BackBeat A Cappella and the road to chartering
On Monday, 4th February 2019, we received official confirmation that BackBeat A Cappella (BBAC) had been accepted into Sweet Adelines International Region 31. In the weeks that followed, we were overwhelmed by the number of heartfelt congratulations and welcome messages that pinged into our inboxes and upon our timelines—it was wonderful to be able to share our journey (so far!), and our achievement with the organisation, the community, and the friends we had made along the way. BackBeat A Cappella was the result of two years of hard work, friendship, shared ambition, and a love of all things music!
So where did it all begin?
In the summer of 2016, we joined forces with friends, Hilary Pinnock and Kate Ravenscroft, to have a go at starting a new chorus aimed at introducing barbershop and Sweet Adelines International to a new audience. Following a month or so of promotion and having secured a super rehearsal space, we were ecstatic when over 40 women (all new to barbershop) walked through the door on the first night, billed as a four-week a cappella singing course.
We knew we were doing something right when the four weeks were over and the women kept coming back, some bringing friends and family with them! As we were new to leading a chorus, it was important to share the BBAC vision with the women who had invested their time and bought into our chorus culture. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, fun and a commitment to learning, the chorus has gone from strength to strength, rising to all new challenges. But we couldn’t have done it without the generous support of a number of inspirational coaches who have helped us along the way. Thank you, you know who you are!
Having chartered with Sweet Adelines, our next goal is to compete in regional competition in Cardiff this May 2019. This is a significant and wonderfully terrifying prospect for us! So, from the 26 chartered members of BackBeat A Cappella, 19 of which have been with us since our first rehearsal, thank you for all of your good wishes and we very much look forward to seeing you all at convention!
With a strong emphasis on collaboration, fun and a commitment to learning, the chorus has gone from strength to strength, rising to all new challenges.
