Close Harmony is cool

Make new friends

Kick off your singing adventure with close harmony a cappella barbershop singers committed to performance excellence and community service.

New friendships, networking, perform at shows, serve your community, business opportunities, competition, sing for better health.  You will experience the excitement of singing close harmony, absolute thrill of performing, joy of forming close friendships, and the fulfillment of giving to your community.

Experience the joy of singing at performances in the Virginia & DC Metro area

Come visit us for *singspiration* at one of our weekly meetings and see if close harmony singing is for you.  If you like to sing, like to have fun, and want to be part of a great chorus, then the Fairfax Jubil-Aires may be for you.

Click here to contact us for more info

Or contact our membership chairman, Aaron Watts, and let us know what other information we can provide.   Click here to email Aaron or call/text him at 703-731-2764

Priceless networking - Rehearsal fun learning new songs with new friends

Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at  King of Kings Lutheran Church, 4025 Kings Way, Fairfax, VA  22033.

Click here for usual meeting place map and details

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Barbershop is Cool - Interview

You may have questions before you decide to take that first step into our barbershop world.  Here are the answers to many of them.  If you have others, please contact our membership chairman, Aaron Watts, and let us know what other information we can provide. Click here to email Aaron  or call him at 703-731-2764.

Fairfax Jubil-Aires celebrate our Veterans

Joy of Singing - Sing at local performances in the Virginia and DC Metro area.

Improve singing skills - Ready Set Sing free singing lessons with our award winning directors.

Click HERE for more info about free singing lessons or JUST DROP BY for a SING any time.

Community giving - perform for the next generation.

WHERE and WHEN?

Our rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at  King of Kings Lutheran Church, 4025 Kings Way, Fairfax, VA  22033.

Meet new people - make Valentine's Day extra special.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

A schedule is sent to the members ahead of time via our weekly newsletter, so we all know what is planned for the rehearsal, like what songs we will be rehearsing and whether any special guests or coaches will be there.  A typical rehearsal puts us on the risers in formation at 7:00pm for warm-ups and other vocal exercises. 

 After that, our director leads us through songs that we are working on to add to our repertoire or for upcoming performances. 

Near the end of the evening we take a break, and there is usually a fair amount of informal quartet singing.  We have a short "business" meeting, mostly devoted to announcements, awards, etc.

Priceless networking - Rehearsal fun learning new songs with new friends.

Many times we allot time for what is called "fun-time", where one of the members will present something or have members participate in something funny, instructive or whatever. 

At the end of the evening, the group joins in singing the anthem of the Barbershop Harmony Society, "Keep the Whole World Singing."

Guests are quickly friends - come for the singing, stay for the friendships

Beyond the rehearsals, we have various performances throughout the year, including an annual show, Singing Valentines. and performances at various events and locations in the area. One of the biggest pleasures for chorus members is to entertain and bring enjoyment to our audience. We also have time for parties and other social events, and we participate in contests where we are competing with other choruses.  These events are especially enjoyable since it gives us the opportunity to meet and sing with other barbershoppers from other chapters.

 

 

WHO ARE YOU?

The Jubil-Aires are men and women of various ages, many of whom are supported in this hobby by their wives, husbands, significant others (the Jubil-Ladies/Lads), who love to sing and enjoy the company of others who share their passion for barbershop music.  Some are retired and some are not.  Some are married and some are not.  Some are older and some are younger, but we are all young at heart, especially when we sing.  Some of our best friends are fellow Jubil-Aires, and many of us never met before joining the chorus.  The best way to get to know who we are is to visit us for a couple rehearsals and see if this is the right group for you.

A quartet of friends that perform - on or off the links.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS?

It might be easier to say what is not required.  You do not have to read music.  We have other ways for you to learn the music, including learning tracks that you can listen to so that you can memorize the words and notes for your part.  The quality of your voice is not as important as your ability to hear a note and match it.  Some members have a lot of vocal training, while others just like to sing and carry a tune.  Staying in tune is important, so someone who is tone deaf probably will not enjoy barbershop.  We provide a lot of opportunities for our members to improve their vocal skills - breathing properly, forming vowels properly, improving the resonance of their voices, etc.  For newly joined members, we have a group called the FARBS (Fairfax Association of Rookie Barbershoppers) who meet twice a month with a coach to help work on singing techniques.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS COST ME?

Actually, it doesn't cost you anything to come and see if you like singing with the FJA (Fairfax Jubil-Aires).  If you decide to join, then you will need to join the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS).  Most of dues money goes to the BHS to pay for their programs with youth and other worthwhile efforts.  Contact our membership chairman, Aaron Watts, for dues details. 

Click here to email Aaron  or call him at 703-731-2764.

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT PART I SING?

Some know exactly what part they sing, but most don't.  Many new members are not familiar with what parts there are in a barbershop chorus (or quartet).  In most songs, the lead sings the melody (with a range like a second tenor).  The tenor floats above the melody and has a range like a first tenor.  Many tenors in barbershop use falsetto to reach the notes they are given to sing.  The bass provides the foundation down on the bottom, and the baritone fills in whatever is missing in the chord.  Don't worry if you are not sure what part you should sing, because part of our director's job is to help you figure that out. 

IS IT HARD TO MEMORIZE ALL THE WORDS AND NOTES?

