Award-winning barbershop chorus performs in Bradenton

You usually hear barbershop singing performed by quartets. The distinctive style of harmonies thrills a lot of people but leaves others cold. If you’re among the former group, you might get a special charge out of hearing barbershop harmonies from a large ensemble.

Magic of Manatee is a Bradenton-based women’s barbershop chorus that has been entertaining area audiences for decades. (Director Lois Van Beek has been leading Magic of Manatee for 20 years.)

The group performs all year ’round, but it performs two major concerts every year. One is during the holiday season, and the other is coming up on Saturday. Magic of Manatee will perform at 3 p.m. in the theater at Bayshore High School.

The concert’s titled “It’s Showtime,” which hints that the program may emphasize show tunes.

Opening for Magic of Manatee is Signature, a barbershop quartet based in Southwest Florida. The Magic of Manatee website touts Signature as the “2016 International fourth-place quartet.,” which sounds pretty impressive.

Magic of Manatee has some significant awards in its recent history, too. For the past three years running, the group has earned the Audience Choice Award at Sweet Adelines conventions.

Details: 3 p.m. Jan.11, Bayshore High School theater, 5401 34th St. W., Bradenton. $15. 941-756-3047, magicofmanatee.com.

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Award-winning barbershop chorus performs in Bradenton."