The Society Contest and Judging Committee and BHS staff are introducing changes designed to make the International Contests more exciting to watch, more rewarding to compete in, and better paced for everyone in the hall. Changes will first be rolled out for the 2027 Chorus Contest in Minneapolis. Here's a summary of the changes and what it means for your ensemble. First, here are a couple of things that aren’t changing:
Target Score
For the upcoming 2027 quartet and 2028 chorus cycles at International, benchmarks for target and minimum qualification will hold steady.
- An 81.0 prelims average continues to be the standard for automatic quartet entry. Groups earning at least a 78.0 are eligible for Wild Card consideration and receive a guaranteed Sing-In invitation. District and Global Alliance representatives must still meet a 76.0 minimum.
- Automatic chorus qualification for the 2027 and 2028 cycles remains at 81.0. The baseline for District or Global Alliance representatives is unchanged at 74.0.
Note: The minimum qualification score for the 2027 International Senior Quartet Contest in Virginia Beach will rise to 65.0, up from the previous 63.0.
SING-IN RETURNS IN 2027
The quartet Sing-In Contest returns for 2027, giving quartets who come up just short of the target score another chance to reach the Quarterfinals. Here’s what’s staying the same, and what’s new:
- Automatic invitation at 78.0. Any quartet averaging 78.0 or higher in the preliminary round that is not extended a wild card invitation to the Quarterfinals will receive an automatic invitation to the Sing-In Contest.
- Top two advance. As was the case in St. Louis, the top two quartets from the Sing-In Contest advance to the Quarterfinals, in pre-drawn slots.
- New minimum field of eight. The Sing-In Contest will now guarantee a minimum of eight competing quartets. If fewer than eight quartets qualify at 78.0 or above, additional invitations will be extended to the next-highest-scoring quartets until the minimum of eight is reached.
- New “tag-off” tiebreaker. In the event of a tie for the second, and final, advancing spot, a tag-off between the tied quartets will determine which one moves on to the Quarterfinals. Each quartet will sing one tag, scored by the panel, which will determine advancement.
2027: TWO-ROUND CHORUS FORMAT
The chorus contest will feature a two-round structure:
- The 2027 Chorus Finals will be held on Saturday, July 10th, featuring 15 choruses: the top 10 seeded choruses based on prelims qualifying scores and five TBD spots.
- Choruses seeded 11th place and lower will compete in the Chorus Semifinals on Friday, July 9th. The top five choruses in the semifinals advance to the finals on Saturday.
- The two rounds will be judged by separate quadruple scoring panels. Choruses that advance from Friday to Saturday may sing the same songs or a different package. The scores from the Saturday performance will be recorded as the official scores for the five choruses that advance. Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, a chorus that advances is guaranteed no lower than 15th in the overall ranking.
- The semifinals and finals sessions will appear on separate Official Scoring Summaries.
Every chorus, regardless of session, performs on the same International Stage. The goal is higher-energy chorus sessions for audiences and competitors alike, and increased opportunities for recognition.
NEW RECOGNITION FOR FRIDAY COMPETITORS
Toward that end, new tiered awards will honor the best Friday performances within seeded scoring tiers for those choruses who do not advance. The tiers will be determined based on qualifying scores from Prelims and will be roughly equal in number of choruses. The specific scores for tier groupings will be determined once all choruses have qualified for International.
Like International Chorus Medalists, the winners of each tier will receive an award: a lapel pin designating the distinction. Tier criteria and award details will be shared once finalized.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR CHORUS
- Chorus qualifying scores matter more than ever. The qualifying score determines whether a chorus competes in the semifinals on Friday or advances directly to the Saturday chorus finals. The qualifying score also determines the tier grouping.
- With the introduction of these two chorus sessions, we will no longer consider placement of choruses based on dual members or multiple choruses from the same chapter.
2028: RE-INTRODUCTION OF TIME LIMITS
The average song length in the International Chorus Contest has increased every year since 2022, from 4:09 to 5:12 in 2026. Due to the ever-increasing length of contest sets, beginning with the July 2028 International contests in Chicago, a performance time limit will be implemented to enhance the contest experience for all attendees and participants. This change is designed to maintain the artistic integrity of performances while ensuring contests remain engaging and manageable in duration.
TIME LIMIT DETAILS
Maximum Performance Time: 12 minutes of total singing time
What IS measured:
- Timer starts: At the first sound of Song 1 (whether sung or spoken)
- Timer stops: After the first song concludes (last sound)
- Timer resumes: At the first sound of Song 2 (whether sung or spoken)
- Timer stops: After the second song concludes (last sound)
What IS NOT measured:
- Audience applause before Song 1, between Song 1 and Song 2, and after Song 2
PLANNING YOUR PERFORMANCE
Key Considerations:
- The 12-minute limit provides flexibility for various artistic choices.
- Comedy bits, applause breaks, or other audience interactions during a song ARE included in the timing.
- We recommend building in a buffer (e.g., planning for 11-11.5 minutes) to account for unexpected audience reactions or performance variations.
More detail on both the 2027 Two-Round Chorus format (e.g., rehearsal scheduling, recognition-tier criteria, and event logistics) and the 2028 Time Limit changes can be found in a Frequently Asked Questions document, located here. Questions can also be directed to scjcchair@barbershop.org.
Frequently Asked Questions: International Contest Format Changes
Why a re these changes being made? The Society Contest and Judging Committee and BHS staff are implementing changes intended to make International contests more exciting to watch, more rewarding to compete in, and better paced for everyone in the hall.
