Barbershop Harmony New Zealand

Barbershop Harmony New Zealand (BHNZ), formally known as the New Zealand Association of Barbershop Singers, is the affiliate barbershop organisation for Barbershop Singing in New Zealand.

History

Barbershop quartet singing has been around in New Zealand for many years although little is recorded of actual performances or personnel. Mostly they were one-off events or performing quartets with little contact with each other.

In 1979 the Merry Macs, a visiting male quartet from Hawaii, sang to an entranced audience in Auckland. This led to the formation, by Ken Redwood, of a singing group which became known as the MoTAT Chorus recognising that the singers met at the Museum of Transport and Technology. Now called The City of Sails Chorus it has won the gold medal for a lot of the years since the inception of the NZABS chorus competition in 1992.

Barbershop Harmony New Zealand (BHNZ), formally known as the New Zealand Association of Barbershop Singers (NZABS), was established in the early eighties but did not function as an association until the Harbour Capital Chorus was formed in Wellington in February 1988 followed by The Plainsmen, based in Christchurch, in 1989.

During this period the number of quartets continued to grow and in 1989 the inaugural NZABS Convention was held in Wellington for quartet competitions only.

BHNZ chapters (choruses) are currently found in Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Kapiti Coast, Nelson, Palmerston North, Timaru and Wellington regions.

BHNZ is a Barbershop Harmony Society affiliate. It has had a long youth focus which has had successes like choruses Vocal FX and Pacific Connection going to international conventions, and has regular entries in the Next Generation Varsity Contest. Musical Island Boys was supported by BHNZ throughout its development as a Collegiate quartet, becoming International Collegiate champions in 2006, and then becoming BHS International Quartet Champions in 2014.

Barbershop visitors to New Zealand are assured of a warm and familiar welcome. Barbershop Harmony New Zealand is doing its best to "keep the whole world singing".

Organization/Governance

International Champions

Musical Island Boys - 2014 (Internationals), 2006 (Collegiate)

Chapters

As of 2025, the chapters affiliated with BHNZ are:

Auckland - City of Sails Chorus
Auckland - Sounds of the Shore
Blenheim - Marlborough Sounds
Christchurch - Christchurch City Voices
Christchurch - Harmony Waitaha
Dunedin - Highland Harmony
Hamilton - Manu Mātātahi
Hamilton - Mighty River Harmony
Hamilton - Waikato Rivertones Chorus
Invercargill - Southern Sou'NZ
Nelson - Tasmonics
New Zealand - He Tangata Voices
Palmerston North - Manawatunes
Timaru - Height of Harmony
Wellington - Harbour Capital Chorus
Wellington - Pacific Connection
Wellington - Vocal FX
Wellington - Capital Harmony Chorus

Competitions

Quartet competition began in 1989, at the first NZABS Convention. Chorus competitions began in 1992.

In recent years, two contests are run back to back during convention week in September. On Tuesday-Thursday, BHNZ runs the Young Singers in Harmony National Contest, for high-school student quartets and choruses. This ends with a Parade of Champions concert. On Friday-Sunday of convention week, the BHNZ Convention is adjudicated, also ending with a showcase concert & massed sing. BHNZ usually brings out a guest champion quartet, who will perform at both contest shows.

Aiming every three years, BHNZ works with Barbershop Harmony Australia to present the Pan-Pacific Convention (Pan-Pac), showcasing Barbershop Harmony across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South East Asia & the Southwest Division of the Far Western District (Hawai’i). On top of Pan-Pacific Prizes, BHNZ Convention contest medals are also awarded.