Gemma Redson, Baritone Section Leader

We know that joining a new choir can be scary. That’s why, for the last two weeks in April, The Barberettes invited women from all walks of life to join us for free and give singing a go. We were incredibly pleased that more than a dozen women chose to come along with varying levels of experience singing with other people. It didn’t matter whether or not they could read music; we would make sure they knew what notes to sing!

Our Musical Director Emma introduced the choir, the different singing parts, and led the whole chorus, new and old, with a selection of our warm-ups. New ladies were invited to sing with whichever part they felt most comfortable with. In the second week, most took the opportunity to sing with Emma privately to see which part suited them best.

Of course, the main event of the two weeks was learning a new song. Lady Gaga’s 'Born This Way' was new to the whole chorus to make it as accessible as possible for those who had joined us. It came together well and at the end of the second week a few family members came along to see us all sing it together.

But don’t just take my word for it. One of those who joined us had a few words to say about the experience: “Walking into an established group can be very daunting but the invitation was to experience two Wednesday rehearsals with the Barberettes.  I love singing and it sounded very inviting, so I went along. Emma welcomed us, she was friendly, crazy and funny, so I thought I’m going to like these guys ... we were straight into everyone learning a new Lady Gaga song, 'Born This Way', so it was very interesting to see how we were split into our voice groups and started to learn with the help of our section leader and supported by all the existing members who stood around the new people so we could hear and keep in tune.  Singing a cappella is very different but equally very rewarding and 4-part harmony produces such wonderful sounds from just the voice.  I have to say part of the reason I am hoping to carry on with the Barbs is what an incredibly friendly group of people, you don’t experience that with going into an established group very often. I feel that I should learn by their warmth and friendliness and pass that on in life where I can. Thank you everyone for two wonderful Wednesday evenings and I loved hearing you sing.”

To all those who joined us for ‘Learn to Sing’, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Of course, you don’t need to wait for one of these events to join us. Whether you're a seasoned vocalist or a first-time singer, there's a place for you in our choir. So, if you've ever dreamed of unleashing your inner diva or simply want to connect with others through the power of song, we invite you to join us.