ART & CULTURE
Sweet Harmony Coastal Harmonizers, an all-men’s barbershop melody group, is back in action and accepting new members.
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BY JO ANN MATHEWS
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Singers can create a magical world separate from the venue where the audience gathers. The Coastal Harmonizers, a group of 22 men who sing barbershop melodies, fit this description. When COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, the group began practicing again at Camp United Methodist Church in Shallotte with their musical director Barbara Berry, the only woman accepted in the group. Berry says she puts “fun” as her priority. “If the members are not having fun, they are not likely to return,” she says. “Basically, I encourage laughter and often silliness at our rehearsals.” This is evident as the men welcome each other with smiles and friendly greetings. Coastal Harmonizers developed in 2011 when a dozen men left rehearsal with the Cape Fear Chordsmen and returned to Brunswick County The Coastal believing it needed a Harmonizers and subgroup barbershop group of its The Southern own. Bob Zinke, who Comfort Quartet formed a barbershop travel Brunswick quartet with Berry in County sharing 2005 and knew she had their love of experience directing music and Sweet Adelines in barbershop California, asked her to melodies.
Fall 2021
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