Nico de las Peñas has been singing in various choruses and vocal groups for more than 30 years. In April 1993, thanks to his friend and famous journalist Ramon Pi, he got to know the «Barbershop» singing and together with Jorge de las Peñas and Fernando García founded the quartet «Investigators» which is still active today. In more than 28 years they have poured all their energy trying to make the «Barbershop» style known in Spain, offering performances in important venues in Madrid, Barcelona, Oviedo, Alicante, Bilbao, or Murcia.
With the same idea, in 2008, they promoted the creation of SABS (Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers), bringing together numerous choruses and quartets from the Iberian Peninsula. Nico was its first president, a position he held for 4 years that were decisive in its consolidation in the world panorama of this genre: members of the WHC, affiliated to the BHS, «En Armonía» as its national and international convention, and having been represented in international events by several of its groups. In that sense, Nico participated in the Harmony College of BinG! (Germany, 2006), at the BHS International Convention (Philadelphia, 2010), or at the European Barbershop Convention (Netherlands, 2013). In 2012 SABS recognised Nico as an honorary member of the association.
Nico has two national gold medals with «Investigators» and another one in the choir category with «Barberidad», a choir from Madrid, for whose creation he was also instrumental.
But without a doubt, what Nico would highlight as his greatest achievement is the great number of great friends and relationships he has generated around the practice of «Barbershop», both international, such as the quartets «Crossroads», «Vocal Spectrum», «OC Times» or «Ringmasters», as well as national: Quartet, choir and SABS colleagues, such as Ricardo Leal, Javi Vara, Lyn Baines, Gail Grainger, Juan de Dios, Isidro Anaya, the «Hanfris», and in a very special way Angel Rodriguez, unconditional support and friendship for decades. This special twinning around music, and the desire and enthusiasm to share it with as many people as possible, is what will always keep Nico united to the association and the Barbershop world.
Nico de las Peñas ha cantado en diversas formaciones corales y grupos vocales desde hace más de 30 años. En abril de 1993, gracias a su amigo y famoso periodista Ramon Pi, conoció el “Barbershop” singing y junto a Jorge de las Peñas y Fernando García fundaron el cuarteto “Investigators” que hoy día sigue en activo. En sus más de 28 años han volcado toda su energía tratando para dar a conocer el estilo “Barbershop” en España, ofreciendo actuaciones en salas importantes de Madrid, Barcelona, Oviedo, Alicante, Bilbao, o Murcia.
Con esa misma idea, en 2008, impulsaron la creación de S.A.B.S. (Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers) sumando a numerosos coros y cuartetos de la península ibérica. Nico fue su primer presidente, cargo que mantuvo 4 años que fueron determinantes su consolidación en el panorama mundial este género: miembros del WHC, afiliada de la BHS, “En Armonía” como su convención nacional e internacional, y habiendo sido representada en eventos internacionales por varios de sus grupos. En ese sentido, Nico participó en el Harmony College de BinG! (Alemania, 2006), en la Convención Internacional BHS (Filadelfia, 2010), o en la European Barbershop Convention (Países Bajos, 2013). En el año 2012 SABS reconoció a Nico como miembro Honorífico de la asociación.
En el palmarés de premios, Nico cuenta con dos medallas de oro nacionales con “Investigators” y otra en la categoría de coros con “Barberidad”, coro de Madrid, para cuya creación fue también decisivo.
Pero sin lugar a dudas, lo que más destacaría Nico como su mayor logro es la gran cantidad de grandes amigos y relaciones que ha generado en torno a la práctica del “Barbershop”, tanto internacionales, como los cuartetos “Crossroads”, “Vocal Spectrum”, “OC Times” o “Ringmasters”, como nacionales: compañeros de cuarteto, coro y de SABS, como Ricardo Leal, Javi Vara, Lyn Baines, Gail Grainger, Juan de Dios, Isidro, los “Hanfris”, y de una manera muy especial Angel Rodriguez, incondicional apoyo y amistad desde hace décadas. Ese especial hermanamiento en torno a la música, y las ganas e ilusión de compartirlo con cuanta más gente sea posible, es lo que siempre mantendrá a Nico unido a la asociación y al mundo Barbershop.
The Association was inaugurated in October 2008 and was the brainchild of Nico de las Peñas and his brother Jorge, after a visit to their first-ever Harmony College in Coesfeld, Germany, SABS has become a reality because of their tenacity, enthusiasm and determination and Nico was a natural choice as our first President.As a young association, we are still spreading the barbershop word and building our membership, which currently stands at almost 200, comprising men’s, women’s and mixed groups from all around Spain. We celebrated our first-ever festival of barbershop in Spain with ˜En Armonía” in June 2009 and we were delighted to welcome UK’s Finesse ladies’ quartet and two of the Ringmasters “Martin and Rasmus“ from Stockholm, Sweden. Our first true get-together was attended by almost all our members and was a resounding success. En Armonía 2018 will be held in Benalmádena, Málaga from 6 to 8 April We are delighted to welcome quartets and choruses from Spain, America, Holland, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom, who will be taking part in our tenth international contest.
SABS first meeting in Gandia – July 21 July 2008 – Gandia (Valencia) was the location of the first meeting of various barbershoppers and a Sweet Adeline from different areas of Spain, who decided to form SABS. From right to left of the photo are these founder members: Tony Colgrave (SABS Treasurer), Lyn Baines (SABS Marketing Manager), Nico de las Peñas (SABS President), Roger Gallant (SABS Vice President), Angel Rodriguez with his son, Santiago, and Dudley Jones (SABS Executive Members).
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