Westminster Chorus • Always Starting Over [from If:Then] • BHS 2024 International Chorus Champion

[@shawnnielsonlx]

“Barbershop matters, don’t be afraid to start over.” - Will Lagos

[@4partharmony208]

Words to live by. Long live barbershop!

[@moneymikePS]

“Barbershop MATTERS. Don’t be afraid to start over.” - Will Lagos

[@chrisring123]

Please explain for the naive guy here, lol - who is Will Lagos and what is the context of this quote? Thanks 🙏

[@matthewbridgeman57]

@@chrisring123 Will Lagos, current member and then-Bass section leader of Westminster Chorus, gave a speech to the crowd before this song was performed on Saturday of the competition. In this speech he recounts the difficult decision that Westminster had to make during the pandemic years where attendance dropped to as low as 13 people of whether to disband it altogether or persist. He is the heart and soul of why this chorus is standing on that stage right now. He brought the chorus back from dark times, just as barbershop had brought him back from dark times. He ends the speech by referencing the song’s message of accepting that in life you need to start over from square one, and that one should not be afraid to do so.

[@chrisring123]

@@matthewbridgeman57 - Love that! Thanks for explaining. 👍

[@jasonfieler]

YES WESTMINSTER!!!!

[@harmonizethis3444]

Honey, stop what you are doing! BHS just dropped the Westminster video!

[@andrewminjares3679]

Truly a dream come true being able to accomplish a gold medal performance and being able to be part of an even more incredible brotherhood. Thank you bros!! Hope this video continues to pop off!

[@daniboi6641]

we are so back

[@emiliopichardo6052]

So glad I got to sing with my chosen family in Cleveland. Wouldn’t trade this experience for anything(:

[@zacrichey3657]

what about a klondike bar, would you trade it for that

[@Dudenation84]

What about for your car? Course you would have given the car… What car do you drive? Drive a Civic, drive a civic, driiive a civic. A car you can trust! Nevermind the car let’s talk about the chorus

[@ringerzzz2710]

Would you trade it for a Time Machine

[@emiliopichardo6052]

@@zacrichey3657I’d probably trade it for 2 Klondike bars now that you mention it

[@andrewminjares3679]

@@zacrichey3657bruh lmao

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

This performance truly shows why Westminster is truly one of the best choruses of all time. Coming back after 5 years of not competing, struggling through Covid, new director, and performing such an amazing set. Also, was I the only one who could clearly hear Jackson in the melody at 2:47?

[@12B4Christ]

Hmmm and 6 people agree with you. This should be points deducted. Were points deducted for voices not blending?

[@markiplier2003]

@@12B4Christ tbh i think the voices blended into something that sounded very jackson-like

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

@@12B4Christ honestly the voices were blended very well in those higher sections, I think that Jackson was just the only one of few who sang it in full chest voice, and thus it sounded more prominent. It shouldn't be many points deducted if any, since the notes were still in tune and the overall tone of those notes is exactly what you'd expect.

[@jay-leebusque-blackburn6747]

OMD, WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THE INSANE OVERTONES BETWEEN 5:02 AND 5:13 !!!!!! AMAZING!

[@campfire2953]

This performance makes me wish I was there in person. Truly incredible stuff, congratulations Westminster

[@olliew3223]

This choreography is beautiful. Brilliantly encapsulates the story of the song

[@BruddahSam]

MY BRUDDAHS FROM SOCAL!!!!

[@johndavid9376]

Yesh! Finally it's here! waiting for the other song! WESTMINSTER!!!!

[@keeganeich5755]

This is spectacular. Literal art.

[@DeanHoisington]

Amazing! In the venue the air was electric.

[@Armenian2766]

Electric air, but no one was THROWN??

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

❤️

[@jacquealinecarter486]

Congratulations!!

[@juliasummers1770]

Ochoa, Jackson, Joey, Jake, Marcus - and Ryan!!!

[@MadisonHasty]

ochoa? as in Drew Ochoa?

[@MadisonHasty]

when?

[@shawnnielsonlx]

Sorry, no Ochoa but we have a Wessler. Haha

[@4partharmony208]

The NF5!!!

[@MadisonHasty]

@@shawnnielsonlx thats what i thought lol

[@chrishayden6088]

WOW SUCH BARBERSHOP MUSICAL Crescendo’s throughout this arrangement executed perfectly Congratulations on your victory

[@SarahGordon-f6i]

Holy crap. Incredible.

[@bradyschoch7562]

Omg!! Is that Dr. Dave?!

[@AMDGAlex]

BRUH JACKSON CAN WAYYY BE HEARD HOLY HECKERS WESTMINSTER YALL GOT SOME AWESOME PEEPS

[@ralphmuehlenbruch6762]

So glad to see Westminster BACK and sounding as good as ever. I was happy to see so many of Westminster's familiar faces on stage but even happier to see so many new faces! I was fearful that between COVID and Justin leaving, the future of the chorus might be in doubt, but I'm thinking that with Dr. Dan at the helm the chorus will be doing just fine. Thanks for the wonderful music you guys make!!

