You can't assume just because someone may have ties with a group that it automatically means they have some everlasting bias or grudge. I have absolutely no doubt that when it comes to adjudicating, all judges handle it with the utmost professionalism.
I wish this was true but I know in other cases this is not true AT ALL. It's sad and it makes me really frustrated but some judges want their old groups to look good so they in fact put them higher than they deserve. Down vote me all you want but it's true and it's happened to me before :/ I'm in no way saying the judges here were biased but I know of judges who've been completely biased based on looking at how they scored their old group compared to a group that was the OBVIOUS winner.
I doubt any of the judges would be hired if all they were gonna do is be bias. I know for a fact that all these judges have ties to the various show choirs that performed whether it be through clinicianing(not a word), being friends with their director(s)/choreographer(s), having them as campers, etc. The judge panel at this competition is wickedly talented and the best at what they do. They wouldn't ruin their musicality credit by being bias. I know these are all just comments but could you imagine being a Buffalo Grove kid and coming on here to read that people think the only reason they got third was because of a bias judge?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and if you think Buffalo Grove or any of the groups that performed here received the placement they did based on a bias judge, so be it. At a competition like this I doubt the groups even cared where they placed. Everyone performing was phenomenal and had the audience going crazy. This post kind of turned into an unorganized rant but some of these comments are pooey.
Bias is a noun, and you used it as a verb, so it'd be Biased*
Sorry, Abe ;)
All judges have ties to a program or two, as they should. They wouldn't have that seat if it weren't for these programs. I guarantee every single judge would tell you immediately which groups they cherish the most due to either them teaching, choreographing, doing workshops with them, or simply going to that school! If it weren't for Linda Southard, Buffalo Grove wouldn't be where it is today. And now it is finally her time to sit back and relax, enjoy the show, and give a few pointers here and there. You can't assume just because someone may have ties with a group that it automatically means they have some everlasting bias or grudge. I have absolutely no doubt that when it comes to adjudicating, all judges handle it with the utmost professionalism.
Have any show choir competitions used a scoring system where they drop the highest and lowest scores for each group? That is what happens in many gymnastics, diving, figure-skating competitions. Seems like it would help with some of those situations mentioned where a group gets really great scores from all but one judge who didn't particularly like them.
This year was different, but at Cedar Rapids Washington we usually have 5 judges in both of our venues, making 10 judges for finals, and then we drop the high and low scores. I believe we only had 8 judges in finals this year, as two of our middle school judges did not judge finals, but we still drop the high-low scores. We also average (not that that really changes anything). We have done this since AT LEAST 2001.
I find it's a great way to make sure one judge can't completely change results, but the very large judging panel usually makes results very clear anyway. I will always vouch for 10 judges and drop the high-low. I think it's the best way to make sure results are the most accurate.
I doubt any of the judges would be hired if all they were gonna do is be bias. I know for a fact that all these judges have ties to the various show choirs that performed whether it be through clinicianing(not a word), being friends with their director(s)/choreographer(s), having them as campers, etc. The judge panel at this competition is wickedly talented and the best at what they do. They wouldn't ruin their musicality credit by being bias. I know these are all just comments but could you imagine being a Buffalo Grove kid and coming on here to read that people think the only reason they got third was because of a bias judge?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and if you think Buffalo Grove or any of the groups that performed here received the placement they did based on a bias judge, so be it. At a competition like this I doubt the groups even cared where they placed. Everyone performing was phenomenal and had the audience going crazy. This post kind of turned into an unorganized rant but some of these comments are pooey.
So 10 down votes should tell me that no, it was not announced that Southard was arranger of BG's show?
I was there, It was announced. It was also printed in the program, however...they listed her as "Linda Southard" as a judge and "Linda McEachran" as BG's arranger. It listed both names in her judge bio. If you didn't read that, or didn't know, you might think they were 2 different people.
Is it true that Linda Southard was announced as arranger of Buffalo Grove's show?? Bad enough to be the former director of a group you're judging, but arranger too?
If you knew anything about Linda you'd know that matters 0% when she judges. In fact, she tends to score them lower...
Is it true that Linda Southard was announced as arranger of Buffalo Grove's show?? Bad enough to be the former director of a group you're judging, but arranger too?
Have any show choir competitions used a scoring system where they drop the highest and lowest scores for each group? That is what happens in many gymnastics, diving, figure-skating competitions. Seems like it would help with some of those situations mentioned where a group gets really great scores from all but one judge who didn't particularly like them.
I believe Cedar Rapids Washington always does, but they also have like 8 judges at night for finals!
Have any show choir competitions used a scoring system where they drop the highest and lowest scores for each group? That is what happens in many gymnastics, diving, figure-skating competitions. Seems like it would help with some of those situations mentioned where a group gets really great scores from all but one judge who didn't particularly like them.
Just wanted to add that my post isn't to say the results were wrong. I was just commenting on the fact that some may think results should be different. And we ALL should think this because we all have different tastes and things that are important to us. One judge may love a big broadway vibrato sound and another may like straight tone jazz sound. One judge may really value diction while another is more focused on stylistic choices. I prefer clean very visual choreography, but others on here may like a little more free "organic" look to choreo. This is what makes show choir interesting and what keeps shows from all looking alike and I'm thankful for that.
Down vote me for saying this if you will, but perhaps Mitchell and Buffalo Grove placed higher than twinsburg, because they sang and danced better?
That's all a matter of opinion. That's what makes show choir fun, but also incredibly frustrating. Anytime you have subjective scoring, biases and imperfect scoring come into play. It's happened before that at competitions (don't know this competitions scoring) a group has gotten 3 first place scorings from judges, but have gotten 3rd place or lower because one judge placed a group so low that it skewed scores that much. It happens, it sucks, but thankfully it's just show choir and not heart surgery ;)
I will say that I think most people thought Twinsburg's show was very entertaining and probably the best show they've ever produced, so nice work to them!
Wheaton Warrenville South Choral Classic (Day Two) 2015
