The Barbershop Harmony Society

With 30,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, the Barbershop Harmony Society is the world's largest all-male singing organization. It is comprised of more than 800 choruses and 1800 quartets throughout the U.S. and Canada. Eight affiliated organizations around the world add another 3300 members to the count, and the 33,000 members of female groups such as Sweet Adelines International and Harmony, Inc. bring the total number of barbershop singers to nearly 70,000 worldwide. 

Each year, the Society sponsors the International Convention and Contest that pulls together the top Quartets and Choruses and members from around the world to be immersed in a week long frenzy of performances, meetings, and contests, culminating in the selection of the International Quartet and Chorus Champions for the year. Additionally, the International Collegiate Quartet Contest, sponsored by MBNA, is held and an International Collegiate Championship Quartet is selected.

The International Convention also features performances from non-member a cappella groups, such a Rockapella, Chanticleer, Voices of Lee, the Real Group, Take Six, Dapper Dan's of Disneyland,  as well as a show sponsored by the Association of International Champions that features a parade of former International Quartet Champions.

Bi-monthly, BHS members receive a copy of The Harmonizer, that features a multitude of stories and photos of activities, tips on how to sing become a better singer, promotion of society schools and events, advertising from quartets, choruses, and vendors who promote products related to helping our members become better singers and performers. 

The Barbershop Harmony Society is governed by an elected Board of Directors, which sets policy, budget and dues, and laws and regulations for the organization. The Society Board is assisted by numerous volunteer committees, comprised of Barbershoppers willing to share their special expertise for the good of the organization. 

Day-to-day operations of the Society are under the direction of the Executive Director, who is responsible for overseeing the headquarters office staff. The Harmony Hall staff publishes and distributes music and the Society’s bi-monthly magazine, The Harmonizer, and organizes the annual international convention and midwinter convention. 

It also publishes manuals on the subjects of chapter operation, barbershop craft, stagecraft, quartet promotion, script writing, music arranging, chorus development and a wide variety of other educational topics. The headquarters office staff supervises a harmony education program to keep its members informed. It also produces barbershop harmony recordings for education and entertainment and maintains an audio-visual education program.