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The White Rosettes were formed in 1977 by a small group of women wishing to pursue their own barbershop singing after husbands and partners had joined the local men's group. The White Rosettes were lucky to have Clive Landey as their first Musical Director who, along with his wife Sandra, led the chorus to their first seven LABBS Chorus Gold Medals. We now have more than 50 members from all walks of life: from teachers to bank managers, secretaries to pub landladies.
Since our formation we have been fortunate to have many wonderful moments including reaching the semi-finals of Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year Competition in 1990 and 1994, and the finals in 2000 where we won the title 'Sainsbury’s Single Voice Choir of the Year'. In 2005 we competed in the Final of the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year Competition, coming 2nd in the adult category and were Category Finalists in 2006.
We are eleven times National Champion Gold Medallists of the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers. We won our last gold medal in October 2007.
In 2006, we went on our first trip to Spain, where we performed in the Benidorm Palace Theatre. In March 2008, we went to Coleraine, Northern Ireland to compete in the Coleraine International Choral Festival 2007 where we won the Light Entertainment Category and were judged overall Competition Winners.
Our success has been due to the dedication of our leaders past and present, Musical Director, Sally McLean, a dynamic music team and of course the
commitment and enthusiasm of all our members, drawn from all walks of live and
united in their love of barbershop harmony singing.
Awards at LABBS Conventions
| Year |
|
Location |
Postion |
| 2007 |
|
Bournemouth |
Gold |
| 2006 |
|
Harrogate |
Past Champions |
| 2005 |
|
Cardiff |
Gold |
| 2004 |
|
Harrogate |
Past Champions |
| 2003 |
|
Harrogate |
Gold |
| 2002 |
|
Harrogate |
Silver |
| 2001 |
|
Bournemouth |
Past Champions |
| 2000 |
|
Harrogate |
Gold |
| 1999 |
|
Harrogate |
Silver |
| 1998 |
|
Brighton |
Silver |
| 1997 |
|
Harrogate |
Past Champions |
| 1996 |
|
Cardiff |
Gold |
| 1995 |
|
Brighton |
Did not compete - attended Buckeye Invitational (Ohio) |
| 1994 |
|
Harrogate |
Past Champions |
| 1993 |
|
Portsmouth |
Gold |
| 1992 |
|
Warwick |
Did not compete - attended SPEBQSA Convention (New Orleans) |
| 1991 |
|
Exeter |
Past Champions |
| 1990 |
|
Harrogate |
Gold |
| 1989 |
|
Eastbourne |
Did not compete |
| 1988 |
|
Harrogate |
Past Champions |
| 1987 |
|
Brean Sands |
Gold |
| 1986 |
|
Blackpool |
Gold |
| 1985 |
|
York |
Did not compete |
| 1984 |
|
Warwick |
Gold |
| 1983 |
|
Exeter |
Gold |
| 1982 |
|
Loughborough |
Silver |
| 1981 |
|
Manchester |
4th |
Sally McLean, Musical Director
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Sally McLean has been a singer with the White Rosettes since 1982. Alongside chorus singing Sally enjoys
singing in quartet. She has won three quartet golds, in 1987 with 42nd Street,
in 1992 with Downtown Express and in 2003 with The Jazz
Firm.
In January 1998, Sally became the Musical Director of the White Rosettes and in the same year the chorus
competed and won the silver medal. The chorus’ achievements since then have included a further silver medal,
four national championship in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007, Single Voice Choir of the Year (2000) in the prestigious
Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year competition and runners up (2005) and Category Finalists (2007) in Radio 3 Choir of the Year.
Sally is committed to the future success of the White Rosettes. She is passionate about the creative
process involved in producing music to performance level and knows that without the dedication of the
chorus members this would not be possible.
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