Barbershop Harmony -- A music appreciation course at Okaloosa-Walton College

This upcoming continuing education course is designed for men and women of all ages who would like to know how Barbershop Harmony became one of the few American musical art forms and how that unique vocal sound is created. Instruction will explain the history of barbershop harmony in America, the voicing and arrangements that define barbershop harmony, techniques to produce expanded sound, allow students to hear both quartets and choruses on CDs and view a video from the Barbershop Harmony Society explaining why singers are attracted to this musical style. DVDs will also be used to demonstrate championship chorus performances from past International Competitions.

Objectives

Completion of this Course will prepare participants to better appreciate Barbershop Harmony chorus and quartet performances by understanding:

  • fundamentals of producing barbershop harmony chords
  • techniques for producing expanded sound
  • performance techniques to take the audience on a journey