Playing The Game …
It Helps To Know The Rules
By Joni Bescos, Rich-Tone Chorus, Region
25
In the exciting days of music, choreography, new costumes and thinking
about what you’re going to do in competition, perhaps at least
cursory attention should be given to the standards Sweet Adelines
judges have been trained to apply to each performance to determine
its value in terms of points and scoring level.
Competitors are judged in four categories — Music, Sound,
Expression, and Showmanship. At Regional Competition there is one
judge in each category, and at International Competition there are
two judges in each category. Scores are turned in by each judge
as each contestant performs, and as the contest progresses only
the panel secretary truly know who’s in first place. At the
International level, where the panel chair does not serve as a judge,
she is also able to keep track of the scores as the judges turn
them in.
In Las Vegas, the 33 choruses who qualified by winning the 2005
competition in their respective regions will compete on Thursday,
singing two songs appropriate for use in a Sweet Adelines International
competition. At the end of that session, when scores have been double-checked,
the names of the ten choruses earning the highest scores will be
put into a “hat” to draw for Saturday’s order
of appearance. The chorus with the 11th highest score is declared
the mic tester chorus. The top 10 choruses compete on Saturday,
each giving a Performance Package of 12-15 minutes, including emcee
work and two additional songs appropriate for use in a Sweet Adelines
International competition (each finalist submits a detailed program
to the International Headquarters office no later than Saturday
morning so judges can be advised which of the package songs are
to be scored). At the conclusion of the finals, scores from Thursday
are added to scores from Saturday to determine which chorus is the
new champion, and which are the remaining medalists and finalists.
Even though contestants are judged in four categories, there are
come aspects of performance that affect all four and, thus, carry
a heavy percentage of weight in determining the scores to be awarded.
These are:
Singing the right notes;
Singing the right notes together; and
Singing the right notes together with consistent vocal energy and
consistent physical and facial involvement/excitement (transcending)!
The choruses who make that elite top 10 will have demonstrated mastery
of those aspects of performance! Each category is also concerned
with its own specifics.
Music Category
This judge deals with the choice
of song and the arrangement of that song in the barbershop style
(0-30 points), the performance of that song/arrangement, and the
musical artistry achieved (0-70 points). She considers how well
the voicing of the arrangement fits the performer (even a good arrangement
warrants a poor score when it’s too high for the tenors/leads
to sing with resonance or too low for the basses to sing in the
proper balance). She considers the harmonization, seeking a song
that requires appropriate use of strong barbershop chords and chord
progressions. She considers the vocal skills used in performing
the arrangement with accuracy, dynamics, and in the barbershop (as
opposed to choral or modern) style, and considers the performance
of barbershop material. An “A” score in the music category
requires:
Strong, creative arrangement
Strong vehicle (song)
Captures essence of barbershop style
Very high degree of vocal skills
Very high degree of chord accuracy
Highly creative interpretive plan
Strong artistic performance
Transcends technique
Sound Category
The sound judge is concerned
with unit sound (0-70 points) and artistic sound (0-30 points).
To truly be a unit, sound must be grid-shaped, with the vertical
lines representing word elements (vowels, consonants, diphthongs)
performed and turned precisely together, and the horizontal lines
representing agreement on absolute pitch for performing those word
elements. We then add to those two facets the element of continuous
tone flow-the forward motion achieved by an energized vocal line.
Standards for an “A” score in the Sound Category are:
Wall of sound
Instant vowels (target sounds)
Instant tuning
Perfect cone (balance)
Fully resonated tones
Equal vocal commitment
Pure tonality
Transcends technique
Expression Category
The expression judge views a
performance, perhaps more than any other, with both sides of her
brain. In looking at the Basic Requirements portion (0-40 points),
she deals with the left-brain elements of vowels, consonants, diphthongs,
synchronization, and word delivery. With her alter ego she assesses
Artistic Lyrical Interpretation (0-60 points), evaluates lyric flow,
phrasing, forward motion, stylistic use of embellishments, dynamics,
tempo and rhythm, inflection, energy, finesse, and emotional communication.
