male quartet; Own a Chord, a male quartet; 4 Bars Later, a female chorus; Notabelles, a female chorus from Dublin; 4 Piece Suite, a female quartet from Bray; Note-Orious 4, a female quartet; Jigsaw, a mixed quartet; Mastermix, a mixed quartet; Athlone A Cappella, female chorus; Ireland Unlimited female chorus; Beating Time female chorus from Wicklow; Java female chorus, from Carrigaline, Co. Cork; Espresso female quartet; Dynamic, a female quartet; Harmony Federation male chorus; and Eastlife male quartet.
