The Carraway-Anton Barbershop Music Scholarship
A Unique Outreach and Recruitment Program
of The Capital Chordsmen, Tallahassee
The award-winning Capital Chordsmen are a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the joy and traditions of barbershop harmony singing. The Chordsmen are the Tallahassee, Florida, chapter of the international Barbershop Harmony Society. The members are an eclectic bunch of talented musicians from all walks of life who come together to share in the wonderful tradition of four-part, a cappella barbershop singing. An important and original component of the Chordsmen’s uniqueness is the scholarship they offer to student members, The Carraway-Anton Barbershop Music Scholarship.
Funding for the scholarship comes solely from show earnings and generous donations from patrons. Every year, the Chordsmen work to raise enough funds to provide scholarships for up to five student members. The recipients of the scholarship can be undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing at FSU, FAMU, or TCC. To receive the scholarship, the student need not be a music major. The choruses invite students from any academic major to attend their weekly rehearsals. Scholarship recipients receive $500 during the fall semester and, if they remain in good standing as a member of the Chordsmen, the scholarship can be renewed during the spring semester and in subsequent years, for up to eight semesters, so long as the student remains enrolled in school. To receive the scholarship, an eligible student needs to attend at least three-fourths of the Chordsmen’s weekly rehearsals and public performances. The Chordsmen’s Board of Directors looks for students who show a commitment to supporting and continuing the tradition of barbershop and an enthusiasm for the ideals of the group.
The scholarship itself is named for two late members of the Chordsmen whose love of barbershop harmony and dedication to the group are reflected in the nature of the scholarship. Fred Anton and Don Carraway were devoted members of the Chordsmen and lifelong lovers of barbershop music. To say that these men were dedicated to the group would be putting it mildly. Both were avid supporters, committed patrons, and tenacious recruiters of new talent. The legacies of both men are united and bound to the Chordsmen through this unique scholarship.
Fred Anton
Fred Anton was active as a barbershopper for over 50 years and was an amazing force as an individual and a musician. The son of an immigrant shoemaker from Lebanon, Fred is remembered for his jovial, upbeat personality and his unending jokes that made everyone his instant friend. Fred was honored as an inductee into the Sunshine District Barbershop Harmony Society Hall of Fame in 1988.
Don Carraway
Don Carraway was a barbershopper for 40 years and demonstrated the matchless dedication, spirit, and joy that embody the barbershop tradition and serve as his legacy. His close friends remember Don for always having a song in his heart and for his ability to light up any room with his warm and engaging personality. Don was a wonderful recruiter and enlisted 10 or 12 new members during his time with the Chordsmen. When he wasn’t attending rehearsals, preparing for shows, or performing, he organized, coordinated the music, and scripted four of the Chordsmen’s two-hour annual shows.
