The first contest of the Barbershop Harmony Society, held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June of 1939, was an extremely casual affair. There were no score cards, no trained judges—in fact, no one's sure how many quartets actually competed. We do know that the Bartlesville Barflies of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, beat the Capitol City Four of Springfield, Illinois, after a "sing-off," and took home $50 and the coveted title of "World Champion Quartet."

The second contest, held at the New York World's Fair in 1940, was judged by a panel of dignitaries that included Governor Al Smith, whom one competitor overheard whispering to a fellow judge, "They all sound good to me—who should I vote for?"

SPEBSQSA's judging system has since become far more precise. Judges today undergo a rigorous, three-year training process leading to certification in one of three scoring categories: Singing, Presentation and Music.

The Singing judge evaluates the degree to which the performer achieves artistic singing in the barbershop style. This is accomplished through precise, in-tune harmonizing, a high degree of vocal skill and a high level of unity and consistency within the ensemble. Mastering these elements also creates a feeling of fullness, "ring" or expansion of sound throughout the performance.

The Presentation judge evaluates how effectively a performer brings the song to life—that is, the believability of the theme in its musical and visual setting. He responds to both the vocal and visual aspects of the presentation and evaluates everything about the performance that contributes to emotional impact upon the audience.

The Music judge evaluates the song and the arrangement, as performed. He adjudicates the musical elements in the performance—melody, harmony, range, tempo, rhythm and meter, construction and form, and embellishments—and the degree to which the musical elements of the song and arrangement display the hallmarks of the barbershop style.

Rules in brief

Print stories and photographs, and video and audio feeds featuring top contenders and contest footage will be available. Contact local affiliates for footage, or call Reed Sampson at 800-876-7464 x 8592 for further information.