Rules & Guidelines

The Utah Valley String Festival provides students another opportunity to perform for their peers, a set of encouraging judges, and an opportunity for summer camp scholarships. The Festival an in person pay-per-play event open for all students preschool through high school.

In the event that the Festival needs to be postponed, for example, the pandemic, you will be contacted via email regarding the new date for the event. Any fees paid will apply to the new date. If a student cannot participate on the new date a partial refund may be requested. If the Festival is cancelled a full refund will be issued.

1. Students level 1 - 4 must perform two pieces, preferably of contrasting periods or style. Level 5 and 6 students of all instruments may perform one concerto movement of significant length. Select level 4 concertos may also be considered significant enough to merit playing only one piece. Please contact the instrument chair with any questions.
2. Once a student has performed a piece at the Festival, it cannot be performed again in subsequent years. However, different movements of concertos or sonatas would not be considered the same piece and would be eligible for play.
3. Solos, with the exception of sonata movements, must be played from memory. It is understood that even well-prepared students have occasional memory slips. Memory slips will be assessed by the judges and may or may not result in a lower rating.
4. If sheet music is used while performing a solo entry, with the exception of advanced sonata movements, judges will deduct one point from the overall score for the performance.
5. Solos performed should be taken from the body of standard classical music repetoire. Fiddle music is not appropriate for this Festival.

1. Upon registration participants will be required to declare a level for their pieces. These levels are determined by the American String Teachers String Syllabus Vol. (2009 edition). The levels do not coincide with Suzuki Book volumes or other solo repertoire volumes. Level guides are provided in the registration pages for reference.
2. There are time limits for each level. Most sessions fill up during registration requiring each participant to stay within the allotted time. Refer to teachers for with help with any necessary cuts to the music.
3. Time limits for solo entries are as follows:

   Level 1 & 2: 5 minutes
   Level 3 & 4: 8 minutes
   Level 5 & 6: 10 minutes

4. If the two pieces do not fall into the same level, register for the higher level.

1. Teachers register all ensembles through their teacher accounts.
2. Prior to registration, each ensemble participant MUST have an active student account with Utah Valley String Festival.
3. Ensembles are not required to play two selections, but may opt to do so.
4. The time limit for ensemble entries is 10 minutes.
5. Ensembles are not included in the Gold Cup program.

1. There are two options for accompaniment in the Festival: First - the student provides their own accompanist, second - the student selects a Festival Provided accompanist.
2. When providing your own accompanist it is the responsibility of the participant/parent/teacher/ accompanist to coordinate as to when they are available to perform. This should be done prior to registration.
3. All performing accompanists must have a Festival account in order to appear in the drop down menu for selection during registration.
4. Festival-provided accompanist play only in level 1 and level 2 sessions.
   • The option to select a Festival-provided accompanist will appear in the registration process. *Please make note of which sessions have Festival-provided accompanists.
   • Festival provided accompanists are only available for level 1 and 2 participants.
   • If additional practice outside of the Festival is desired with the Festival-provided accompanist, parents are responsible to pay the additional accompanist fees.
   • Festival-provided accompanist will have access to the list of participants in their session as well as the repertoire they will be playing. Please include as much information as possible (Composer, Title, book the piece is in) when registering. This information will be viewable by the Festival-provided accompanist and ensures a smooth performance on Festival day.
   • If a Festival-provided accompanist does not have the music the participant has registered to play, they will contact the participant/parent via email. It is the participant/parent's responsibility to acquire the accompaniment and provide it for the accompanist.

1. All sessions are pre-created and will last 50 minutes.
2. Participants must provide the judges with a copy of the solo part and/or the piano accompaniment of the solos they will be playing in that session.
3. Participants must stay for the entire session. If there is an issue with the order of the performers, speak with the monitor before the session begins. Any prearranged scheduling done through the Festival Chairs will be prioritized.
4. Family members and friends are welcome to attend. Best concert etiquette is requested.
5. Best dress should be worn to perform.
6. Participants may announce their student number and the piece they are performing. Names are kept anonymous to the judges.
7. Each student should bow as an appropriate response to applause.

1. Two judges are assigned to evaluate performances in each session. Judges will confer and give the participant one of the following ratings:
   • Superior (5 points) - Well prepared, memorized, with the exception of sonatas and ensembles, good, high quality musicianship, clean memory, minimal mistakes.
   • Excellent (4 points) - Good preparation, evidence of good musicianship, memory slips or use of printed music, some mistakes in execution.
   • Very Good (3 points) - Performance was completed but stops and restarts were required, needs more preparation.
2. Suggestions and. Concerns may be sent to:
• - Erica Hardy (801-850-2234)
• - Lauri Driggs (702-245-9238)

1. Students earn points each year based on the quality of their performance. The points are determined by the judges score and accumulate from year to year. When students have earned 15 points, they receive a gold cup. For example; if a participant receives a Superior rating for three years in a row, the participant has earned a gold cup.
2. In the same way, when participants reach 30, 45 or 60 points in subsequent years, they will receive another gold cup, this time larger than the last.
3. Ensembles are NOT included in the Gold Cup program.
4. Gold Cup points are only accumulated at Utah Valley String Festival. Points accumulated from other Festivals are not included in the Gold Cup program.

1. Participant fees:
   • $20.00 per solo participant,
   • $30.00 per ensemble,
   • $50.00 teacher fee for up to 25 student participants. An additional $25 fee will be assessed for each additional 10 students beyond 25.
2. Family discounts are available. Additional children registered after the first three children in the same household are free. instructions: Once payment for the first three children has been received, each additional child's account will be credited. If you have any questions, contact the Festival Administrator (info@uvstringfestival.org).
3. The teacher fee may be waived for all who donate 2 hours of time in judging or monitoring sessions. Likewise, teachers can donate an extra hour to waive the additional $25 for more than 25 students.
4. With the exception of Festival postponement or cancellation, the fees collected for participation will not be refunded for any reason. Personal scheduling conflicts do not merit reimbursement. Please plan accordingly.
5. All solo and ensemble fees are paid via PayPal directly from Teacher and Student Accounts.
6. Ensemble fees are paid by the teacher. The option to pay by check is available. Contact the Festival administrator at info@uvstringfestival.org for instructions.
7. A strict $5.00 late fee PER entry will be assessed to all entries registered past the registration date.
8. Each solo entry covers participation in one session. If participants opt to perform additional solos on other instruments, an additional solo fee of $20.00 is due.
9. If participants are in more than one ensemble, an additional $30.00 fee is due per ensemble.