The
Works are as good as it gets in barbershop, as winners of the 2005 gold
medal award in competition with the British Association of Barbershop
Singers, which is no suprise as it's members have been winning this
award for years now.
Bass, Martin Ford, has been singing
barbershop harmony since 1983 having joined the hobby as part of his
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. He thought he would only be involved for
8 weeks to receive a pass mark for his award. However, since then he
has won 3 quartet gold medals, being a member of BABS most prolific
“young” quartet QUATTRO, from 1987 to 1993, winning the
coveted Gold medal in 1992. He went on to sing with SOUND ASSEMBLY who
became BABS Champion Quartet in 1994, and won again in 2001 singing
bass with MATRIX. He has now represented BABS at International Contest
on 4 occasions in quartet and once in chorus with The Cambridge Chord
Company, Choir of the World 2004.
Martin has recently been known for his
coaching successes with both men’s and ladies top choruses and
quartets. He coaches at all levels from beginner to British and European
Champion status and also provides individual vocal coaching and development.
He coaches regularly in Holland and is an annual attendee as Quartet
Coaching Stream Faculty Member at BABS Harmony College.
John Palmer won his British Association
of Barbershop Singers Gold medal singing Baritone with "Cambridge
Blues". A former British Association of Barbershop Singers Music
Category Director, he is now back in the ranks. John spends few hours
at home as he is always in demand for his unique encouraging coaching
skills. When not doing that he directs a ladies barbershop chorus and
writes his own arrangements
The Works Lead, Brian Schofield, began
his singing career in the cells at Holloway women's prison where he
was mistakenly retained after an evening at a cross dressing party in
Wandsworth. His love of harmony blossomed from that point, as did his
love of women's clothing and he still returns at weekends to the prison
to see a few old friends on ladies night. . . but really . . .
The British Association of Barbershop
Singers had greatly benefited from Brian's Lead singing skills, as he
has won 3 Gold quartet medals with "Quartz Precision, Hooked on
Harmony, and The Light Industrial Choral Society."
While at school tenor, Mike Warner,
was "recruited" to perform in the Manchester production of
"La Boheme" with the Welsh National Opera Company in the "children's
chorus". He later returned to the boards with an English National
Opera production of Carmen. Mike joined the Great Manchester Barbershop
Harmony Club ( Rainy City Chorus ) far to many years ago to remember.
He was dragged there kicking and screaming by a friend who had himself
been dragged there by his brother Tim. In a short time they auditioned
and recruited another to sing lead with them in the 1985 BABS Silver
Medal Quartet - Channel Four.
Three years later Mike joined the Solent
City Chorus based in Portsmouth, and while there rejoined forces with
Mike and Tim Taylor and formed Hi Fidelity. Hi Fidelity went on to win
3 BABS Silver Medals through the 1990's. Mike is presently a BABS Presentation
Judge, currently Category Director, and is a trained level one singing
coach in Estill Voice Craft. Mike is a regular coach of both quartets
and choruses.
