A small church hall in a sleepy corner of Winchester is filling up with the lively sound of barbershop as one of Britain’s top choruses warm up their vocal chords.

But there’s not a stripy blazer or straw boater in sight at this rehearsal.

And this is no ordinary barbershop chorus – it is made up entirely of women.

The Tudor Roses was formed in 1995 when experienced barbershop singers Kathy Moore and Leslie Smith moved to Winchester and, on finding no local group for ladies, decided to set up their own.

Fourteen years on and the Tudor Roses is one of 48 all-female barbershop groups in Britain, has a membership of 40 women ranging in age from 14 to 74, and is currently ranked 11th in Britain.

As the toe-tapping strains of the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann fills the rehearsal hall, it’s clear these ladies can give the men a run for their money.

With barely a pause for breath the girls launch into a powerful rendition of Elton John’s Can You Feel the Love Tonight via Frank Sinatra’s You Make me Feel So Young and ending with a rousing version of It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls (complete with cheeky choreography).

Phew! These girls can sing.

It’s impossible not to be swept up in the joyful sound of barbershop as they hum, shimmy and doo-wap their way through a pitch-perfect repertoire of traditional and popular hits.

From teenager Josie Kelly-Hiscott and her grandmother Cate to original Roses member Mary Jones, every woman in the chorus is singing her heart out.

With absolutely no music to follow, the ladies rely on the enthusiastic guidance of musical director Di Crosfield to create the distinctive barbershop sound.

“It’s an unaccompanied four-part harmony,” explains Di, who has been singing barbershop for more than 30 years and a member of the Tudor Roses for ten.

The chorus is split into four parts – tenors, leads, bass and baritones – to create a harmony, she explains.

Tenors sing above the melody line, leads carry the melody line, the bass line gives a good solid pitch and sings in the lowest register while baritones have the same vocal range as the leads.

“It’s different from ordinary chorus work because the melody is in the second line down,” says Di, who discovered barbershop while on a nursing scholarship in the USA.

“One of the big differences is also the physicality. We use choreography and facial expression to enhance the feeling of the song and entertain the audience. In competition we are marked on presentation and how we interpret the song.”

While ‘barbers music’ (the tradition for men to sing together while queuing for a haircut) is noted in Samuel Pepys’ diary, the distinctive style of singing exploded in popularity in America in the 1890s where it became a feature of vaudeville before spilling over into UK music hall and variety entertainment.

Despite the perception of barbershop as a uniquely male pastime there is a growing tradition of all-female choruses.

The American-based Sweet Adelines has 25,000 members worldwide while the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) has been going strong for 26 years – ever since its founder members tired of their husbands disappearing off to sing in choruses and formed their own!

And, Di point outs, barbershop is by no means better suited to male voices.

“In a women’s chorus you have to get the same number of bases to leads but we can make all the sounds a male chorus can. And men have to use falsetto, which sounds a bit…well, let’s just say it takes a bit of getting used to.

“Women’s barbershop has improved so much and is growing all the time. I used to judge competitions and we’ve come so far since then. Now I hear women’s barbershop choruses and they are fantastic.

“Anything the men can do we can do too – and sometimes better!”

Today the ladies are very much in demand, performing at national and international competitions, private functions, concerts and charity events.

This month, as well as singing at the Mayor of Winchester’s charity garden party, the ladies will be joining choruses across the UK to celebrate Barbershop Awareness Week (September 13-20) and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Sylvia Earwicker, 74 is a member of Tudor Roses and has been singing barbershop since 1980.

“When we started, there were even less all female barbershop choruses and, like with anything, whether it’s golf or playing football, the men didn’t like it. Some of them were awful to us but now the male groups are very supportive.

“It’s not seen as highbrow so choral groups sometimes look down on us. But it is a challenging way of using the voice.”

In fact the Tudor Roses take part in a vigorous warm up before they begin singing, including a group shoulder massage and exercises in holding notes for what seems like impossible lengths of time.

It was precisely that challenge that led Haylie Fox, 44, from Basingstoke to audition for the group.

“I sang as a teenager and realised how much I missed it, but I wanted something a bit more demanding,” she says.

“I love the sound we make and the challenge of hearing your part. I don’t stand with the other leads – we’re all mixed up – so you can’t rely on other people.

“When I first started I was shattered. You really need to build your vocal stamina to be able to hold notes and practise breath control.

“I did my first sing-out – that’s what we call concerts or events – recently. We performed 14 songs in two 20 minute slots. It was great. I never feel nervous – it sounds a bit cheesy but I feel like I’m home when I’m singing.”

And, says musical director Di, barbershop is about much more than simply the music.

“It’s such close harmony singing that you also get this great emotional harmony among the women,” she says. “You’re all singing together and you have to get rid of any inhibitions.

“I’ve been in many chorus groups but barbershop is unique – you get more love, more friendship and more of a bond.”

As Sylvia puts it: “It’s impossible to be miserable when you’re singing.”

Factfile

The Tudor Roses rehearse every Monday at All Saints Church, Petersfield Road, Winchester.

Call 01962 882001 or visit tudorrose.co.uk