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Bernie Cureton migrated to Australia in 1998 via the competitive 'Distinguished Talent' migration category. This category exists to allow skills and expertise that are not available in Australia into the Country. Experts in science, sport, industry, commerce and the arts come to Australia to share their knowledge in these fields and develop expertise in their chosen areas. Applications for entry via this category must be supported by comprehensive testimony from around the world of the internationally acclaimed expert status of the applicant. Bernie's 'mission' in Australia is to 'advance the course of barbershop harmony'.
Bernie is well known throughout Europe and America as a quartet singer. He
has won 2 championship gold medals in BABS quartet contests, as well as numerous
other medals. His quartet "Sound Assembly" placed 22nd in 1995(outside
the top twenty by just 3 points!), making them the highest scoring affiliate
quartet in the history of the American barbershop society.
Bernie's experience in barbershop harmony goes back nearly 30 years, when
he decided that he had had enough of playing in brass and military bands and
'found' barbershop. Since that time he has directed some 8 men's and ladies
choruses, including the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) most
prolific champion chorus, the 100 man "Great Western Chorus", the
85 women Melbourne Chorus of Sweet Adelines, silver (by those 3 points again!),
and Australia's most prolific champions the 85 man "Banana Blenders",
winning their 5th gold medal at the Melbourne convention in 2001.
He is also a contest judge in the Music category, an arranger for barbershop and jazz charts, and has coached groups around Europe, the USA and Canada for many years.
