Welcome to Benchmark's web site!

Benchmark is Australia's Gold Medal Seniors barbershop quartet, based in Queensland, Australia.  We love singing "a capella" four-part harmony, usually based on the barbershop style.  We do our best to entertain our audiences with both toe-tapping up-tunes and heart-rending ballads. 

Formed in 2008, we have competed in such events as:

• Australia’s Got Talent 2011:  Benchmark reached the Grand Final, placing us in the top 10 acts Australia-wide (out of over 3,000 acts that auditioned)
• Barbershop Harmony Society International Seniors Contests:  Benchmark represented Australia twice (Tampa 2010 and Las Vegas 2011), coming as high as 7th in the world.
• Pan Pacific Barbershop Championships: 
  • Hawaii 2009:  Silver medal - Seniors
  • Brisbane 2011: Gold Medal - Seniors
• Australian (AAMBS) National Championships:
  • Hobart 2009:  Gold Medal – Seniors
  • Brisbane 2011:  Gold Medal – Seniors
• AAMBS Sunshine Region Championships:  Each year, the Sunsine region of AAMBS (Australian Association of Male Barbershop Singers) runs a local contest.  All choruses and quartets seeking to compete nationally must qualify here.  Here's how Benchmark has done:
  • 2008:  Won the Gold Medals in both Seniors and Open classes (no quartet had ever won both Seniors and Open before)
  • 2009:  Won the Gold Medals in both Seniors and Open classes
  • 2010:  Won the Gold Medals in both Seniors and Open classes
  • 2011:  Won the Gold Medals in the Seniors class and Bronze in the Open class

See our Contact Us page if you would like us to come and sing at your event.

Benchmark Biographies

Here are some interesting facts about the members of Benchmark:

Derek Cosburn - Lead

• Gold Coast’s first “Flim Flan Man”
• Member of the Dream World quartet called “The Dream World Four”.
• Instrumental in starting the first men’s chorus in NZ South Island called “The Canterbury Plainsmen”
• 1991 – Gained a Quartet Gold Medal in Australia’s first National Competition
• 1992 – Represented Australia at USA International Competition in “The Sentimentals” open quartet
• Multiple Medals in the Regional, National and Pan Pac competitions in the “Open Quartet” section with quartets such as “Soundworx” and “Crossroads”
• Three National Senior Gold Medals in quartet “Cordial Exchange”
• Placed 6^th, 7^th and 10^th at three International Seniors Quartet competitions in the USA
• Recognised as and an active coach of male and female quartet’s and choruses
• A qualified Singing Judge and judged the Australian Barbershop Championships in Sydney Sep 2007
• Sings lead and is a vocal coach with “The Blenders” chorus.

 

Ray Smyth – Baritone/Tenor

• TV debut as a 10 year old (1960) on QTQ 9 Channel Niner’s Show performing “Singing The Blues”
• Member of BTQ Channel 7 singing/dancing backup troupe on the George Wallace “Theatre Royal” live TV variety show every Friday evening as an 18/19 year old (1968/69)
• Classical singing training from leading conservatorium coach and member of the Qld Theatre Company
• Regular Brisbane club/hotel singer/compere/entertainer from 19 to 23 year old
• Resident vocalist at Daydream Island (Great Barrier Reef) for approx three months as a 21 year old
• Retired from professional singing in 1973 at 23 years old to focus on Uni studies, career and family.
• 1997 – Commenced barbershop as a bass with the Brisbane “River City Clippers” chorus singing all four parts in Chorus competitions over the next five years
• Regional Silver & Bronze Medallist singing Tenor in quartet “Sound Investment”
• 2004-6 – sang “Second Bass” with the prestigious Queensland Choir singing many major classical works
• Joined “The Benders” chorus in 2007 and was bass section leader for their performance at the Barbershop International competition in Denver USA and their successful defence of the Australian Titles in 2007.
• Training to be a Presentation Judge for the Australian and New Zealand Barbershop Association.
• Currently a member of “The Blenders” chorus music team and a past Tenor section leader.

 

Paul Roussell – Tenor/Baritone

• Commenced singing over 50 years ago as a boy soprano
• Understudy for leading boy soprano in “A Unicorn For Christmas” (for HRH Queen Elizabeth II)
• Founder Member of the Bach Choir of Wellington while at University in 1968 & sang in many choirs
• Sang the Verdi’s Missa de Requiem in a choir of 3,000 singers in the Arena de Verona.   There were two concerts with each audience over 20,000.  Tenor soloist: Luciano Pavarotti
  
• 1992 – commenced barbershop as a baritone and joined the Harbour Capital Chorus in Wellington, New Zealand and was a member there for 12 years
• Member of three top quartets in Wellington: Down Under Alliance, Capital Alliance and Vocal Accord.
• 1998 – Gained a Bronze Medal in the Open Quartet competition of the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2000/2 – Sang baritone with the Brisbane “River City Clippers” chorus
• 2001 – Regional Silver Medal singing Baritone in quartet “Sound Investment” (with Ray Smyth)
• Joined “The Benders” in 2007 and sang baritone with them at the Barbershop International competition in Denver USA and their successful defence of the Australian Titles in 2007.
• Qualified in 2009 as a Music Judge for the Australian and New Zealand Barbershop Association.
• Currently Vice President of Music with “The Blenders” chorus.

 

Tom Percy - Bass

• A Barbershopper for over 34 years
• Three times Gold Medal Quartet winner in the UK  with 'Par Four'...'On Spec'...'Chordial Exchange'….
• Founder Member, bass section leader, and Chorus Director for three years of The Rainy City Chorus, Gold Medalists 1992….
• Founder and Director for ten years of The Crystal Chords Ladies Barbershop Harmony Club….
• Founder Member of Just Midnight, Liverpool based Mixed Harmony Group….
• Also sang in Amateur Operatics, played the Town Councillor in The Music Man three times, and a big Gilbert and Sullivan fan.  Loves Tom Lehrer too, especially "Poisoning Pidgeons in the Park"
• Immigrated to Australia in September 2007 and joined Benchmark in April 2008.

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