Junior Choruses

• All singers must be 18 years of age or under at the time of the Midwinter event.

  • Any singer 19 years of age or above will not be allowed to participate as a singer in the Midwinter Event. *Special circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

• Singers may NOT sing with more than one junior chorus.

• Each chorus must pay a $300 chorus registration fee.

• Membership with the Society is not required for the singers or director.

• The chorus must be able to attend the entire event arriving on Thursday and departing on Sunday.

• All participants will be required to stay within the BHS convention hotel block at their own expense.

  • Participants staying outside of the hotel block will forfeit any/all scholarship/financial assistance and be disqualified from all Junior participation.

• Choruses are responsible for their own travel, lodging, food and other expenses incurred while participating in the invitational.

  • All singers plus one director who participate in the Junior Chorus Invitational will receive a complimentary convention registration at no additional cost.

  • Chaperones will need to purchase a full registration.

• All choruses are required to participate in a pre-event and post-event survey.

• Each chorus will be required to learn 1 or 2 songs to be sung at the Saturday Night Show with the Combined Youth Chorus, which includes all other junior chorus and quartet participants.

• September 15 - April 15: Interested choruses can submit their ensemble for consideration

  • Choruses must have their chorus names approved so as not to conflict with names already selected and reserved by registered BHS chapters or other Youth Chorus Invitational participants.

• April 22: 20 choruses will be invited with priority given to ensembles coming from a single school, first time attendees and underprivileged schools in the local area.
  • Due to the extreme demand for the Invitational, we welcome all applicants to record a video demonstrating why they should be considered for invitation. Video is not required, but if provided must be included with the application.

    • All video/photo/audio submitted will be owned and used without restriction by BHS.

  • Choruses will be invited with priority given to ensembles coming from a single school, first time attendees and underprivileged schools in the local area.

• June 1: Deadline for invited choruses to register

  • Choruses may be invited after the April 15 deadline to fill in possible slot opening(s).

• All choruses are welcome to apply for a need-based scholarship upon invitation to the Junior Chorus Invitational.

• The scholarship application will be open to invited choruses from April 22 through June 1, 2026.

• Scholarship award is broken into two payments:

  • 80% sent September 1

  • 20% sent by March 1 pending 75% of singers respond to post-event survey.

What You’ll Prepare:

• Each chorus will be adjudicated on three songs. Two of the three songs must be contestable by BHS Contest and Judging (hereinafter C&J) standards

• The third selection can be any song sung a cappella with any number of voice parts, may be in a foreign language, and vocal percussion is permitted.

• No instrumentation is allowed for any of the three song selections.

• Certified BHS judges will be adjudicating according to BHS C&J rules (with allowances for the third selection)

Contestable arrangements must feature:

• Melody primarily in the second voice (Tenor II/Lead).

• Four unaccompanied voices, singing distinct parts.

• Mostly consonant, diatonic harmony based in major tonality (with some secondary dominants).

• Homophonic texture with clear, understandable, G-rated lyrics.

• Check out our Suggested Song List.

Contestable arrangements do not include:

• Jazz-based harmonizations, counterpoint-heavy arrangements, or Eric Whitacre-style writing.

• Patriotic, religious, or explicit themes.

• Any form of instrumental accompaniment.

Copyright compliance:

• Arrangements must adhere to international and U.S. copyright law.

• See our Copyright Basics for Barbershoppers.
  
  

Adapting Existing Barbershop Arrangements for Mixed or Women’s Voices:

• TTBB → SSAA: transpose up a minor 3rd to perfect 5th; revoice as needed.

• TTBB → SATB:

  • The entire arrangement might need to be transposed down a half-step or a full-step.

  • This adaptation requires switching some of the voice parts.

    • Lead (Tenor II)→ Sopranos (up an octave).

    • Tenor (Tenor I) → Altos (as written).

    • Baritone (Bass I/Baritone) → Tenors (as written).

    • Bass (Bass II) → Basses (as written).

• Some revoicing may be needed if notes fall outside range.

Not recommended to adapt arrangements with fewer than four voices.