Judging
Each Song Contest is judged by five prominent individuals in music and Hawaiian language. Judges score each song using a standard rubric of established criteria. At the end of each contest, awards are presented to the groups with the highest scoring performances.
Judges
The judges are accomplished experts in the fields of music and Hawaiian language. Each year's panel of judges is unique, though a number of individuals have served on more than one panel. Since the 1970s, more than 175 people have served as a Song Contest judge.
Some judges are selected for their ties to each year's Song Contest theme. Occasionally, the entire judging panel may consist of individuals with such a connection. For example, at the 2022 Song Contest, which celebrated Kamehameha's musical legacy, all five judges were previously educators at Kamehameha. At the 1995 Song Contest, which celebrated nā wāhine haku mele, all five judges were graduates of the Kamehameha School for Girls.
Two music judges evaluate the quality, dynamics, and intonation of each song's choral presentation. Two language judges evaluate the pronunciation, interpretation, and flow of each group's use of Hawaiian language. An overall judge evaluates both categories.
The judges' scores are combined to determine the award winners. Score sheets are tallied outside the arena during intermission and Hōʻike by two Kamehameha staff members – usually math teachers.
Scoring system
Under the current scoring system, which has been in place since 1990, a perfect score is 204 points. The scoring system has changed several times over the decades. Perfect scores under previous scoring systems include:
- 204 points (1990–present)
- 128 points (1982–1989)
- 500 points (1969–1981)
- 100 points (1964–1968)
This page describes the current 204-point scoring system.
Each music and language judge gives a score of 1–6 points in 4 different areas. They also give an "overall impression" score of 2–12 points (even numbers only). Each music and language judge can give up to (6 × 4) + 12 = 36 points.
The overall judge scores both music and language, giving 1–6 points in 8 different areas, plus an "overall impression" score of 2–12 points (even numbers only). The overall judge can give up to (6 × 8) + 12 = 60 points.
For the Coed, Men's, and Women's awards, scores are calculated by simply adding up all five judges' scores. The highest possible score is (36 × 4) + 60 = 204 points.
For the Music and Language awards, scores are calculated by adding the two category judges' scores (max. 36 points × 2), the overall judge's category score (max. 24 points), and the overall judge's "overall impression" score (max. 12 points). The highest possible score is (36 × 2) + 24 + 12 = 108 points.
Sample score sheets
These are samples of the score sheets that judges use to evaluate songs. Space is provided to write comments. Judges are also provided with sheet music, lyrics, and the number of students in each vocal range.
Current score sheets
These sample score sheets are based on the actual sheets seen in 2023.
|
Judge: Overall Total Possible Points: 60 |
||||||
| Choral | ||||||
|
1. Quality of sound
(tone) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
2. Ensemble
(blend, balance) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
3. Interpretation
(dynamics, tempo) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
4. Intonation
(singing in tune) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Hawaiian Language | ||||||
|
5. Ka puana ʻana
(Appropriate diction of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
6. Ka hoʻopuka pololei ʻana i ka puana hīmeni
(Appropriate phrasing of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
7. Ka hīmeni ʻana me ka maopopo
(Interpretation & understanding of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
8. Ka nahenahe i ka pepeiao
(Natural flow of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Presentation | ||||||
| 9. Overall impression | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Judge: Language Total Possible Points: 36 |
||||||
| Hawaiian Language | ||||||
|
1. Ka puana ʻana
(Appropriate diction of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
2. Ka hoʻopuka pololei ʻana i ka puana hīmeni
(Appropriate phrasing of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
3. Ka hīmeni ʻana me ka maopopo
(Interpretation & understanding of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
4. Ka nahenahe i ka pepeiao
(Natural flow of sung lyrics) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Presentation | ||||||
|
5. Ka pā ʻana i ka naʻau
(Overall impression) |
12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Judge: Music Total Possible Points: 36 |
||||||
| Choral | ||||||
|
1. Quality of sound
(tone) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
2. Ensemble
(blend, balance) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
3. Interpretation
(dynamics, tempo) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
4. Intonation
(singing in tune) |
6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Presentation | ||||||
| 5. Overall impression | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Older score sheets
These older samples are based on the actual sheets that were used through at least 2013. The primary difference from the current sheets is that there were previously only 2 language categories instead of 4 – the 2 categories were scored from 2–12 points (even numbers only).
Each song has its own score sheet. However, the tables below combine the scores for 3 songs to demonstrate how scores are added up.
Using the sample scores below, we can calculate the overall score, music score, and language score for each song. Assuming that the 2 music judges gave the exact same scores, and the 2 language judges gave the exact same scores, the total scores for each song are:
- Men's song: 179/204 points overall, 101/108 points for music, and 90/108 points for language
- Women's song: 192/204 points overall, 102/108 points for music, and 100/108 points for language
- Coed song: 190/204 points overall, 94/108 points for music, and 108/108 points for language
| Judge: Overall | |||
| Category | Men | Women | Coed |
|
Quality of sound (1-6)
tone |
6 | 6 | 6 |
|
Ensemble (1-6)
blend, balance |
5 | 5 | 6 |
|
Interpretation (1-6)
dynamics, tempo |
4 | 6 | 5 |
|
Intonation (1-6)
singing in tune |
6 | 5 | 5 |
|
Ka puana ʻana (2-12 even)
pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing, as opposed to speaking |
10 | 8 | 12 |
|
Nahenahe i ka pepeiao (2-12 even)
overall flow and sound of lyrics as a whole |
12 | 10 | 12 |
| Overall impression (2-12 even) | 12 | 10 | 12 |
| Total | 55/60 | 50/60 | 58/60 |
| Judge: Language | |||
| Category | Men | Women | Coed |
|
Ka puana ʻana (2-12 even)
pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing, as opposed to speaking |
10 | 12 | 12 |
|
Nahenahe i ka pepeiao (2-12 even)
overall flow and sound of lyrics as a whole |
8 | 12 | 12 |
| Overall impression (2-12 even) | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Total | 28/36 | 36/36 | 36/36 |
| Judge: Music | |||
| Category | Men | Women | Coed |
|
Quality of sound (1-6)
tone |
5 | 6 | 5 |
|
Ensemble (1-6)
blend, balance |
6 | 6 | 5 |
|
Interpretation (1-6)
dynamics, tempo |
5 | 5 | 5 |
|
Intonation (1-6)
singing in tune |
6 | 6 | 5 |
| Overall impression (2-12 even) | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| Total | 34/36 | 35/36 | 30/36 |