Sophie Radcliffe is too young to remember the days when Aberdeen Angus met Uncle Sam as the energy boom engulfed the north-east 50 years ago.
So she has no recollection of the sight of steakhouses and burger joints, handlebar moustaches and Harley Davidsons along Union Street in the 1970s and 1980s.
Yet, while many of the goldrush of Stateside visitors, attracted by the oil bonanza, have long since departed the Silver City, Sophie is proudly keeping one Stateside tradition going as the director of the Sweet Adelines barbershop choir, whose members are heading off to compete on the global stage in Kansas City next month.
They’ve been planning and fundraising for the big occasion for the last 18 months. And you can tell, from talking to Sophie, they’re not going to merely make up the numbers.
A graduate in music and vocal performance at Aberdeen University, Sophie is clearly in her element whenever she and her colleagues work through rehearsals.
They make a joyful noise, but this group have the attitude that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains. And, once they are in full flow, it is something to behold.
It brings us so much joy together
She said: “I began in the chorus when I was 14 and they really taught me how to sing. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that time, but I loved it and it’s what inspired me to study music at university.
“We do have an audition process, but for the most part, as long as you can hold a tune against three other parts, there are a lot of opportunities to be part of a group which sings together, travels together, competes together and has fun together.”
More than 50 women from the north-east choir will participate in the International Sweet Adelines Barbershop Championship, so it’s no minor undertaking.
On the contrary, with 32 choruses from all over the world including New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the UK taking part and chorus numbers ranging from 30 up to 120 on stage, this is an event which always commands a lot of attention.
Hitting the high notes in Missouri
Every ensemble is tasked with singing two songs, a ballad and an up-tempo tune which includes choreography, and the Adelines are performing Kiss Me One More Time and I Got Rhythm, the latter of which is a particular favourite of Sophie and her colleagues.
Once all the choirs have been given their opportunity, the leading 10 will then go through to the final and perform a 15-20 minute package for the eight judges.
They haven’t gained any major sponsorship, but that hasn’t deterred Sophie & Co from using their initiative, spreading the word, and literally going on a training regime.
They sang from their repertoire on ScotRail services across the region, organised several charity events, created their own gin, established GoFundMe pages, and proved that they weren’t just a dab hand at chasing their goal in perfect harmony.
And now, they’re close to realising their grand ambition.
Sophie believes in sharing the credit and ensuring there is no “I” in “barbershop”.
As she explained: “The preparations have gone extremely well with regular vocal coaching from our external coach Nicky Salt, who has been instrumental in getting us to the level where we are.”
Cutting a dash in barbershop
It’s not just a choir but a way of life to many of the members, who come from the likes of Turriff, Stonehaven and Banchory, for practice nights at Curl Aberdeen.
And though it’s a while – more than 40 years – since this group was launched by the wives of four Americans working in the oil industry in the North Sea, there’s no sign of a downturn in this particular sector.
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