There are a number of ways in which the Guild can help your chorus or quartet achieve a better performance. Here are some of them.
| 1 | Coaching |
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| All judges are happy to receive requests for coaching from choruses and quartets. They are busy people so you need to plan in advance. Also, don't leave it until a few weeks before contest, expecting a judge to add the 'final touches' to your near perfect performance. All coaches and judges prefer to be 'in at the beginning' to establish good practice before you have the chance to learn the mistakes. Look at the location map to find your nearest judge and use him. | |
| 2 | Reaching Out |
| The BABS Reaching Out program offers choruses a free visit from a judge to evaluate the musical needs of the chorus and offer suggestions for the way forward. A little like an extended Eval session but outside of the constraints of contest. It is left to the club to decide how best to use this facility. The visit can take place on a rehearsal evening, at a club show or even at a singout, the purpose being to get a broad overview of the chorus' musical standard instead of just the narrow window provided by two contest songs. The club can decide for itself whether to take it forward with further visits and coaching after the initial visit which is paid for by BABS. Contact BABS Director of Music & Education Services for details. | |
| 3 | Evaluations |
| All contestants are entitled to a complete and relevant Evaluation
session after a contest. The judges in each category meet together,
soon after the contest, to compare notes and share their thoughts.
Usually (time permitting) the Evaluation panels then meet in order
to agree on the important issues facing each contestant and how
best to make these points in the Evaluation session. And then, of
course, is the session itself.
The vast majority of Evaluation sessions are productive but sometimes, unfortunately, they do not go as well as they might. Whichever is the case, the Guild appreciates any feedback from contestants on their experiences at these sessions. Feel free to use the feedback form on this site or simply contact the Guild Secretary so that we know how well we are doing. |
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| 4 | Club Visits |
| Some of our contests are simply too large to enable sensible Evaluation
sessions to take place at the site. Under these circumstances contestants
are discouraged from asking individual judges for a written assessment
although some judges will do it when asked.
The reason is that the training and experience of our judges is directed towards the delivery of 'Panel Evals', where the contestant sees judges from all three categories at the same time. The Guild believes that this is the best method of feedback in that it tends to focus on the important issues and each category gets to address those issues from its own perspective. Each member of the team has also had the opportunity to discuss the performance with his fellow judges, both in his own category and in the other categories. In this way, a more rounded Evaluation is obtained which cannot be the case when an individual judge tries to expand on his own (and only his own) notes made at the time of the contest, sometimes several days or weeks before. A written Evaluation doesn't provide the opportunity for discussion and explanation either. Contestants are, however, encouraged to ask for a post-contest visit from a judge (or more than one) when the whole chorus (or quartet) can be addressed or even just the Music Team. Such a visit can become a 'Eval Coaching' session if appropriate. |
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| 5 | Music 'Vetting' |
| All contestants are entitled to submit music, that they propose to sing in contest, to a qualified Music judge for comment. The judge cannot provide an estimated score, because that depends so much on performance, but he will be able to give you feedback on its suitability. This assessment will certainly cover issues relating to the style (is it or is it not good barbershop?) and may also include elements such as level of difficulty which may be a guide to your choice. If you already know the song, Music judges like to have a tape recording as well as the printed music. For your Music judges, click here. | |
| 6 | Presentation 'Vetting' |
| All contestants are entitled to consult a qualified Presentation judge on such issues as costume, gestures and props. Again they cannot provide a score estimate but they will make comments about suitablity, appropriateness, taste etc. For your Presentation judges, click here. | |
| 7 | Literature |
| There are a number of publications available from the Society.
Your club should already have a copy of the Category descriptions
which explain the three scoring categories in some detail. This
document is the judge's 'reference manual' and all contestants should
be familiar with it if they expect to do well. You will also get
more from the Evaluation sessions if you have a better understanding
of what the judges are 'looking for' in a performance. The Category
Descriptions are available, in full, on this site. Click
here.
The Contest Rules are important to you as a contestant. They are available in full on this site. Click here. |