Mixed Quartet from UK featuring in Quartet Contest on Friday as Mic cooler
Key facts:
Founded: 2017
Recent awards: 3rd place National Mixed Quartet contest, November 2017
3rd place BINH Mixed Quartet contest, May 2018
Julian Pieters (Bass)
Colin Howarth (Baritone)
Rosalind Kipps (Lead)
Lisa Robathan (Tenor)
These four keen beans met at UK Harmony Brigade in 2017 and, liking the sound they made, decided it would be fun to be a scratch entry in the national quartet contest. Spread across four corners of England and Scotland has made finding rehearsal time tricky – but Extreme Quartet training has equipped them well, and they won 3rd place Bronze medals in the national Mixed Quartet contest that November, and the same again in May 2018! These four avid barbershoppers are all committed to supporting mixed barbershop and raising its profile in the UK – they were part of a UK chorus EQMC in the World Mixed at BinG in April 2018 with Lisa directing, and together founded a new UK mixed chorus ‘Momentum’ in May 2018, which won the UK chorus contest with a record high score.
Julian – Bass
A former chorister, Julian found barbershop in 2014 after a break of over 25 years without singing! Now fully immersed in barbershop, he is Chairman of Hallmark of Harmony, a top men’s chorus from Sheffield, UK, and sings bass with their in-house quartet Incline. Julian spends his little spare time running and orienteering with his wife and daughters, and playing his beloved violin. Definitely the parent of the quartet, Julian often hosts rehearsals and provides for our every need, whether cooking us huge breakfasts or ironing our stage outfits!
Colin – Baritone
A tri-sectional barbershopper, Colin has recently stepped down as tenor section leader at Rolling Hills Chorus (BABS) in Edinburgh and sings tenor with their in-house quartet Open Road, lead in Kerfuffle quartet who will mic-warm this year’s BABS contest, and baritone in Scandal. An IT security expert, Colin is currently studying for his professional exams, making good use of his long journeys travelling the length of the country to see Lisa! One of our resident chefs, Colin makes sure the quartet is well fed on our intensive rehearsal weekends.
Ros – Lead
Named ‘Young Barbershopper of the Year’ in 2017, Ros spends all her spare time on barbershop and is one of the busiest people we know! Barbershop found Ros in a bar on holiday in Tenerife in 2011 and she joined former national champion chorus Viva Acappella (SAI R31), quickly becoming Assistant Director and Bass Section leader. She currently directs Green Street Blues (LABBS) and Sheffield Harmony (SAI R31) and is looking forward to her third international with Viva next year in New Orleans. As if that wasn’t enough Ros is also a keen quartettist, singing bass in Nightfall quartet (SAI R31 4th place 2017).
Lisa – Tenor
Harmony Brigade was Lisa’s first experience actually singing barbershop – she’s usually found with her back to the audience waving her arms around in front of her three community choirs, and directed the EQMC contingent at BinG! World Mixed 2018. She’s enjoyed the quartet experience with Scandal so much she decided to rack up even more air miles by trying out lead in a new ladies’ quartet formed with friends from Belgium, Germany and Holland. Combined with her trips to Edinburgh to see Colin, Lisa’s carbon footprint is our greatest Scandal!
You can find Scandal Quartet on facebook @scandalquartet or contact julian@pieters.co.uk