What exactly is a Harmony Brigade Rally?
A Harmony Brigade rally is an invitational weekend for good quartet-level singers who are vocally capable, committed to learning challenging arrangements, and who are prepared to enjoy success in rally activities. The charts are of championship caliber, somewhat challenging, and would be beyond the ability of less experienced men. It is not a chorus-oriented event. Five months before a Brigade rally, registered participants receive music and a part dominant learning CD for the songs to be used in the rally. Quartets are formed by random draw at the rally and each member is obligated to “hold” their own part without further rehearsal.
Each Harmony Brigade makes sure each member has every opportunity to practice singing these songs before the Rally weekend. To that end, run throughs are held in which members get to rehearse the songs live with the other men who live in their area. There are usually three at a minimum before the actual Rally weekend. The weekend is filled with quarteting and every man is urged to sing at least one song with every other attendee from the other three parts. A fun semi-final and finals contest is held with random-draw quartets and a celebrity judging panel. A Saturday evening show for the public showcases our headliner quartet , step-out quartets from the rally, and the full brigade entourage singing all of the Rally assigned songs.
First-time brigade attendees receive guidance and encouragement from the veterans to make the weekend an enjoyable experience.
For an official definition of a Harmony Brigade click this link. Association of eXtreme Quartetting Harmony Brigades Inc.: