Somerset Schools Choir Competition

Somerset Music and Jackdaws Music Education Trust, on behalf of Sound Foundation Somerset, are pleased to announce the very first Somerset Schools Choir Competition

Do you have a choir in your school?

Here’s your chance to make some brilliant music AND win some money for your school to put towards your music budget so you can make even more music together!

Closing date for entries is 5pm on 17th June 2024

Judges: Marta Fontanals-Simmons, highly acclaimed Mezzo-Soprano and Saffron van Zwanenberg, Jackdaws Artistist Director.

Gold Primary	£200
Silver Primary	£125
Bronze Primary	£75
Gold Secondary	£200
Silver Secondary	£125
Bronze Secondary	£75
Gold SEN	£200
Silver SEN	£125
Bronze SEN	£75

Special prizes

Most Active Action Song	£100
Best Round	£100
Excellent Diction	£100
Most dynamic Dynamics!	£100
Great at starting and stopping together	£100

2 Priority places at the Somerset Music Wells Christmas Concert

Please complete the entry form via the link Somerset Schools Choir Competition 2024

Competition Rules

Choir Competition rules.pdf

Submission of Competition Entry

Children in the Primary category must be aged 11 or under and young people in the Secondary category must be between ages 11 and 18 on 24th of July 2024. The SEND category can include any young people aged from 5-19.
Schools entering must be maintained schools or academies in Somerset.
The choir must be of mixed age group, this can be across the whole school or a Key Stage for example, but cannot be a class.
Each choir should sing two contrasting pieces of their own choice lasting a maximum of 7 minutes. These should be uploaded as separate recordings.
Each recording must have someone (likely to be choir leader) state the date the recording is being made on camera at the beginning.
The recording of each item must be in one take. An entry will be disqualified if there is evidence of such enhancements as dynamic processing, use of auto-tuners, tracking and layering of voices, editing and mixing or any other electronic enhancement.
The format for each recording must be video only
Each video must be clearly labelled with the school name, song name and choir e.g. St Mary’s, Ave Maria, KS1 choir Song 1.
The videos must be submitted via this secure drive link https://bit.ly/SomersetSchoolsChoirCompetition

Once you have submitted your recording the screen will show that ‘Jackdaws Music’ will be notified that your file has been uploaded.

Entries for consideration must be submitted no later than 5pm June 17th 2024 Entries after this date will not be accepted.
The conductor must not sing with the choir.
Choirs may use a backing track, however this must be an instrumental version and must not contain any vocals.
The prizes must be allocated to the music budget of the winning schools.
Performances will be judged on the following criteria: Intonation, tone quality, diction, ensemble, balance, blend, interpretation of music and text, dynamics, phrasing and communication. The suitability of the chosen songs will also be taken into consideration by the judges.
The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the results.
No correspondence will be entered into on comments or rules and regulations by either judges or organisers.
By entering the competition, participating choirs agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of the competition.