2027 Chorus Contest FAQs
What is changing for the chorus contest in 2027?
The chorus contest will move to a two-round structure. Choruses seeded 11th place and lower will compete in the Chorus Semifinals on Friday. The top five choruses from Friday will advance to the Chorus Finals on Saturday, where they will join the top 10 seeded choruses.
Who competes in the Chorus Finals?
The Chorus Finals will feature 15 choruses: the top 10 seeded choruses and the five choruses that advance from Friday’s semifinals.
How will the Friday-to-Saturday advancement work?
The random draw for the Chorus Finals will include placeholders for the five choruses advancing from the semifinals. At the end of the Friday contest, the five advancing choruses and their Saturday performance order will be revealed live.
How will the draw work for advancing choruses?
The five advancing choruses will be slotted in reverse order of semifinal appearance. This prevents a chorus that sings early on Friday from potentially singing early again on Saturday.
Will advancing choruses receive rehearsal support?
Yes. Choruses that advance from Friday to Saturday will receive preferential rehearsal times and space on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Can a chorus sing the same package on Saturday?
Yes. Choruses that advance may sing the same songs or a different package on Saturday. Separate panels will judge Friday and Saturday, and the Saturday performance will become the official score for the five advancing choruses. An advancing chorus is guaranteed no lower than 15th place overall, regardless of its Saturday outcome.
When will scores be available?
The Friday and Saturday sessions will appear on separate Official Scoring Summaries (OSS). For choruses that do not advance, beginning with the 16th-ranked chorus, the OSS will be available immediately after the Friday session ends.
Will every chorus perform on the same stage?
Yes. Every chorus, whether competing on Friday or Saturday, will perform on the International Stage. The goal is to create higher-energy chorus sessions for audiences and competitors and to increase opportunities for recognition.
Chorus Semifinals Recognition FAQs
Will there be new recognition for Friday Chorus Semifinals competitors?
Yes. A new tiered recognition program will honor the best Friday performances within seeded scoring tiers for choruses that do not advance. The tiers will be based on qualifying scores from Prelims and will be roughly equal in number of choruses. Specific tier thresholds will be determined once all choruses have qualified for International.
What are the planned tiers?
There are four (4) tiers planned, defined by qualifying scores from the preliminaries. The scoring ranges for each tier will be determined after the final qualification event in the fall of 2026.
- Tier 1: The top 10 qualifiers plus the top five scoring choruses from the semifinals round.
- Tier 2: Qualifying scores of 8x.x or higher
- Tier 3: Qualifying scores between tiers 2 and 4.
- Tier 4: Qualifying scores below a certain number.
What will tier winners receive?
There is no separate Tier 1 set of awards beyond the current International medalist structure. Winners of Tiers 2 through 4 will receive an award, currently planned as a lapel pin designating the distinction. Unlike International Chorus Champions, tier winners may receive the award in successive years. Final tier criteria and award details will be shared once finalized.
Competitor Planning FAQs
Why do chorus qualifying scores matter more now?
A chorus’s qualifying score will determine whether it competes in Friday’s semifinals or advances directly to Saturday’s finals. The qualifying score will also determine the chorus’s recognition tier.
Will the chorus draw still account for dual members or multiple choruses from the same chapter?
No. This has become challenging to fairly manage, and with two chorus sessions that require a bit more flexibility, the determination of the order of appearance will no longer include special accommodations for dual members or multiple choruses from the same chapter.
2028 Time Limit FAQs
What is changing in 2028?
Beginning with the 2028 International chorus and quartet contests, a performance time limit will be implemented to help keep contests engaging and manageable in duration while preserving artistic flexibility. We want to promote more interest from convention attendees in being present in the audience to experience and celebrate these performances.
What is the maximum performance time?
The maximum performance time will be 12 minutes of total singing time.
What counts toward the time limit?
- The timer starts at the first sound of Song 1, whether sung or spoken.
- The timer stops after Song 1 concludes, at the last sound.
- The timer resumes at the first sound of Song 2, whether sung or spoken.
- The timer stops after Song 2 concludes, at the last sound.
- Comedy bits, applause breaks, or other audience interactions during a song are included in the timing.
What does not count toward the time limit?
Audience applause before Song 1, between Song 1 and Song 2, and after Song 2 will not be measured.
How should groups plan their performances?
- The 12-minute limit allows flexibility for artistic choices.
- Competitors should ensure song transitions and performance elements are clearly communicated.
- Groups are encouraged to build in a buffer, such as planning for 11 to 11.5 minutes, to account for audience reactions or performance variations.
What happens if a performance exceeds the time limit?
The specific penalty for exceeding the 12-minute limit is still under development and will be announced before the 2028 contest season. The penalty structure will be designed to be clear, fair, and consistent with other contest policies.
Would choruses whose qualifying scores place them in the top 10 and in the Saturday session opt to rehearse on Friday vs. attending the Friday contest session?
Obviously, attendance in the contest hall at BHS International is still voluntary! However, those top 10 choruses will know well in advance of International that their contest performance will be on Saturday in the chorus finals. With all of the benefits of that, BHS will encourage those 10 competitors to plan their rehearsal schedule for the week such that their members can attend the chorus semifinals session on Friday and cheer on the competitors in that session.
Who do I contact for more information?
Contact the Society Contest and Judging Committee chair, Steve Tramack (scjcchair@barbershop.org), and the BHS Events Director, Dusty Schleier (events@barbershop.org).