Cambridge Chord Company - The Story

Cambridge Chord Company (CCC) was formed in January 1990 by thirteen experienced barbershop harmony singers who wanted to sing barbershop - and sing it well.

This small chorus soon decided to ‘take on’ big choruses in competition, and to expand the boundaries of what a barbershop chorus could sing, both in competition, subject to its rules, and in concert, to satisfy its audience.

Just four years later, in 1994, CCC broke the mould of competitive Barbershop singing by being the first ‘small chorus’ to win the Silver Medal at the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) annual convention, with only 18 men singing on stage. Often competing against choirs four or five times its size, CCC won the BABS Small Chorus Trophy on six occasions, and was frequently BABS silver medallist. 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, Britain's premier event for amateur choirs at that time. They went on to appear on prime-time Christmas television in the national finals weekend, and 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 eighteenth place, then returned to the International Convention, this time in Montreal in 2003, and was placed eleventh from over a thousand choruses from 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 Musical Directors, CCC has extended its unusual and highly entertaining repertoire, much of it arranged by Paul Davies and Bob Croft. The CCC style continually expands to embrace more complex forms of five and six part a cappella music, and has 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, after a run of innovation and success with the chorus lasting eighteen years, Paul Davies 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.

The 2010 season brought another silver at the BABS annual convention, and a set of public performances in various locations where audiences enjoyed the wealth of CCC's repertoire, and the many new songs and arrangements from our director, Bob Croft.

Members of Cambridge Chord Company range in age from 18 to 70+ and come from all walks of life. They are united by their 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.