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This fall, the Southwestern District hosts our first-ever Novice Quartet Tag Contest.

This "brigade-style" contest randomly combines 4 people from each of the 4 voice parts. Then, Tag Contest Officials assign a tag - also randomly selected - to the quartet. The new quartets then perform in front of an enthusiastically supportive audience! Judges listen, watch and then rank the quartets in accordance with normal contest rules.
Awards are presented - and not just for the best singers. Expect some unique and special awards, too!

Contestants in the SWD Novice Tags Contest are NOT required to be members of the Barbershop Harmony Society or any other barbershop harmony organizations. ALL are welcome - especially "novice" tag singers.

ONLY 40 SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE - 10 for each voice part - so sign up NOW.

FAQs

Q: Do I have to be a Novice?

A: You do NOT need to be a Novice to be eligible. (We're not even really going to define “novice” officially, but we imagine it's probably anyone who doesn't consider themselves a tag-singer, or who has wanted to sing tags at a convention, but felt like an “observer”.)

Q: Am I eligible?

A: This "Mixed" event is open to anyone with a paid SWD Fall Convention Registration at the time of the tag contest, plus a nominal $7 fee to cover ancillary costs. Contestants in the SWD Novice Tags Contest are NOT required to be members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, NOR any other barbershop harmony organizations. ALL are welcome, especially “novice” tag singers!

Q: Can't I just wait and sign up at the registration desk when I get there?

A: Nope! No exceptions, either.
Sorry! Contestants must all be signed up, pre-registered, and paid by September 6th. This is so all singers can be assured that the other competitors will be “contest-ready” like they are.

Q: What does “contest-ready” mean?

A: The singers in this contest are all going to expect their quartet-mates to be “contest-ready”. This means that all singers should hold each other to a high expectation of commitment, preparedness, and respect for the other competitors. If you're not ready to sing all 10 of the tags by the time of the convention, you'll be the one who is letting down everyone else, and you might ruin the experience for the people who are paired up with you in the randomized quartet.

Q: How many people are competing? How many slots are available for each part?

A: As of 8/14/09, the current cap for each part is TEN. That's TEN quartets, so 40 people total. Each quartet will sing 1 of the 10 pre-selected tags. IF we have overwhelming response to this contest, SWD administrators might increase the number of quartet slots, but that decision has not yet been made.

Q: What does “Brigade-style” mean?

A: This refers to the “eXtreme Quartetting” Brigades. It means that you won't know who is in your quartet until the time of the convention, and you won't know which tag you're competing with until the time of the contest; it's randomized by the contest administrator. More information on brigades and extreme quartetting can be found here: https://home.harmonybrigade.org/extreme-quartetting.html

Q: Can't we just sing our favorite tag in the contest if we all know it?

A: Nope! Sorry! This tag contest is designed to give all competitors a level playing field. You'll have all night Saturday to sing your favorite tags if you want, but this contest is restricted to the 10 pre-selected tags.

Q: Which 10 tags are being sung in the contest?

A: Unfortunately, this is top-secret, classified, need-to-know information, and is of the highest secrecy. The security of the free world would probably be at stake if we were to release the list, and the SWD Novice Tags contest administrators apologize for any anxiety or turmoil this may cause you. For those who are truly too curious to accept this response, we can't wait to see you in the audience so you can find out which 10 tags are on the list! (Just kidding, 8 of them are Classic Tags, one is a TerryTag, and all are of easy-to-moderate difficulty level.) If you sign up for the contest, and you are able to secure one of the limited slots available, you'll be emailed a link to the sheet music and the learning tracks for your part.

Q: What are the specific, practical details about the SWD Novice Tags Contest that I'll need to know for when I get to the convention?

A: Here is a detailed timeline of what you'll do that weekend:

Friday, Oct. 11, you will start by going to the SWD convention registration table and picking up your convention badge and other registration materials, as normal.

Then you will go to the Novice Tag Contest registration table to check in with a contest administrator (probably Terry Chapman, but perhaps another administrator.). A special sticker will be placed on your convention badge showing the SWD Novice Tags logo.

During the Quartet Semi-Finals that Friday night, tag contest officials will compile the names of the people who are in attendance, and will randomly draw names to combine competitors into randomized quartets.

On that Friday night, after the Quartet Semi-Finals are over, and the “Top 10 draw” for the SWD District Quartet Finals has been announced, you will come out to the lobby to the Novice Tags registration table. Contest administrators will have the names posted for the random quartets.

Once you have learned who is in your quartet, find them! Connect with them, because your new quartets will only have Friday night and part of Saturday to meet with each other, come up with a name for your quartet, and to practice! At this point, you still do not know which tag will be assigned to your quartet, so make time to practice all 10 tags!!

The next day at 2:15 PM (Saturday, Oct. 12), contest officials will open the table at the contest venue room, and your quartet will come to the table and sign-in with your chosen quartet name. At that time, you will receive the tag you've been randomly selected to sing, and you'll be told in which order you'll be competing.

The Novice Quartet Tag Contest begins promptly at 2:30!

Judging will be based on singing, presentation, and musicality – similar to standard barbershop harmony contests elsewhere – but since this is not an official BHS contest, the scores and the judging will be subjective and holistic, based completely upon the discretion of the judges. Scoresheets are for the judges' use only, and will not be provided after the contest is over.

After all quartets have performed, Tag Contest judges will confer with each other, and they will rank the top 3 quartets.

Awards will be presented... but not just for the top 3 quartets! Expect some unique and original awards, too!

The contest ends by 4:30 PM, so you should still have enough time to get something to eat before the Quartet Finals at 5:00!

Got any questions we didn't answer?
Contact the SWD Novice Tags Contest Administrator, Terry S. Chapman at: swdnovicetags@gmail.com