Virtual Harmony University may just be Barbershop's best month of the year
The on-campus experience is impossible in 2020, but Virtual Harmony University is equipped and priced to educate an even bigger audience throughout this July
Attendees have long called Harmony University the best week of the year for Barbershoppers. And while the cancellation of the in-person experience has been heartbreaking, the show will go on—and in many ways, stronger than ever.
“July could end up being a banner year for Harmony U,” said BHS Director of Education Donny Rose. “This gives us a rare opportunity to double down with our online learning platform and provide education to anyone, anywhere, at any time, at a cost point that is incredibly reasonable.”
Admittedly, some great elements of HU Belmont cannot be part of an online experience, which is strictly BYOIC (Bring Your Own Ice Cream). Also missing will be the nonstop energy that comes with marinating in the best instruction all day, every day for a full week. The coaching sessions, performance opportunities, and tagging late into the night will also have to wait for a different year.
Fortunately, the same top-level instructors will continue to deliver the kind of curriculum and content that’s received rave reviews for decades. Many who couldn’t have attended a typical Harmony University experience will finally have the opportunity.
“With the savings for our students on the expenses of travel, food, housing, faculty reimbursement—and yes, ice cream—we can now make this education far more accessible to the world, virtually,” Donny said.
DIFFERENT FORMAT, SAME HIGH-LEVEL INSTRUCTION
What would normally be a week of intense learning will instead be spread out over the entire month— attendees can fill up all month without even having to take off work. Attendees that participate in live events will be able to interact with their instructors just as they would in person. However, delayed viewing will be available as well.
After a year of delivering HU Online courses already, Donny said the team can promise online curriculum that’s on par with the depth and quality of the in-person instruction.
“This is NOT going to be a Zoom call where you sit muted and wait for your turn,” he said. “We have specifically limited class sizes with world-class teachers, just like HU-Belmont.”
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
With the lower cost and higher-access, July’s Harmony University experience is geared for the largest possible audience. Donny particularly hopes that chapter leaders take advantage.
“I would send my entire music team to this school,” he said. “It’s slam dunk great education that will pay the chapter back tenfold—for a quarter of the cost of attending in person.”