About Us

The Oceanaires Barbershop Chorus is one of nearly 700 choruses throughout the United States and Canada chartered by the Barbershop Harmony Society (“BHS”) which has its home office in Nashville, TN. The North American organization of BHS was incorporated in 1938 and today is comprised of nearly 23,000 singers. Each chorus selects its own repertoire of ballads, classic melodies, Broadway hits, mainstream music and patriotic songs, all to be performed in traditional “Barbershop Harmony” style.

Today we have twenty-three singing members, with always the hopes of attracting new members. The talents and love of our singing hobby are constantly being enhanced with the instruction and direction of our renowned barbershop chorus Music Director, Mr. Ritchie Lavene. Ritchie has been a part of the barbershop chorus culture for over twenty-five years as a quartet and chorus singer, chorus director, music coach, and accredited Society competition judge.

As good as we are judged to be today, we always have our sights aimed at higher ground. We meet weekly in Bayville for two and a half hour rehearsals, along with a half-hour that is set aside for business matters and some relaxing conversation time with other guys in the chorus. Our singers are committed to support the achievement of our strategic goals which are: (1) to be our personal best every time we sing; (2) to grow our membership; (3) to have well-planned enjoyable weekly rehearsals for singing, taking care of chorus business matters, and some open time for conversation with our friends in the chorus; (4) to support a manageable number of worthwhile non-profit endeavors with our singing.