The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Hallmark of Harmony
The many joys of barbershop singing on display as our Sheffield hopefuls are cajoled into a winning chorus by an inspirational teacher.
From the collection of:
Overview
Demonstrating that barbershop singing can be great fun as well as entertaining, the Sheffield-based Hallmark of Harmony Chorus have enlisted the services of the legendary Lloyd Steincamp to help get them gold. Lloyd arrives from the States and promptly lifts the spirits and hopes of the singers with his enthusiasm, expertise and humour. Rehearsals are fun, and it pays off, as they win first prize at the National Barbershop Championships in Harrogate in 1986.
Hallmark of Harmony were formed in 1978 and have been named the best chorus in Britain on seven occasions. The year following this film Hallmark travelled to America, staying with barbershoppers in Phoenix and performing in two spectacular shows at Gammage Auditorium and Phoenix Symphony Hall. The year following that they won silver at the national convention in Harrogate and recorded their first LP. After a fairly fallow period in recent times, Hallmark won gold again in 2014. John Grant went on to found Grand Central Chorus, leading them to three golds; while Lloyd Steincamp continued as an inspirational figure in the world of barbershop singing, and passed away in 2007.
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