Contestants area

Contestant Calendar            

Convention 2024

   

Competitor paperwork and information

Convention Contest Timetables

Chorus Contest

LABBS Chorus timetable (updated 21st Oct with dressing areas and warmup rooms*)

* A – Branksome, B – Meyrick, C – Westbourne
 

Quartet Contests 

LABBS Quartet Semifinals timetable (updated 18th Sept)

LABBS Quartet Finals timetable (blank)

 

Show traffic plans

Saturday Night Gold Show

Celebration Song Spot (Silver and Bronze medallists)

 

Contestant briefings and information

These documents contain essential information that all contestants should be made familiar with:

Quartet (women's and mixed) contestants information

Chorus contestants information

Other information

BIC Floorplans

Here is an updated diagram of the backstage area, produced by the tech team. It shows the approximate dimensions of the stage and the performance area available. The route on and off the stage is shown by the yellow lines and arrows.

• Point A is the “Hold” point where your courier will leave you. The Stage Manager will collect you from there and lead you back stage, up the ramp shown in orange, to Point B.
• From Point B, Quartets will be announced by the MC before going on stage. From Point B, Choruses will be loaded on the risers, Point C, before being announced by the MC.
• A little time will be allowed for the chorus to settle on the risers and I will be looking for an indication from the MD that you are ready.
• Once you have competed you will leave the stage, Stage Right, shown on the plan toward Point D, at the bottom of the ramp where your Courier will be waiting.

You will be guided at all times by your Couriers and backstage staff, so you don’t need to memorise this information. 

We are aware that there may be people with mobility aids such as wheelchairs and motorised chairs. If you contact the Stage Manager directly on stagemanager_filter_unwanted@labbs.org.uk, preferably before the event, he will liaise with you to arrange appropriate access for you to try the route in advance, to ease your concerns about accessibility.

Convention songsheets

This form is now closed and all expected submissions received.

Useful resources:

• Copyright guidance
• Performance: good taste advice

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Quartet Prelims 2024

29th/30th June
Contest venue: Blue Coat School, Coventry

   

Contest related information and forms for all quartet contestants

• Later this year:  For competitors who qualified for the semi-finals round at convention, all the relevant documentation will be made available on this page, please come back regularly.

Information for Quartet contest participants - key points

• All quartet contests are part of the same prelims draw. Depending on the number of entries, we may need to conduct the contest over 2 days.
• Relevant full information and paperwork to be returned will be posted on this page, so please check back regularly to make sure you've done everything in good time.

Other Information

• We expect contestants to be familiar with the contest rules (note that an update will be published for the 2024 contest cycle in February. Some eligibility criteria can also be found on the prelims page).
• Contestant classes include: (see prelims page for more details):
  • LABBS Women's Quartets competition, which serves as a qualifying round for convention
  • LABBS Mixed Quartets, in collaboration with BABS and SA Reg31
  • LABBS Women's Novice Quartets
  • LABBS Women's Senior Quartets
  • Open Youth Women's Quartets
• Non-contestant classes, open to LABBS Women's registered quartets only, include:
  • Perform for unpublished score and evaluation only
  • Sing for the joy of performing to an audience (no score or eval given)

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Contest Rules

Contest rules - have now been updated for the 2024 contest cycle, please check to see if any changes affect you!

Contest & Judging Handbook - Including new category descriptions detailing what judges are looking for. 

It is also recommended to check your songs are in line with the advice on the Good Taste page, provided by the Performance Category.

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Contest Entry Classes

Choruses
Sing for Joy
Sing for Joy contestants will be included in the contest draw, and will perform two songs for ‘the joy of performing for the audience only.’ The judges will put down their pens, sit back, and enjoy your performance. The songs you perform need not be completely within the rules, but should be a capella. No score or evaluation will be given. There is a 20% discount on the contest entry fee for choruses opting to 'Sing for Joy'.

Sing for Evaluation
Evaluation only contestants will be included in the contest draw, but will not be shown on any scoresheet. An evaluation will be provided in the same manner as competing contestants. Songs need to be within the contest rules.

Quartets

Details as on the Prelims page, LABBS Women's Quartets may also opt to Sing for Evaluation, or Sing for Joy as above, at Prelims, Plus:

Past gold medallists
Women’s and mixed (under LABBS or BinH) will be able to apply to sing for a score for nomination to BHS in 2025. These quartets will sing 4 songs in 2 rounds at Convention, but we need you to register now so we can plan for Convention. You should have a reasonable expectation of achieving the qualifying score which is 78% this year but this may be increased by the BHS for 2025.

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Other convention-related forms and useful information for LABBS members

Score histories - Look up what you scored in previous years and track your progress (or use to look for song ideas!).

Scoring summaries - Written by LABBS judges, a handy guide to skillsets usually experienced at each level and what you might need to work on and improve, to become better singers and performers and score higher in contest.

Trophies & Awards - A guide to the trophies and awards on offer in LABBS contests and the criteria for each.

Business Events Bournemouth - For the LABBS event listing, and links to local hotels.
 

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Is this page missing some vital information? Let us know... email web_filter_unwanted@labbs.org.uk