Interview with the Southern Comfort Barber Mates choir
Your name for the men’s choir is very beautiful. What do you want to express with it? We are called Southern Comfort Barber Mates after a whiskey drink from the south of the US and that name represents conviviality. That suits Brabant, that is the association. Barbershop choirs also emerged in the south of the US: men who sang together on the plantations and at the hairdresser’s. How long has the choir existed? Since 1987. Since when have you been rehearsing in VTA Blixems? Since the Corona crisis. We needed a larger and better ventilated space. Do you have a conductor? Yes indeed, Hanneke Reijerse from Zaltbommel. She is doing very well. She hears exactly what needs to be improved. Do you need to be able to read sheet music? That is useful, but not necessary. Are there also members from Blixembosch? Also, but we have members from all over the region. Do you need new members? We are 15 men, but we would like to grow to 30. Everyone between 18 and 80 years old is welcome. Expats are also certainly welcome. We sing almost everything in English, so that fits. We are also a nice group of friends. We chat and laugh together a lot. We are looking for members with commitment and enthusiasm.
What style is the barbershop music? They are 4-part arrangements of popular English songs. Think of John Denver, Elvis Presley, Beatles and Queen. Just look them up on the internet: song title and barbershop. Delicious! When do you rehearse? Every Wednesday evening from 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, except during school holidays. Do you also perform? Eight times a year. We perform without sheet music. On Sunday afternoon, June 30, we will perform at the Eindhoven Center for the Arts during the ‘bubbly weekend’. What is your greatest wish for the choir? Continuity and growing to 30 members.
More information at www.scbm.nl Email: jantheeuwes2@gmail.com
Text Hans Baaijens