Barbershop Quartet Day 🎤

Overview

Barbershop Quartet Day, observed annually on April 11th, commemorates the founding of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), now known as the Barbershop Harmony Society, in 1938. It's a day dedicated to celebrating and promoting the unique American art form of barbershop harmony, characterized by its unaccompanied, four-part vocal arrangements.

Origin and story

The Barbershop Harmony Society was founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 11, 1938, by O.C. Cash.

Barbershop harmony features four distinct voice parts: tenor (highest harmony), lead (melody), baritone (completes the chord), and bass (lowest harmony).

Quick facts

• DateApril 11
• TypeCultural / community observance
• Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams

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Ways to celebrate

Barbershop Quartet Day celebrates a distinctly American vocal style — four unaccompanied singers locking into tight, ringing harmony.

Listen or sing along

Celebrate by:

• Listening to a classic barbershop quartet recording and picking out the four parts: tenor, lead, baritone, and bass.
• Gathering three friends and attempting an a cappella harmony, barbershop-style, no instruments needed.
• Watching a video of a real barbershop quartet performance and seeing the vocal balance in action.

Learn about the style

Helpful resources:

• Barbershop Harmony Society (official site)

Find a local chapter

• Looking up the Barbershop Harmony Society, founded in Tulsa in 1938, and seeing if there's a chapter near you.
• Learning what makes barbershop harmony distinct from other a cappella styles.

Did you know?

Barbershop harmony is built around a "ringing chord" — a specific overtone effect singers chase by tuning their voices precisely against each other, rather than to a fixed pitch.

Fun facts

• The Barbershop Harmony Society was founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 11, 1938, by O.C. Cash.
• Barbershop harmony features four distinct voice parts: tenor (highest harmony), lead (melody), baritone (completes the chord), and bass (lowest harmony).
• A hallmark of barbershop singing is the "ringing chord" or "expanded sound," where precisely tuned pure intervals create overtones, giving the illusion of more than four voices.

Sources and attribution

Barbershop Harmony Society (official site)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is Barbershop Quartet Day?

It is observed on April 11 each year.

What is Barbershop Quartet Day?

Barbershop Quartet Day, observed annually on April 11th, commemorates the founding of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), now known as the Barbershop Harmony Society, in 1938. It's a day dedicated to celebrating and promoting the unique American art form of barbershop harmony, characterized by its unaccompanied, four-part vocal arrangements.

How do people celebrate Barbershop Quartet Day?

Listen to (or attempt) a four-part a cappella harmony — tenor, lead, baritone, and bass — the style celebrated by the Barbershop Harmony Society, founded in Tulsa in 1938.

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