Choral

Coronavirus

The WMF committee has very reluctantly decided not to hold a “live” festival this year. Instead, entrants 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 and cups and trophies normally presented during the Festival sessions will not be awarded this year. A decision about whether to hold the Young Musician Competition in February and to award the other major trophies will be taken after the festival.

Please enter as usual by the closing date of 4th October, 2020 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.

You should make a video recording of your performance for each class that you have 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 adjudicators 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.
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 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.
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 — we do not wish to stop performers so please do not choose pieces that extend beyond the time limit.

A1a: Schools Choirs – Key Stage 1 (non-competitive)
Own choice of two contrasting unison songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18

A1b: Schools Choirs – under 9yrs
Own choice of two contrasting unison songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18
The Keswick Cup

A2: School Choirs – under 11yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs: a) unison; b) two-part
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £18
The Millennium Shield

A3: School Choirs – under 13yrs
Own choice of two contrasting two-part songs.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £18
The Oakfield Shield

A4: School Choirs – under 15yrs
Own choice of two contrasting songs in two or more parts.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £18
The Swallow Shield

A5: 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: £20
The Page Cup

A6: 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: £20
The Ford North Cup

A7: Madrigal Class – schools
Minimum 3 voices, maximum 12 voices. Own choice of two contrasting madrigals.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £12
The Du Bochet Shield

A8: Chamber Choir – under 15yrs
Maximum 20 voices. Own choice of two contrasting songs.
Time limit: 6 minutes
Fee: £15
The Thompson Cup for the best performance of A8 and A9.

A9: Chamber Choir – 15yrs and over
Maximum 20 voices. Own choice of two contrasting songs.
Time limit: 8 minutes
Fee: £15
The Thompson Cup for the best performance of A8 and A9.

A10: Carol Composition
Words and melody written by pupil(s) of the school and sung by the school choir.
Time limit: 4 minutes
Fee: £12
The Roberts Cup

A11: Church Choirs and Music Groups
Own choice: a) hymn or worship song; b) one other sacred work
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £15
The Russell Cup

A12: Youth Choirs – under 19yrs (excluding schools)
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18
The Margaret Walker Cup

A13: Adult Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A13, 14 and A15.

A14: Ladies’ Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A13, 14 and A15.

A15: Men’s Choirs – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18
The Radbone Cup for the best performance of A13, 14 and A15.

A16: Adult Madrigal
Minimum 3 voices, maximum 12 voices.
Own choice of two contrasting madrigals – any combination of parts.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £15

A17: Barbershop Choirs
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18
The Merrow Chimes Shield for the best performance of A17 and A18.

A18: Barbershop Quartet
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £12
The Merrow Chimes Shield for the best performance of A17 and A18.

A19: Community Choir – open (non-competitive)
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18

A20: Gospel Choir – open
Own choice of programme.
Time limit: 10 minutes
Fee: £18

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

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