Samba de Enredo Competition
In the spring we run a competition for our samba de enredo (carnival theme song) which will be sung as part of our carnival tour (pending funding). This year’s competition will be on Tuesday 15th March 2016 at Barrio East, Shoreditch, from 9pm.
To enter the competition you must submit a demo in mp3 format by Midnight Tuesday 23rd February 2016.
Conditions of Entry:
- All entrants are to provide a demo MP3 (vocals + cavaco) no later than Midnight Tuesday 23rd February 2016. All entrants must supply a copy of the lyrics in Portuguese and English. There is no need to provide an elaborate demo with full bateria – all that is required is a basic demo of the song.
- All demos will be posted on the LSS website in the members section immediately after the deadline, so that members and judges can hear them in the week leading up to the competition.
- Entrants are not being asked to make a bateria arrangement but to write a musical one – the lyrics and the melody etc.
- The song should be all or mainly in Portuguese, but may include a verse/chorus/couple of lines in English.
- All entrants of the competition have the opportunity to perform the song at the competition – or to arrange for this to happen. For its presentation, entrants should arrange for the enredo to be accompanied by their own puxador and cavaco and will be supported by the LSS bateria. Entries submitted by recording only will not be played at the live event, but the songs will be judged in the same way as those that are played live on the night.
- Unfortunately there is no prize money for the winner of the competition, but your song will be sung by over 200 London School of Samba members at Notting Hill Carnival and played throughout the course of the 2016 Carnival season.
- Upon receipt all submissions will become the property of the London School of Samba . The winning submission may be modified from the original version. The winning compositor are able to participate in the process.
- If you are intending to take part in the competition, please notify us at [email protected] when you submit your entry.
Click here for information on entry criteria, competition format and judging system.
Thinking about writing a song? Click here for information about our song writing workshops.
Rainha da Bateria Competition
We hold a competition in the summer to find our Rainha da Bateria (Queen of the Drums), the dancer that will dance in front of the Bateria (pending funding).
If you would like to enter please email [email protected]
The competition for the 2015 season took place on Wednesday 22nd July at Floripa.
2016 competition date to be announced.
Click here for more information on our Rainha da Bateria competition.
Carnival Theme Competition
Each year a theme is chosen for our carnival season. 2015’s theme was Voodoo Samba, The Dark Cabaret.
You are invited to present a proposal and a first draft synopsis of your theme idea.
(Please note the synopsis may be amended by the artistic team and operational management as part of the artistic development process and to ensure suitability of material for public display.)
The person who submits the winning submission is under no further obligation to be involved with implementing the theme, however both the winning applicant will be invited to develop the theme along with the artistic team, and will also be invited to join the design review panel composed of a selection of LSS members.
By submitting your proposal to the school, you are transferring ownership of the theme concept and development to the school, which may or may not select elements of the proposal into our carnival performance.
Any London School of Samba member can submit a proposal under this theme for consideration.
Please see the following steps as to how we get from submissions to the final decision:
- We encourage you to contact the costumes team at [email protected] to find out what materials we have already in stock, which may inform your theme ideas.
- Fill in the theme submission form, download a copy by clicking here.
- Submit theme form by Saturday 1st of August via email to the Communications team: [email protected]
- Themes will then be publicly displayed at Waterloo Action Centre on Sundays in August; via newsflash, members’ newsletter; and finally on display at our barracão (mas camp) during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend.
Members not present at Notting Hill Carnival will be asked to email their vote to the communications team by Monday the 31st of August.
Members present at Notting Hill can vote for a theme over the Carnival weekend, (exact date and time tbc).
The winning submission will be announced in September via newsletter or newsflash.
Boa Sorte & Good luck!