|
DirectivesDIRECTIVE 1TO: Festival Site Managers EACH SITE MANAGER (that's you)
Feel free to call on me whenever you've a procedural question or qualm. Sooner is always better than later, and you can depend on me to be as rapid and helpful as I can be in my reply. Aren't we fortunate to have e-mail to get quicker response. I do read mine daily. If I'm gone, my husband will check my mail for me. I also do have an answering machine to which I respond daily. CALENDAR No Festival may be held later than the second weekend of March 2008. NAME Due to the inclusion of the adult audition program, Festivals are now to be called only that. Please omit the word Junior in all your paperwork, publicity, etc. CONTINUING THIS YEAR The Lynn Freeman Olson Event continues with this word of caution. Students may NOT use titles from the Lynn Freeman Olson event as choice music in the "regular" piano solo event. Although it is not physically incorporated in this bulletin, it is still definitely a part of it and so subject to all the rules - exp. No. 6 in the piano solo event which says that no other music listed in the bulletin may be used for choice repertoire. I know how obvious this sounds. But better to be very specific and clear, than to have students suffer later because of lack of communication about this matter. ELIGIBILITY Entrants must be:
Eligibility rules are strictly enforced by the state treasurer and me. We depend on your as a site manager
DUES All dues-junior & senior-must be paid by December 16, 2007, to ensure eligibility. Address questions about dues statements to:
Entrants whose dues have not been paid by the membership deadline will be declared ineligible to perform, to receive a rating, and to acquire Gold Cup points. FEES The combined national/state fee remains at $4.00 per entrant per event (solos and ensembles of fewer than five individuals). The combined national/state group entry fee for an ensemble of five or more individuals is $10.00. Each Festival site is free to levy a local entry fee, as well, in order to defray administrative expenses. APPLICATION For application forms, please contact Cora Barr, State Festival Chair. Please note that both the national and state application models now include a statement of compliance and a space for the teacher's signature. This inclusion is mandatory as of August, 2000, so if your site designs its own form, you must include this element. But before you take your design to the printer, please be sure you have remembered to credit the Minnesota Federation of Music Clubs as the sponsoring organization of this activity. If any of you would like to use the Federation insignia on your application or rating sheet, please let me know. There is value in keeping our connection with on another visible. PROGRESSION In general, entrants who received a Superior rating in 2005 must advance to a higher classification this year. Entrants who received a rating lower than Superior may progress or repeat the 2005 classification one time with different required and choice selections. Those who performed in the highest classification in 2005 (any event) may re-enter that classification with different repertoire in each subsequent year. Under no circumstances may an entrant regress in classification. Progression rules do differ in some events, so consult your Bulletin for each event used at your site. Although most teachers keep sparkly clean studio records of their students' progress and achievements, this is an ideal time to compare your site records with theirs. Unintentional Clerical errors do occur. You would be surprised to see how often progression discrepancies appear in final reports and saddened to learn that they must lead to disqualification. Please be ultra-fussy with this issue, since this is one area where we grown-ups can prevent disappointment if we are willing to make the effort. MEMORY Entrants in all solo events (except organ, hymn playing, and brass and woodwind choice selections) MUST perform from memory. This is NOT negotiable. It is a requirement. Entrants in ensemble events also may use scores. If an entrant cannot perform/complete a piece from memory, his/her performance must receive the judge's (encouraging and helpful) comments only. No "standard deduction" may be taken; and no rating may be given or Gold Cup points awarded. SCORES Original scores must be provided for adjudicators. Scores which have been hand copies, produced electronically, or photocopies are prohibited. The only exception is in the case of a piece which is out of print. In this situation a photocopy is permitted, but only when accompanied by the publisher's written permission. ACCOMPANIMENT No taped accompaniments for vocal or instrumental soloists are permitted. REPERTOIRE Please be sure all teachers at your site understand that Rule #5 on page 6 of the Bulletin applies to all classifications in the Piano Solo event. Only standard editions are acceptable for the choice composition; no arrangements, abridgements, or transcriptions may be used. Angie Greer, former national festivals chairman, explains:
This includes a prohibition on the use of hymns, folk, or traditional melodies in the Piano Solo event. Students who whish to play these should enter the Hymn Playing events and/or the American Patriotic/Folk Song event. RECORDING No photography, audiotaping, or videotaping is permitted during the course of the Festival auditions. TRANSFERS Students who have participated in Festivals in other states must provide the Minnesota site manager with a letter that details their Festival history (years entered, events and classifications used, and ratings received). This letter must come from either the chairman at the student's previous Festival site or the state chairman. A note from the student's former teacher will not suffice-nor will certificates that are not accompanied by official documentation of the student's record. INSURANCE If your site requires a certificate of liability insurance, request this from:
Please specify the date(s) and site(s) where the covered event will be held, and allow two weeks for the fulfillment of your request. ENSEMBLE ENTRANTS Judges may comment on the individual participants, but all partners in the ensemble receive the same rating. Ensemble entrants must enter no lower than one classification below the lower solo partner in the ensemble. For example, if piano duet partners were entered in Primary 4 and Elementary 2 as soloists, the lowest duet classification they could use would be Primary 3. Please be sure that all teachers who might be affected by this rule are aware of it-and remember to be alert for this as you audit applications. This policy is in addition to those on page 3 and page 16 of the Bulletin. ADULT PARTICIPATION You are aware that in 2001 adults could enter the Festival program. (See Bulletin, page 5).
ENCLOSED Please find:
Thank you for your careful reading of this material and for disseminating it to the teachers of your site. Only shared knowledge and communication can prevent misunderstanding and heartbreak. Although you are surely the front-line officer at your site, you do not stand alone. Contact me - please - with any of your Festival questions, quandaries, or comments and count on me to reply quickly. If I do not have the answer, Minnesota's own Mary Angela Strasser, National Chairperson of Festivals, is only an e-mail away and we can get answers and solutions quickly. You know how much we count on you to be prompt and thorough. For that we give you our thanks and know this will be a great year for Festivals because of your efforts and contributions. We will be in touch. Sincerely, Cora Barr , Chairman |
© 2001-2008 Minnesota Federation of Music Clubs,
All rights reserved.
