Gold medal dreams

by | 07 Aug 2019 | Quartet Journey

“Congratulations, how does it feel?” is the question we must have been asked the most at regional contest this year.

We’re still not sure how to answer it! Weeks have passed since we were announced as the 2019 Region 31 quartet champion and it still hasn’t sunk in.

This was our first contest together since Claire joined us in March 2018 and we couldn’t have wished for anything more. We dreamed of one day becoming regional champions, but never predicted it would come true so soon!

So who is Nightfall?

Tenor: Emma Rollson

Being a barber-baby it was inevitable Emma would love the contest stage. She has sung with a number of top ten quartets over the years. She first stepped onto the quartet stage in 2005 and came home with a fifth place medal with Pure Innocence. From that point she was hooked on quartet singing and knew one day she wanted to win regional. She also stood in on baritone with Topaz at the Rising Star contest in 2007 with just two weeks’ notice, but quickly changed back to her natural voice part. Despite a tonsillectomy in the lead up to contest, Emma also took the double gold this year with Heartbeat, what a weekend!

Lead: Alex Bowden

Being introduced to Emma at a regional contest by mutual friends planted the seed that went on to become Nightfall! Alex joined Heartbeat Chorus in 2011 as part of a learn to sing course and never looked back. She was always keen to sing in scratch quartets, so it was only a matter of time before she looked for her first competitive quartet. Can you believe Nightfall is Alex’s very first quartet? Alex also sang and danced her way to the double gold this year on the front row of Heartbeat.

Baritone: Claire Booles

After singing in a few quartets and with wonderful friends, Claire spotted our advert for a new baritone. With a little encouragement from her husband, she decided to audition for Nightfall. We’re so thankful she did, she clicked straight away! Claire discovered barbershop singing when DaleDiva was formed in her hometown and now sings with Ignite UK Chorus.

Bass: Rosalind Kipps

Meeting three Viva Acappella girls on holiday in Tenerife was the start of Ros’ barbershop life in 2011. She joined Viva as soon as she got home (later becoming bass section leader and assistant MD) and achieved a fifth place quartet medal with the other Tenerife girls in Vice Versa quartet. Knowing this was a bass with potential, we had our eye on her and are so glad she agreed to make the huge commitment of long distance quartetting with Nightfall. In November last year Ros relocated from London to Sheffield, knocking about 3 hours off the commute to rehearsals! She is also the lead of mixed quartet, Scandal, founder of 2018 mixed chorus champions Momentum, and took to the stage this year as the new director of Sheffield Harmony Chorus.

So what’s next for Nightfall?

We can’t wait to represent Region 31 alongside our big sister quartet Fortuity in New Orleans. We’re also busy preparing for a fundraising show on 7 September and will be competing at the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers’ national contest in October. On top of all that we’ll be learning lots of new music, too. You can keep up to date with all the goings on via the Nightfall Facebook page. We are so grateful for the support of all our friends in Region 31 and can’t wait to see you all again soon.