COMPETITION RULES and REGULATIONS

(CLICK HERE FOR PDF OF COMPETITION APPLICATION)
(CLICK HERE FOR PDF OF SAMPLE JURY SHEET - to further understand judging procedure).

APPLICATION AND $250. ENTRY FEE POSTMARK DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2009

CLASSICAL GUITAR COMPETITION:
— NO COMPETITION AGE LIMIT
— NO REQUIRED PIECES
— COMPLIMENTARY HOME HOSTING FOR ALL COMPETITORS
— YOUNG ARTIST AWARD - New This Year! Any competitor under the age of 16 will automatically be considered for the “Young Artist Award,” for a $100 honorarium. ALL the same rules apply. That prize may be awarded separately or in conjunction with a qualifying finalist. A competitor receiving the Young Artist Award (if not one of the three finalists) will present one piece to the general public at the final round of the competition on Sunday.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
N.B. All Competitors MUST BE PRESENT AT THE DRAWING FOR COMPETITION ORDER WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE THURSDAY, MAY 20 AT 9:30 AM at Missouri Western, in the lobby of the Leah Spratt “MC” Building. Be sure to book your travel arrangements accordingly. Any competitor not present at the drawing will be disqualified and will forfeit their entry fee.

All competitors must be registered for the festival in the Performer category.

AGE LIMIT: None.

REQUIRED PIECES: NONE. Competitors, however, MUST play the same program for BOTH rounds of the competition. Pieces to be performed should last between 10-15 minutes total and must represent 2 or more historical periods based on the birth date of the composer. Historical periods will be determined as follows: Early/Renaissance: up to 1600. Baroque: 1600-1750. Classic: 1750-1825. Romantic: 1825-1910 (including Spanish National School, i.e. Tárrega, Granados, etc.). Contemporary: 1910-present.

ROUNDS: All rounds will feature the same judges and will be closed except for the final round which will be open to the public.

JUDGING: Judging will be based on a 10 point system for: 1) technique, 2) historical performance practice, 3) interpretation, 4) programming and 5) stage presence.
A sample of the Jury Sheet may be viewed by clicking the link above.

FINAL ROUND: The final three competitors will perform in an open public concert Sunday, 3:00 p.m. to be followed by the award ceremony. Judges for this final round will be all judges. In addition we have a strong belief that most competitions are too specific to “guitar circles.” For that reason, the audience members (over 18 years of age) at the final round will each have a ballot and their cumulative votes will count as one additional vote to be tallied with those of the judges. This unusual approach provides a more realistic situation that takes into account the tastes of the general public - a concept that is extremely rare in competition playing, yet highly realistic when performers begin to work with management, concert presenters, the public, etc.

PRIZES and DISCLAIMER
1) Most prizes will be awarded immediately following the final round of the competition except for the invitation to perform in the 2011 festival (for a $1,000 fee). This prize is contingent upon the production of the festival in 2011. In the event that the festival is not produced in 2011 this prize fee for that proposed concert will not be awarded.
2) Various other prizes must be claimed directly from the endorsing firms and it is the sole responsibility of the prize winner to claim those prizes WITHIN 3 MONTHS of the competition.
3) First Prize winners under management must clear acceptance of the concert award/s with their management or agent.
4) In the event of non-production of additional 1st Prize concerts, for whatever reason, neither those proposed concert presenters, nor the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival, nor Missouri Western State University will be liable. It is the sole responsibility of the winner to make arrangements with prize concert producers to arrange those concerts.
5) The prize for digital recording studio time at Ransomed Studios, Kansas City, US must be used WITHIN ONE YEAR of the award ceremony and scheduling of the studio time is contingent upon the studio schedule. Details must be arranged between the prize winner and Studio Director, Thomas Ransom (913)268-4564.
6) The prize winners are solely responsible for claiming all prizes. Any prize/s not claimed within one year of the date of award ceremony will be forfeited.

2010 PROJECTED PRIZES INCLUDE:
(N.B. Prizes may vary depending on corporate support.)

1st PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $4,701.00)
• $1000. Prize - as well as:
• $1000. Invitation for a paid solo concert and masterclass in next year’s St. Joseph International Guitar Festival.
• $1,000 photo shoot with Megan Wyeth (former student of Ansel Adams). See: www.MeganWyeth.com for examples of her work.
• $369. retail. One ATM Side-Address Condenser Microphone donated by Audio Technica (US).
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy).
• $400. Four hours digital studio time for recording, production or mastering Donated by
Ransomed Productions (US).
• $250. Gift Certificate for Guitar Strings donated by LaBella String Company (US),
• $175. Gift Certificate for any Mel Bay Publications donated by Mel Bay Publications (US).
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland).

