Welcome to the Harmony College mini-site
Harmony College is an all-inclusive LABBS education event in more ways than one - it combines all our annual education days into one weekend, organised by streams of content/role, and it also has accommodation packages that are all-inclusive of meals! It is also inclusive in that we welcome all-comers, not just LABBS members. BABS and SAI members can come along, and we also welcome other non-members such as music teachers and directors of other genres.
Latest News & Updates
Chorus Stream : You now have access to both chorus songs! Hopefully you've already started learning Gold! the new polecat via the polecats page. Delegates have now been divided into two balanced Red and Blue choruses, and you will find out which you are in, by checking in the other options under the main navigation dropdown for 'Music'. You will be able to see a link to the page containing the second song which is unique to your chorus only. As well as aiming for 2 equally balanced choruses, allocations took into account club membership, splitting larger groups across the two choruses. This is to ensure maximum exposure to learning from different Directors and Section Leader teams to take back with you. In order to maintain the balance, NO switches are possible, sorry, so please don't ask.Non-LABBS members : You will be sent the resources you need for the song(s) via email on Sunday 14th March, please check your junk folder as well.
Personal Development Stream : You should have received an email with a link to a googleform to choose which class you will attend for each session. If you didn't receive it (check junk) or think you registered instead for arranging or music theory so shouldn't have received it, get in touch on harmonycollege@labbs.org.uk
Directors Stream : You should have received an email with a link to a googleform to choose electives and provide other brief information. If you didn't receive it, check your junk folder then get in touch on harmonycollege@labbs.org.uk
When is it?
Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April, 2026
There are currently no planned formal sessions on the Friday evening but many delegates choose to come the evening before and socialise in the bar and sing a few songs/tags including the new 2026 LABBS polecat which will also be the college song! We are also looking to organise a polecat gathering from around 8pm, and if you are an MD who can help with that, please get in touch at harmonycollege@labbs.org.uk.
On the Saturday morning, you can collect your event pass from 9am, sessions start at 10am and the last session on Sunday finishes at 4:30pm... but allow time after that to say your goodbyes to all your new barbershop friends!
More delegate information is available on the delegate information page.
Where is it?
Jubilee Campus, Nottingham University
We have held LABBS Harmony College at this campus three times before and it suits our needs well. It's all on the flat and within a fairly compact area. There is a bar and if it's nice weather, plenty of outside spaces.
What can I do and learn?
Our special guest educator is Blair Brown, probably best known as a member of Double Date quartet, the two-times BinG! World Champion mixed quartet. Read more about Blair on the faculty page. Blair will spend some time with each of the streams throughout the weekend, as well as truly inspiring us all with plenary sessions.
There are various educational streams that delegates have selected to follow for most of the weekend, supplemented by a couple of sessions with random "pic-n-mix" breakout classes.
The streams in brief are:
- Personal Development stream - this stream is classroom based, covering topics from all categories: music, performance and singing. As well as for those who want to learn and understand more about Barbershop, this stream is also suitable for those who realise that a weekend standing on risers is not for them, but still want to attend Harmony College. New this year: Sub-streams on Music Theory from Scratch and Barbershop Arranging! (Read more on the streams page).
- Chorus stream - Delegates are split into 2 choruses, and each chorus rehearses 2 songs, one of which will be the brand new LABBS polecat and the other the choice of each chorus stream leader.
- Directors stream - whether you are an established director, novice, or aspiring director this will be suitable for you, to spend time with your peers discussing the challenges of being a director, learning how to be better at the role, and improving your directing technique.
- Quartet stream - for full quartets in attendance, who will spend most of their time receiving dedicated coaching from different category judges, with the latest techniques and approaches to the style. Places are limited on this stream to 6 quartets.
- Extreme Quartetting stream - an entry level for Harmony Brigade-style extreme quartetting. Those selecting this stream will learn 6 songs in advance, to a high level of accuracy and then sing them in multiple randomly drawn quartets, before competing on Sunday afternoon to have the chance as the winning quartet to perform on the final showcase. Applications for this stream are carefully managed, to achieve 13 quartets of the correct voice parts.
Breakout Pic-n-Mix sessions
Breakout pic-n-mix sessions are what they say on the tin... with members of the faculty and any delegate who offers to lead a session, going "freestyle" on a topic of their choice. This could be anything from a polecats session, singing tags, learning how to deal with stage fright, trying quartetting for the first time, and just about anything else!
I'm in! How do I enrol?
Enrolment is now CLOSED!
Do you have any questions?
Visit the FAQ page or email the Harmony College Deans on harmonycollege@labbs.org.uk
