EXCLUSIVE: What's new for the 2017 Youth Chorus Festival?

Fire up your singers with a premier destination event!

The International Youth Barbershop Chorus Festival is for ensembles of 12 or more singers, age 25 or under. Each chorus performs 3 songs during the festival: 2 contestable barbershop songs, and a 3rd song can be absolutely anything a cappella.

All choruses will also be expected to learn 3 mass chorus songs to be sung throughout the weekend, with more than 500 other young harmonizers from around the world.

Schedule: Arrive Thursday early afternoon, participate in the festival on Friday and other events on Saturday and depart Sunday morning.

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[alexandarjohnson]

You all have just opened a whole new world by inviting the ladies to join us. I'm so excited to see what this means for the youth festival

[SallyFoodCoach]

AWESOME!! Any opportunity to bring barbershop and its many benefits to young folks is a great idea. Get 'em hooked with the sound and the experience. They'll find their way to the all-men and all-women choruses and quartets later. You gotta meet the potential audience where they are. An excellent idea. And a great video. Way to go, folks.

[gregstickler]

I apologise I thought it was a competition yes your correct encouraging the students to sing is right even if they don't have great voices or do singing is therapeutic

[gregstickler]

I'm sorry but as a tenor having sung barbershop the women have their competition and the men have theirs
Introducing combined will lose the richness of men's voices that deep full bass and the sweet over the top tenor
I'm sorry I can't agree with it

[valleayire]

You had me until mixed choruses. What is wrong with allowing men's and women's choruses perform as men's or women's choruses? Sincerely, younger BHS member. There are TWO women's organizations. TWO. One of which uses BHS judges. Quit jumping on the PC bandwagon. There is NOTHING wrong with ALL THREE organizations being able to strut their stuff. How about we celebrate the fact that we HAVE three viable organizations?! Mixed choruses are good in context. Local performances, etc. Competition wise? Not so much. You have just introduced what could be seen as a "unjudgeable, " according to BHS standards, moment.