Harbourtown Sound

09/02/2026

SEPTEMBER 2ND REHEARSAL CANCELLED!

In the mid-2010s, barbershoppers got excited when someone mentioned a Storm Front but not so tonight. With amber alerts warning of damaging winds, rain, and lightning, we have cancelled this evening's rehearsal.

Guests are invited to come visit next Wednesday and members are encouraged to use the time tonight to work on their contest songs and the repertoire for our November 28th holiday show!

08/31/2026

Does anybody here know Dan Locke? Even if you already do, you will know him even better after you read this "Sound Check"!

08/31/2026

Starting this week (September 2nd), we will be back "home" at St. James United Church Waterdown for our weekly rehearsals!

If you are a singer looking for a new (or additional) chorus and wonder what it would be like to try a men's acapella ensemble, we will see you any Wednesday at 7:30pm! We are currently auditioning for members to participate with us in the Ontario District - Barbershop Harmony Society contest in Woodstock this coming October as well singing as part of our holiday show on November 28th!

07/30/2026

Our summer break has come to an end so next Wednesday (August 5th), we will be back learning some new songs and reviving some old ones. The chorus will be competing at the Ontario District - Barbershop Harmony Society contest in October and start digging into a new song ("Beyond The Sea") for that occasion.

Our new director (Ben Sproule) has been at the Barbershop Harmony Society's Harmony University in Denver all week and he is chomping at the bit to try out some of the tips and training on us!

Perhaps you (or a gentleman you know) planned on getting back to singing again, too!?!? If so, we would love to see you on a Wednesday night from 7:30 to 10:00. In the month of August, we will be at the air-conditioned Port Nelson United Church in south Burlington until we return to our home base at St. James United Church Waterdown.

06/30/2026

At the Board meeting to start the Barbershop Harmony Society convention in St. Louis, our very own Ted Byers was elected to the Society's board of directors!

Ted is a founding member of The Sound and has been in at least one leadership position with the chapter ever since. He is a past president of the Ontario District - Barbershop Harmony Society and will now start a three-year term to help shape our hobby. As the Board will soon learn, he is not the inventor of the TED Talk but instead the perfecter!

Please congratulate Ted on this well-deserved honour!

The Barbershop Harmony Society held its annual elections earlier this week, and we are pleased to congratulate the members elected to serve on the 2027 Society Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2027:

• President: Zach Materne – New Orleans, LA
• Executive Vice President: Dwayne Cooper – McKinney,
• Secretary: Tim Myers – O'Fallon, MO
• Treasurer: Larry Bomback – Philadelphia, PA
• Board Director at Large: Ted Byers – Toronto, Ontario
• Board Director at Large: Dr. Bari Courts – Batavia, OH

They will join the continuing members of the Board:

• Immediate Past President: Kevin Keller – St. Charles, MO
• Board Director at Large: Erin Harris – Nashville, TN
• Board Director at Large: Christian Hunter – Hunterdon County, NJ
• Board Director at Large: Sue Melvin-Rochester, NY
• Board Director at Large: Jeff Wolff- Metro Kansas City, MO
• Ex-Officio - Robert Rund, BHS CEO/Executive Director

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to Gene "Doc" Spilker and John Santora for their years of dedicated service and leadership on the Society Board as they finish out their last year. Their commitment to the Barbershop Harmony Society has helped strengthen our organization and advance our mission, and we thank them for the lasting impact they have made.

Please join us in congratulating our newly elected and continuing board members, and in thanking Gene and John for their outstanding service to the Society.

06/17/2026

At the Ontario District - Barbershop Harmony Society Pep Rally tonight, our own John S Wilkie was presented with the Jeff Pritchard Award.

The award is presented annually to an Ontario barbershopper who has made a longtime commitment to quartetting in the District. By everyone’s best count, John has won the districts senior championship 5 times and has represented Ontario at the international contest 9 times!

This marks the third year in a row that a Harbourtowner has won the award. Derek Stevens was last year’s winner and previous to that, Ted Church was honoured.

06/16/2026

Next up on stage at the APOC Pep Rally!

06/11/2026

Chorus manager Vic Linka is a retired firefighter so he couldn't help himself at the Brampton Fire and Emergency Services memorial. We believe that this was the same vintage of rig on which Vic was trained many years ago.