[@georgeobrien9748]

Woohoo. Awesome. Nice work, Dan.

[@PeterKlut]

I have been waiting for this video. Not disappointed at all!! Thanks!

[@georgevaughan9554]

IS THERE ANYTHING MORE FABULOUS THAN THAT?

[@Laposgr8_journey]

Holy shit the ringing at the end tho 😮🤯❗️

[@TeraFormPrime]

ok stop, it's been 5 years since you last competed, im crying

[@Steve-i9t]

No shame in placing below these guys -- they were incredible. Like Gotham, I wonder how many members are professional actors/singers (being so close to LA). Congrats guys -- well earned.

[@shawnnielsonlx]

The answer is much fewer than you think. The chorus is made up of folks from all professions with only a couple deriving their income from full time acting or vocal work.

[@pkempf11]

I can't speak to Westminster, but as far as Gotham, very few of us are professional actors or singers! Probably like a full 50% of the members of the chorus are either software developers or teachers lol

[@SeeJennGo]

RYAN ❤

[@jessisonnenb]

I love hearing women choruses and mixed....but there is something to be said hearing all men...so powerful and beautiful!

[@scottcameron7666]

Months ago I said that you were back and, I was 100% right!!! Time to take the Crown back boys!!!!

[@jacquealinecarter486]

MARCUS!!!!!!

[@PureJoySkinCareWaxStudio]

Damn

[@notnito5g]

❤❤❤

[@patriciaitalia]

WOW!!!! GOOSEBUMPS GALORE!!!!!

[@bbstenornl]

❤

[@traceww]

Would love to see their ballad get uploaded too...cuz I am a HUGE Chicago fan and I am sure they did it justice.

[@skycollazojr]

Wow

[@juliasummers1770]

What more could you want?

[@RichardTreptow]

As good as it was sung, does anyone feel like me, that I didn't get enough sense of melody for much of the arrangement as performed?

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

I honestly think that the balance between homogenous chords and the balance of melody was really well maintained. Because you definitely don’t want the melody standing out for the whole piece. One of the key aspects of this competition is that there is a good balance between melody/accompaniment and choral style, and Westminster is one of the best choruses in terms of getting the right ratio of those aspects.

[@RichardTreptow]

@@BrunnyBeatbox You wrote: "definitely don’t want the melody standing out for the whole piece." "Definitely???" Why not? You wrote as if it's common knowledge. It isn't. People want to hear the song, harmonized - not harmony singing without the context of the song itself.

[@4partharmony208]

There's an inherent challenge in A-level choruses that their sustained chords ring so well that they overshadow more intricate/patter melodies that can't cut through the texture. It's especially true in Westminster's case because of how bright their ring is, but you see it with Ambassadors, Zero8, and VM as well.

[@RichardTreptow]

@@4partharmony208 This "inherent challenge" often happens because the arrangement is so full of embellishments they end up distracting, rather than enhancing, the song. Call it overly-embellished, but if the listener cannot distinguish the melody of the song because of a preponderance of arrangement devices, the arrangement is hurting, not helping the song.

[@12B4Christ]

Treptow...that is literally what I was thinking while hearing this for the first time just now. I've only been a BSer for literally 50 years, but must admit I do not understand this arrangement and/or song selection philosophy. I have no idea what the melody is after hearing this. Not saying a negative word about the quality of performance, that is a different subject. Interesting...if this is 'where it is'... then it is what it is, but not something I'm walking away from whistling...or remembering to hum later.

[@nicholasbratcher1101]

Why’s Justin look like that

[@randycannon3452]

Not a fan of the arrangement at all, but they sang it very well.

[@garywhite6447]

When did all the writhing and twisting and over-acting take over? It's unwatchable. The singing is great but the arrangement is not barbershop. And every guy on that stage looks like he's having some kind of seizure.

[@alistairwall5470]

The Musicality category of the Barbershop Harmony Society disagrees with you and scored this song 94.5

[@abp3509]

😂 👀 😂

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

And you think you’re an expert on the matter? The performance aspect is a HUGE part of the judging criteria, and the extent to which choruses go to fulfil that criteria can differ. In my opinion this isn’t even close to being over the top. You look at a chorus like Music City, now THAT’S stretching boundaries in the best way possible.

[@QuartetmanIA]

Hated it.

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

Duly noted, thank you for your feedback. Now go spread your hatred elsewhere.

[@QuartetmanIA]

If you want to know why district contests can only muster a half dozen or so choruses rather than the 27 or 30 courses 15 or 20 years ago you can only look at this example. BHS Isn’t going to grow in membership as long as this is what is celebrated..

[@alistairwall5470]

I’ve never read a more wrong comment *Coolest thing ever* “this sucks actually”

[@campfire2953]

This comment smells like a retirement home or perhaps a poorly maintained supper club.