High Altitude Harmony

History

In early 2008 a small group of enthusiastic Toowoomba men met with the idea of forming an all male barbershop style singing chorus. High Altitude Harmony, or HAH, was the result and we have quickly grown into one of the most respected entertainment groups in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region.

After initially gathering in Aubigny House, the first real home for the rapidly expanding HAH was the old main hall at Toowoomba State High School. HAH was able to stage several performances, and our first major fund raiser, the now famous 'singing restaurant', at this venue.

Further expansion of the group, causing a need for more suitable facilities, saw us temporarily move to the hall at Baillie Henderson Hospital, followed by a somewhat longer stay at the Toowoomba RSL. In 2012, we moved to the Toowoomba Choral Society buildings before relocating tour current home at Toowoomba Philharmonic in Matthews Street, Harristown.

While the main focus of HAH has always been to encourage singing enjoyment amongst our members, we also believe that enjoyment comes from constant improvement. To that end, HAH occasionally competes in state and national Barbershop Harmony Australia conventions and in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod.

Since its inception, HAH has also generated numerous quartets. The first of these in 2009 was Left Field and others have included Vocal Fire (a youth quartet); Four on the Floor, Fifth Gear, Joining Forces, Uncalled 4, Good 4U, Four Dinkum, Good Fortunes, Sync or Swim, After Supper Project, Vintage Sound, Hat Hatta, and The Meltones.

In 2013 HAH successfully hosted the Sunshine convention for that year, with over 700 people attending throughout the event from across south eastern Queensland and northern NSW. We repeated this feat with great success at the Empire Theatre in 2019.

HAH also went to its first the Barbershop Harmony Australia National Convention in Hobart in 2009 finishing a very creditable eighth, and backed it up in 2011 with a seventh placing at the Brisbane Convention. HAH has continued to attend and compete nationally ever since.

Of course HAH mostly singings locally, having performed at various shows and events across the region. We regularly sing at Australia Day, and have sung the national anthem to open both the Weetwood races, and the Toowoomba Royal Show and we perform for numerous charitable functions.

In 2012, HAH also had the pleasure of being the local support act when Benchmark and “The Old Fella”, both well known contestants from Australia’s Got Talent, appeared at the Empire Theatre.

As can be seen, HAH is a dynamic group and has many more regional, national and international adventures planned for the future.