A 60-strong, female-only barbershop chorus from Coulsdon are battling it out with choirs from all over the world in an international singing competition in the USA writes Angeline Albert.

Despite the recent terrorist attacks in America, the Surrey Harmony Women's Barbershop Chorus have decided the show must go on and arrived to compete in the international barbershop chorus on October 7.

The members of the group, who rehearse every Wednesday at the Coulsdon Methodist Church hall, hope the healing power of music could help ease the pain of the terrorist attacks in America.

Surrey Harmony is just one member of the worldwide, women-only Sweet Adelines International organisation, which promotes the barbershop art form.

Sweet Adelines is hosting the international contest between its members in Portland, Maine and the members of Surrey Harmony are determined to do even better than their placing in the 1998 championships. The group was determined to go ahead with the October 7 trip so they could offer encouragement and support to those who have been affected by the atrocities.

The Surrey Harmony chorus has been the Sweet Adelines UK champion three times and has twice reached the semi-finals of the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition.

Formed in 1990 under the leadership of the group's director Jenney Lawson, Surrey Harmony now has more than 70 members.

December 3, 2001 13:00