We look forward to welcoming you to Sheffield once more for this year’s Regional convention from 9 – 11 May 2025.
Don’t miss out for an extra special event on Sunday morning, so plan your trip home in the afternoon!
New Quartet Registration – click here – 15 January
Entry deadline (60 days) late entry fees apply after this date – 10 March
Order of Appearance Draw (55 days) – 17 March
Late entry deadline (45 days) – 25 March
Competitor contact and information confirmation – 12 April – click here
Webcast and app questionnaire – 12 April – click here
Online competition briefing – 6 May at 6:15pm BST/ 7:15pm CET
Ensure competing members are all in good standing – 9 May
Contest Date – 9 May
Entry deadline (60 days). Late entry fees apply after this date – 11 March
Order of Appearance Draw (55 days) – 17 March
Late entry deadline (45 days) – 26 March
Competitor contact and information confirmation – 12 April – click here
Webcast and app questionnaire – 12 April – click here
Online competition briefing – 6 May at 6:15pm BST/ 7:15pm CET
Provide final competitor listing – 9 May – Click here to download the 2025 Regionals Chorus list of competing
Ensure competing members are all in good standing – 9 May
Contest Date – 10 May
Competition Packet eMailing – 24 January
International 30 day mailing – 9 April
Competitors are required to register for contest at International Headquarters AND purchase an All Events Pass from Region 31 to be eligible for contest.
Registration is open and the early bird deadline is 29 February – PURCHASE TICKETS HERE. Registrations after this date will be charged at the standard rate.
Charges are shown in the table below.
| Early Bird (by 29 February 2025) | Final Registration (by 31st March 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| SAI Members | £95 | £100 |
| SAI Youth | £50 | £52.5 |
| Non Members | £100 | £105 |
Seating this year is open and names will not be printed on tickets. Our volunteer stewards will assist in facilitating choruses sitting together during the chorus contest and for results – filling up the auditorium from the front.
Get your Single Event Ticket here.
IMPORTANT: The paperwork for new and renewing quartets must be submitted and processed before they may register for competition. New quartets or renewals received after 15 January will be charged additional registration fees. Any competing Quartet must be registered no later than 60 days prior to contest.
| International | Late Entry Fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chorus | £150 | £250 | Regional Competition Chorus Portal | Sweet Adelines |
| Quartet | £100 | £200 | Regional Competition Quartet Portal | Sweet Adelines |
Competitors must register for the Region 31 Convention by completing the International Contest Entry Forms.
24 January 2025 – Regional Contest Entry opens: Here is a link to the portals where you will find all the required information (including the Contest Entry Forms):
Quartet: Regional Competition Quartet Portal | Sweet Adelines
Chorus: Regional Competition Chorus Portal | Sweet Adelines
All competitors will require an All Events Ticket (“AET”).
All Events Tickets will be purchased from Region 31 and are on sale here.
Click Here for Song Assessment Tool – Please remember to check your songs for suitability and to gain approval in plenty of time before contest.
PLEASE READ: You will be required to confirm whether your Song Information (including the order of songs) has altered since you provided this information at the time of competition registration. Quartets and Chorus leaders should provide any updates (to songs or order) at the competition briefing (online May 6). Any updates after this date should be emailed directly to the competition coordinator at events@sweetadelines.org.uk and communication coordinator communication@sweetadelines.org.uk.
2025 Regional Competition Entry Form (Submitted to International) – click here
Song Information Sheet (Submitted to International) – click here
Regional CHORUS Open Division and Evaluation Only: Internationally Bound Cue Sheet (Please bring 2 copies to submit to the competition coordinator Sarah Netherton at 12pm Friday at the Octagon) – click here
List of competing members form (Regional Chorus Competition 2025) (Please bring 2 copies to submit to the competition coordinator Sarah Netherton at 12pm Friday at the Octagon) – click here –
Please ensure that everyone who will be on stage is listed. If there are people missing, inform us straight away. Do not wait until the day of contest briefing to let us know if there are people that should be added or if the total number is incorrect. The Convention Team and Regional Management Team, will NOT be held responsible for your chorus’ disqualification from the competition resulting from an incorrect form.
Competitor contact and information confirmation – click here
Webcast and app questionnaire – click here
2025 Regional Competition Entry Form (Submitted to International) – click here
Song Information Sheet (Submitted to International) – click here
Regional QUARTET Open Division and Evaluation Only: Internationally Bound Cue Sheet (Please bring 2 copies to submit to the competition coordinator Sarah Netherton at 12pm Friday at the Octagon) – click here
Competitor contact and information confirmation – click here
Webcast and app questionnaire – click here
Final Traffic patterns and orders of appearance are included here
Narrated video walkthroughs of the traffic pattern routes for the Octagon Centre:
Traffic Pattern Video – Standard Route
Traffic Pattern Video – Step-Free Route
If you have any questions about the route, email the Competition Coordinator at events@sweetadelines.org.uk.
Please note that Quartets will be able to use the cloakroom facility. Choruses will be using the IKEA bags to place their items before heading to the warm-up room. Space is limited so please aim to arrive on time and be ready to move through the pattern as soon as your courier directs you.
