Eligibility to the Festival Weekend and to the appropriate classes will be determined by the performer’s age on 31 January 2025. Performers will receive further and more specific details of the timetable, procedures etc., after the final date of the receipt of the Entry Form. Winners of classes in the 2024Festival are not eligible to enter the SAME class in 2025 unless moving to a different age category. All performers entering the Singers’ Platform section of the Festival are not eligible for the Festival Weekend classes.
Classes
Recital Classes
| Age on 2 February 2024 | Time limit | Number of songs |
Class 9: Preparatory Recital | 12 – 13 years | 8 mins | 2 songs only |
Class 10: Junior Recital | 14 – 15 years | 10 minutes | 3 songs only |
Class 11: Intermediate Recital | 16 – 18 years | 12 minutes | 3 or 4 songs |
Class 12: Open Recital | 19 years and over | 15 minutes | 3 or 4 songs |
Performers in the Preparatory Recital will choose EITHER Silent Worship – Handel from Celebratory Songs Book 1 published by Chester OR Dusk – Armstrong Gibbs from Easy 20th Century Song Collection Book 1 published Boosey & Hawkes AND 1 own choice song in any style or period.
Performers in the other Recital Classes should choose a balanced and varied programme of 3 or 4 songs, chosen from Groups A to E below, one of which must be from Group E. Each song should come from a different group-letter:
Group A: | an aria from a cantata, an opera, or an oratorio of any period |
Group B: | a song (excluding Group A) written before the 19th century |
Group C: | a song (excluding Group A) written during the 19th century |
Group D: | an art song (excluding Group A) written during the 20th or 21st centuries |
Group E: | an unaccompanied folksong or unaccompanied traditional song |
NB: Repertoire from musicals, music theatre and musical films is not appropriate in a Recital Class.
At no stage in the Festival should a Recital programme contain both an accompanied folk or traditional song arrangement and an unaccompanied folk or traditional song.
In Class 9: Preparatory Recital, the programme should consist of 1 of the 2 set songs and 1 song of your own choice.
In Class 10: Junior Recital, the programme should consist of 3 songs only.
In Classes 11 and 12: Intermediate and Open Recitals, the programme may consist of 3 or 4 songs.
Time limits: All recitals must adhere to the time limits. The time limit is for the whole performance including short verbal introductions. Any re-starts which are the fault of the singer are included in the performance time limit. Any re-starts which are not the fault of the singer will not be included in the performance time limit. Should a performer exceed the time limit, an adjudication will be given, but the Festival reserves the right to withhold a placing.
Placings: The adjudicator will choose two performers in each Recital Class who will become the winner and runner-up. These placings will be decided, and the awards presented, on the evening of Sunday 2February 2025, when each performer will repeat two songs of their own choice from their original programme. These two songs may, or may not, include the unaccompanied folk or traditional song.
Non-Recital Classes
On the evening of Sunday 2 February 2025, the winner of each Non-Recital class (classes 13-31) will sing the winning song of each class again in competition for The City of Sheffield Teachers’ Choir Silver Salver and Awardwhich is awarded to the most outstanding performance. Should an individual win more than one Non-Recital class, he or she should choose only one winning song to perform.
Time Limits: In all classes except where otherwise stated, the time limit is 4 minutes.
Song choices: A performer must NOT sing the same song in more than one class.
Class 13: | Vocal Solo (age 7-8 years) Own choice of 1 song in any style from any period |
Class 14: | Vocal Solo (age 9-11) One song chosen from the following: - Ferry me across the water by Finzi (from Easy 20th Century Song Collection Book 1, pub. Boosey and Hawkes*) - The Crocodile by Peter Jenkyns (pub. Novello NOV 160070*) - Earth, Sea and Sky by Lin Marsh (from Best of Singing Grades 1-3, pub. Faber*) |
Class 15: | Vocal Solo: Songs from the Shows (age 9-11) One song chosen from the following: - In my own little corner by Rodgers (from Cinderella, edition: ABRSM Musical Theatre Songbook 2, pub. Hal Leonard*) - Singing in the rain by N.H. Brown (from Singing in the Rain, edition: Best of Singing Grades 1-3, pub. Faber*) - The second star to the right by Fain (from Peter Pan, edition: ABRSM Musical Theatre Songbook Grade 2, pub. Hal Leonard*) |
*Other editions may be used. Copies of music for the official accompanist for Classes 14 and 15 need not be sent with your entry unless you are using a different edition. | |
Class 16: | British Song (age 12-15)** |
Class 17: | British Song (age 16-18)** |
Class 18: | British Song (age 19 and over)** |
**One song, excluding musicals, music theatre, opera, operetta and oratorio, by any British or Irish composer of any period. | |
Class 19: | Oratorio or Sacred Song or Opera/ Light Opera (age 16-18)*** One sacred song (excluding hymns and religious pop songs) or one aria from an oratorio or opera of any period, in any language, or one song from Gilbert & Sullivan or any operetta composed before 1920. |
Class 20: | Oratorio or Sacred Song (age 19 and over)*** One sacred song (excluding hymns and religious pop songs) or aria from an oratorio in any language and in the original key. |
Class 21: | Opera and Light Opera (age 19 and over)*** Own choice of an aria from an opera of any period or a song from Gilbert and Sullivan or any operetta composed before 1920. Your choice should be sung in the originallanguage and key. |
***In Classes 19-21, there is a performance time limit of 7 minutes to include any instrumental introduction, preliminary recitative, da capo, coda and any brief introduction. In keeping with current performance practice, baroque repertoire may be sung at baroque pitch. The accompanist must have a copy in the key being sung and not be expected to transpose. | |
Class 22: | French or German Song (age 15 and under) One song to be sung in either the original language or in English. |
Class 23: | French Song (age 16 and over) One song to be sung in the original language. |
Class 24: | Lieder (age 16 and over) One song to be sung in the original language. |
Class 25: | World Songs (any age) One song not in English but sung in the original language from any country except the British Isles, France or Germany excluding arias from operas or oratorios. |
Class 26: | A song with words by Shakespeare of any style or period (any age) |
Class 27A: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals - pre 1960 (age 12-15)**** |
Class 27B: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals - post 1960 (age 12-15)**** |
Class 28A: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals – pre 1960 (age 16-18)**** |
Class 28B: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals – post 1960 (age 16-18)**** |
Class 29A: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals – pre 1960 (age 19 and over)**** |
Class 29B: | Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals – post 1960 (age 19 and over)**** |
**** Songs may come from musicals, music theatre, films, Disney songs and Light Opera (post 1920) but not from opera or pop songs. They should be performed as a concert item, i.e. without movement, (although meaningful gesture is permitted) and without recorded accompaniment or use of microphone. | |
Class 30: | Ensemble Class (any age) Up to 6 singers: one piece, time limit 5 minutes. Your ensemble may include one other instrument as well as piano or be accompanied by guitar. Two awards may be given, one for the best junior ensemble where all singers are under 18 years, and the other for the best ensemble overall. The overall winner will be invited to perform again on the evening of Sunday 2 February 2025 but will not be eligible for The City of Sheffield Teachers’ Choir Silver Salver. The Paul M Green Trophy and Award, presented by the Dore Male Voice Choir, will be given to the overall winner of this class. |
Order of classes: Once the Entry Forms have been received, the order in which classes will take place will be determined and everyone will be duly informed. Programme changes will only be allowed after 1 January in exceptional circumstances.