My Exciting Summer (Singing Barbershop Harmonies With The Music City Chorus)

Robert Davenport

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

          SMYRNA -- Many of us (including professors) will ask each other before the beginning of the fall semester, “What interesting/exciting experiences did you have over the summer?”

          Well, you could say that my most exciting experience was “out of this world!”

          You see, I sing in the 100-plus man Music City Chorus (the Nashville chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, headquartered in Nashville). We competed in the 80^th annual International convention of the BHS in early July in Orlando, Florida. The competition included the 50 best quartets and the 30 best barbershop harmony choruses from literally all over the world.

Motlow Smyrna Speech Instructor Robert Davenport (far right) performs with his barbershop quartet Mac-n-Cheese.    (Photo by David Belden)

          When the “dust settled” after the competition, we were ecstatic to be announced as the 2018 fifth-place Bronze medalist chorus – fifth place in the world! We had finished fifth in 2015, but we had never scored as many points as we did in this contest; in fact, we were only four points out of third place! I can say without reservation that it was the most exhilarating experience I have ever had on a stage!

          The chorus will be competing on Sept. 29 in a District competition in Oxford, Alabama, to attempt to qualify for the 2019 International contest in Salt Lake City, Utah. I will also be competing in a Seniors quartet (age 55 and over) to possibly qualify for the International Seniors Quartet competition in January in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House.

          The Music City Chorus (www.musiccitychorus.org) has performed all over Middle Tennessee since 1948. We do one to two large concerts every year, engage in various public performances throughout the year, send out quartets to deliver Singing Valentines, and regularly compete in District and International competitions. The chorus rehearses every Tuesday from 7-10 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Nashville and is always looking for singers who would enjoy singing four-part acappella harmony. We also have a Christmas CD that can be purchased through our website.

          The Barbershop Harmony Society (www.barbershop.org), in existence since 1938, has a strong youth outreach program and has recently begun accepting female members. Even though there are two separate female international barbershop harmony organizations, BHS is attempting to encourage mixed-harmony singing, inclusivity, etc. The BHS motto is “Keep the Whole World Singing.”

          Needless to say, this was my most exciting experience of the summer!

           (Editor's Note: Robert Davenport and his barbershop quartet Mac-in-Cheese will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 25 at Nashville School of the Arts. To learn more or buy tickets, visit www.MusicCityChorus.org.)