Frances Folk Gathering 2012 - Competition Rules

These are the rules for the individual competitions - not the Bandemonium. Click here to see the rules for the Bandemonium competition held on the Saturday night.You can download the Bandemonium rules at www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/competitions/bandemoniumRules2012.pdf

The Frances Folk Awards 2012 are not restricted to any particular type of musical instrument. However, instruments should be acoustic and not electric, although it is acceptable to play acoustic instruments through microphones to boost their sound levels. Amplification will be provided at the event. See "Acoustic Instruments" below.

Traditional Music:

The music or songs used will be based on traditional music, and music judged to be within the Folk style, or else the style of a particular specified genre (eg Bluegrass).

Sections for 2012:

Open Vocal
Intermediate Vocal
Open Fiddle
Intermediate Fiddle
Open String
Intermediate String
Open Wind
Intermediate Wind
Open Slather
Intermediate Encouragement
Busking (Under 16)

Bandemonium

Any band of at least 4 people playing any kind of instrument, acoustic or electric.

(to perform in the Main Tent on Saturday evening)

Section Entries:

Open Sections: For all musicians of any ability, professional status, or qualifying instrument. Winners of the open sections from the previous year are not eligible to enter for the following year. For 2012 the only carryover section to which this eligibility condition applies is Open Vocal. All other Open sections are regarded as "new" for 2012 and therefore have no previous winners.

Intermediate Sections: For singers and musicians who do not play in a professional or semi-professional capacity - that is, they do not earn money for their playing.

Learners’ Encouragement: Open to learners of any age with less than 12 months of singing or playing the instrument they enter with. Please be sensitive with this. It’s a learners’ encouragement award.

Buskers - Under 16: Individual, duo or trio (all players must be within the age range, no additional accompanist allowed).

Instrument-Specific Categories: These categories are set up essentially for the instrument described and are intended to include the following...

Fiddle: Any bowed instrument, including Fiddle, Viola, Cello, Double Bass. Anything played with a bow.
String: Guitar, banjo (any number of strings), mandolin, ukelele (any size)
Wind: Any mouth-blown instrument including whistle, flute, recorder, harmonica. An exception is bagpipes which are encouraged to enter under "Open Slather".
Open Slather: This is the "Catch all" section for anything that doesn't fit the instrument-specific categories. There can be any number of musicians or instruments (including just one) whether or not they qualify in the specific section - except that... a solo player of a qualifying instrument (fiddle, guitar, banjo etc) must enter that specific category. If you're a fiddle player wanting to enter Open Slather you'll need to find some others to join you.
Bandemonium Entries: Individuals may enter as a part of more than one band, but any band containing more than two members from another band will be deemed to be that other band. In other words, a four-piece band cannot substitute one of their members and enter again as another band!

The decision of whether an entrant is suitable for any given category is entirely at the discretion of the adjudicator.

Accompaniment:

All performances are to be solo with the exception of Open and Intermediate Vocal and Open Slather. Vocalists can either accompany themselves, have a separate accompanist, or do both.

Acoustic Instruments:

All instruments will be played acoustically – into a microphone. Contestants will not be permitted to 'plug-in' to the power or the sound system (except for ‘Bandemonium’ — see below).

A sole exception to this rule is that a vocalist may have a keyboard accompanist. This exception is to encourage vocalists accustomed to performing with a piano accompaniment - to be able to do so. However, any accompanying instrument must be carried onto the stage and off again for the performance, and it must be self-amplified. A power connection will be available.

Contestants cannot bring their own amplification, nor have any control over the PA provided.

Performance:

Contestants will have an allotted time of 4 minutes for their performance. (Except for Buskers who have 15 minutes)

You may play a single tune/song or medley of your own choice - provided it qualifies under "Traditional Music" above.

Your total performance, including introduction must not exceed the time limit for performances in that category.

A bell will be rung for you to begin and again 30 seconds prior to the end of your time. You may request the bell to not ring if you wish.

Marks will be deducted for poor timekeeping. Exceeding the time will reduce your score and be likely to affect your placing.

Bandemonium:

The Bandemonium Section will be held on the Saturday evening and judged at the end of the event. Bands must consist of a minimum of four people. Musicians are permitted to plug into the sound system in this event.

Busking

Busking will take place outside the Post Office/shop and will be judged there. Busking may be done as a solo or as a duo or a trio. Buskers will play to the public outside the General Store for a minimum of 15 minutes. All entries will play simultaneously.

Winners/Prizes:

All prizes will be awarded to the contestant — not to the accompanist. For entries with multiple performers (eg in "Open Slather") the prize will be awarded to the contact person.

Winners will be announced at the end of the competition - usually early on Saturday evening.

Judging:

Judging is by a chosen panel of judges who will assign points according to various criteria. These criteria are:

Performer’s Introduction - 10 points
Tone/Tuning - 10 points
Rhythm/Tempo - 10 points
Creativity/Interpretation - 10 points
Expression/Feeling - 10 points
Overall Performance - 10 points
Technical Ability - 10 points
Completion within time limit - 10 points
Judges’ Appreciation - 20 points

Points assigned to these criteria are accumulated into a total. The person with the highest total in any category is the winner.

