Ontario District Fall Convention

October 18 & 19, 2024 – Hamilton, ON

Hamilton, Ontario will host hundreds of barbershop singers from around the province for the annual fall convention of the Ontario District of the Barbershop Harmony Society. More than just a weekend of singing four-part a cappella barbershop harmony, it is a weekend of serious competition for quartets and choruses from across Ontario under the watchful eyes and ears of a panel of judges from across North America. Qualifying choruses from the weekend will advance to the Barbershop Harmony Society International Quartet Competition in Denver, CO in July 2025. A qualifying seniors quartet will advance to the 2025 Midwinter in San Antonio, TX. Top scoring eligible quartets will win their respective Ontario District titles for 2024. 

Host Chapters

To come

Convention Theme:

To come

Headquarters Hotel:

Sheraton Hamilton Hotel
116 King St W
Hamilton, ON L8P 4V3

Contest Venue:

McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
Mohawk College
135 Fennell Ave W
Hamilton, ON L9C 0E5

Registration

All attendees must register for the convention, regardless of whether they are competing or not. Competitors may require additional entry steps depending on which competitions they are competing in.

For more information about convention registration, contact the Convention Registrar, Hayley Sziklasi – registrar@ontariosings.com

Full Registrations

Full registrations are available by following the link in the sidebar or by clicking one of the links below.

The price for full registrations is as follows:

  • Adults: $80/person ($70 early bird registration)
  • Students (19+): $40/person ($35 early bird registration)
  • Youth (18 and under): Free
Register Online Download PDF form Download Word form

Partial Registrations​

Partial registrations for a single session will be sold for all 3 contest sessions at the convention registration desk. Friday night partial registrations for a single session will be available starting at 5:00 Friday evening. Saturday afternoon and evening single-session partial registrations will be available starting at 10:00 Saturday morning. Saturday evening partial registrations will also be available at 5:00 Saturday evening.

The price for partial registrations is as follows:
  • Adults: $35/person/session
  • Students (19+): $17/person/session
  • Youth (18 and under): Free

Hotels

Headquarters Hotel:
Sheraton Hamilton Hotel
116 King St W
Hamilton, ON L8P 4V3
 
Convention rate at the Fairfield is  $199 per night

Competitors

Competitor entry is not yet open

Competitor Entry

If your chorus is competing in the chorus contest or performing for score only, your chapter secretary must enter your chorus for the competition, and your individual chapter, district, and society dues must be up-to-date. For more information or clarification talk to your chapter secretary.

If you are competing in the quartet contest, your quartet must enter through the BHS Member Center.

Judging Panel

PC/ADM – To come
MUS – To come
PER – To come
SNG – To come

Competitions This Fall

District Title • The Rhythmaires Trophy and the title of District Quartet Champion is awarded to the quartet with the highest score at the Ontario District Fall Convention over two rounds (semifinals and finals). Any quartet comprising more than two members of a past Ontario District Quartet Champion is not eligible for this award.

District Title • The Woodstock Chapter trophy and the title of District Novice Quartet Champion is awarded to the highest scoring novice quartet in the semifinal round of contest (Friday night). A novice quartet is any quartet that has at least two members who have never competed previously in a District (BHS or MBHA), Region (SAI) or Area (HI) contest, unless it was exclusively at the youth or collegiate level. Any quartet placing 1st or 2nd in the main competition is ineligible for this award.

International Qualification • The highest scoring seniors quartet on the Friday night of the fall quartet contests qualifies for the seniors quartet contest at Midwinter Convention the following year. The seniors prelims scores are based on one round of competition. Seniors quartets must have all four members at least 55 years of age, and a combined age of at least 240 years. In addition, other seniors quartets with a sufficiently high score may qualify for a wildcard spot for the international seniors quartet contest.

International Qualification • District choruses earn the right to represent Ontario District at the International Barbershop Convention next July by obtaining the top score among district choruses in the Fall Preliminary Chorus Contest. The top scoring chorus is awarded the George Shields “Go For The Gold” Trophy. In addition, any other choruses scoring at least 80% will also qualify for the contest.

District Title • The Jack Haughie Trophy is awarded to the chorus with the greatest improvement in score over the last time they competed based on raw scores. The winning chorus and any chorus not having competed in the last six contests are ineligible.

District Title • The London Chapter Trophy is awarded to the chorus with the highest score in the competition, subject to eligibility rules. A chorus placing first or second in the current contest is ineligible. Also, any chorus placing first or second in the previous ten contests is ineligible as is any chorus that has won this award in the previous six contests.

District Title • The Syd Pyper Plateau Awards are awarded to the choruses achieving the highest score in each plateau, the contest winner is eligible, plateaus are assigned based on chorus’ score in their last competition, any chorus not competing in last 6 contests or competing for first time is assigned plateau 1

  • Plateau 1 — less than 661 in their last contest,
  • Plateau 2 — greater than 660 and less than 781,
  • Plateau 3 — greater than 780 and less than 901,
  • Plateau 4 — greater than 900 in last contest

Schedule of Events

Updated April 14, 2024. All times are tentative and subject to change.

Friday, April 12, 2024

Time Event Venue
3:00 – 8:30 pm Registration Desk Foyer – McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
6:30 pm
Quartet Semi-finals
Presenter: 
 McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
After the contest Quartet Evaluations Judges Rooms – Sheraton Hamilton Hotel
After the contest Hospitality Room TBA

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Time Event Venue
9:00 am – 1:30 pm Registration Desk opens Foyer – McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
9:30 am All-Chapter Chorus Rehearsal McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
11:00 am
Chorus Competition
Presenter: 
 McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
After the contest Chorus Evaluations McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
5:00 – 6:30 pm Registration Desk opens Foyer – McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
6:00 pm
Quartet Finals Contest & Show of Champions
Presenter: 
Presentation of Awards
Quartet Results Announced
Intermission
Parade of Champions Show
“Keep the Whole World Singing”
 McIntyre Performing Arts Centre
After the show Quartet Evaluations Judges Rooms – Sheraton Hamilton Hotel
After the show Hospitality / Afterglow Room Sheraton Hamilton Hotel – host TBA

All-Chapter Chorus

The All-Chapter Chorus is open to any barbershopper attending convention who wishes to sing in it. The chorus meets at 9:30 on Saturday morning of convention to rehearse, and then serves as the mic tester at the chorus contest later that morning. Please bring your registration nametag or another nametag to rehearsal.

Repertoire: To come

All-Chapter Chorus repertoire learning materials are available on the Members Only page, under Music Files > All Chapter Chorus.

Director: To come

Advertise in the Convention Program!

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Full page 4.25 X 11 inches Greyscale $150
Half page 4.25 X 5.5 inches Greyscale $90
Business card 2 X 4 inches Greyscale $50
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Half page inside cover 4.25 X 5.5 inches Colour $120

Please submit your ad in​ pdf or jpeg ​format​. Use the highest resolution in your design to ensure the best results in print. The deadline for submitting advertisements is Wednesday, October 9.

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