Hallmark of Harmony Taster Course September 2026
Dates: Tuesday 8th - Tuesday 29th September, 19:30-21:30
Location: Wesley Hall, Crookes, Sheffield, S10 1UD
Cost: £20
Sign up link: Sign Up Form
The Hallmark of Harmony Taster Course is a 4-week event for anyone interested in singing barbershop harmony in a choir. Join our rehearsals each Tuesday night and learn a new song in the barbershop style. After this, if you’ve enjoyed yourself, we would love for you to join the chorus as a full member (following our standard audition process).
Read about our one of our previous courses held in January 2025 here.
Who is it for?
Anyone who likes to sing! Our members range from classically trained musicians with years of singing experience right through to people who had previously only ever sung in the shower. Whatever your experience, if you love to sing in harmony, are curious about barbershop / a cappella music, or have been meaning to join a choir but never quite found the time, we’d love to see you there!
Please note that Hallmark of Harmony is a male-voice chorus, so we're only looking for singers who identify as, or are happy to be identified as, male. There are two fantastic female barbershop choruses in Sheffield: see Sheffield Harmony and Steel City Voices.
How much does it cost?
The cost of the four week course is £20 for the whole thing! That includes access to all rehearsal materials including:
- Sheet music with lyrics.
- Learning tracks for every voice part. Learning tracks are audio recordings that allow you to focus on and sing along to a specific part to learn the music by ear, like singing along to your favourite music!
What songs are we learning?
- Don't You Want Me (The Human League)
- Just Like A Butterfly That's Caught In The Rain
Do I need to read sheet music?
No, many of our members don’t read sheet music. We use learning tracks; audio recordings of each harmony part, to learn the music by ear. Everyone on the course will be given access to learning tracks for both songs to learn the music. Note that Hallmark only uses sheet music for learning; we typically perform without sheet music.
Is there an audition?
No, there is no audition for the taster course. Everyone is welcome! If you’d like to join the chorus as a full-time member, there is an informal audition process you must go through - please see our Audition page for more detail.
How do I sign up?
Please sign up using our sign up form. You will receive the music and the learning tracks shortly by E-Mail before the course begins.
What if I can’t make one of the rehearsals?
Don’t panic! Come to as many as you can - you might just need to catch up on the music a little. Let us know which dates you can’t make on the google form and we’ll be sure to keep you updated.
I can’t make those dates! Can I audition in the future?
Of course! Our rehearsals are always open to prospective members and you’re welcome to come along and see if you like it. We rehearse at the same venue every Tuesday night during school term times. Once you’re ready, you can start the audition process. Let us know when you’re planning to come so we can expect you!
What happens during a rehearsal?
Each rehearsal starts with a short physical warm up, then a vocal warm up led by our music team. Our music team will then run a short session on vocal technique to align the chorus sound, then we’ll learn the new songs, by splitting into our respective parts to go over the music. Afterwards, we'll bring it all together to sing as a chorus. There’s a short break halfway through for a cup of tea and a chat, and afterwards we’ll head to a local pub for a drink (optional, of course).
What happens afterwards?
If you think you’d like to join the chorus after the taster course, we’ll begin our standard audition process over the following two weeks (6th & 13th Oct). The audition is to sing one of the taster course songs; Just Like a Butterfly That's Caught In The Rain, in a Barbershop quartet with one person per voice part. Don’t panic! We’re here to support you. See our auditions page for more details on what this involves.
Once you’ve passed your audition, you will become a Full Member of the chorus and pay a small monthly fee - see our Membershop Costs page for more details.
What is barbershop?
Barbershop is a style of four-part, close-harmony, a cappella singing. Originating in America, you may think of barbershop quartets in pin-striped suits: the Dapper Dans or The Be-Sharps from the Simpsons. A barbershop chorus is basically one giant barbershop quartet, with lots of people singing each part!
What parts are there in a barbershop chorus?
There are four harmony parts in a barbershop arrangement: Tenor, Lead, Baritone, and Bass. The Lead sings the melody line, with the three other parts harmonising around it.
Tenors sing the highest part, typically harmonizing above the melody. Their range sits higher than a typical choral tenor part does. This part is suitable for higher voices, anyone comfortable singing in their headvoice or falsetto, or those who sing alto or countertenor in traditional choral music.
Leads sing the melody, carrying the tune that the other parts harmonise around. In our style of music, this is best suited for medium-to-high voices. With a range similar to a high baritone or a choral tenor.
Baritones harmonise in the middle of the chords, their part can lie below or above the melody. A fun, technically challenging part that melds the music together. Lower tenors (Tenor 2) or higher basses (Bass 1) may feel most comfortable singing the range of the baritone part.
Basses sing the lowest part, laying the musical foundation for the rest. If you have a fairly deep singing or speaking voice, or have sung bass in a choir before (Bass 1 or Bass 2), the barbershop bass may be a good fit for you! Basses tend to get nice features to show off their range and are best with a strong sense of rhythm and groove!
For those who’ve sung in traditional choirs, this is a good translation:
- Tenor = Countertenor or Alto
- Lead = Tenor 2 (Lower Tenor) or Tenor 1 (Higher Tenor)
- Baritone = Tenor 2, Baritone (Middle Voice), or Bass 1 (Higher Bass)
- Bass = Bass 2 (Lower Bass) or Bass 1
How do I know what part I should sing?
Don’t worry! Firstly, you’ll be given access to the music and learning tracks before the first rehearsal so you can try singing along to each part. Before the first rehearsal, our chorus director will contact you directly by E-Mail and send you some simple voice tests to do at home and send back to help you identify which part best suits your voice. Our music team is there to guide you, and you’re welcome to try out several parts during over the four weeks.
Who are Hallmark of Harmony?
Hallmark of Harmony are a Sheffield-based barbershop chorus with a mission to entertain and delight audiences. Formed in 1978, we are the eight-time UK chorus champions and current Silver medalists of the British Association of Barbershop Singers, and are known for our close-harmony singing, high musical standard, and inclusive atmosphere. We perform all over the country in concerts, festivals, and competitions. We are an amateur choir, full of ordinary men from all walks of life, who love to sing in harmony. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and rehearsals are always social and fun before anything else!
