Choral

Coronavirus

The WMF committee has very reluctantly decided not to hold a “live” choral session in the Festival this year, to avoid gatherings of large numbers of performers and audience members in a limited space.

Groups of up to FOUR members will be permitted to perform live on one of the sessions assigned to the vocal session.

Larger groups will make recordings of their performances, upload them to cloud storage, share them and send us links which will be forwarded to the adjudicators so that they can comment on and grade the performances.

We regret that this means that the performances will not be publicly available. Cups and trophies will be available to collect at a festival session. Winners will be informed of collection dates and times.

Please enter as usual by the closing date of 5th October, 2021 and you will receive an e-mail confirming your entry.

You’ll receive a second e-mail a day or two after the closing date with information about your entry that you can use to complete the video submission form. This form must be completed by 7th November.

Those needing to submit a video should make a recording of your performance for each class entered. Upload it to a suitable platform, making appropriate privacy settings, and send us the link. Please do not send us the recording itself. Advice on making and submitting recordings is available elsewhere on this site.

These links will be forwarded to the adjudicator who will grade and comment on the performances.

When we receive the mark sheets back, we will send them on to you.

If you have any queries about this process, please get in contact with the choral section secretary.

The age of performers is reckoned as on 1st September.
Any choirs using a pre-recorded backing track (to which they have public performing rights) should provide their own playback equipment, which should be a single unit. The track must not include vocals.
Any choirs using a pre-recorded backing track should have public performing rights.
Where ‘parts’ or ‘unison’ are specified, this must be observed.
In schools’ classes no child may exceed the age specified for the class entered.

Time limits must be adhered to in fairness to all, so please do not choose pieces that extend beyond the time limit.

The age of performers is reckoned as on 1st September.
A copy of the score must be produced for the adjudicator in all classes.
Any choirs using a pre-recorded backing track (to which they must have public performing rights) should provide their own playback equipment, which should be a single unit. The track must not include vocals. The time needed to set the equipment up should be included in the overall timing. Microphones may not be used. Please inform the section secretary at the time of entry if a backing track is to be used.
The committee may sub-divide any of the school choir classes should entries exceed a manageable number.
Where ‘parts’ or ‘unison’ are specified, this must be observed.
In schools’ classes no child may exceed the age specified for the class entered.

Time limits must be adhered to in fairness to all — we do not wish to stop performers so please do not choose pieces that extend beyond the time limit.

The performance space this year is more limited than at some venues used in the past. Entrants are very strongly advised to consult the section secretary if submitting entries for large groups before doing so to ensure that they can be accommodated.

A001: Schools Choirs – Key Stage 1 (non-competitive)
Own choice of two contrasting unison songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18

A002: Schools Choirs – under 9yrs
Own choice of two contrasting unison songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18
The Keswick Cup

A003: School Choirs – under 11yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs: a) unison; b) two-part
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18
The Millennium Shield

A004: School Choirs – under 13yrs
Own choice of two contrasting two-part songs.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £20
The Oakfield Shield

A005: School Choirs – under 15yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs in two or more parts.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £20
The Swallow Shield

A006: School Choirs – under 17yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs: a) two or more parts; b) three or more parts
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £22
The Page Cup

A007: School and College Choirs – under 19yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs: a) three or more parts unaccompanied; b) three or more parts accompanied
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £22
The Ford North Cup

A008: Madrigal Class – schools
Minimum 3 voices, maximum 12 voices. Own choice of two contrasting madrigals.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £14
The Du Bochet Shield

A009: Chamber Choir – under 15yrs
Maximum 20 voices. Own choice of two contrasting songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £16
The Thompson Cup for the best performance of A009 and A010.

A010: Chamber Choir – 15yrs and over
Maximum 20 voices. Own choice of two contrasting songs.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £16
The Thompson Cup for the best performance of A009 and A010.

A011: Carol Composition
Words and melody written by pupil(s) of the school and sung by the school choir.
Time limit: 4 minutes
Fee: £15
The Roberts Cup

A012: Church Choirs and Music Groups
Own choice: a) hymn or worship song; b) one other sacred work
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Russell Cup

A013: Youth Choirs – under 19yrs (excluding schools)
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Margaret Walker Cup

A014: Adult Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A014, A015 and A016.

A015: Ladies’ Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A014, A015 and A016.

A016: Men’s Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A014, A015 and A016.

A017: Adult Madrigal
Minimum 3 voices, maximum 12 voices.
Own choice of two contrasting madrigals – any combination of parts.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18

A018: Barbershop Choirs
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20
The Merrow Chimes Shield for the best performance of A018 and A019.

A019: Barbershop Quartet
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £16
The Merrow Chimes Shield for the best performance of A018 and A019.

A020: Community Choir – open (non-competitive)
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20

A021: Gospel Choir – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £20

Details of musical theatre classes can be found in Speech & Drama

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