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One Month at a Time: Kordsmen friendships are bigger than competition

We've previously looked in on the "embedded journalist" who joined a barbershop chapter in his quest to try new things. In the final chapter, Bill Lynch takes the leap, and performs on stage with the Kanawha Kordsmen in contest.

At the beginning of March, I wasn’t sure I could carry a tune well enough to keep up in rehearsals, let alone be anything but very dead weight when it came to actually performing at the convention. But here I was, prepared to sing...

There’s  more to singing in a group than just the singing. Often, I’ve heard about how important it is to connect with an audience, but it’s just as important for performers to connect with each other — and not just musically.

The barbershop harmony groups believe in people as much as they believe in making music. Throughout the convention, reunions, complete with great big bear hugs, happened every couple of minutes.

Don’t just make a sound, make friends.

I always felt welcome at the Kanawha Kordsmen rehearsals. Everyone was always willing to help or answer a question, even if I wasn’t always sure what it was I wanted to know.

So I learned a lot more than that I can sing.

Read the full story at  Charleston Gazette-Mail | One Month at a Time: Kordsmen friendships are bigger than competition.