General Rules for the 2025 Festival
Eligibility
1) For this Festival, performers, unless otherwise stated, must be amateurs. An amateur, shall be defined as any person whose principal livelihood is not obtained from the performance or teaching of music, even though they may from time to time accept remuneration for musical services rendered. For the purpose of this Festival the following are considered to be Professional:
(a) An individual who earns remuneration forming the major portion of their livelihood from performing or teaching music.
(b) Musicians who hold a post-secondary music degree.
(c) Musicians who are full members of Actra, Equity or the Musician’s Union.
A person who qualifies as a professional in one category (i.e. strings) may qualify as an amateur in other categories (i.e. voice or piano). Festival performances may include professional conductors, accompanists and collaborative pianists but those aspects of the performance will not be adjudicated.
Final decisions on eligibility will be made by the Festival Chair.
Please refer to the OMFA glossary to see the Provincial Competition standards.
2) Performers in Choirs, Orchestras and Bands must be bona fide members of their respective organizations.
3) Conductors may be either professional or amateur. Conductors may not sing with their choirs or play with their orchestras or bands.
4) Place of residence does not affect eligibility to perform in the Kingston Kiwanis Music Festival and all performers will receive adjudications.
5) Eligibility for awards and to perform in the Highlights concert will be restricted to those who reside or attend school, in the townships and municipalities in the counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, Leeds, Grenville, Hastings, and Prince Edward.
6) The maximum age for performers is 28 years as of December 31, 2024, for all levels except Adult. There are separate classes for amateur adults 29 years and over.
Registration and Fees
7) Entries must be submitted online when you register for classes on Music Festival Suite.
8) Accompaniment for most classes is by piano unless otherwise stated in the individual classes. Pop vocal classes may use purchased back-tracks without background vocals. Tracks can be purchased from www.karaoke-version.com. Performers are responsible to arrange for their own accompanists.
9) Registrants may log into their account to change and update their registration information until the closing of registration on February 24, 2025. If you need to make changes after registration closes, contact the Registrar at registrar@kkmf.ca
10) Entry fees are stated by class in the syllabus. Entry fees are not refundable except under circumstances where the entry is refused by the Board. Some financial assistance may be available – please contact the registrar.
11) Refunds will not be provided unless the festival cancels or refuses an entry.
Selection of Music and Classes
12) Performers may enter only once in any class unless otherwise indicated in the online notes for that class. In all classes where an age limit is indicated, the performer’s age shall be taken as of December 3st, 2024.
13) In Family Ensembles only members of the immediate family are eligible.
14) For all entries, except where otherwise indicated in the Syllabus, the title, movements, composer, and timing, must be specified on the entry form.
15) A piece of music cannot be used by a competitor in more than one class or in more than one year. In duet, and trio classes the selection must not be a work presented by any one of the performers, all or in part, at a previous Kingston Kiwanis Music Festival, nor in another class at the same Festival.
16) Performers who have taken an RCM or Conservatory Canada Exam in the preceding year are not eligible to enter that grade level in the current festival year (e.g. If a performer took the level 4 piano exam in 2024, they may not enter grade 4 classes in the 2025 festival.)
17) Repeats in the music are not to be observed unless specified in the Syllabus (da capo and dal segno passages should be observed).
18) Performers may enter only ONE class (e.g. level 2) in each Section, (e.g. Canadian Composers) of a Discipline (e.g. Classical Voice) unless specified in notes for individual classes.
19) Performers must not exceed the time limit stated in the syllabus. The adjudicator may stop any performer who exceeds the time limit.
Performance
20) Performers should arrive at their venue at least ten minutes before their class time to hand in their music and be seated in order of performance.
21) One original score of the music or purchased digital music for each selection must be given to the Hall Marshall at the beginning of the class for use by the adjudicator. No photocopies are accepted. The music will be returned at the end of the class.
22) Performers in solo classes are encouraged to memorize their music. Music performed at Provincial Finals must be memorized except for Brass, Winds, Percussion, and Popular Voice with Self Accompaniment which is not required but is recommended.
Adjudication
23) Adjudication is based on musicality and technical and interpretive qualities of each
performance. The suitability of musical content and style will be considered in the
evaluation. Lyrics should be appropriate for a general audience. The adjudicator’s decision is final.
24) All performances will be judged against a set standard as follows:
Platinum – an exceptional performance that demonstrates musical maturity and skill beyond that normally found at this level. (90 and above)
Gold – an excellent performance demonstrating a high standard of musical accomplishment and strong skills for this level. (85 – 89)
Silver – a commendable performance demonstrating solid skills and musicality for this level. (80 – 84)
Bronze – a good performance that demonstrates developing skills and musicality for this level. (75 – 79)
Merit – a performance which, with further refinement, has the potential to reach a bronze level or higher.
25) Each performer will receive a written report from the adjudicator and a Performance Level Certificate. While individual performances will be discussed in the oral adjudication at the end of the class, the levels awarded to each performer will not be announced.
26) Performers in Competitive Classes will receive ribbons from first to sixth place. First, second and third placings will be announced by the Adjudicator.
Awards
27) Awards are available to competitors in all classes and are chosen by the adjudicators. To be eligible for an award, solo performers must perform in at least two solo classes in the same instrument, but bands, choirs, and all ensembles need only enter one class to be eligible. See “Awards” on the title page of the Syllabus for a complete list of the awards that are available.
Provincials
28) Kingston Kiwanis Music Festival is a member of the Ontario Music Festivals Association (OMFA) which holds a Provincial competition in June. Each year our adjudicators recommend competitors for the Provincial Finals. Provincials will be held June 9-14, 2025, in Kitchener- Waterloo. See “OMFA Provincials” www.omfa.ca for further details. Those hoping to receive a recommendation to advance to the provincials, please visit: www.omfa.ca for the requirements which might differ from the Kingston Festival.
Appeals and Clarifications
29) The Festival relies on the integrity of entrants to comply with all rules regarding age, membership etc. in entering specific classes.
30) No competitor, teacher or parent may contact the Adjudicator during or after their class. This will result in disqualification. Questions or concerns should be referred to the Music Coordinator at the venue before or after the class, not the Adjudicator or Adjudicator’s Assistant’.
31) Recommendations, clarifications, or requests should be sent to the registrar
at: registrar@kkmf.ca. As necessary, they will be referred to the Festival Board.
Video Recording
32) Videos may be taken during the performance of solo/duet classes only. A suitable location will be set up in each venue where the parent/guardian/teacher may sit to take videos during their competitor’s performance. No videotaping of the Adjudicator’s oral comments is permitted. No videotaping of any other competitor is permitted. Failure to follow these rules will result in disqualification.
33) If performers are selected by the adjudicator to proceed to the Virtual Provincials these recordings may be used.
Supported By
Related Pages
