1. Participants

Competition in this Festival is open to any person who, in accordance with the conditions prescribed for each Class, is qualified to compete therein, subject to the following:

This Festival is for amateurs. For the purpose of this Festival, an amateur is considered to be a person who does not make his/her living by performing or teaching in the discipline involved. This does not apply to conductors.

  1. Entries

The Committee reserves the right to refuse any entry without assigning a reason.

Age:  The age of the entrant on 30 September 2016 will be deemed to be his or her age for the purpose of entry.

Final date of entry:  All entries must be made on line or on the official entry form, which must reach the address specified on the entry form. Entry forms must be fully completed and submitted no later than Monday 17th October 2016.

Own Choice Pieces:  Entries will not be accepted without full details of any Own Choice title and composer being shown on the entry form. Under no circumstances will entrants be allowed to change an Own Choice piece once it has been submitted and entrants can only perform music printed in the programme.

Entry fees cannot be returned except for entries not accepted by the decision of the Committee.

The Committee reserves the right to close classes before the official closing date if sufficient entries have not been received.

  1. Repeats

Entrants should not play repeats in test pieces unless specified in the Syllabus except for Da Capo and Dal Segno. In Own Choice pieces repeats are optional, but all works performed must comply with the time limits for that class.

  1. Time limit

Time limit for each class is shown in the Syllabus and this must be strictly adhered to. Those who play for longer than the time limit will have marks deducted and the adjudicator may stop the performance.

  1. Set Music

Entrants must perform from the edition specified, and in the key specified, or they will be disqualified.

Copies of own choice music for the Official Accompanist must be sent with the entry to the Section Music secretary or to arrive not later than 20th October 2016. A copy for the adjudicator must be sent with the entry or brought on the day. One of these copies must be an original, preferably that given to the accompanist. In the case of pieces taken from a volume used by more than one competitor, each competitor must provide two copies – one for the Adjudicator and one for the Official accompanist. Unauthorised photocopies will not be returned.

 Under no circumstances may entrants perform any piece in more than one class.

  1. Accompanists
  • Official Accompanists will be available to accompany classes with set pieces. Competitors who wish to provide their own accompanist may do so but must indicate on the entry form that they do not require the official accompanist.
  • Those competitors who wish to have an Official Accompanist for Own Choice pieces must indicate this on the entry form. A copy of the music in the correct key and clearly marked with the competitor’s name and class entry number must be received by the Music Section Secretary at the time of entry or no later than 20th October 2016. Music received after that date may not be accepted. It is important to ensure that correct postage is observed otherwise the music may fail to arrive.
  • Where music is not sent in time, either the performer or teacher can contact the accompanist and negotiate an arrangement, or can take the chance that the accompanist would be prepared to sight read the piece.  The accompanist has the right to refuse to sight read the music.
  • Each competitor must provide a separate copy of music for the accompanist, even if there are two or more competitors performing the same music.  When sending a photocopy, please ensure that it is of good quality.
  • If you have special requirements for a piece of music, please mark these clearly on the music and include clear, written instructions.  The accompanist is not at fault if you have not made your wishes clear.
  • It is not acceptable to choose another accompanist once the music has been sent to the Section Secretary. The only exception to this is in the case of music not received by 20th October. In these circumstances competitors may bring their own accompanist at their own expense.
  • In the event of a competitor who has requested an Official Accompanist having to withdraw from the festival, it is essential that they inform the Section Secretary so that the Official Accompanist can be notified as soon as possible.
  • Rehearsals may be organized with the Official Accompanist three weeks before the Festival begins.  Such arrangements are entirely the responsibility of the competitor, parent or person with parental responsibility, including payment of the appropriate fee and supervision where appropriate.

The Honorary Secretary can provide contact details of Official Accompanists.

  1. Vocal Classes

All vocal set pieces are to be sung in English, unless specified in the Syllabus as ‘may be sung in the original text’. (This does not apply to the Traditional Music Section of the syllabus).

Boy sopranos are not eligible for female vocal classes.

  1. Adjudicators

The Committee reserves the right to engage additional adjudicators, or to substitute without notice for any Adjudicator unable to appear, and to transfer classes from one session to another, or from one day to another.

No entrant, teacher or interested party may discuss any aspect of the Festival with an Adjudicator before, during or after classes, except at the invitation of the Adjudicator.

A first prize will be awarded if the required standard is attained and additional prizes at the discretion of the Adjudicator.

The Adjudicator’s decision will be regarded as final.

  1. Trophies and Awards

Adjudication reports can be collected at the end of each class from the desk outside the main hall.

Trophies awarded are kept for eleven months (until October of the following year) and should be returned in good and clean condition. A letter will be sent to the competitor during September requesting the return of the cup or trophy to this address: Mrs Judith Rebbeck, 21 Seafront Road, Holywood, BT18 0BB. It is the competitor’s responsibility to have their trophies engraved. Awards will be presented at the discretion of the adjudicator and the Committee.

Awards may be withheld pending settlement of any dispute as to the eligibility of the competitor.

  1. Photography, Audio or Video Recording

No unauthorised photography, audio or video recording of children and young people is allowed at our Festival.  Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child is not included in official photos.

  1. Complaints

Any protest about the infringement of any of these rules, or action taken following an infringement, should be made in writing to the Secretary within one week of the date of the Festival, and should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope or sent by email to the Secretary: Mrs Marianne Underwood, 6 Knockdarragh Park, Belfast, BT4 2LE. Email contactus@holywoodmusicfestival.com

The decision of the Committee in all matters arising out of or not specifically covered in these Rules and Regulations is final. The Festival is not responsible for the loss of any property on the premises.

  1. Safeguarding

The Festival’s Child Protection Policy and Approach to Creating Safer Festivals for Everyone is published explicitly in our Syllabus, Programme and on our website.  By completing and signing the Entry Form or ticking the relevant box on the on-line Entry Form, all parents, guardians, carers and teachers of entrants under 18 (or vulnerable adults of any age) confirm that they give, or have obtained the necessary consents for the entrants to take part in the Festival.  Without consent, the entry to the Festival cannot be accepted.

All children and vulnerable adults must be accompanied by a responsible adult and are not the responsibility of Festival personnel.

  1. Music Theatre Classes

All performances using music from shows in current production are subject to copyright law. Songs from shows in current production may be sung as a concert item, i.e. with no costume or props, without need for copyright permission. Where movement or props are included in a performance copyright permission is required and the Festival Committee accepts these entries on the basis that the appropriate copyright permission has been sought. Performers or teachers with queries on how to obtain copyright permission for performance items should contact Festivals House on 01625 428297 before making entries.

Marks will be deducted from performers whose choice of song is not age appropriate.

  1. Festival Timetable

Most classes will generally run in one and a half hour sessions in which a group of short classes may run consecutively with the adjudication at the end. The very young classes will last no longer than 45-60 minutes. Approximately two weeks prior to the Festival those who are responsible for entries will receive details of the class times, e.g. 9:30am -11:00am.

There will be no classes specifically for 10-11 year old children on Saturdays 19 and 26 November 2016.