Choir competition judging criteria: the four we use
The four criteria FSN Voices uses to judge choirs — 25 marks each — what the judges listen for in each, and how the marking should work on the day.
On this page
In short
- Start with the rules and the marking sheet, and plan backwards from the day.
- Pick two songs that show different strengths and fit comfortably inside the time limit.
- Rehearse against each criterion the judges will mark, not just the notes.
- Run the full set in costume, from walk-on to walk-off, at least twice before the day.
Start with the rules and the marks
Before you choose a note, read two things: the rules and the marking sheet. The rules tell you the time limit, the number of songs and what counts against you. The marking sheet tells you what the judges will listen for, and how many marks each thing is worth.
At FSN Voices, each choir sings two songs, up to eight minutes, and two judges mark four criteria at 25 marks each. We explain each one in Choir competition judging criteria. Whatever competition you enter, find its equivalent and pin it up where you rehearse.
Choose your two songs
Pick songs your choir can sing well, not the hardest ones you know. A simple song sung in tune, as one choir, will outscore a difficult one that falls apart.
- Contrast them. One slower and one faster, or one sung in English and one in Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa. Two contrasting songs let the judges hear more than one strength.
- Time them. Sing each at performance tempo and time the pair together, with the pause between them. Leave at least a minute spare under the limit.
- Check your parts. If the tenors are thin, choose an arrangement that doesn’t leave them exposed.
A week-by-week plan
Eight weeks is enough for two songs if every rehearsal has a job. Adjust the weeks to your date, but keep the order.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the rules and the sheet. Choose and time the two songs. |
| 2–3 | Learn the notes and words, part by part. |
| 4 | Tuning and blend: slow, unaccompanied work on the hardest chords. |
| 5 | Musicality: dynamics, phrasing and the shape of each song. |
| 6 | Diction: consonants, vowels and every word the room must hear. |
| 7 | Presentation: walk-on, standing, focus, the bow. Record a full run. |
| 8 | Two full run-throughs in costume, then rest the voices before the day. |
Rehearse the way you’ll be marked
Each criterion needs its own rehearsal time, because each goes wrong in its own way.
- Intonation and blend. Rehearse the hardest chords slowly, without a keyboard, until every part sits on the pitch. Listen for single voices sticking out of the section.
- Musicality. Mark the dynamics in every copy and hold the choir to them. Decide where each phrase is going, and place the endings on purpose.
- Diction and language. Speak the words in rhythm before you sing them. Work on the consonants at the ends of words; they are the first thing lost in a hall.
- Presentation. Rehearse how the choir walks on and settles, where eyes go during the song, and what happens if something goes wrong. Keep going, together.
Record a rehearsal every week and play it back to the choir. They will hear what the judges will hear.
The last week and the day itself
- Run it as a performance. Walk on, sing both songs without stopping, bow, walk off. Do it at least twice, in what the choir will wear.
- Sing to a small audience. Friends, parents, another choir. Nerves come from the unfamiliar, so make the stage familiar.
- Rest the voices. No long, loud rehearsals in the last two days.
- On the day: arrive early, warm up together, and keep talking quietly. Save the voices for the stage.
How the day runs at FSN Voices
FSN Voices is on Saturday 5 December 2026 in Ipaja, Lagos, and doors open at 2:30pm. Every choir gets the same stage, the same sound and the same judges. Each choir’s marks are read out after it sings, and the full sheet — every judge’s mark — goes up the same evening. You can see exactly what the judges listen for on how it’s judged.
Questions choirmasters ask
How early should a choir start preparing for a competition?
Give yourself at least eight weeks for two songs: time to learn the notes, then to work on blend, musicality and diction, then to run the set as a performance.
How do you choose songs for a choir competition?
Choose two songs your choir can sing well, not the hardest you can find. Pick contrasting songs so the judges hear more than one strength, and check they fit the time limit with room to spare.
What do judges look for in a choir competition?
At FSN Voices: intonation and blend, musicality, diction and language, and presentation, at 25 marks each. The full breakdown is in Choir competition judging criteria.
How do you stop a choir getting nervous on stage?
Make the stage familiar. Rehearse the walk-on, the first note and the bow as often as the songs, and do full run-throughs in front of a small audience before the day.
Last checked 29 September 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email info@futurestarnetwork.com.