Mississippi Show Choir Rubric 2025

Vocals

Tone Quality – 10 points

Choir exhibits a well defined stylistically appropriate approach to vocal technique and overall vocal timbre.

Intonation – 10 points

Choir is in tune when singing in unison and in parts.

Balance & Blend – 10 points

Choir exhibits appropriate balance of volume from each vocal section and an appropriate blend by singing with unification of vowels and tone quality.

Diction/Communication of Lyrics – 10 points

Lyrics are understood; consonants and vowels are natural and appropriate.

Rhythmic Precision – 10 points

Choir demonstrates rhythmic integrity, synchronized onsets, and uniform releases.

Projection – 10 points

Choir is perceptible throughout the venue, achieved by a combination of a healthy tone, intensity, and articulation.

Phrasing/Dynamics – 10 points

Choir exhibits a musical approach to phrasing, dynamics, and nuance.

Musical Stylistic Interpretation and Performance – 10 points

Music is performed in accordance with the appropriate style(s) of the song(s).

Difficulty of Music – 10 points

Choir accurately exhibits challenging elements in the musical score/production.

Balance of Vocals with Accompaniment – 10 points

Quality accompaniment that enhances the overall production with appropriate volume levels between the accompaniment and the singers.

Visuals

Execution (quality, energy & detail) – 10 points

Demonstration of quality energy & detail as it applies to movement. This can include but is not limited to the approprate use of level changes, angles, strength, grace, balance and the engagement of the full body for choreography.

Precision/Synchronization (accuracy) – 10 points

Choreography and movements are presented with commitment and are rhythmically synchronized.

Facial Communication and Engagement – 10 points

Performers consistently exhibit clear, true and believable connections with the audience.

Stage Conduct/Poise – 10 points

Performers demonstrate professionalism and confidence.

Staging/Blocking – 10 points

Performers achieve spacing and layering that compliment the visual effect of performance.

Transitions – 10 points

Performers remain in character through transitions and move with intention without distracting from the overall performance.

Stylistic Authenticity – 10 points

Performers display distinctive aesthetic movements appropriate to style(s) of song(s).

Difficulty of Choreography – 10 points

Challenging elements in the choreographic design.

Overall Production

Costuming/Props/Sets/Effects – 10 points

Costumes are thoughtfully designed to enhance the show's theme, style, and energy, complementing the choreography and music with cohesive attention to detail. Props, if used, seamlessly integrate with the visual and artistic elements, adding purposeful value to the performance.

Show Design – 10 points

Song choices include a variety of styles with an overall feeling of forward momentum (pacing) of the production.

Overall Effect – 10 points

The overall entertainment value and general impact of the show create an engaging and immersive experience.

Weighting

By Raw Scores, the captions are weighted 48% (100 points) Vocals, 38% (80 points) Visuals, and 14% (30 points) Overall Production with a grand total of 210 points.