Dear MAD Members:
We are planning to hold our Spring Conventions as outlined in a communication to you in early December (included below) from your VP C&J Ig Jakovac (note that Barberscore opens Feb. 2).
This note is to provide you with an update of what to expect regarding COVID protocol – please note – this guidance may change as we get closer to the events.
- All attendees must be fully vaccinated (except for children under 5) – this means that all individuals have received the dose or doses (which may include boosters) recommended by the CDC and/or WHO, and that the waiting period (two weeks) to achieve full effectiveness has passed. While we strongly encourage folks to get their booster, we don’t require it.
- All events (including afterglows and informal gatherings) will be strictly limited to registered attendees.
- Attendees must show proof of vaccination to receive their tickets. Folks can order tickets on our MAD website as they always have. The only difference this year will be for ordering “blocks”. If your chorus or quartet wants to order a block of tickets, they must send an email to Mike Baguley (bagman410@comcast.net) with the names of every individual in the block. Our events folks will make sure that every person on that list has a ticket in an individual envelope instead of having group tickets in one envelope – this means that everyone needs to pick up their own ticket so that we may check everyone’s vaccination status. Everyone who picks up a ticket at the registration desk must show proof of vaccination along with their photo ID before being able to receive their ticket – folks won’t be able to gain entry to the auditorium without a ticket.
- Audience members will be required to wear a mask (except children under 2) – a mask is defined as a face covering that has two or more layers with high thread count and that completely covers the wearer’s nose and mouth and fits snugly around the edges – N95 or KN95 are preferred but not required. Choruses and quartets are expected to enforce masking requirements for their members and guests, and work with the Events Team if there are issues.
- Choruses and quartets will be required to wear masks while going through the pattern and can choose to remove them just prior to going on stage. The masks should be replaced once off stage.
- Individuals who experience any COVID-19 symptoms or who learn that they were in close contact with someone who has tested positive leading up to the event should get tested and stay home unless the test is negative.
Hope to see you at the Conventions!
Steve Kirsch, EVP Mid-Atlantic District
Hello M-AD Members!
First, we have concluded that we will have two conventions this spring.
- A combined Central and Southern Division convention coupled with a quartet International Preliminary contest will be held March 25-26, 2022. The location is still undetermined but will most likely be a hotel just north of Baltimore
- The Northern Division Contest coupled with a quartet International Preliminary contest will take place April 8-9, 2022, in the Allentown/Easton area. Details to follow.
Our District Convention will take place October 7-8, 2022, most likely in Lancaster, PA.
At the Division conventions choruses and quartets will have the opportunity to compete for a score (and an evaluation if they wish one) to qualify to sing at the Fall District convention or just to come and sing for fun (where they can get an evaluation if they wish). Because each of the two conventions will host a quartet International Preliminary contest, quartets will be able to qualify for the 2022 International convention at either event. All of these choices will be available during the registration process, which will be in Barberscore in the BHS Member Center (registration for both conventions opening Feb. 2, 2022)
Below are details about what to expect.
Seniors (currently defined as male only)
The March 25-26 convention will be designated as the contest to determine the Seniors District Championship. In addition, seniors can compete to qualify for the Fall District contest (2022), the Seniors International contest (2023) and/or the International Quartet contest (2022) at either of the spring conventions by simply making the appropriate selections during the registration process.
Quartets
Automatic qualifiers to the District Contest will be the Division Champions, quartets that score 70% or higher, and International Contest competitors from the current year; additional quartets will be invited based on Division scores.
Quartets competing to qualify to sing at the International Convention in Charlotte, NC July 3-10, 2022, can do by scoring 76% or higher at either of the Spring conventions.
Choruses
Automatic qualifiers to sing at the Fall District contest will be the highest scoring chorus from each Division contest and International Contest competitors from the current year; additional choruses will be invited based on Division scores
Awards – what to expect this Spring
- The highest scoring quartet and chorus in each Division contest shall be Division Champions for the current year.
- The highest scoring chorus in each plateau (Plateau A, AA, AAA, AAAA) will be the Plateau Chorus winner.
- The highest scoring Novice Quartet shall be acknowledged as the Novice Champion.
- The chorus showing the most improvement each year at their Division convention chorus contest will be named the Most Improved Chorus.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Ig Jakovac
Mid-Atlantic District – DVP Contest & Judging
Barbershop Harmony Society