Contest Cycle
Does your group enjoy performing for a large audience?
Would you like expert feedback from quality coaches?
Or do you just want to gather with hundreds of barbershoppers?
Then read on to learn about participating in this year's contest cycle!
We sing to share our music with others! The Mid-Atlantic stage gets you:
- The opportunity to show others what you’ve been working on
- Direct access to the top coaches in the Society
- Feedback to develop your music at its current milestone
- A score to help track your progress over time
- High-quality media (video and photos) to help market your group
The Mid-Atlantic District remains one of the largest audiences that truly appreciate our style of music.
It takes less than you think
To sing onstage at a spring convention, you just
need to be:
- A BHS-registered MAD quartet or chorus (9+, including director)
- ...singing two songs listed in your repertory
- ...that don't even have to be contestable*! (especially for unpublished score/feedback)
Any eligible group can participate, either by competing for an
award (e.g. "Most Improved") or singing a set without competing*
(unpublished score and feedback). There are fewer restrictions if you aren't
competing.
We welcome all registered groups
In the spring, no matter your competitive edge, we encourage:
- Newer quartets just getting started
- Quartets with the basic package*
- Groups that learned music but aren't fully prepared
- Community choruses that don't usually compete*
- Choruses that have already qualified or won
We will meet you where you are and cheer you on all the way. So come out and
perform!
*Groups singing for score/feedback (not a contest) canstill meet with the
panel for feedback. Even if the songs aren't meant for contest, this offers a
valuable opportunity to receive pointers and discuss next steps.
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Scores help measure your progress over time
Whether or not your scores are publicly published, they reflect where you are
in your journey. If you don't know where you've been or where you're at,
how can you tell when you're going?
Scores don't define your worth as singers or how you stack up
against "the big guys" (by the way, those "big guys" weren't always so big).
They do reflect a snapshot of how you did and can be a
conversation starter for where to go from here.
You don't need public scores
Groups that don't want public scores or don't compete for an award
may use the score/feedback only option. They perform in the lineup and
receive the benefits of coaching but their scores are left off the official
score sheets (OSS).
All performers who enter the "contest" (whether
or not they competed) receives a contestant scoring analysis (CSA) with a
breakdown by category and judge.
The spring conventions offer new and returning
groups an opportunity to sing onstage for the District audience. Conventions
have a quartet session and a chorus session. Each session includes
tracks for contests (and a non-contest score/feedback option).
One performance, multiple contests
The same performance may count toward one or more contests/awards. Contests held
in MAD are usually one round, but a few are two rounds, requiring at
least 4 songs in your repertory).
In Contest Entry (used to sign up to perform), be aware of your
tracks (you may have multiple):
- Non-contest score/feedback only* for unpublished score and complimentary coaching
- Division in the spring (District qualifier)
- Division Seniors in the spring
- District Seniors in the spring, awarded in the fall
- District Qualifier in the spring (1 round), determined in the
fall (2 rounds)
- International Seniors Prelims in the spring (1 round), qualifying for the winter (1 round)
- International Prelims in the spring (2 rounds), qualifying for the summer (3 rounds)
Each award is its own (e.g. prelims, district qualifier). Check
the box for every award you're pursuing.
Two songs per round
For quartets, International prelims and District contests are two
rounds; all other quartet contests are one round only. All contests for
choruses are one round as well.
The idea of "contest" just provides a framework for organizing
and receiving feedback. For logistical reasons, to sing onstage you enter the "contest", even if you
aren't necessarily competing for a particular award or score.
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Forget "contest". Spring is a great time to put your music in front of barbershoppers!
Even if you have no intent or desire to compete later in the year, we encourage
you to join us on the Mid-Atlantic stage.
Performing a set for a captive audience and receiving quality feedback
is one of the best ways to continue growing as a group.
Remember: this is a checkpoint, not a destination.
How many songs do I get to sing?
All performance sets are two songs each.
- Choose your favorite two and enjoy yourself!
- You'll still have the option for feedback/coaching.
What do I sign up for?
When singing for fun (not an award), you can just sign up for:
- Score (private) with feedback (coaching), or
- Any eligible award/qualifier, or
- Prelims, for the chance to sing two rounds
Can we just mic test or mic cool?
In general, these spots are typically reserved. Reach out to the DRCJ.
- In the spring, we prefer you sign up with the non-contest score/feedback option.
- It's the same stage opportunity, with a private score and free coaching. Why pass it up?
- Don't want scores? Then don't talk about scores, but take advantage of the free panel feedback.
We're singing for feedback. What's different?
When you aren't in a contest (score/feedback only), you aren't bound
by contest rules.
- The songs performed should still be in your online repertory, regardless (administrative/legal).
- Songs don't need to be "contestable", but you'll receive qualitative feedback from judges.
- You'll also receive a private scoresheet with unpublished numbers (conversation starter).
- For choruses, we recommend at least 9 onstage, including the director, but this isn't required.
Remember, you can't use this score to qualify for another contest, since
it isn't technically a contest.
No matter the "contest", you are singing for the audience, not for the judges
or their approval. The panel reflects the audience, with a consistent
category language to elevate your performance. After all, judges rotate
between contests; the Mid-Atlantic audience keeps coming back.
