National Barbershop Music Appreciation Day 2023 (U.S): We can hear many exquisite voices harmonising, and they inform us that July 13 is National Barbershop Music Day. This annual event celebrates barbershop music, a form of voice-only, acapella-style music, and should not be confused with National Barbershop Quartet Day, which is also dedicated to barbershop music. Singing genre-spanning melodies, people of all ages, genders, and nationalities perform at various public and private occasions. This day is a slice of reminiscence, beauty, and authenticity in a world dominated by pop culture.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL BARBERSHOP MUSIC APPRECIATION DAY
Barbershop music may have originated in England in the 1600s, but its prevalence has since increased as a result of American influence. Customers would play a ‘cittern’ in barbershops while they waited. Some customers ultimately began inventing their own sounds by placing pebbles inside tin cans, etc., resulting in ‘barber’s music’ The now-famous English naval administrator Samuel Pepys described this music as “amateur instrumental music” in his journal.
By the 1830s, this music had arrived in America, and because barbershops were the preferred hangouts for males, barbershop music became the national music. African American culture and traditional music elevated this genre to a higher level. Folk songs and hymns were sung in four sections, establishing the distinctive style of barbershop music.
Nonetheless, this music did not reach its zenith until the 1900s, becoming wildly popular by the 1940s. However, the only official group to perform these compositions was exclusively male. Women whose spouses were members of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.) were especially motivated. They knew from personal experience how entertaining this style of music could be. Therefore, on July 13, 1945, Edna Mae Anderson invited the wives of other S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. members to her residence in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a singing session, and the Sweet Adelines was founded that day. Today, this organisation is one of numerous barbershop music groups popularising this genre across the United States and the world.
Traditional melodies are still performed, but barbershop music now incorporates more contemporary genres, such as pop, rock, and show tunes, to attract a younger audience.
NATIONAL BARBERSHOP MUSIC APPRECIATION DAY ACTIVITIES
Get your melody on
It doesn’t matter if you can carry a melody or not; sing along to popular barbershop songs like ‘Shine On, Harvest Moon’ and ‘Come Fly with Me.’ Make it more entertaining (and difficult) by performing your favourite song in this manner.
Explore the subject of barbershop music.
Learn everything about this music that interests you, including its history, current influences, performance details, and more. Information is readily accessible through the Internet and local libraries. You can also join a barbershop group to gain practical experience with this musical genre.
Share (barbershop music) the affection
Organise family-friendly events that prominently feature barbershop music. Attend local barbershop music events and post information about them online. Get more and more people interested in this type of music, and you will eventually benefit from a community of music enthusiasts who share your tastes!
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FACTS
Indeed, a very substantial membership
The Sweet Adelines is one of the largest women-only organisations in the world, with nearly 21,000 members worldwide.
This style has influenced numerous
It features the renowned jazz musician Louis Armstrong, who joins Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Groucho Marx, and Abbott and Costello.
The first email attachment ever
In 1992, American computer scientist Nathaniel Borenstein emailed a photograph and audio sample of his barbershop quartet, the Telephone Chords, to his colleagues, making them the world’s first email attachments.
The history behind the traditional garment
The oversized moustaches, striped jackets, and straw hats associated with this style of music originated in an old form of theatre entertainment known as Vaudeville; they donned these garish outfits to attract attention.
Barbershop and acapella music
This style is characterised by vocal harmonisation without instruments; therefore, all barbershop music is acapella; however, acapella music can cross genres and styles and is not limited to barbershop music.
SIGNIFICANCE
This musical genre is renowned for its ‘ringing’ sound, or precisely in-tune music notes. Countless music critics and consumers have compared the effect to being in the presence of a “angel’s voice.”
People who execute barbershop music cannot hide. Their voices are unaccompanied by any musical instrument; they engage audiences using only facial and body expressions.
Although it was likely adopted from the British, barbershop music is now closely associated with American hair salons. This, coupled with the presence of numerous American barbershop establishments, makes it an even more American pastime that we enjoy exploring.
National Barbershop Music Appreciation Day 2023 (U.S): DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 13 | Thursday |
| 2024 | July 13 | Saturday |
| 2025 | July 13 | Sunday |
| 2026 | July 13 | Monday |
| 2027 | July 13 | Tuesday |