Traffic pattern pointers
The Standard configuration of risers (no inverted centre) will be used. 11 sets of 4 foot, 4 step risers.
A traffic pattern walkthrough video is available above, providing a full explanation of the route.
You can access the Contest Rules here:
Becky Maybury serves as an assistant director and a section specialist for Skyline Chorus, the 2024 Sweet Adelines International Third Place Medalist chorus. She also serves as Skyline’s creative show and staging director. Becky sings lead in the current Region 8 champion quartet and 2024 6th place International Medalist, Last Call. Becky is an Approved Candidate Judge in the Sound category.Becky creates custom learning media, enhancing ways for singing groups to learn music. Becky joined Sweet Adelines in 1999, and believes strongly in giving back to Sweet Adelines as a member who has benefitted her entire life from the great education and mentorship the organization offers.
Corinna Garriock has been a member of Sweet Adelines International since 1988 when she joined Lions Gate Chorus in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is a Certified Music Judge, a Master Director (via Westcoast Harmony Chorus in Surrey, BC, Canada), and the tenor of the 2012 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champion, Martini. She also serves on the Arranger Certification Program (ACP) Moderator’s committee, helping to administer this educational program for Sweet Adeline arrangers. Corinna enjoys coaching and arranging and has several arrangements available through SA and SMP. She currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia on the east coast of Canada and is a Chapter-At-Large member in each of Regions 1 and 26.
Panel Chair Vickie Maybury is a Certified Expression Judge and serves as the Expression Category Judge Specialist. A Master 700 Director, Vickie has been the Denver-based Skyline Chorus’s musical director since 1984. Inspired by her exceptional leadership, Skyline has ranked in the top 5 Sweet Adelines International choruses since 2005. She also serves on the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors and is a Certified International Faculty member and a highly sought-after coach known for helping singers “find their voices” through a highly engaging teaching style. Vickie’s greatest joy is celebrating the successes of those she is privileged to work with.
Anna Rosenberg Adlerstam was born into the wonderful world of barbershop harmony, with both her parents being active practitioners of this distinctive singing style. Her father played a pivotal role in bringing barbershop music to Sweden in the 1960s, establishing a legacy that Anna continues to uphold with passion and dedication. A devoted member of Sweet Adelines International since 1994, Anna has immersed herself in the barbershop community for nearly three decades. Her commitment to excellence led her to join the judging program in 2009, culminating in her certification as a judge in 2019.
Anna’s love for visual communication complements her musical talents, allowing her to bring a comprehensive artistic vision to her performances and directing. Since 2003, she has been the director of Pearls of the Sound, guiding and inspiring singers with her knowledge and enthusiasm. As a performer, Anna showcases her versatility by singing lead in the Sweet Adelines quartet Maverick while also contributing her talents to the mixed quartet The Hillbillys where her husband Henrik is a member. Through these various roles—judge, director, and performer—Anna Rosenberg Adlerstam continues to honor her family’s barbershop legacy while making her own significant mark on this cherished musical tradition.
I have been a Sweet Adeline for 20 years! I am a member of the Rich-Tone Chorus, and have served as Team Leader, Finance Coordinator, Team Coordinator, and Performance Coordinator for many years. I am the Finance Coordinator for Region 25. I am the Director of Operations and part-owner for a Financial Planning Firm in Texas. I am a mom to an incredible 10 year old girl, McKenzie, and have such a supportive husband who has supported me in all of these endeavors! I love serving as Panel Secretary and I am excited to be in Region 31 for the first time this year!
Click here to see the full Schedule of Events.
Friday May 9
Saturday May 10
Sunday May 11
A virtual contest briefing will be held on May 6 at 6 May at 6:15pm BST/ 7:15pm CET. All quartets and choruses should send at least one representative.
Additionally on Friday 9 May there will be a short contest briefing check in where final song/order of songs can be confirmed. In addition the final listing of competing members and cue sheet (for Open Division contestants) can be submitted. Refer below for familiarization for chorus leaders and quartet walk-on.
Quartets will be allowed two minutes before the competition to practice their walk-on and sing a few bars of material. This will start 11:15 on Friday 9 May. Additionally, quartets are asked to join the Mic-Testing Chorus at 10:30am on Friday May 9, to create a scratch mic testing chorus to aid in the chorus leader familiarization. The scratch chorus will sing ‘How we sang today’.
Chorus directors, time permitting, may get a chance to experience the stage with a ‘scratch chorus’ on Friday 9 May by attending the mic-testing chorus at 10:30 . The scratch chorus will be formed from competing quartets singing ‘How We Sang Today’. Additionally at 12:00 Directors and Choreographers will have the ability to walk the stage (subject to practicalities of numbers etc). We appreciate you may be traveling on Friday morning; please attend as close to these times as you are able. It is not likely that the full stage familiarization experience can be accommodated if you have not been able to arrive by 12:30.
