Penang Fingerstyle Guitar Competition 2015 (General Rules)

GENERAL RULES

ELIGIBILITY OF PARTICIPATION

• There will be 2 categories
• Category 1 (23 years old this year and below)
• Category 2 (16 years old this year and below)
• There is no minimum age.
• This competition is open to all Malaysian residents.
• Professional artistes or self-funded independent artiste with a recording contract are not allowed to participate in this competition.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

• There is no registration fee.
• Complete the registration form. It is also available from the Penang Guitar Events Facebook page.
• Contestants must acknowledge that they have read and understood the rules in the registration form.
• All contestants are required to submit a link of one (1) video of themselves playing an instrumental number.
• Each submission should include the following:-
• link to contestant’s uploaded performance on YouTube
• completed registration form

DATES AND VENUE

CLOSING DATE FOR REGISTRATION

• Date: November 30, 2015 (Monday) 23:59pm (extended to December 03, 2015 (Thursday) 23:59pm)
• All contestants will be notified through e-mail by December 6, 2015 if they have qualified for the Grand Finals.

GRAND FINALS

Date: December 19, 2015 (Saturday)
Venue: Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort
Time: 2:30pm to 4:30pm

REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENT

QUALIFYING ROUND

• A single fingerstyle instrumental number not exceeding four (4) minutes.
• Contestants may play any cover of their own choice or any original composition without vocals or backing track.
• Contestants may play any style of music, but flatpicking and slide techniques are not acceptable.
• Contestants must record a video of themselves playing a single fingerstyle instrumental number and upload it to YouTube.
• There are no auditions – the uploaded video IS the audition.
• No singing.
• Contestants may perform either in a standing or seated position.

GRAND FINALS

• Contestants must be prepared to play two (2) separate fingerstyle instrumental numbers not exceeding seven (7) minutes.
• A medley of tunes is not acceptable.
• Contestants may play any cover of their own choice or any original composition without vocals or backing track.
• The second number maybe either a new cover of their own choice or the piece that had been played during the qualifying round without vocals or backing track.
• Contestants may play any style of music, but flatpicking and slide techniques are not acceptable.
• Contestants will only be allowed to take one instruments on stage.
• No singing.
• No talking to the audience.
• Contestants may retune their instrument between the 2 numbers using a portable electronic tuner. BE AWARE that time spent retuning your instrument on stage will be included as part of the maximum playing time of 7 minutes.
• Contestants may play instruments acoustically into the provided microphone. An instrument’s electrical capability may also be used.
• Contestants may perform either in a standing or seated position.

INSTRUMENTS & GEAR

• Only standard / traditional 6 or 12-string steel string acoustic and nylon string classical guitars are permissible.
• Contestants must use their own instruments, as no guitars will be provided by the organizers during the Grand Finals.
• Contestants are not allowed to use any additional effects e.g. delay.
• Use of capos and alternate tunings are permissible.
• Use of thumbpicks, fingerpicks and flatpicks are permissible.

SELECTION OF CONTESTANTS FOR GRAND FINALS

• 6 finalists in each category will be selected by a panel of judges comprising no less than 5 people.
• Finalists will be announced on http://penangguitar.blogspot.com and the Penang Guitar Events Facebook page on December 5, 2015.
• The organizers will upload the video to the Penang Guitar Events Facebook page on December 5, 2015.
• The order of the Grand Finals performances will be determined by 'random draw'.
• Contestants must be registered and be present at the contest stage before 2:15pm December 19, 2015 to draw for order of appearance and to receive final instructions.

SELECTION OF GRAND FINALS WINNER

• The Top 3 Winners of the Grand Finals in each category will be selected by an appointed panel of 3 judges, one of which will be Hady Afro as the Chief Judge.
• The Top 3 Winners will be invited to play during the evening concert, though not compulsory.

JUDGING CRITERIA

• In an effort to judge the contest objectively and equally, the following criteria will be considered by the judges and assigned point value in each area:-

ARRANGEMENT	Contestant’s version of the tune selected. Is it appropriate to the tune and instrument? Difficulty and originality will be considered. Is the arrangement original, for the most part, to the contestant, or is it someone else's known arrangement?	40 points
EXECUTION & ARTICULATION	Fingering, picking and dynamics will be considered. Is the instrument in tune? Are the notes buzzing and muddy, or are they clear and distinct? Tone - Are the notes full or thin sounding? Timing - Is the tempo steady and constant? Dexterity - Are the notes played in difficult positions up and/or down the finger board or is the piece played for the most part in first and/or second position? Tuning - Is the instrument in tune with itself and relatively close to concert pitch of A=440?	40 points
EXPRESSION, DYNAMICS & SHOW VALUE	The music should be played with life and feeling. It should not appear listless nor should it drag. The performance is not to be based on audience response.	10 points
OVERALL IMPRESSION	Criteria 1 through 3 are considered at this point.	10 points
GRAND TOTAL		100

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Submission of entry implies acceptance of the terms and conditions.
• The organizer reserves the right to accept or reject any application at their discretion.
• The judges reserve the right to disqualify contestants during the process of the competition.
• The organizer reserves the right to cancel the competition in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
• The organizer reserves the right to record all or part of the proceedings of the competition and related activities for broadcast and promotional purpose. The organizer retains all rights to the recorded materials.
• Contestants who are unable to be present at the scheduled performance time will be disqualified.
• Non-Penang residents are allowed to contest. However, if they qualify for the Grand Finals their travel and lodging expenses are to be borne by the contestants themselves.
• Contestants, parents and their teachers are not allowed to communicate with the panel of judges. Failure to observe this restriction may result in the disqualification of the contestant.
• The organizer reserves the right to amend the terms and condition of the competition.
• The panel of judges’ decision is final. Queries will not be entertained.

WEBSITE AND FURTHER INFORMATION

Penang Guitar Events Blogspot page
http://penangguitar.blogspot.com

Penang Guitar Events Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Penang-Guitar-Events/122571064538697