October, 2024: A Cappella Company, Dachau's first women’s barbershop choir, has launched an innovative project to advance the spread of German-language barbershop music. With the vision of making the a cappella genre "barbershop," which originally hails from the USA, more accessible to a German-speaking audience, the choir is pursuing a unique endeavor. This project aims not only to enrich the local choral scene in Dachau but also to take a pioneering role in the nationwide barbershop community.

Project Overview: The focus of the project, which is funded by the Federal Government for Culture and Media (BKM) as part of the Amateur Music Fund, is on developing new barbershop arrangements tailored specifically to German pop and jazz music. By collaborating with renowned arrangers such as Kevin Köhl and Thorsten Engels, modern German pop songs have been adapted for the four-part barbershop style. These arrangements are intended to appeal especially to younger audiences, thereby not only expanding the A Cappella Company’s repertoire but also making choral singing more attractive to youth. Kevin Köhl, who began arranging in 2010 and has already worked with numerous choirs and ensembles, brings his extensive experience to the project. In 2023, he won the gold medal at the German Barbershop Competition with his quartet "Chord Cracker" and is a member of several award-winning ensembles. For this project, he is arranging the songs “Bin heute Abend bei dir” (Roger Cicero), “Ich bin dann mal weg” (Daniel Caccio), and “Lichterketten” (Sascha). Thorsten Engels, also an experienced barbershop singer and arranger, has been commissioned for the project as well. With his mixed quartet “SomeSing,” he won the gold medal at the German Championships in 2018. For the A Cappella Company, he is arranging the songs “Habt uns gern” (Carolin No), “A Cappella” (Wise Guys), and “Schnee im Gefrierfach” (Nicole Rost).

Regional Importance: Strengthening Cultural Diversity The project is also of special significance for the Dachau region and district. By creating a locally rooted yet innovative choir project, the A Cappella Company contributes to the cultural diversity of the area. In the planned concert series “Chöre wie wir” ("Choirs Like Us"), the new repertoire will not only be showcased but also the importance of regional cultural work will be highlighted. The involvement of local artists and collaboration with publishers of German choral literature underscore the close connection of this project to the local music scene. A central aim of the project is to make barbershop music in the German language more accessible to choir members and other choirs in Germany. Barbershop is a niche genre in Germany, primarily sung in English. The project seeks to address this imbalance and, through German lyrics, inspire more people to enjoy this style of music.

Long-Term Goals and Impact The project goes beyond merely creating new German arrangements. By developing so-called "teach tracks," it aims to make it easier for choirs without music-reading skills to start performing in the barbershop style, significantly simplifying access to the music.

With this initiative, the A Cappella Company is laying a sustainable foundation for the continued development of barbershop music in Germany. The promotion of young talent and the effort to make choral music contemporary and appealing ensures the future of choral singing in the region and beyond. The project began in January 2024 with the selection of German songs and collaboration with the arrangers. By the end of 2024, the arrangements will be completed and presented in the choir’s upcoming concerts.

Further Information: Amateurmusikfonds | A Cappella Company