IMPORTANT: if you are the current holder of a regional trophy, please double check that you know whose mantelpiece it’s currently gracing, and that they are aware they must bring it with them to competition. Any questions on engraving/cost reimbursement please contact the competition coordinator at events@sweetadelines.org.uk.
| Level | Score Per Category | Total Score |
| A+ | 188-200 | 752-800 |
| A | 172-187 | 688-751 |
| A- | 160-171 | 640-687 |
| B+ | 148-159 | 592-639 |
| B | 132-147 | 528-591 |
| B- | 120-131 | 480-527 |
| C+ | 108-119 | 432-479 |
| C | 92-107 | 368-431 |
| C- | 80-91 | 320-367 |
Grants are awarded to winning and eligible choruses and quartets as well as those who are returning to the international quartet contest after finishing in the top 15. These funds are intended as a contribution towards the expenses and costs of going to the Sweet Adelines International Convention & Competition.
| Category | Prize Money |
| Regional Chorus Champion | £2000 |
| Regional Quartet Champion | £2000 |
| Harmony Classic Qualifier | £500 |
| Wildcard Chorus | £500 |
| Wildcard Quartet | £500 |
| Returning Top 15 Quartet | £500 |
Grants can only be claimed if the chorus/quartet has registered for the international competition. If the grant has already been claimed and the chorus/quartet withdraws from international contest, the grant money must be returned to the region.
The Vi Steel Quaich is presented to the chorus that attained the most improved overall score from the previous year.
The Sheila Doherty Novice Chorus Award is presented to the chorus performing with the largest percentage of first-timers on stage.
The Beryl Mort Award goes to the chorus that scored the highest mark in the Music category with a minimum overall score of 500.
The Valerie Taylor Award is presented to the highest scoring chorus in the category of Sound, with a minimum score of 500.
The Jean Miller Rose Bowl is awarded to the chorus that scored the highest mark in the Visual Communication category with a minimum overall score of 500.
The Nicky Salt Coaching Bursary goes to the quartet who attains the most improved overall score from the previous year. This award provides coaching with Nicky.
The Most Entertaining Award goes to the Quartet or Chorus who receives the most votes from random selected audience members.
The #BigDreams Fortuity Youth Quartet Award goes to the highest scoring competing quartet where each member is aged 25 or younger.
The Diamond Quartet Award goes to the highest scoring competing quartet with a minimum combined age of 240, with the youngest member being no less than 55 years old.
The Novice Quartet Award goes to the highest scoring newcomer quartet. The foursome must be made up of at least three first-time quartet competitors in any quartet competition organised by a barbershop organisation; and must not contain any previous medal winners from any competition organised by a barbershop organisation.
Competitor packages containing results and judges’ evaluations will be available to collect for up to 20 minutes after the awards ceremony from The Council Chamber, which is the warmup room on the ground floor (accessible through the doors next to the cloakroom). Quartets, please collect your packets promptly after the competition. If you are unable to collect your results packet in the time allocated, it will be stored safely backstage for you to claim later. Only chorus presidents/team coordinator and/or director are allowed to collect the chorus results packet
There are no rehearsal rooms available at The Octagon Centre. Please arrange to book rehearsal space at your hotel if required. The University of Sheffield may also have some space available. Contact the University’s Conference Office – for information on room hire and accommodation options – email conferences@sheffield.ac.uk or call 0114 222 8822
Photography
Videos of your performance will be sent out digitally shortly after the contest to the person named on the original contest registration. If that has changed, please let us know. Please note that by being a competitor in the Region 31 Competition you have been granted permission to post the Sweet Adelines International video recording of your performance, only after your performance has been adjudicated. It is understood that you have obtained all applicable licenses and/or permissions from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for your chorus or quartet. Sweet Adelines International reserves the right to revoke this permission for any reason.
On-stage Photography
The photographer will be taking several shots throughout your performance in order to enable you to select the candid photographs which you prefer. If you would like to purchase all of the photographs digitally for your chorus, this can be done at a cost of £125. For quartets the cost is £30. Please order and pay directly to Region 31 either before regional or directly at the registration/harmony bazaar in order to get the discounted rate.
You will also be able to purchase individual photographs on Sunday including printed copies of any photos to take home with you. 6” x 9” Prints – £15 each or three for £30 12” x 8” Prints – £20 each, two for £30 or three for £38.
Off-stage Photography
We will be setting up a “social media” point in, or near to, the bar at the Octagon, where you will find a variety of props to pose with. This will be available to anyone throughout the weekend. Duncan Blackeby (Bass of the Emerald Guard quartet) will be taking informal shots of quartets offstage during the quartet competition day. Quartets are encouraged to have these photos after they visit the webcast. Post your photos with the hashtag #QON25 and #R31Acappella.
Webcast
The webcast will be broadcast on both days. Please be sure to complete your Questionnaire if you have not already done so. The webcast will be free but we will be asking for donations to help us to continue to provide this service. Don’t forget to visit the webcast station (which will be at the back of the auditorium) after your performance! You can share the link to the webcast page with family and friends who want to watch the convention remotely.
