Sisters in harmony: Out-of-province women find community in P.E.I. a cappella group
- Judith Mendiolea Lelo de Larrea
- Jan 30, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 27, 2025
(This story was originally published by The Guardian on Jan. 29, 2025)
For eight years, Amy Patriquen dedicated herself fully to raising her children, putting her own ambitions and hobbies aside.
The stay-at-home mother embraced the demanding role, leaving her career as a Sunday school teacher and channelling every ounce of her time, energy, and thought into her family.
But as her children grew older and became more independent, the P.E.I. resident found herself yearning to rediscover who she was outside of her role as a mother.
“Who am I now? What brings me joy? What’s next for me?”
She wasn’t sure. But she did know she was ready to get back into the “real” world, explore her passions and figure out who she was now.
Finding her people
Her journey to self-discovery began with a community newsletter advertising a local singing event. Intrigued, Patriquen decided to attend.
Island A Cappella, a women’s barbershop chorus based in Charlottetown, was hosting a “True Colors” program. The five-week initiative invited community members to join the group, learn to sing the Cyndi Lauper hit “True Colors” in four-part harmony and perform alongside the chorus.
For Patriquen, it was a game-changer.
“I went, thinking it would just be a one-time thing,” she said. “I signed up, and by the end of those five weeks, I realized I didn’t want to stop.”
Initially, she felt overwhelmed joining a group with decades of experience.
“These people knew what felt like 1,000 songs,” she said.
Despite her initial apprehension, Patriquen found the group to be warm and encouraging.
“Everybody is so friendly and welcoming. They’re the most beautiful group of women I’ve ever met,” she said. “Singing makes me happy, and if I didn’t stay, I knew I’d be sad.”
Patriquen’s decision to join Island A Cappella is supported by research that highlights the mental and emotional benefits of group singing. Studies have shown that participating in a choir can reduce stress, improve mood, and even enhance cognitive function.
A 2018 study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that mothers who participated in group singing experienced a faster improvement in depressive symptoms than those who received standard care. Researchers attribute these benefits to the unique combination of music, social connection, and shared purpose.
Moreover, the cognitive benefits of choir participation are well-documented. A study highlighted by the International Council on Active Aging revealed that elderly singers exhibited better verbal flexibility — a component of executive function — than non-singers.
Harmony through the years
Island A Cappella has been a part of PEI’s musical community for more than 40 years. The group is affiliated with Harmony Inc., a North American organization dedicated to promoting barbershop-style singing among women.
Eileen Braidwood, one of the longest-standing members, knows this better than anyone. At 78 years old, Braidwood has been singing barbershop for 52 years, starting in Montreal when she was looking for community as an immigrant mother, continuing in Ottawa, and finally joining Island A Cappella when she retired to PEI.
“Everywhere I’ve moved, joining a chorus has been like coming home,” Braidwood said. “Singing with the chorus is a community — you’re part of a group, and it just feels like home.”
For Braidwood, barbershop singing offers something unique. Unlike classical choirs, barbershop performances require singers to memorize music and bring it to life through storytelling, facial expressions, and choreography.
“I think I’m a Broadway star wannabe,” she said. “Barbershop is so much fun because you get to perform it, not just sing it.”
Braidwood has witnessed the evolution of the group over the decades, from sequined costumes and wartime ballads to modern arrangements like Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors.
“It’s been a great challenge to learn new styles,” she said. “Music has shaped my life and my family’s. My kids grew up with it — they came to concerts, saw me compete, and knew it was a big part of our lives.”
Leadership and growth
Brenda Smith, the current president of Island A Cappella, also found a sense of community through the chorus after moving to PEI three years ago.
“Being part of Island A Cappella gave me a social life and a purpose,” Smith said. “I didn’t know many people on the Island when I moved here, but joining the group instantly gave me 30 or 40 new friends.”
Smith first joined a barbershop chorus in Saint John, NB, after retiring from her career at the Royal Bank. An ad in the newspaper caught her eye: “Great voice not required, but you need to carry a pitch.”
“I thought, ‘I think I can carry a tune,’” she said. “Barbershop wouldn’t be something I’d listen to on the radio, but it’s so fun to sing harmonies. That’s what keeps us all coming back.”
Under Smith’s leadership, Island A Cappella has embraced a vision for growth.
The group recently appointed a new equity and diversity chair to ensure all women feel welcome, regardless of race, religion, or background.
“We want to be a diverse chorus where everyone feels like they belong,” she said.
Smith also highlighted the chorus’s plans for the future, including a strategic development plan to improve their craft and grow membership.
“We strive to improve constantly, not just in singing but in storytelling and performance,” she said. “Every voice matters, and when everyone shows up, the harmony is incredible.”
A tradition of improvement
Island A Cappella’s roots run deep in the barbershop community, competing regularly in regional and international Harmony Inc. competitions. While the group’s primary focus is on singing, its members emphasize the importance of camaraderie and support.
“We rehearse every Wednesday night, and we memorize all our music. There’s no sheet music on stage, so it takes a lot of work outside of rehearsals,” Jamie Feinberg, the chorus director, said. “But that’s part of what makes us unique.”
The chorus competes in the Atlantic division of Harmony Inc., with top groups qualifying for international events. “We’re always striving to improve, and every time we compete, we up our game,” Smith said.
“Singing is what I do. We consider ourselves ‘sisters in harmony’. It’s a friendly competition — if we don’t win, we’re genuinely happy for whoever does.”
Island A Cappella last competed internationally when the event was held in Halifax. While the group doesn’t attend every year due to travel costs, they are planning for future competitions and aim to perform in Ontario when the event is hosted there in 2027.
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