Harder for some than for others, but some great methods have been developed by the society to help with that.  Even when you don't read music, learning tracks are usually available, and just the repetition of singing along in the car or wherever will make it easy to learn the songs.  Every barbershopper in the country is familiar with 12 songs in a book called the Polecat songs.  These are standard barbershop songs that you will want to learn as soon as you can, because once you know your part for these songs, you will be able to walk into any chapter meeting in the country and sing along with their members.  Beyond that, the Jubil-Aires have a repertoire of songs that most members know and that can be used for performances.  Most new members find that after being on the risers and listening to a song several times (and maybe looking at the music while the chorus is singing), they are soon singing along.  

Most importantly, as the chorus learns new songs, you will be on the same page as everyone else, learning the song right along with the rest of us.  Typically, when a new song is introduced, each section goes to a separate area with a recording of the song where their part is predominant.  They will listen to the recording two or three times, say the words as they listen a couple times, and finally sing along several times.  By the time the chorus reassembles, most people will be able to sing the song with very little reference to the music.

BUT I DON'T KNOW ANY OF YOUR MEMBERS.  WILL I FEEL WELCOME?

You will not only feel welcome, but you will be amazed at how fast you get to know a really great group of friends!  You will soon feel like family!

If you sing in the shower or sing with the radio, then it is time to learn and perform with the Fairfax Jubil-Aires.  Just send in your email address, (subscribe to our weekly newsletter) and you will be on your way to performing and singing with lifetime friends.

Drop by for a visit and a sing, and start your adventure!  Now is the perfect time!

Come for the singing, stay for the friendships.

Visit the Fairfax Jubil-Aires   

King of Kings Lutheran Church, 4025 Kings Way, Fairfax, VA  22033

Physical, Mental & Emotional, and Social Benefits of Singing (with the Fairfax Jubil-Aires!)

Physical Benefits

• Singing strengthens the immune system: According to research conducted at the University of Frankfurt, singing boosts the immune system. The study included testing profesional choir members’ blood before and after an hour-long rehearsal singing Mozart’s “Requiem”. The researchers noticed that in most cases, the amount of proteins in the immune system that function as antibodies, known as Immunoglobulin A, were significantly higher immediately after the rehearsal. The same increases were not observed after the choir members passively listened to music.
• Singing is a workout: For the elderly, disabled, and injured, singing can be an excellent form of exercise. Even if you’re healthy, your lungs will get a workout as you employ proper singing techniques and vocal projections. Other related health benefits of singing include a stronger diaphragm and stimulated overall circulation. Since you pull in a greater amount of oxygen while singing than when doing many other types of exercise, some even believe that singing can increase your aerobic capacity and stamina.
• Singing improves your posture: Standing up straight is part of correct technique as you’re singing, so with time, good posture will become a habit! As your chest cavity expands and your shoulders and back align, you’re improving your posture overall. 

• Singing helps with sleep: According to a health article in Daily Mail Online, experts believe singing can help strengthen throat and palate muscles, which helps stop snoring and sleep apnea. If you’re familiar with these ailments, you know how difficult it can be to get a good night’s sleep!

Mental and Emotional Benefits

• Singing is a natural anti-depressant: Singing is known to release endorphins, the feel-good brain chemical that makes you feel uplifted and happy. In addition, scientists have identified a tiny organ in the ear called the sacculus, which responds to the frequencies created by singing. The response creates an immediate sense of pleasure, regardless of what the singing sounds like. Not only that, but singing can simply take your mind off the day’s troubles to boost your mood.
• Singing lowers stress levels: Making music in any form is relaxing. Singing releases stored muscle tension and decreases the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol in your blood stream.
• Singing improves mental alertness: Improved blood circulation and an oxygenated blood stream allow more oxygen to reach the brain. This improves mental alertness, concentration, and memory. The Alzheimer’s Society has even established a “Singing for the Brain” service to help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s maintain their memories.

Social Benefits

• Singing can widen your circle of friends: Whether you’re in a choir or simply enjoy singing karaoke with your friends, one of the unexpected health benefits of singing is that it can improve your social life. The bonds you form singing with others can be profound, since there’s a level of intimacy naturally involved.
• Singing boosts your confidence: Stage fright is a common feeling for new singers. However, performing well and receiving praise from your friends and family may be the key to eventually overcoming your fears and boosting your self-confidence. With time, you may even find it easier to present any type of material in front of a group with poise and good presentation skills.
• Singing broadens communication skills: According to an article in The Guardian, singing to babies helps prepare their brains for language. Music is just as important as teaching reading and writing at a young age to prevent language problems later in life. If you enjoy writing your own lyrics, honing this talent can improve your ability to communicate in different ways!
• Singing increases your ability to appreciate accomplished singers: Sometimes, you don’t realize how difficult something is until you try it yourself. As you grow from an amateur to an intermediate student and beyond, you’ll be looking to the masters for inspiration. You might even find a new style of music to appreciate that you wouldn’t normally listen to!

The delights of singing go beyond merely enjoying the beauty of your own vocal talent. All of these health benefits of singing may make you want to visit the Fairfax Jubil-Aires right away! It doesn’t matter whether you become a world-class singer or not; have fun with it, and do what you enjoy!

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