In the event of a draw, a resolution will be implemented by the adjudicator to determine the winner, which may (or may not) include a ‘play-off’.

The adjudicator will preside in the event of any dispute and be responsible for handling the score sheets and checking score totals.

In all respects, the adjudicator's decision is final.

How to Enter

Entries open on November 1st 2011 and will close at 6pm on Saturday February 18th 2012. They will re-open on the day of the competition. See below.

Contestants are required to complete and submit an entry form. You can do this by 3 methods, the best way, the somewhat risky way and the really risky way!

No matter which way you choose, your entry will be managed on our web site, either by you doing it directly, or by us doing it for you.

Entries will close a week before the Gathering - that is - 6pm on Saturday February 18th 2012, and re-open on the Saturday morning of the competition for categories not already full.

The BEST way to enter

Do it yourself on-line. The entry page for individuals and duets/trios is here.at www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/competitions/competitionEntry_form_2012.pdf. Bands entry form is at www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/competitions/bandemoniumEntry_form_2012.pdf. here.

Individuals will be asked for details, categories to enter etc. We will trust you to enter only categories you qualify for. If you are subsequently deemed unqualified for any category you have entered, we will change your entry and return that slot as vacant.

The moment you click “submit” your entry will have been accepted and the time noted. You will be shown a screen saying what categories you have entered. Please PRINT this page and bring it with you to the Gathering. If anything goes pear-shaped this will be your proof of entry.

If you want to subsequently change your entry, you’ll have to email or call us, and we’ll change it for you. The time stamp of any change (for example, entering another category) becomes the time of entry.

The SECOND-BEST, somewhat risky way

Download the entry form from www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/competitions/competitionEntry_form_2012.pdf.here.

If you don’t have access to the Internet, write to us at Frances Musicianship Competition, PO Box 6223, Halifax St, Adelaide SA 5000 enclosing a stamped self addressed envelope, and we’ll send you an entry form. Make sure you include the envelope. No envelope = no form. Sorry.

Post the completed form to Musicianship Entry - Frances Folk Gathering PO Box 6223, Halifax St, Adelaide SA 5000. After we receive your postal entry, we will go on-line and enter your details for you. The time at which your entry is recorded will be when we get around to doing this.

Postal entries must be received by Friday February 10th. (No room for error here… after that, no-one checks the mailbox, we’ll be in Frances!).

The LAST RESORT, really-risky way

Last year most categories were full before the festival started!

However, if you want to risk it, get the form, fill it in and bring it with you to Frances. If the competition is not yet full, we’ll include your entry. Otherwise you can go on the waiting list (see below).

Entries will re-open at 9am on the Saturday and all entries must have been lodged at the competition desk before 11am.

The organisers reserve the right to limit (including change) the number of contestants in any or all categories.

Contestants will be accepted on a first in - first accepted basis.

Full Categories:

There are limits to the numbers we can accommodate in each category. The best way to ensure you are accepted is to get your entry in early! There are no exceptions here.

Your entry is deemed to have arrived by the date/time stamp on your on-line database entry - that’s when someone goes on-line and enters your details. That’s why it’s best that you enter yourself on line. If you wait until you get to Frances, your category might (probably will) have already been filled.

The web site (and we) will not accept any entries in any category has been filled. If you enter – and later are unable to perform — please let us know.

Waiting List:

If a category is full, you can put yourself on the waiting list on the Saturday morning.

All pre-registered performers perform first in their allotted order. If someone fails to show up they forfeit their performance, and the following registered performers all move forward.

After all the registered performers have performed (or failed to show) the waiting list folk perform. The performance order for the waiting list is in the order people ask to be put on it, in other words, first come - first perform.

Performance Order:

Performance order will be based on the order in which entries are received on the web site. If you enter early, you will perform early within your category.

All categories and performers will be posted on a notice board near the competition tent on Saturday morning. It is your responsibility to take note of the time your category begins. Remember, if someone ahead of you fails to show, your performance time moves another 5 minutes earlier!

Performers cannot swap with others. If you are also performing elsewhere at the Festival, make sure you are free for your competition performance at the time you’re due.

No Shows:

Competitors must be in the immediate vicinity of the stage at the time they are called. If they are called to the stage and are not there, then they will forfeit their right to perform.

In this case the following registered competitors will be called until all registered competitors have either performed or failed to show. After this, the waiting list competitors will be called (in order) until the maximum number of performances for that category have been given.

A registered competitor may request to be added to the waiting list if they should arrive after their performance time - but they cannot perform in any other time slot until all other performances - including the existing waiting list - are complete.

The no-show of any performer does not open an opportunity for another to take their place.

Late Changes

The organisers may make changes if they believe it to be necessary. Any changes will be posted on the competitions page of the web site - www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/competitions/. We will endeavor - but cannot promise - to notify existing entrants of any changes. Best to keep an eye on this page between now and the Gathering. Also, please make sure your contact details are correct when you enter.

Further Enquiries:

Please get in touch with us via the contacts page on the web site(www.francesfolkgathering.com.au/contact.php) or email us at comps@francesfolkgathering.com.au

Please get in touch with us via the contacts page or email us

Frances Folk Gathering