If your idea of a barbershop group is four men in striped vests and straw boater hats singing songs from yesteryear, you may want to broaden that view — so say members of the Heart of the Valley Chorus, a women’s barbershop group that has been singing, entertaining and competing in western Massachusetts for almost 40 years.
Originally established as the Mount Sugarloaf Chorus in Greenfield, the Heart of the Valley Chorus has the distinction of being the only women’s barbershop chorus in western Mass.
“Here in the Valley there are a lot of different singing groups one can join and that is wonderful,” longtime chorus member Stephanie Flinker said. “But barbershop music is unique, and the sound is so pure, that it really is a style like no other.”
The chorus is a tightly knit, fun-loving group, currently made up of 14 women ages 29 to 77 years old who come from a variety of vocations, musical backgrounds and locations.
What draws them in and holds them together, is the love of the music and the camaraderie it inspires.
“Music is universal,” said chorus director Maggie Hawlicheck, who commutes to Northampton every week from Connecticut for their Wednesday rehearsals.
Hawlicheck has been the director of this group of cheerful crooners since 1999.
She is also a baritone section leader, and Assistant Director for the Sound of New England Chorus based in West Hartford.
Both choruses are members of the Sweet Adelines, a international women’s barbershop organization that boasts roughly 21,000 singers dedicated to “preserving the unique sound of a cappella barbershop harmony, sharing their passion for music and empowering women in every area of their lives.”
The quintessential, and ultimate barbershop sound, is the “lock and ring” — an overtone vibration or resonant ring, unique only to four-part barbershop harmonies. This sound is produced through good musical arrangement, good vocal technique, well-balanced and blended voices and accuracy of intonation.
Done well, it is what barbershoppers and their audiences say sends thrilling “chills up the spine.”
“Barbershop takes a lot of work and commitment and it is also a lot of fun,” Flinker said.
Contrary to what some may believe, barbershop is not just for older people.
Flinker’s daughter, Sarah Flinker, 29, who grew up hearing barbershop in the home joined the chorus over a year ago.
She had sung in other groups but said that she was “blown away by the fullness of the barbershop sound.”
“I actually liked it more than I expected,” Flinker said. “The music is amazing, we have a lot of fun and I get to know other women and hang out and learn from them.”
While Sarah Flinker is the youngest member, Betty Nordstrom, 77 is the oldest.
“I just love music, I don’t know what I would do without it,” Nordstrom said. “I used to be the youngest member, but have been singing with this group for almost 40 years.”
Carey Morgan, 60, has been with the chorus for three years. Prior to that, her most recent experience of singing in a chorus was when she sang in her church choir growing up.
“When I first came to a rehearsal, everyone was so welcoming and loving that it never once felt uncomfortable or awkward,” Morgan said. “Before I joined, I had that picture of the men in the white shirts and handlebar mustaches, but now I have learned so much about music, about harmonies and it just feels amazing to sing in a group like this.”
The chorus takes part in annual regional competitions, and since its inception has had first, second and third place awards for small group choruses, but Flinker says their motivation behind singing and competing is not to win competitions but rather to enjoy the experience of singing together.
“We don’t go to win, we go to have fun,” Flinker said. “We go to keep ourselves honest about our craft, to be judged, to learn and to hear everybody else.”
Heart of the Valley loves to perform and recently did a show at the Rockridge Retirement Community where residents happily sang along to holiday songs and show tunes.
“I had a wonderful time,” Rockridge resident Lois Hersey said. “They put on a great show and this is just what we needed,” she said with a big smile.
Seeing joy on the faces of their audience is the other reason these women do what they do.
“Music is a powerful tool,” Flinker said. “We really strive to put on a good show and to connect with the audience so that they are part of what we are doing.”
The chorus is always looking for places to perform. They are also looking for more women to join them and invite anyone who wants to check out the group to stop in to one of their Wednesday rehearsals, have a listen, meet the members, and sing along to see if it is for you. They do warn however that you may become addicted to the sound.
“That is what happened to me, I saw a recruitment flyer in the teachers room, went to a rehearsal, and that was it I was hooked!” Hawlicheck said.
Rehearsals take place at 7 p.m. at the Christ United Methodist Church Parish Hall at 271 Rocky Hill Road in Florence. For Information about the group call: 320-9505.