You want to sing in a quartet - right!

For some of us, it may seem that it is the easiest thing in the world to start up a quartet. I mean - well, you know - we just call some people and suggest a get-together and a quartet is born. Some of us have done exactly that, but clearly it is not always that easy. If it were easy, every person who would like to a sing in a quartet would be joyfully engaged in bouncing those chords around the room.

Why is it that some find it so easy to be quartet involved and others don't ever seem able to make it happen? The reasons are as many and as varied as each of us is different from everyone else. Let's try to understand some of them. Think about the capable, but rather new barbershop singer who has not yet established the credentials and who is not quite sure about the wisdom of blurting out to someone, "Hey, let's start a quartet."

Many of us might hesitate to stick our necks out quite that far. Perhaps the best plan would be to wait for them to call you. Well guess what, it is quite likely that they are waiting for someone to call them. And what about the person who would like to sing in a quartet but is not sure about measuring up? Some of us might assume that potential quartet singing partners may be too busy, too old, too young, not interested, tied up with other singers or in some other way unavailable.

Incidentally, let's not assume that all potential quartet mates must end up being the best of friends. That might be the case and that would be great, but that is not necessarily what this is about. What then is an aspiring quartet singer to do?

First and foremost, it is an absolute must that anyone desiring to sing in a quartet needs to develop the necessary singing and performing skills to make it possible to do the work. Simply stated, though quartet singing is certainly a group activity, individual singers must bring their best to the quartet - all of the time - every time. But now let us assume that you are prepared for all of that, yet you are facing one or more of the problems noted above. How do we make it happen?

Set up a meeting: Put out a bulletin- a letter of inquiry - a notice to be posted on bulletin boards of surrounding chapters or perhaps mailed to Barbershoppers within a reasonable driving distance (yes, you can travel a few miles to sing). Tell the world that there will be a QUARTET FORMATION FESTIVAL. Get the word out to every possible participant.

Specify in your bulletin that anyone, at any level of proficiency, who has an interest in singing in a quartet, is welcome. Develop a questionnaire for each of the participants to complete at the beginning of each meeting. Determine such things as: Experience levels, the part each person sings, the sort of quartet desired (show-only, competitive, comedy, local-only, whatever). Determine the amount of time each singer believes is available to develop a quartet (trust me, this element could change materially when a really good combination is found), and more. Hold the meeting at the home of some very involved Barbershopper or at any other suitable meeting place.

And what is the process? Just this. Secure the services of qualified coaches, chorus directors, certified judges and experienced quartet people to be on hand to help with the process. With the guidance of the coaches, set up several possible quartet combinations, rotating people, matching vocal quality and areas of interest.

Start with singing "Barberpole Cat" arrangements until combinations with interesting potential are established. Sit down together with the coaches/guides and talk about mutual interests. Share thoughts about the quartet experience and the challenges it offers. Arrange for future meetings with each quartet on its own or with the help of a coach and thus a quartet is born. With any luck, several quartets could be born. Does this plan work? In 1960, a quartet called The Auto Towners was formed in very much the same way. I had always sung baritone; but, under the guidance of respected coaches, I ended up singing lead. We became International Champions just six years later.

Think about it, how better to locate people who really want to explore the quartet experience? Incidentally, it should be noted that I retreated back to my beloved baritone part when Al Rehkop and I had the opportunity to sing with a lead named Drayton Justus and a bass named Bob Whitledge. It doesn't get much better than that.

Folks, the whole point of this article is this. If you want to sing in a quartet, there is only one way to do it and that is to do it!