Radio 3 Carol Competition

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is there a thread about this? A friend of mine has entered and sent me a copy of ho entry. He urged me to give it a go too, so I looked up the rules on the website.

This bit did put me off more than a little:

12. The six shortlisted entries will be performed live by the BBC Singers on Radio 3’s Breakfast programme (subject to technical and operational circumstances) between 8.00 and 9.00am on Tuesday 15th December 2015. Between 15-22 December 2015, recordings of the carols will be played in Breakfast and In Tune, and trails including excerpts of the shortlisted entries will be broadcast across the station. The carols will be available to listen to on the Radio 3 website.


If it's associated with these programmes, the entry will need to be a yucky as possible in order to stand any chance, particularly as the shortlist is thrown to the wolves to decide upon the winner. In other words, exactly like Big Brother and trashy talent shows. The winner will be the one who has the largest number of friends on Facebook.

Having said that, I might still have a go, as yucky chichéd music is something I'm quite adept at.

[ahinton]

Is there a thread about this? A friend of mine has entered and sent me a copy of ho entry. He urged me to give it a go too, so I looked up the rules on the website.

This bit did put me off more than a little:

12. The six shortlisted entries will be performed live by the BBC Singers on Radio 3’s Breakfast programme (subject to technical and operational circumstances) between 8.00 and 9.00am on Tuesday 15th December 2015. Between 15-22 December 2015, recordings of the carols will be played in Breakfast and In Tune, and trails including excerpts of the shortlisted entries will be broadcast across the station. The carols will be available to listen to on the Radio 3 website.


If it's associated with these programmes, the entry will need to be a yucky as possible in order to stand any chance, particularly as the shortlist is thrown to the wolves to decide upon the winner. In other words, exactly like Big Brother and trashy talent shows. The winner will be the one who has the largest number of friends on Facebook.

Having said that, I might still have a go, as yucky chichéd music is something I'm quite adept at.

But if you do decide to do this (and the very best of luck if so), do bear in mind beforehand that the rules stipulate that entrants mustn't be "professional" composers in the sense of their works having been published or marketed on and/or via a website...

I take your point about the likely equivalent of Strictly Come Carrolling, though...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But if you do decide to do thist 9and the very best of luck if so), do bear in mind beforehand that the rules stipulate that entrants mustn't be "professional" composers in the sense of their works having been published or marketed on and/or via a website...

I take your point about Strictly Come Carrolling, though...

Good point. I've never been paid for any of my compositions - only for orchestrations/arrangements.

The prize for this is dubious - being performed by the BBC Singers on Breakfast (double )

[antongould]

Good point. I've never been paid for any of my compositions - only for orchestrations/arrangements.

The prize for this is dubious - being performed by the BBC Singers on Breakfast (double )

Go for it EA .....

[oddoneout]

Did you hear last year's entries? In present company I am doubtless higorant, but I wouldn't have described them as yucky. I would tend to agree though that having one's efforts rendered by the BBC Singers could be seen as something of a disincentive.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The deadline has passed, so we now wait for the shortlist.

I unequivocally withdraw the word "yucky". I don't think David Hill would accept music of a lesser standard.

[Rupert P Matley]

The deadline has passed, so we now wait for the shortlist.

I unequivocally withdraw the word "yucky". I don't think David Hill would accept music of a lesser standard.

The six shortlisted entries are now available to hear here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4KVN6cLsgGYRxRF7ZXQKnGG/radio-3-carol-competition-2015

[Serial_Apologist]

Who's Carol?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Who's Carol?

One of the Norfolk Competitions, I think (mother was related to Tom Service, I believe).

[oddoneout]

(mother was related to Tom Service, I believe).

Through the I. N. Service-Training branch of the family I've heard. The Competitions have tended to play down the Norfolk connection ever since finding out that NFN wasn't an ancient honour conferred by a long ago monarch.
Sorry. I'll now get back on track and go pay penance by listening to today's offerings.

[Serial_Apologist]

One of the Norfolk Competitions, I think (mother was related to Tom Service, I believe).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Listing to the shortlisted carols, I'm struggling - not with the carols themselves, but with the BBC Singers. They sound like my grandmother.

[oddoneout]

Does rather beg the question whether it's fair to judge the carols on those renditions, but then again one could argue that if one stands out even after being processed by the BBCS then it likely has merit.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Does rather beg the question whether it's fair to judge the carols on those renditions, but then again one could argue that if one stands out even after being processed by the BBCS then it likely has merit.

I do think there are some fine offerings, and I do have a personal favourite. But the prize should not be a performance by the BBC Singers. That's more of a punishment.

[Rupert P Matley]

I do think there are some fine offerings, and I do have a personal favourite. But the prize should not be a performance by the BBC Singers. That's more of a punishment.

My sentiments entirely.