About The Competition
BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year is the UK's largest amateur group singing
competition. Over 5,000 singers are expected to take part in auditions
held all over the UK.
Categories, competition dates and judging are detailed below.
Categories:
Choirs from eight to 100 people can apply in four different categories:
| 1 | Open - A new category open to all choirs and singing groups from any musical background. There are no upper or lower age limits in this category and is ideal for singing groups who want to so something different - maybe songs from the shows, songs from the charts or world music - and for choirs who feel they don't fit the other categories. |
| 2 | Children's - Majority of singers 14 years old and under. |
| 3 | Youth - Majority of singers 18 years old and under. |
| 4 | Adult - Same or mixed voices. |
Auditions: 
Warwick, 19 February
- Warwick Arts Centre
Manchester, 19
March - Royal Northern College of Music
Cambridge, 2 April
- West Road Concert Hall
Basingstoke, 9
April - The Anvil
Edinburgh, 7 May
- The Queen's Hall
Cardiff, 14 May
- New Theatre
Belfast, 21 May
- Methodist College
Music lovers and choir supporters are welcome at audition days. Tickets can be booked, free of charge, by contacting Rachel Johnson at competiton organisers, Kallaway Ltd, on 020 7211 7883.
Finals:
Category Finals,
11&12 November - Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Grand Finals, 10
December - Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
The Category and Grand Finals will be recorded for broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and BBC FOUR. Tickets will be on sale for the Category and Grand Finals via the Millennium Centre box office, later in the year. The BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year Website - www.choiroftheyear.co.uk - will inform people when the box office opens.
Judging
NEW! Expert Judges give live comment
New to this year's BBC Radio 3 Choir of the year, expert judges will provide
feedback immediately following performances - adding to the drama and
excitement of the competition.
Two expert judges will be at each audition day. They will mark each choir's performance on technical achievement, musicality and performance. The judges will give live feedback and professional advice on the performance, what went well and want could be improved and inform singers their reasons for selecting who goes through to next round. Choirs will also receive written feedback following their audition
NEW! Audience Voting
For the first time the audience will be given the chance to vote, selecting
the Audience's Prize Winning Choir.
Expert Judges
The audition judges have been chosen to reflect the full range of choral
and group singing in the UK. The judges are listed below. Biographies
and photos will posted on the judging page:
Ken
Burton
Michael
Morwood
Susan
Digby
Stuart
Barr
Richard
Sisson
Tolga
Kashif
Eugene
Skeef
David
Lawrence
Tim
Sutton
Gillian
Dibden