Arkansas State Fiddle Championship Rules-Old Time Contest September 20th, 2014
GENERAL REGULATIONS:
1. The contest rules and regulations may be amended depending on the situation and events at hand during the contest. Anything not covered in the Rules and Standards will be decided by the judges. Before the contest starts, judges will be pleased to answer your questions.
2. The judges’ decisions will be final.
3. The judges are not permitted to enter, nor play in any contest category.
4. No electrical instruments, nor drums will be allowed in any category.
5. No contestant will be allowed to register for any category, after the registration for that category has closed. Registration is considered closed 30 minutes prior to the start of each category, at which time drawing for the contestants’ numbers will be done. NO exceptions will be made.
6. Contestant must be present and in proper, drawn position for entry onto the stage when number is called from the staging area. Late arrivals, or no-shows will be eliminated from the event. Allowances may be made for broken strings and other happenings judged to be beyond the control of the contestant(s).
7. In the interest of fairness to each contestant, a time limit of 2 minutes per tune is enforced.
8. Emcee will introduce the contestants by their assigned numbers, and will announce the names of the tunes to be played by each contestant.
9. Contestants must have instruments tuned and ready to play when called to stage. Instruments may require re-tuning due to the heat of the lighting in the auditorium. Please take this into consideration.
10. Contestants may restart a tune in event of a broken string, or unavoidable problem. One false start is allowed, but false starts are discouraged. Please keep the Execution aspect of the judging criteria in mind.
11. No sheet music is allowed in stage area.
12. Instruments may not be amplified by contact microphone, pick-up, etc.
13. Judges are not allowed to advise contestants in their selection of tune to be played.
14. First Place Winners from each category are requested to play one, or two tunes at the nightly show.
CATEGORY RULES:
1. The purpose of this contest is to promote pure, traditional old-time fiddling, and to eliminate the characteristics of the more modern, progressive style that is commonly heard today. For purposes of this contest, traditional old-time fiddle does NOT include Texas-style fiddling, Western Swing, Country, Bluegrass, or Blues, nor modern, progressive arrangements of old-time tunes. The playing of any of these styles during this contest is cause for disqualification. A fiddler in this contest who, in the opinion of the judges, consistently performs in a more modern, progressive style, will be asked to perform in the Saturday contest.
2. The Youth category is for fiddlers up to the age of 16. The Open category is for fiddlers 16 and over. Senior category, IF there are at least six contestants, is for those 60 and above.
3. Contestant will play three tunes: a breakdown suitable for square dancing, a waltz, and tune of their choice, in that order. No old-time tunes are banned, but please keep the Danceability aspect of the judging criteria in mind. One would not do one’s self any favor by playing Orange Blossom Special, Listen to the Mockingbird, etc.
4. Three (3) places will be selected from the contest. In the event of a tie, a play-off will determine First and Second Places, with the next highest score closest to these two receiving Third Place.
5. In the event of a play-off, each contestant will play two tunes: a breakdown and a waltz. If, in the opinion of the judges, more is required, then each contestant will be asked to play one more tune, of the contestant’s choosing.
6. The contestant may have a maximum of two (2) accompanists. Accompanist(s) may not duplicate the melody. Any acoustic instrument suitable for an old-time dance is welcome. For example: piano, guitar, banjo (4 or 5-string), cello, reed organ, tenor guitar, or bass. Mandolin and second fiddle are discouraged, and must play only chords or rhythmic back-up, if used. Solo fiddling is welcome.
7. Any contestant who has won First Place for three (3) consecutive years will not be allowed to compete in the same category the following year.
8. Tunes performed in the elimination portion of the contest may not be repeated by the same contestant in the event of a play-off.
9. Cross-tuning is permitted.
10. Five-string fiddles are not traditional instruments, and are discouraged. Please keep in mind the Authentic Performance Style of the judging criteria.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
1. Rhythm and Timing – 20 points. The rhythm and timing should be consistent. Any jerking, rushing, dragging or unevenness in tempo of the performance will result in a loss of points. It is common in some fiddling traditions for the fiddler to lead the beat, but this must be consistently utilized throughout the tune.
2. Danceability – 20 points. Old-time fiddling is synonymous with old-time dancing. The judges will listen for the unique drive that makes a dance tune.
3. Authentic Performance Style – 20 points. Excessive and indiscriminate changes in a tune, which makes the performance unclear or unrecognizable, will result in a loss of points. The judges will listen for minor variations and improvisations; commiserate with the uniqueness of a fiddler’s style. However, any creativity should not be excessive so as to change, nor destroy the basic melody line of the tune, which will result in a loss of points.
4. Expression – 20 points. The judges will listen for the "feeling" that the contestant puts into the performance. Flat, mechanical and unfeeling performances will result in lost points, as will excessive "showmanship".
5. Execution – 20 points. The judges will listen for the tonal quality and clarity of the performance together with the general command of the instrument. Perfect intonation is not necessarily the desired effect here.
GENERAL JUDGING CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Each judging criteria have a potential of 20 points, for a possible score of 100 points per tune, or 300 points total per contestant. The final score for each contestant will be the added total of all three tunes. High/low scores will not be thrown out. All points scored will be counted.
2. All contestants/performers are urged to consider the placement of the microphones and the efforts of the people responsible for the sound system. They are there to help the contestants/performers be clearly heard by the judges and audience alike. The judges will judge exactly what they hear. An instrument too close or too far away from a microphone could distort or drop out the sound, resulting in a loss of points. Please make sure your instruments are "miked" properly prior to starting your performance.
3. Contestants are asked to conduct themselves with common courtesy and a spirit of fair play. Contestants exhibiting inappropriate behavior toward the audience, other contestants, officials, or sponsors may be excluded from future contests.
Other Notes:
Rules & Standards are available to everyone at registration, and will be included in the contestant’s packet.
Suggestions for improving the contest are welcomed, and may be sent to:
Ozark Folk Center
Attn: Music Director
1032 Park Avenue
Mountain View, AR 72560