Competitive Music Festivals
by Liz Childs
Trustee, British & International Federation of Festivals
Founder, Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy
Teacher & Flautist
Founder, Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy
Teacher & Flautist
A Music Festival is a community event offering a
performance platform for amateur musicians, allowing them the opportunity to
perform either a set piece or a piece of their own choice to an audience and
receive constructive feedback from an Adjudicator.
Most festivals are what we
call 'competitive', although there are some that are non-competitive festivals
and others which offer a mixture of both.
In competitive
festivals each performer will receive a mark within a category, which
is arrived at by the Adjudicator adhering to a set of criteria and descriptors.
These are usually published in the syllabus and sometimes in the programme as well.
There will therefore be a winner of each class.
Many festivals have trophies which
are awarded providing a certain standard has been achieved. There are also
medals and certificates to be gained. Some BIFF festivals have been running for
very many years and in fact some were supported by Ralph Vaughan Williams and
Edward Elgar so there is an impressive history. There are nearly 300 in the UK
and some International ones too.
Who can take part?
Anyone who is an amateur musician, though the performer
can be accompanied (if appropriate) by their teacher or a professional
accompanist. Some festivals actually engage the services of an
accompanist.
How do I find out about my local Festival?
Visit www.federationoffestivals.org.uk
and you will discover an interactive map showing you all the festivals in the UK
and lots of other useful information too. Most festivals have their own
websites these days.
How do I enter?
You will be required to complete an entry form, either online or as a
hard copy, which will either be on the festival website or in the
syllabus. There is a small fee but these are always really reasonable. You will
be required to pay when you submit your entry.
How do I know what to play?
Festivals produce a syllabus which is unique to their
festival in which you will find all the types of classes available for entry.
There is usually a very wide range of classes - some are repertoire genre
specific, some are organised by grade and others maybe
organised by age. Some festivals offer 'own choice' and some require 'set
pieces', whilst some may include both.
I've never performed in public before!
It really doesn't matter. There will certainly be a
suitable class for you to enter and it's important to remember that, as with everything
we do in life, there always has to be a first time we do it!
What should I expect on the day?
You will have received notification from the festival as
to the time of your class. Programmes and tickets for the audience will be
available on the door. You will perform in 'your class', listen to all the
other performers and then wait for the adjudicator to finish writing the comment sheets. Once the adjudicator has decided placings
within the class, he/she will then get up and speak to everyone in the venue, giving informative and constructive feedback on the
performances and then announcing the placings - e.g. 3rd/2nd/1st or whatever
the festival has decided upon in terms of winners and runners up etc.
What are the benefits of performing in a Music Festival?
The benefits are numerous, but the really important ones include:
- The opportunity to share with a live audience a piece you have learned and really enjoy.
- Experiencing the feeling of satisfaction of preparing and then delivering a piece.
- Discovering a great deal about yourself as a performer and experiencing the 'buzz' factor - this could in fact be life changing.
- Developing one's own communication and expressive skills.
- Receiving valuable feedback and constructive criticism.
- Listening to others either playing/singing a piece that you may never have heard before or playing/singing a piece you know and can then compare interpretations of.
- Having to think on one's feet, deal with nerves and cope and continue if things don't go quite as planned.
- Having the opportunity to play in a notable local venue and adjusting to a new and quite possibly exciting acoustic.
So go on, give it 'a Go'!
To find a festival close to
where you live, visit www.federationoffestivals.org.uk
where you will find an interactive map alongside lots of other useful information.
I am always happy to help anyone with any aspect of the
above
so please feel free to get in touch.
