> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://harmony-express.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The BABS Youth Project wants to escape the walled garden - URL: https://harmony-express.ghost.io/the-babs-youth-project-wants-to-escape-the-walled-garden/ - Published: 2026-08-05T09:32:37.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-05T09:32:37.000Z - Author: Peter Bryant The barbershop community has long had an interest in engaging young singers. Many of us see this as a hugely important part of our preservation mission; we need to have a conveyer belt of singers to secure barbershop for the future. The Barbershop Harmony Society has operated a hugely successful Youth program. The LABBS Youth Chorus is thriving. And IABS has operated a wonderful Youth outreach program in recent years, sending their first representative to the International Youth Quartet Contest in 2025. BABS has had some success in competitive youth quartet singing, with 3 BABS-affiliated quartets winning medals at the BHS Next Generation Varsity contest in the last 8 years. But this is more likely to be the result of generally high standards of quartet singing, rather than a particular focus on Youth in BABS. ## Why is Youth engagement so important? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/41/77412e8b-a0f4-42b9-a08a-a485c1a3dd71/content/images/2026/08/552819240_25050267774566163_4246007956922566172_n.jpg) Where are they now? The **NBYC* in January 2011, with Musical Director Joe White. We're obviously very cool. What might be described as the "golden age" of youth singing in BABS came in the late 2000s/early 2010s, and was centred around the *National Barbershop Youth Chorus* (*NBYC*). This organisation was the incubator for many hugely influential barbershoppers and ensembles. Many individuals who were involved in that group went on to become championship-winning chorus directors, BABS Board members, and sought-after coaches and educators. *Monkey Magic* — later known as *The Great British Barbershop Boys* — won the BABS Quartet Contest in 2008 and ended up winning a professional record deal; the only British quartet ever to do so. And this year *The Emerald Guard*, after 14 years of singing together, reached the semi-finals of the Barbershop Harmony Society International quartet contest. It's notable that these quartets — which started and were incubated in the *NBYC* — remain the only two quartets to be inducted into the BABS Hall of Fame. Around 2012-2013, many mainstays of the *NBYC* began to "age out". The organisation lost momentum and ultimately folded. A few attempts have been made since to revive some kind of Youth movement in BABS — notably the *Fuse* events, plus the attempted revival of the Youth Chorus (with the addition of a new mixed-voice chorus) just before lockdowns put an end to it all. The NBYC made a pretty great sound, too. ## A fresh perspective Dylan Gunasekera, the new(ish) BABS Director of Membership & Engagement, has decided to once again attempt to reinvigorate the Youth community in British barbershop. Alongside Matt Friend (of *Ami Quartet* fame), he is developing and launching a brand-new BABS Youth Project. "It's all about about that community building in the younger membership," says Dylan. "And the way that we're going about it this year is \[that\] we've got quite a lot of rehearsals, and social events planned as part of those events. But beyond that, we're looking at getting new involvement into barbershop as well, bringing new people in." The project will be centered around a new Youth Chorus, for which over 60 singers have so far signed up. But the meet-ups will be more than that, with the Project aiming to facilitate quartet activity, and develop leadership skills. Matt is keen to ensure the Youth Chorus can fit into the busy lives of young barbershoppers. “I think the key is that it doesn't have to be that they're choosing the Youth Chorus over doing these other things. We want to facilitate them having rehearsal spaces for quartet things or putting them in touch with coaches. It's going to be a very community-led project.” It will start by drawing on the current Youth membership of BABS, which currently sits at around 100 eligible members. Once that foundation is in place, the aim is to start using the Youth Chorus as a platform for outreach, targeting young people who are interested in music. This might include school-age kids who are thinking about where to go for university, or students about to graduate out of their a-cappella societies. Barbershop, say Dylan and Matt, feels like an obvious continuation path for young people to keep singing and music in their lives. Matt is pretty excited about the outreach opportunities. "When we've spoken to external groups \[...\], there's been a real buzz about getting involved... \[there are\] so many young people out there that are into music — or even that aren't into music — and \[...\] don't have the opportunity to enjoy barbershop in the way that we have." I spoke to Dylan and Matt on a recent episode of the **Tune In* podcast ## Youth development benefits everyone As we've seen before, it's critically important for the longevity of the barbershop style for us to incubate young singers and leaders. Dylan and Matt are keen to engage the whole community in this project. They're open to help with anything, but in particular with venues for rehearsals. If you're having a show, consider inviting the Youth Chorus as guests, and tie it in with a rehearsal. Email Dylan on [dylan.gunasekera@singbarbershop.com](mailto:dylan.gunasekera@singbarbershop.com) For anyone wishing to find out more about the BABS Youth Project, you can visit the web page on the BABS website [here](https://www.singbarbershop.com/pages/babs-youth-project?ref=harmony-express.ghost.io).