A message from Interim CEO Steve Denino
*This message will be included in the May/June 2025 Harmonizer
We’ve all felt it. A lot is happening in the world around us. No matter where we live, we experience the tension, the uncertainty and the animosity of the times.
Barbershop singers are among those losing jobs. Some BHS members are deeply affected by disputes between our nations. Some feel threatened because of beliefs, identities or political affiliations. We have chapters struggling to find and spread joy, and others that worry about the future.
I see the hurt and fear. I hear chorus directors and chapter presidents talking about it. In response, I return again and again to our mission, which reminds us to bring people together in harmony and enrich lives through singing.
Do you remember when you first joined barbershop? Do you remember the sense of community you experienced? The way you were welcomed into the fold?
Do you remember the soul-filling connection you felt to those around you during your earliest rehearsals and the first time you nailed an entire song with your chorus or quartet? How about the euphoria that rippled through your chorus after your first show with the chorus or quartet?
Actually, it’s bigger than that, isn’t it? Do you remember the magic of every single performance? And how each one helped you see how much you love your chorus?
That’s the power of barbershop. We gather in harmony and fellowship. We gather to sing. And when we sing, we enrich our own lives and the lives of those around us — our chapter members, our friends, our families and our communities.
Barbershop harmony is a haven. It’s a beacon of light on our darkest days. It’s a place, and a time, and a space where we come together. Where we leave politics and differences at the door and sing our hearts out. That’s been our culture for generations, and it’s in our Code of Ethics.
We feel hope and at least a bit renewed during each barbershop experience, thanks to the collective energy and support of those singing around us. And we, in turn, give strength right back to them.
Seems like we need barbershop more than ever, doesn’t it?
Thank you all for making it happen. Stay focused. Stay strong. Sing. Be a part of something greater. Together.