Our new MD Rob Barber is definitely in touch with his feminine side . He was delighted to receive his LABBS membership badge from our Chair Pearl. He’s also very happy to pose with his new Chorus in Pink. Rocking it Rob!
NEWS FLASH!!!!
We are thrilled to announce that we have a new Music Director. The dynamic award winning energetic ROB BARBER. We are glad to have him join us and look forward to welcoming and working with him. Exciting times ahead as we celebrate our 30th anniversary.
AGM – our MD retires
After 23 years as our Music Director Rod Butcher has decided to retire to pursue other interests in the Barbershop world such as being a member of the Quartet ‘One Foot in the Stave’. He will be missed but we wish him well but no doubt our paths will cross in the Barbershop world. Thank you Rod and Good Luck!
LABBS Convention Llandudno, Wales Oct 2019
We spent a great weekend in Llandudno, even though it was extremely wet and windy! There were plenty of opportunities for fun from partying in Jane’s room, singing in the dining room until 2.00 am for those energetic enough to stay up and walking around Convention dressed as Dragons and Whales! We enjoyed our performance late afternoon on Saturday dressed in our new shoes and dresses.
Summer Activities
Although our MD Rod is away on holiday and some chorus members too, the rest of the chorus still wanted to continue with rehearsals. We had lots of fun as well as practicing our Convention package ready for Rod’s return. Thank you ladies for your contributions especially Jo and Sandy for leading us.
This looks like a Zumba Class!!
The Chorus goes to Warwick!
Second City Sound had lots of fun entertaining folks at the Warwickshire Federation of Women’s Institutes who were celebrating 100 years of inspiring women 1918-2018
Singing with the moves!
Founder member celebrates 80th birthday – on stage!
All of us at Second City Sound are sending our congratulations and wishing many happy returns to our founder member, Olive Ryder.
Ever the dedicated performer, Olive is celebrating her 80th birthday by joining us in competing at the IABS Convention, in Cork. We’re thrilled that she’s chosen to spend her special day with us.
Our chorus started in 1990. Olive and her late friend Jean, discovered an interest in barbershop singing when their husbands were members of the Anvil Chorus. The two ladies and their husbands raised funds from car boot sales in order to pay for hall hire and to launch a ladies’ chorus.
13 women attended the first rehearsals and so Second City Sound was born.
In the early days, the chorus lacked experience of singing in the barbershop style, and did not yet have a music director. Members of a chorus in Derby used to visit to provide coaching, until a member of the Anvil Chorus stepped in.
Today, Rod Butcher is our director — although, with a mere 21 years in post, he’s still a newcomer!
Members of the chorus have sent a few photos of those early days.
Happy Birthday, Olive!
New member’s first competition
Newbie Pat, who joined the Chorus in May after attending a six week singing course, will be going to her first competition in Cork at IABS next week.
She says she has found it hard work but the friendly and welcoming group encouraged her to join the rest of the Chorus when they travel to Ireland on 5 October and she is really looking forward to it.
We’ll catch up with Pat in Ireland!
Second City Sound prepares for IABS Convention
Excitement is building among members of Second City Sound, as we prepare for the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) Convention in Cork, on 5-7 October. It’s been a while since our last trip to IABS, and we are looking forward to entertaining the audience and catching up with old friends.
We’ve been hard at work, preparing our contest package — with the help of our MD, Rod Butcher and visiting coach, Dale Kynaston. As ever, Dale and Rod found the happy balance between encouragement and correction. We ended today’s coaching session feeling confident that we can put on a good show, and enjoy it, too!
As Convention gets closer, we’ll be posting regular updates on our Facebook page, so please do follow us to hear the latest news.
Singout at Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell Jazz Festival
© Photo Merlin Daleman
A jazz festival isn’t an obvious choice for a barbershop chorus, but we are always glad to reach a new audience!
We were delighted to be invited to sing at BBC Birmingham, as part of the Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell Jazz Festival on 21 July. Hosted by Radio WM’s Jenny Wilkes and performing under the direction of Assistant MDs Helen Brown and Jo Wilson, we sang two half-hour sets to an appreciative crowd.
We even received a lovely original sketch, as a memento — and, of course, we had to ask Jenny for a photo!
