It’s not often you get an offer for something fun and free. I think you’ll like this mix…Ensembles and Mixed Quartets. And for another Quartetting opportunity, we have the first major rule changes in four years. Know somebody who might qualify? Check it out…
- New Quartet Contest Rules
- Ensembles
- Mixed Quartets
Thanks! -Paul
New Quartet Contest Rules
As you may recall, at our Spring Convention in Charlotte we qualified ten (10) quartets to compete in the Fall for the Carolinas District Quartet Championship. This year, we also qualified one additional quartet who competed Out Of District and received a qualifying score, so we’ll have as many as 11 quartets vying for the District Championship.
These quartets have been asked to confirm by September 1 to verify that they intend to be there in Columbia in November.
This Fall, we are CHANGING the contest format, based on several requests and suggestions.
1) We are no longer having a single-round, 3-song contest format as we have done in the past. Instead, we are returning to a traditional, 2-round 4-song contest format, with everyone singing two songs on Friday night, and the TOP 5 quartets advancing to the Finals round (another 2-song set) on Saturday night, which will kick off the Saturday Night Showcase. All four songs will be scored by the judges.
2) The remaining quartets who do not advance to the Finals will be evaluated by our single panel of judges on Friday night after the contest. The Top 5 quartets will have their evaluations Saturday night after the Showcase.
HERE’S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING FOR ALL OF YOU…
3) In addition to the 11 quartets who originally qualified in the Spring, we are making room to add additional quartets to the Friday night round, up to a maximum of 20 quartets in the contest (including the original 11). These additional quartets will sing for Score Only, will not advance to the Finals round, and will not be eligible for the District Quartet Championship. This gives more quartets a chance to get stage time, participate in the contest experience, and improve their performing skills. If any of the original 11 choose not to compete, we will open additional slots for others to sign up, up to the 20 quartet maximum.
There are a few other requirements for these additional quartets BEFORE they can be entered in the contest:
a) The quartet MUST be REGISTERED with the Society; You will need to provide your official quartet registration number when you register, and your quartet must have its dues subscription paid up with an expiration date on or after November 10, 2018. Quartets whose subscription is expired or a new quartet who has not been added to the Society database are not eligible until they are officially registered and paid up.
b) All competing members of the quartet must have their individual member dues paid up and in good standing with the Society with an expiration date on or after November 10, 2018. Check your guys’ membership status and ensure they are up to date before entering the contest.
c) All competing members of the quartet must purchase a FULL convention registration for the Fall Festival, purchased no later than November 1, 2018.
The point of these requirements is to avoid someone requesting to “hold a spot” in the contest before their quartet is organized and officially registered. We cannot honor last minute entries, and will not chase down late payers. Take care of that NOW and rest easy.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY AMONG THE 11 QUALIFIED QUARTETS FROM THE SPRING, and after you have satisfied the above requirements, SEND ME AN EMAIL requesting to enter the Quartet Contest. Once I have verified your status, I’ll let you know and you can then go to the Barberscore web site (once it is up and running) and enter your quartet in the contest.
4) We are looking to possibly have a second panel of local “evaluators” to sit in the Judging area and take notes on these additional quartets, to be able to provide some feedback and coaching without taxing the official panel with more work. This is being worked on at the moment, more info later. If this is not available, you can still reach out to the judges after the contest for feedback.
5) Regarding coaching on Saturday: Quartets who do not advance to the finals may be able to receive coaching from the official judges or additional local coaches on Saturday as usual according to the sign-up matrix. (This coaching matrix is being put together by Nick DiLorenzo; contact him for more info on that schedule).
The Barberscore contest entry process has opened but there is a technical problem at the moment. I will let you know when it is available for you to sign up. For now, you should be able to go into Barberscore and add songs to your quartet repertoire at any time. Remember you are not among the original 11 quartets from the Spring, you only need to enter at least 2 songs, otherwise you will have to enter at least four (legally purchased) songs for the Fall contest.
Please ensure that all your members have their Society, District, and Chapter Dues paid up, that your Quartet Subscription is paid up or renewed, and ensure that each singer purchases a full convention registration from the District web site when available.
In other contest news, we will once again be holding a Mixed Harmony Quartet contest on Saturday afternoon, and are adding a Very Large Quartet (VLQ) contest as a new addition this year (VLQs must be all male, from 5-11 members), held immediately after the Mixed Harmony contest. Feel free to spread the word on these to your fellow chapter members and friends, and encourage everyone to get involved in the fun!
We will also have our Seniors Chorus, The Carolina Statesmen, sing as part of the Saturday night Showcase, and will have at least one Mixed Harmony Chorus perform as well, with additional performers as part of the Showcase lineup. Should be a blast!
PASS ALONG THE WORD to your fellow chapter members and make sure they know about the various contest opportunities available for the Fall.
Very Large Quartet (VLQ, Ensemble) Contest
VLQs must be all male, from 5-11 members. Again, there will be a two-song set. Stay tuned for more information and signup procedures.
Mixed Quartet Contest
Our European affiliates have been doing it for years. They are also springing up in BHS Districts across the country. What is it? Mixed Quartets! The Carolinas District is pleased to invite you to its first Mixed Quartet Contest on Saturday, November 10, 2018.
Eligibility
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- Anyone can enter.
- Those wishing to qualify for BinG! must be registered with the Mixed Harmony Barbershop Association.
Rules
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- Competing ensembles must have 4 singers. (The personnel can be mixed in any combination; 1 and 3 or 2 and 2).
- Application must be completed by October 14, 2018
- Repertoire must include two contestable barbershop arrangements.
- All performances should be conducted in front of area mics or performed acoustically. There will not be an opportunity for individual handheld microphones to be utilized at the Festival.
Why Mixed Quartets?
Mixed Quartetting brings another dimension to barbershop. Not only is it embracing the concept of inclusion, it allows for different interpretation and artistic expression in the performance of our favorite songs.
Give it a try. Click here to apply. Go down in history as a competitor in the CAROLINAS new Mixed Quartet Contest. Award plaques will also be presented to each finalist.
Thanks!