2nd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,707.00)
• $800.Prize - as well as:
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy).
• $150. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings (US).
• $150. retail. One ATH-M40 Headphones donated by Audio Technica (US).
• $100. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications (US).
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland).

3rd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,276.00)
• $500. Prize - as well as:
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy),
• $119. retail. One ATH-M30 Headphones donated by Audio Technica (US),
• $100. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings (US),
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland),
• $50. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications (US).

CLICK HERE FOR PDF APPLICATION
or print form below:

Application and $250. entry fee deadline: May 1, 2010.
The limited space for performer and auditor housing requires us to hold places on a first-come basis. All participants should arrive at the latest by 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, May 19 and plan to leave the housing by 6:00 P.M. Sunday, May 23 unless other arrangements are made with the home host.

APPLICATION FORM
N.B. All Competitors: DRAWING FOR COMPETITION ORDER WILL TAKE PLACE THURSDAY, MAY 20 AT 9:30 AM. ALL COMPETITORS MUST BE PRESENT. Be sure to book your travel arrangements accordingly. Any competitor not present at the drawing will be disqualified and will forfeit their entry fee.

NAME_________________________________________________
[PLEASE WRITE LEGIBLY and spell your name EXACTLY as you want it to appear in all festival promotional materials and press.]

ADDRESS________________________________________________________________

CITY / STATE_____________________________________________________________

ZIP (Postal Code) / COUNTRY_______________________________________________

TELEPHONE___________________________________________
(with international access code if outside US)

EMAIL ___________________________________________________

CATEGORY OF PARTICIPATION:
(Check only one)

[  ] PERFORMER - Competition AND Masterclass Players ($250), valid for participation in competition, attendance at all masterclasses, concerts and free home-hosting through the festival.
Competitors MUST register in this category. There is no fee reduction if the player decides not to participate in the competition or if a competitor decides not to participate in the masterclasses.
Competitors: bring 1 (one) clean copy of your competition pieces for the jury! See “COMPETITION RULES and REGULATION” for additional requirements. Competitors may decide on pieces prior to the drawing on May 20, 9:30 AM, however the same pieces MUST be performed in both rounds.)

[  ] AUDITOR ($100) - valid for attendance at all masterclasses, concerts and free home-hosting through the festival.

HOUSING / TRAVEL (for Competitors, Auditors, Jurors and Headline Performers)
[  ] I WILL require complimentary housing with a host family (free of charge, but does not necessarily include meals. Available to all Out-of-Town participants (living more than 50 miles from St. Joseph).

If you have visited our festival before and would like to request Home Hosting from your past Host, please write their full name: _________________________________.
While we cannot guarantee that your past Home Host is available, we will attempt that arrangement.

[  ] I will NOT require housing. In this event you may wish to contact the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau (816) 233-6688 for a list of area hotels.

[  ] I will have my own transportation while in St. Joseph.
[  ] I will NOT have my own transportation while in St. Joseph.

[  ] I WILL REQUIRE AIRPORT PICK-UP
Your airport pick-up will meet you at the baggage claim and bring you to St. Joseph to meet your home host family (at Café Acoustic). Book flights to and from Kansas City International Airport, SABRE Code, MCI. We cannot pick up from other regional airports.

ARRIVAL DEPARTURE
Date: _____________________ Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________ Time: _____________________
Airline & Flight Number: _______ Airline & Flight Number:_________

IF YOU DO NOT YET KNOW YOUR FLIGHT INFO,
CONTACT MISSOURI WESTERN (phone below) IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU DO!

DISCLAIMER By signing below I confirm that I have read and agree to RULES AND REGULATIONS [ABOVE] of the competition, that I am at least 18 years old (others must have parental or guardian co-signature) and that my image and performance (in the form of video, photograph, sound recording and any other form) may be used for promotion and publicity by the Festival (performers under management contract are responsible for securing clearance from their manager) without reservation and I agree to hold harmless the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition, Missouri Western State University, additional festival event sites and all festival organizers and participants for any and all personal and material injury and damage.

SIGNATURE & DATE

SIGNATURE__________________________________DATE:_____________

Co-Signature of parent or guardian if applicant is under 18 years of age.):

_______________________________________

DATE:______________

Send
1) completed application and
2) $250. entry fee IN ONE PACKAGE to:

St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition
Dept. of Music, Missouri Western State Univ.
4525 Downs Dr.
St. Joseph, MO 64507-2294
USA

(telephone): [USA +] (816) 271-4420