Team Barbershop

Menu

Team Barbershop Foundations

Mission: Team Barbershop will equip chapters with the tools and strategies that, if fully implemented, will guarantee chorus membership growth.

Vision: Team Barbershop will work with chapter leaders and their chorus members to facilitate their own growth, as well as the growth of other chapters they will help, so that we can all increase the number of people who sing barbershop music in the world while having fun and building friendships. 

Our task in recruiting is not to pull those singers from their current outlets, but to CREATE  a whole generation of new singers. 
 
A chapter that is primed for growth will pay close attention to the following in every rehearsal — and in this order: FUN, FRIENDSHIPS, and SINGING.
 

Almost all people who think they cannot sing can already match pitch (or can be easily taught to). 

When it comes to growing your singing group, keep in mind
that changing nothing,
changes nothing.

Fundamental Beliefs:

  1. Very few people in this world cannot match pitch and, thus, cannot learn to sing in a chorus.
  2. Even smaller communities are full of people who love to sing and do so when alone.
  3. Effective recruiting for a singing group requires a skill set that can be taught.
  4. Persistent commitment to and regular practice of established recruiting strategies will result in rehearsal visits.
  5. Choruses must possess and convey an open, engaging, supportive, and friendly environment to entice visitors to return and eventually join the group.
  6. Singing groups must never stop recruiting new members so that more and more people can experience the joys and health benefits of choral singing.
  7. There will need to be a cultural change within the chapter; leaders need to know how to lead change as well as prove support for those being led.

The Process

  1. Team Barbershop representatives will interview a chapter’s leaders to assess whether that chorus is ready to change what they do in order to grow. These strategies require groups to move out of traditional (i.e., ineffective) comfort zones for recruiting and into methods with proven success.
  2. If the results of this first interview are positive, a chapter’s membership will complete an online survey that assesses whole-group readiness to engage in the process.  Participation and involvement by a critical mass of the active membership is required,  usually around ⅔ to ¾ of the chapter. 
  3. If the chorus qualifies, based on member responses, Team Barbershop will invite chapter leaders and all members to a Zoom call to begin the instructional process. Please note that a groups’ low membership (we have had groups of only 3 singers) and level of singing are not considerations. Zoom sessions will provide the following:
    1. Six 30-minute instructional sessions, each providing key pieces in a process for effective recruitment of new members.
    2. Question/answer opportunities to clarify, reinforce, provide examples, etc. so that participants can feel as comfortable as possible with the process before implementation.
  4. Planned follow-up Zoom sessions will be held for progress reporting and troubleshooting for maximum success. Successful change in any group or organization requires monitoring and coaching; Team Barbershop commits fully to its participants.
  5. Chapters will be strongly encouraged to continue in this growth process, once successful, to the point where additional choruses are necessary within a chapter. A 50-member (or fewer) chorus is optimal for maintaining the close relationships needed for maximizing membership relationships.
  6. Successful chapters will also be expected to share these strategies and mentor other chapters in their area (or elsewhere) in their efforts to grow their membership. In essence, you will become fellow members of Team Barbershop and experience the joy of helping others.
  7. Note: There is no charge for anything offered here – at least financially. Team Barbershop is committed to personal sacrifice of time and effort, if participating choruses are equally committed to the practice of the strategies and the willingness to help others grow as well.