About the Lighthouse Chorus

The Lighthouse Chorus is a men's a Capella chorus that performs primarily in the barbershop style. Based in Niles, Michigan, in 2019 we are celebrating our 20th year together as a Chorus, and those years have certainly been eventful. In 1999, our founding members set out with a mission to become the premier men's barbershop chorus in Michiana and achieved that goal by winning the Best Small Chorus Award for the entire state of Michigan for three consecutive years.  In 2004, the Lighthouse Chorus represented the Pioneer District in the Small Chorus Contest at the world-renowned and prestigious Buckeye Invitational in Columbus, OH. In several years, we have placed in the top five of our District Competitions.

Members of our chorus come from all walks of life, including teachers, doctors, engineers, retirees, management and labor.  Some members have more than 50 years of Barbershop experience and others have just a few months.  All of the members share one thing—the love of this art form as a hobby.

As a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society and SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America), the Lighthouse Chorus is dedicated to the preservation of barbershop singing. Barbershop harmony is a uniquely American musical art form that is known for its a cappella four-part harmony and the "expanded sound" created by its unique chord.

We have performed in almost every southwest Michigan and northwest Indiana community. We sing on stages, in parks, on sidewalks and in churches. When performing in quartets for our annual Singing Valentines promotion, we sing in homes and workplaces as well, much to the surprise, delight and sometimes embarrassment of the recipient.  In the year ahead, we will continue to share our love of singing with our communities.  Watch for our schedule and be sure to join us for what we love best - singing in harmony! 

Performance

The main purpose of the Lighthouse Chorus is to get out and sing for our community. We sing at annual shows, a number of community events, and at an annual competitions. We also perform Singing Telegrams around Valentines Day. We are available to sing at your next function or event. If you're looking for a unique musical experience to liven up your event, please check out our Hire Us section.

Education

In addition to sharing our music with others, another great passion of ours is learning more about the art of acapella singing. Vocal instruction is a regular part of chorus rehearsals, and a very important component of the chorus experience. A couple of times a year, we will receive  coaching from a visiting professional in the art of barbershop, where we learn many fabulous tricks of the trade.

Competition

In the spring and fall of every year, the Lighthouse Chorus participates in our District's chorus competition in various locations throughout Michigan. Competitions are a special time for quartets and choruses from our region to come together to sing for each other, and get some constructive feedback from a panel of judges. The winners of the regional competition in both quartet and chorus categories get to travel to International Competition, which is held in the fall in a city selected each year.

Quartets

Most choruses have a number of members who form their own vocal quartets in addition to singing with the chorus. The Lighthouse Chorus currently is home to several wonderful quartets, and we are very proud of them!  Contact us to learn more about them.

Affiliation

The Lighthouse Chorus is a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society , a non-profit organization of approximately 30,000 members in choruses and quartets, worldwide. The Headquarters is in Nashville, Tennessee.