By Bridget Martindale, Bass

Hope Street famously connects the two Liverpool cathedrals – Paddy’s Wigwam at one end and the Anglican sandstone building at the other. The Everyman Theatre is on Hope Street. In 1986 it had quite a nice bar and occasionally nice things would happen there. On one occasion when my friends and I were quietly sitting drinking and chatting a four part female acapella group did a set. I was totally blown away: one day I wanted to do that.

Fast forward almost 40 years and that acapella group is playing on my mind. Over the last 18 months I’ve done a little bit of singing - having not sung since primary school - and am now in a lovely choral choir. It’s not barbershop, though. Do barbershop choirs take women? And if they do, is there one that is musically accessible? My music theory knowledge is sparse – I can follow the notes up and down, and have a sense of note length but not much more than that. I learn by ear so I need teaching tracks. And is there a choir that is friendly, because that matters to me too.

Turns out there is an all ladies barbershop choir just down the road in Earley, Reading: the Barberettes. I go along to check it out. Many ladies bounce over to welcome me. The session is very jolly and there is a lot of respect for each other’s singing. And quietly, behind all the warmth, these ladies take their singing very seriously. And they sound fab. There is sheet music but there is also a wealth of teaching tracks, with parts separated out and together. I am clearly not the only one who learns by ear. I go home stunned, but ready to give it a go.

Giving it a go does, though, involve an audition. I haven’t auditioned for anything since primary school, which is a long time ago. I am scared. I’m even more scared when I’m told that for the audition I have to sing my part with the leads of the four parts in front of the choir master and I’m not allowed the music. But I don’t have to do the audition immediately – I can wait a few weeks until I’m ready. I learn the part. I do the audition. Thankfully I pass.

Next stop is my first sing out, for which I have to learn by heart a lot of songs. I try: I’m okay on the notes but struggle with the words. I blame the menopause. Or Age. Or both. It’s all made possible as I have the leader of the basses right behind me: she is word and note perfect and I can tune to her. I manage the whole set and it’s actually quite fun. I’m thinking I can probably enjoy these Christmas sing outs. 

Starting new things is hard. But sometimes it’s worth it. I’m looking forward to singing with these lovely ladies next year. I’ve come a long way from Hope Street.