Cambridge Chord Company - The Story

Cambridge Chord Company (CCC) was formed in January 1990 when thirteen experienced barbershop harmony singers started the club with the simple objective of singing barbershop - and singing it well.

The chorus goals rapidly distilled into ‘taking on’ the big choruses in competition as well as expanding the boundaries of what a barbershop chorus could sing, either in competition, subject to its rules, or in concert, subject only to the needs of an audience.

Only four years later in 1994, CCC broke the mould of competitive Barbershop singing when it became the first ‘small chorus’ ever to win the Silver Medal at the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) annual convention, with only 18 men singing on stage. Sometimes competing against choirs four or five times its size, CCC won the BABS Small Chorus Trophy six times and was BABS silver medallist on three other occasions. Overall, since singing its first harmonies in 1990, CCC has probably won more awards than any other chorus of its kind.

CCC was voted "Choir of the Day" at the London heat of the 1996 Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition, at the time Britain's premier event for amateur choirs, and went on to appear on prime-time Christmas television in the national finals weekend. The chorus was invited back three years later as guest performers at the finals in the Albert Hall.

CCC won its first BABS Gold Medal in 1999, and in 2000 triumphantly won the Millennium Joint Barbershop Harmony Chorus Championship, competing for the first time against mens' and ladies' choruses from BABS and LABBS. Then in 2001, the chorus became European Champions and in 2002 won its second BABS Gold Medal. This completed a unique unbroken run of four consecutive years at the top of European barbershop.

CCC has repeatedly been at the top of British and European competitions winning BABS Gold again in 2004 and 2006, and the European Championship gold in 2005 and bronze in 2009.

In 2001 the chorus first represented Great Britain at the International Convention of SPEBSQA in Nashville, taking a creditable eighteenth place, and returned to the International Convention, this time in Montreal in 2003, and was placed eleventh from over a thousand choruses eligible to compete around the world. This was the highest place ever achieved by a British chorus in this competition. The chorus returned to the International stage again at Denver in 2007 to finish in 12th place.

In July 2004 CCC scooped the supreme 'Choir of the World' trophy at the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen, winning against two Swedish mixed voice choirs and a Welsh male voice choir in the final. Adjudicator David King said: "Make no mistake, Cambridge Chord Company were the clear winners. There have been many great Choirs of the World, but this one I'll remember. Their performance lit up the festival".

Competitive singing gives a focus for the activities of the chorus but not to the exclusion of other musical performance. Under the guidance of its first Musical Director, Mr Paul Davies, CCC extended its unusual and highly entertaining repertoire over eighteen years, much of it arranged by Paul. Its style continually expanded to embrace more complex forms of five and six part a cappella music. This put the chorus in demand at shows and festivals all over the UK and abroad travelling to Ireland, Holland, Canada and the USA.

In late 2007 Paul Davies, after a run of innovation and success with the chorus lasting eighteen years, decided to take a well-earned break from directing to pursue other interests. He passed his baton to Mr Bob Croft who had been CCC's Assistant Director since CCC's formation, and who now leads the chorus in continued success.

In 2008, under Bob Croft's new direction, the chorus recruited eleven new singers and, having introduced them to the Barbershop style and CCC's unique approach, fielded the new line-up at Emmanuel Church Cambridge for a full scale Christmas Show, then prepared them for the 2009 season where they took bronze at the European Barbershop Championships in Eindhoven, and Silver at the UK Barbershop Championships in Llandudno.

Members of Cambridge Chord Company range in age from 17 to 70 and come from all walks of life. They are united in an enthusiasm for the craft of close harmony a'capella singing and a love of musical entertainment.

The chorus receives regular invitations to sing at music festivals and barbershop conventions in both the UK and Europe. Members are divided about their most fulfilling moment on stage: some would say it was the standing ovation from 15,000 people at International Contest in Montreal; an equal number relish the memory of 600 screaming teenagers on their feet at the Cork International Choral Festival.