2026 HYPE Youth Quartet Contest will be held May 17-19 in Chandler, Arizona!
Rules and Eligibility:
- Each quartet must consist of four singers, all 25 and under in age at the time of the contest.
- Treble and mixed-voice quartets are welcome in alignment with Harmony, Inc. membership and their partnership with the Mixed Barbershop Harmony Association.
- Participants do not need to be members of Harmony, Inc. to compete.
- Entry Fee: $40 per ensemble
- Prize: $400*
*When there are two or more quartets competing in the Youth Contest, a cash prize of $400 will be awarded to the highest-scoring youth quartet based on Harmony, Inc. contest scoring guidelines.
Quartets that achieve the minimum score required for Harmony, Inc.'s International Convention and Contest will receive an invitation in accordance with established practice.
Music & Contestability Rules - Contestants are encouraged to seek out material that aligns with the barbershop style and is considered a "contestable arrangement" within the barbershop scoring system.
- Barbershop harmony is a style of unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a primarily homorhythmic texture.
- Barbershop music features songs with understandable G-rated lyrics and easily singable melodies, whose tones clearly define a tonal center and imply major and minor chords and barbershop (dominant and secondary dominant) seventh chords that often resolve around the circle of fifths, while also making use of other resolutions.
- Arranged for four voices: Tenor, Lead, Baritone, Bass, with no instrumental accompaniment, introduction, interlude, or conclusion. The use of a pitch pipe to establish the key of the song is permissible.
- Melody present and distinguishable and most consistently sung by the Lead (second voice), with the Tenor harmonizing above the melody, the Bass singing the lowest harmonizing notes, and the Baritone completing the chord.
Melody primarily in the second voice (Lead).
Contestable arrangements do not include:
- Jazz-based harmonizations, counterpoint-heavy arrangements, or Eric Whitacre-style writing.
- Patriotic, religious, or explicit themes.
- Any form of instrumental accompaniment. Use of a pitch pipe to establish the key is permissible.
Non-contestable arrangements include:
- Songs primarily patriotic or religious in intent
- Sexually explicit lyrics or songs in poor taste
- Songs not consistent with the barbershop style for musical reasons (see hallmarks of style above) will score lower holistically.
- Any form of instrumental accompaniment. Use of a pitch pipe to establish the key is permissible.
Song choices may include:
- Songs already approved for State Solo & Ensemble Contests.
- Check out our Suggested Song List.
Copyright compliance:
- Arrangements must adhere to international and U.S. copyright law.
- See our Copyright 1-2-3 to learn more about the basics of copyright.
Judging and Scoring
Evaluators for this contest are Certified Judges from within the ranks of Harmony, Inc. and the Barbershop Harmony Society. Area Contest judging panels consist of one or two Certified Judges in each of the categories of Musicality, Performance, and Singing, functioning under the on-site authority of Certified Administrative Judges.
Musicality - The Musicality Judge evaluates the suitability of the song and arrangement to the barbershop style and the performer’s musicianship in bringing the song and arrangement to life. Major elements in the category are consonance, theme, delivery, musicality, execution, and embellishment.
Performance - Performance is defined as the net impact of the performance upon the audience. The Performance Judge evaluates to what degree the audience is entertained through the performer’s communication of the story/message/theme in its musical and visual setting. Major elements in the category are: entertainment value; “from the heart” delivery; audience rapport; artistry and expressiveness; and unity between the performance’s vocal and visual elements.
Singing - Singing is defined as quality, in-tune vocalization accomplished with a high degree of unity, ensemble consistency, and artistry. The Singing Judge evaluates the degree to which the performer achieves artistic singing in the barbershop style. Major elements in the category are: intonation; vocal quality; unity of word sounds, flow, diction, and synchronization; and vocal expression, resulting in expansion of sound (also referred to as “lock and ring”).
Style Elements shared by all three categories - Artistic aspects of a barbershop performance that are evaluated by judges in all three categories are: ringing, in-tune singing, vocal quality, the suitability of the song to the performer, self-expressiveness, and heartfelt performance
Style Elements shared by all three categories - Artistic aspects of a barbershop performance that are evaluated by judges in all three categories are: ringing, in-tune singing, vocal quality, the suitability of the song to the performer, self-expressiveness, and heartfelt performance
