Over the last several years, the Barbershop Harmony Society has been diligently working on the implementation of their latest mission: Everyone In Harmony.

With the revised youth contests under the NextGen umbrella and making women eligible for full membership, the process is well underway. Today, Dusty Schleier spoke to members via a 15-minute video detailing the proposed changes to contests to integrate women and mixed ensembles to compete at all levels— including international.

The highlights are:

- The inclusion of women's quartets/choruses and mixed quartets and choruses at the District level starting in the Fall of 2019

- The inclusion of women's quartets/choruses and mixed quartets and choruses at the International level starting in Cleveland in 2021.

- Establishing that all quartets will need to reach or exceed 78% and choruses will need to reach or exceed 81% to qualify for International. A wildcard process will still be used.

- Traditional geographical restrictions will be lifted and quartets and choruses will be able to compete at any District contest to qualify for International.

- Groups will be able to get a "second chance" by competing at multiple District-level contests. The most recent score will be the one eligible for qualification.

- International qualification will be based on score, and not by placement at the District level.

- International Quartet Contest will still include three rounds, although the number of quartets qualifying for semi-finals and finals may increase from 20 and 10, respectively. The Chorus Contest will continue to be one round only.

- Men's, Women's, and Mixed will compete separately.

- A minimum of 27 choruses and 50 quartets will be eligible to qualify for International.

The entire proposal and process is outlined here:

This is JUST a proposal. BHS is soliciting feedback and would like to hear from you.

What do you think?