Standards for an “A” performance in Expression are:
Totally synchronized unit
Excellent vocal skills
Unified vowels
Excellent vocal energy
Strongly executed interpretive plan
High degree of Artistry and finesse
Total vocal freedom
Technique transcends the footlights
Showmanship Category
Some tend to think of this judge
as “costumes, makeup and choreography,” but that’s
only a small part of her evaluation. In assessing Preparation (0-30
points), she considers all the things the performer should have
taken care of before coming to the stage, such as: planning an attractive
costume that fits well, is neat and clean, and is appropriate to
the music performed; planning makeup and grooming that enhance the
overall unity of the performer rather than pointing up the individuals,
with attention appropriately drawn to the all-important communication
medium, the face; planning an “entrance/break/exit”
that are appropriate to the performer and the mood of the songs
performed; and planning choreography that enhances the music, the
musical plan, and the barbershop style of musical performance.
In assessing performance (0-70 points), the Showmanship Judge first
evaluates vocal skill … yes, that’s right. This is a
musical competition and the commodity being sold in this visual
category is the music. In order to consummate a sale, the musical
product must be of a high quality. She also looks for poise and
command, physical expression (natural movement as an outgrowth of
performing as opposed to rigidity), unity, the effectiveness of
the choreography in supporting the musical product, energy, audience
rapport, and rapport between director and chorus.
Standards for an “A” performance here are:
Excellent vocal skills
Excellent theatrical skills
Total command of the stage
Effortless execution of plan
Visually impeccable
Musically and visually congruent
Personality well defined
Transcends all techniques
The Entertainment
Package
The two designated contest songs
are each scored according to the guidelines above. In addition,
each judge has 10 points (for a possible total of 80) she may award
for the entertainment package. There are guidelines, but no rules.
The judge considers such things as:
Does the presentation complement
the material, and is the material suitable for presentation?
Does the chorus sing in tune throughout the performance and are
the tempos correct?
Does the spoken material display confidence and poise, is the content
suitable, and is it in good taste?
Is the chorus poised throughout the entire entertainment package?
How do they handle audience reaction?
Is the microphone technique good?
Is this truly a 12-15 minute entertainment package that exhibits
both continuity and creativity?
Does the director’s role enhance the package?
Scoring
Scoring in a Sweet Adelines
competition is evaluative and performance-level oriented, rather
than penalty-based. The only penalties ever assessed are for such
things as:
Singing over/under prescribed time limits (penalty depends on amount);
Singing songs in other than English;
Singing a song designated as an official song of Sweet Adelines
International; (disqualification);
Singing songs considered religious or patriotic (disqualification
of song);
Spoken material or sound effects that detract from the musical presentation
(except in the finals package);
Not ready to perform at assigned time;
Conduct deemed prejudicial;
Use of special stage effects that detract from the performance;
and
Wearing crowns
Judges do not subtract “x” points for each error detected.
Rather they attempt to zero in on a performance level (C-, B+, A-,
etc.), then pinpoint a score within the range assigned to that level.
For example, A- = 80-85; A = 86-93; A+ = 94-100. The B, C, and D
levels are similarly broken down. Each song is scored separately,
so there can be a difference in scoring level of the songs performed.
To Sum It All Up
Each category’s standards
mention “transcending” technique. We have heard some
very fine performances that exhibit for the audience how loud, how
soft, how in-tune, how rapidly, or how well synchronized a group
can sing. In order for a performance to move to the “A”
level (80-100), it must go beyond the demonstration of technical
proficiency. The audience must be able to feel the emotion of the
music performed because the performer is involved and is feeling
that emotion herself.
“A” scores, even A+ scores are possible for those who
meet these standards. Now that the standards are defined, why not
just do it!