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Besides offering a way to measure progress, a published score can lead to awards
or qualification toward future contests.
Competing at Division
Division contests are open to any registered group in the District. All
tracks start in the spring and may feed into other contests. In particular, we
encourage chapters and choruses of all types to come perform..
Besides the overall winner, at Division we recognize various quartets
(novice, seniors) and choruses (most improved, plateaus).
Learn more about MAD awards.
Your group is assigned to a particular division. Let the VP
Contests know if you are competing "out of Division".
Qualifying for International
Quartets may qualify for the current year's BHS International
convention (upcoming summer) at any spring contest (two rounds,
four songs total).
- You may sign up for the chance to perform twice, even if you do not intend to compete
at District or International.
- Priority is given to quartets that compete in-district. If a quartet plans to compete
out-of-district in the spring but wants to compete in-district in the fall, reach out to
your VP of C&J.
- Qualification is based on a minimum score.
Choruses (that qualified for District) may qualify for the next year's
International at our fall chorus contest.
- International has a higher qualifying chorus score than the district level, so we use the spring
contests to feed into the fall chorus preliminary.
- Choruses already attending this year's International are still encouraged to come sing in
spring, share their music, and support the district.
- Qualification is based on a minimum score.
Minimum qualifying scores for International contests are set by BHS and subject to change.
Qualifying for District
MAD quartets and choruses can qualify in the spring for the invitation-only District
contest (this fall).
Automatic quartet qualifiers for the district contest include the:
- Division champion from the current year
- International qualifiers for the current year (determined this spring)
Automatic chorus qualifiers for the district contest include the:
- Division champion from the current year
- International qualifiers for the current year (determined last fall)
Wildcards (additional groups) will be invited to compete in the fall based on:
- their division scores (rank, not minimum score)
- and the capacity for the fall judging panel
- available spots (~25 for quartets and ~22 for choruses)
Historically, the "magic number" has been around a 67 for quartets and a 65 for
choruses, but it can vary based on who shows up.
Qualifying for International Seniors
Seniors quartets and seniors choruses may qualify for the following
year's BHS Midwinter convention (next winter) at any spring contest:
- This consists of one round, two songs total. This same set can be used to
qualify for District.
- Each seniors quartet member must be age 55+ and the combined ages of the quartet must
240+ years (average of 60).
- Each competing seniors chorus member must be age 55+ and a member of the chapter the chorus represents. If under the age of 55, the director is not permitted to sing.
Per C&J rules, the MAD representative will be the highest scoring seniors quartet across all prelims (MAD does them in spring). Wildcards are determined
after all districts have their qualifiers (in the fall).
For any groups that attempt to qualify in two different contests, only the second contest results will count.
Competing for Division & District Seniors
The Division Seniors Quartet champion is determined in the spring.
- Each Division recognizes its highest scoring seniors quartet competing within its division.
- This is open to any eligible seniors quartet who has not won District Seniors.
- A quartet can win this award multiple times.
Additionally, eligible seniors quartets can qualify at any spring
convention for the:
- BHS International contest (this summer)
- MAD District contest (this fall)
- BHS International seniors contest (next winter)
The District Seniors Quartet champion will be recognized in the fall.
- This will be based on scores across eligible seniors quartet from the spring.
- This winner will be invited to sing in the fall.
- A quartet can win this award multiple times.
- The District Seniors track is technically separate from the International Seniors track, but the District Seniors champion will usually be the District representative at Midwinter.
Seniors quartets can compete at any of the spring conventions to qualify for
the following winter's BHS International Seniors Quartet contest.
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Each convention page links to instructions on how to enter.
Here are some important things to
know about performing at a convention in MAD:
- Entry opens two months before and closes one month before its start date.
- Both scores and feedback sessions are optional (but encouraged).
- Groups typically enter the contest for their affiliated division (decided when they form).
If you intend to compete out of division or out of district, reach out to the MAD VP of
C&J.
To enter a contest/festival at a MAD convention, use the
BHS Member Center to
Manage your SCs (Singing Communities). Before you submit, you'll want to
finalize:
- Members (for quartets, their names; for choruses, the estimated onstage)
- Repertory including the songs you'll sing
- Contests you're entering
You can pick your preferred judges after entry closes. Just contact your VP of Contests.
Reminders
Besides the joy of sharing your music, there are perks to crossing the stage:
- Receive a high-quality video from our District production team.
- Individualized feedback/coaching, available per category or an extended general session.
- Entrants can request coaching with their top three picks of judges. Most groups get at least one of their picks.
Remember that "contest" is ultimately a performance opportunity. Of course, there are
opportunities to put your music in front of an audience besides the District stage, but rarely will
you find an audience as appreciative of the style as the largest district in the Barbershop Harmony
Society.
Sure, there is some friendly competition, but you are ultimately competing against yourself.
Judges are there to offer insight, not approval, and the performance is for the audience, not the
judges.
Scores are just a number to help you track your progress. We do sort them to decide a "winner"
(who doesn't like a winner?), but the real winner is the audience and those who bring them
the joy of barbershop.
See you at contest!
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Learn More
For questions and information about these programs contact:
Rafi Hasib
MAD District VP for Contest & Judging
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