EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND  ­— In my quest to get a tiny taste of what Edinburgh Fringe has to offer, I found an offering of an a capella choir performing in a gothic chapel in the 1800s. I could not sign up fast enough. Billed as a journey through the stages of life as told by a women’s a capella choir, I was fascinated to see the story unfold with One Acchord’s That’s Life in Harmony. 

The chapel was small yet lovely, with beautiful stained glass that had both religious and Scottish touches. The local choir had a mix of fringe goes and family present, which made for a pleasant, joyful experience.

One Acchord started with a fun adaptation of “Be Our Guest” with some fun lyrics like “put our singing to the test” and as a lifelong second alto, I was quite pleased with not only the harmonies but the resonating bass notes. 

A beautiful narration (I could listen to this accent forever) guides us through life from birth on, and my first thought is why don’t we have a choir like this in Utah? As I mentioned in a previous review, some statistics by a prominent director in Utah have shown that women audition 3 to one in Utah, so there is talent for something such as this, showcasing the female talent underutilized in our state. Seeing women of all of ages singing “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics in absolute perfect harmony in this historic setting is sensational.

In examining their webpage, One Acchord is a non-audition choir, which I found difficult to believe with their precise vocals and musicality. Musical Director Nick Drew has certainly done a stunning job with these ladies. The music was mostly in barbershop format, and was fully a capella. The members were dressed in pink and black, and quite committed to the theme of life celebration in song.

Some of the best selections were “Under the Boardwalk”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and a beautiful song about a parent’s death that I did not know (I think it’s called Chase the Monsters) but it made me tear up.

More than a concert, their production was a reminder that stories are told through song. And when organized and well done, the stories are conveyed in excellent form. 

One Acchord’s That’s Life in Harmony plays at various times through August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The cost is 10 pounds. For more information see www.edfringe.com