For 20 years, Perfect Harmony Women's Barbershop Chorus has been making beautiful music. The group will celebrate with a free concert and reception at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Highland Christian Church, Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista. The members invite everyone, especially their families, friends, former members and potential new members to attend the event.
Karen Frankenfeld, the director, has arranged the 20th-anniversary program to entertain everyone. Christmas favorites, patriotic songs, love songs, gospel arrangements and a salute to Bob Benson, who has arranged a variety of songs for Perfect Harmony. The chorus will finish with some of their favorites and an invitation for former members to join in the finale. The program is sure to satisfy nostalgic cravings for the "old songs from way back when."
Perfect Harmony began in 1999, when Karen Frankenfeld, the chorus' director, was asked to start a Women's Barbershop Chorus in Bella Vista after the Sweet Adeline Chorus lost its director. The first meeting of the new chorus was held in a beauty shop. After a couple of weeks, the beauty shop couldn't accommodate the number of singers in attendance, so the group moved to a church choir room.
Women's barbershop choruses have four sections: lead and tenor for higher voices, and baritone and bass for those with lower voices. The chorus invites women of all ages and voice ranges to visit a rehearsal and promises to find a part to fit everyone's voice.
Karen researches a wide variety of music that is arranged in the four-part barbershop style before selecting a song for the chorus to sing. The chorus' portfolio may include classics from the '20s, '30s and '40s, modern pop, seasonal song, patriotic, gospel and novelty numbers. Some songs give Karen an opportunity to add a special touch to the arrangement and to let the women have a little fun with hand gestures or swaying to the music.
The current chorus has about 30 active members and performs for various clubs, organizations and events in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville. The chorus provides an opportunity to be part of a sisterhood through singing and a love of music, as well as a musical outlet for all women. There are no tryouts, no previous musical experience is necessary to join. Many women bring recorders to rehearsals to help them learn new songs, so it doesn't matter if you can read music or not.
In addition to giving free concerts, the chorus is active in supporting local charities. Current charities chosen by the chorus to support is the Shepherd's Food Pantry and Restoration Village. The chorus has generously supported many other Bella Vista organizations over the past 20 years.
Rehearsals are held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. every Monday in the choir room of the United Lutheran Church of Bella Vista on Cooper Road. Visit www.perfectharmonybv.com or call Karen at 479-876-7204 for more information.
Community on 09/18/2019