Canberra Chordsmen Information

The Barbershop Harmony Club of Canberra Inc. was started in October 1987 by a group of enthusiasts - men and women - who wanted to sing songs in the "old style" in 4-part harmony. Because of our deep cultural links with a local hostelry (we got free Guinness), our chorus was originally called The George Harcourt Harmonaires, and we happily sang free for charities, and (when we could) for a fee. It was a lot of fun, and with the mixed chorus we solved the problem of the shortage of male (top) Tenors, and female Basses. Our mixed chorus did raise a few eyebrows among the purist single-sex Barbershop choruses in Australia at the time ... In 1990 the Australian Association of Men Barbershop Singers Inc (AAMBS) announced that the first National Australian convention (for men) would be held on the Gold Coast the following year. This led us, early in 1991, to decide to split into two single-sex choruses. The women formed the Brindabella Chorus, which is now fully chartered with Sweet Adelines, and the men continued under the BHCC name, forming The Canberra Chordsmen, which is now our main performing chorus. Incidentally, we came fourth nationally at the Gold Coast Convention, a club record we're still trying to better ... We are registered with AAMBS, and through that association we are affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society. The BHCC is an association incorporated in the ACT.