Two big events are planned for the Y-City Barbershop Chorus in the first couple of months of the new year: a Guest Night on January 26 and Singing Valentines on February 13.
The Chorus is looking for new members! If you are a male who is interested in singing, no matter your skill level, the Y-City Barbershop Chorus would like to meet you. A Guest Night: 2026 Kick-Off is planned to do just that, welcome potentially new members, and introduce them to what singing with the group is all about. The event will be held on Monday, January 26, from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Grace United Methodist Church, 516 Shinnick St, Zanesville.
“We sing a mix of music because we’re trying to pull all ages in. So we sing anything from rock and roll to country to gospel or to whatever. So when we go out and sing for our audience, we can give you a very 30-minute fast-paced, fun performance that has everybody tapping their toes and really understands we’re singing with a cappella, God’s given instrument. There is no band to keep you in tune. These guys work very hard at this hobby,” stated Director Karen Boyer.
Besides providing a place for fellowship, to unwind, and make new friends, joining the chorus also means members have access to free one-on-one voice lessons. A few educators, specializing in music, are currently members and lend their talent to help anyone wanting to improve.
“If anybody needs a friend, needs a hobby, that loves to sing, this is the place to come and try and see what a cappella singing does for them. You really can’t sing. We can teach,” stated Boyer.
The Y-City Barbershop Chorus can often be seen singing for visitors at the First Friday Art Walks. They also perform at an annual show in September as well as at other sing-outs, including around a dozen Christmas performances.
Practices are held on Mondays from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Grace United Methodist Church.
“If you decide you want to join, we belong to the Barbershop Harmony Society, which with that it pays all of our ASCAP and BMI fees to sing all this music,” explained Boyer. “You can pay monthly dues, or you can pay once a year to join. But you can come three, four, eight times to decide if you really like it before you commit anything like that.”
“We’re a brotherhood, and we want to give people an outlet, you know, to escape from their day-to-day,” added Y-City Barbershop Chorus President Steven Chambers.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, the group is offering Singing Valentines on Friday, February 13. The experience includes a special delivery of a red rose and a box of chocolates from a quartet, plus a message sung by four members of the Chorus. The cost to schedule your Singing Valentine is $40. Reservations can be made by calling 740-586-0044.
For more information, please visit ycitychorus.org.
CAPTION: Pictured from left to right: BACK ROW – Mark Tom, Stan McHenry, and Duane Deal, SECOND FROM BACK ROW – Steven Chambers, Greg Dodson, Pat Norris, and Director Karen Boyer. THIRD FROM BACK ROW – Earl Heise, Clay Pennington, and Jeff Moore. FRONT ROW – Kevin Colopy, Brian Morgan, Brian Watkins, and Lloyd France. NOT PICTURED – Tim Bowman, Troy Ball, Kenny Bollinger, Tyler Dunlap, Kyle Paul, Cole Pennington, Chuck Morehead, Tom Apel, Dennis Shirk, and Willard Wheeler.
