A BANDON-based barbershop harmony choir have showed that their vocal ability is world class after they were placed 11th at the World Barbershop Mixed Chorus Finals held recently in Wuppertal in Germany.

Their success was down to plenty of rehearsals in the months leading up the finals and they even participated in an intensive coaching weekend with visiting voice technician, Sean Devine from the USA, which certainly paid off for them.

Munster Mix, who hold their weekly rehearsals at Bandon Grammar School, were formed eight years ago by Graham Sutton and his wife Cherry Hartshorn and now boasts 46 singers from across West Cork. Since then, they have wowed audiences both at home and abroad picking up several awards along the way too

In 2023, they won gold at the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) National Finals in Killarney and are the reigning All-Ireland champions.

That tile secured them a spot at last month’s mixed chorus finals in Germany.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Graham Sutton said they were thrilled to have come 11th in the competition.

‘Before we left for the finals we were expecting to score at about 18th or 19th but we managed to get our highest ever score which brought us to 11th place which we were delighted with,’ said Graham.

Munster Mix are also no strangers to fundraising concerts in the area and in February they held a Valentines Concert in St Peter’s Church in Bandon which featured other groups including Newcestown Comhaltas, the cast from the Sacred Heart Secondary School’s ‘Beauty & The Beast’ and Ann Marie O’Brien. It was also a first for the group as their repertoire included a first presentation of new songs sung in Irish and Zwahili!

They raised over €3,000 on the night with the money raised being divided between Bandon Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber and the choir.

See ‘Munster Mix’ on Facebook for more details.