Yes, Virginia, barbershop quarteting is alive and well in and around New York City! The Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society (www.bhs.org) has a long and august tradition of fostering quartets, the quintessential form for barbershop harmony. We take a good deal of pride too in the many fine quartets that have sprung from the ranks of the Big Apple Chorus. On the surface, our weekly chorus rehearsals don't necessarily give outward signs of just how lively quartet life is in our chapter, but there are several tell tale signs and a fine track record.
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Though quarteting is essentially conducted "off-line", nevertheless the air is always filled with quarteting before our rehearsals, during brakes and especially after our rehearsals. Formal and informal quartets assemble to find every opportunity to enjoy the quintessential barbershop four-part harmony experience. After most chorus rehearsals, informal quarteting and quartet rehearsals often continue for upward of two to three hours.
Signs of vigorous quartet life are apparent in the new and existing crop of quartets in and affiliated with the Manhattan chapter. No less than 25 men (20% out of our chapter's 125 members) are also members of 12 officially registered, competitive Society quartets; five of which are made up entirely out of Manhattan members! They span the range of experience from novices and Novice Champs to Senior Division competitors, International medalists and perennial international quartet competitors. This is to say nothing of the many non-registered quartets that meet throughout the city, somewhat regularly, on weekends or after rehearsals to quartet strictly for the fun of it or an occasional paid gig.
The Manhattan Chapter is proud to currently be represented by all of the members of the following registered quartets: Reveille (perennial International Qualifiers), Manhattan on the Rocks (Seniors Divisions & District Qualifiers), On The Town, Beer & Roses (Rahway Novice Champs), TBNL (District Qualifiers).
The chapter is also proud to have a representative in the following inter-chapter quartets: 'Round Midnight (Northern Division Champions & District Qualifiers), Our Town, AfterGlo Worms, Chapter Four, Tongue In Cheek and Joint Effort. When and if BAC alumni, Neil Dingle, rejoins Manhattan, we will be proud to say that the 2007 Mid Atlantic District Champions include a representative from our Manhattan Chapter
Furthermore, ten members of the BAC are participants in the Atlantic Harmony Brigade (a special program designed for particularly ambitious quartetters). They meet for an annual convention dedicated to networking, singing and performing with over 100 other quartetters from all over the North East.
Every year, and perhaps as many as 3 times a year, a chorus goes into competition to find out how it 
Guests and first time visitors to the Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society don't usually know just how deep and wide the iceberg below the surface is that anchors it's shining top, The Big Apple Chorus. In fact, the Big Apple Chorus is a small part of an amazing, expansive and tremendously supportive organization filled with talent, tools, resources and opportunities for the avocational male singer of every age. It's a little hard to get your arms around just how vast (yes, vast) the opportunities are in just a few casual, Monday night visits.
