The Pasadena Civic Auditorium sounds different this week. Instead of talented Americans performing, the historic 3,000-seat venue rings with the unaccompanied sound of four voices locked in close harmony — the distinctive blend that defines barbershop music.
The Barbershop Harmony Society’s 2026 Midwinter Convention opened Tuesday and runs through Saturday, bringing competitors and enthusiasts to the civic center complex for championship contests, evening shows, and workshops. Twenty-eight quartets will compete Saturday for the International Seniors Quartet Championship, all four members of each group required to be at least 55 years old with a combined age of at least 240. Friday’s Chorus Festival spans an even wider range, showcasing both seniors choruses and youth ensembles from high schools across the country.
The gathering offers a snapshot of a musical tradition that predates rock and roll. The Barbershop Harmony Society traces its founding to April 11, 1938, when a group of men gathered on a rooftop in Tulsa, Oklahoma to sing in four-part harmony. What began as an informal club now claims roughly 22,000 members across North America, with affiliated organizations in more than a dozen countries.
Robert Rund, who became the Society’s CEO in August, will host a town hall for members Thursday afternoon. “I am committed to preserving the Society’s legacy while opening new doors — broadening our reach, developing talent across generations and backgrounds, and securing our future in vocal music,” Rund said when his appointment was announced last July.
The convention schedule builds through the week.
Thursday evening features the NextGen Junior Quartet Championship at 6 p.m., followed by a night show at 8 p.m. Friday’s Chorus Festival runs from 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with another evening show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday packs the main events: a session with the 2025 International Quartet Champions Lemon Squeezy, a Swedish quartet, at 9 a.m.; the Seniors Quartet Championship from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and the week’s final show at 7:30 p.m.
All main events take place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St. Registration and the Harmony Marketplace vendor area are located in the adjacent Conference Center. Convention registration is required for admission; tickets and information are available at barbershop.org/events/pasadena.
The Civic Auditorium, which opened in 1932 and hosted the Emmy Awards for two decades, has seen performances from artists including Van Halen in its early days. This week, the stage belongs to singers whose instruments require no electricity — just breath and blend.
