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The 21st Annual Fiddle Festival & Mid American Fiddlers Championship
August 28-30, 2009
The Concert and Contest will be held "On The Banks of Lake Taneycomo" at the Branson Landing Towne Square.
The Historic Downtown District will host fiddling seminars and other activities in the Ozark Music & Culture Tent during the fiddle competition.
Friday August 28th at 8:00 PM "Big Smith" will have a free concert to kick off the start of the Fiddler Festival, bring your lawn chairs this will be a show you'll remember for a lifetime.
Saturday August 29th Fiddle Preliminary at 10 am to 7 pm, there will be over 60 fiddlers ages from 3-senior. Don't forget to bring your lawn chair again for this excited event.
Sunday August 30th Gospel Celebration at 10 am to 12 pm
Sunday August 30th at 12 pm to 5 pm Fiddle Finals.
There will be six divisions: Pee Wee (9 and younger), Juniors (10-16), Senior (60 and older), Cross Tuning, Seconding (Guitar/Bass accompaniment) and Open.
This event is free to the public, there is no charge to enter the fiddle contest. The competitors will win over $5,000 in cash prizes. For more information or to receive a registration packet email us at paula@downtownbranson.org
21st Annual Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival Rules
1. Each Fiddler may enter only one division, with the exception of the cross tuning, and seconding (Guitar / bass) accompaniment. They will be required to play three tunes: a hoe down, waltz, and a tune of choice. The tunes may be played in any order. If a playoff is necessary to break a tie, no tune may be repeated in the subsequent rounds.
2. Each Fiddler will be allowed nine minutes to complete all tunes. A red flag will signal the end of nine minutes, and the fiddler must cease playing. If the performance time, excluding instrument failure or other emergency, exceeds nine minutes, the judges may deduct points
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3. There is no restriction on the tuning of the violin, in the cross tuning competition only.
4. No electronic amplification of instruments will be allowed other than through the provided sound system. However, if no acoustic piano is available, the contest administrator reserves the right to approve the use of an electronic keyboard, which shall be adjusted as far as possible to emulate the sound of an acoustic piano.
5. Accompanists shall not double the melody line with the fiddler.
6. Broken performances (false start, sound system problems, instrument failure, environmental difficulties, etc) may be replayed only with the express permission of the judges
7. A contestant's right to view his score sheets depends on the consensus of the judges.
8. The judges and the contest administrator reserve the right to require call-back (play-off) rounds. Call - back rounds are scored separately from previous rounds.
9. A contestant's failure to appear within a reasonable time of being called to the stage may, at the discretion of the judges and contest administrator, results in disqualification.
10. Any propesective contestant attempting to enter the preliminary rounds after the advertised close of registration shall be admitted to the contest only with the express permission of the contest administrator. No one will be admitted to the final rounds without having placed in the top five during the preliminary rounds.
11. Clowning, showboating, or vocalizing (other than traditionally compatible with a particular tune) may result in loss points. The judges' discretion in this regard is final.
12. No sheet music or written scores are allowed on stage, except for Peewee Division. All tunes must be performed from memory with all other divisions.
13. No contestant shall be disqualified from competition for the reason that he or she earns all or a substantial part of his or her income from playing the fiddle.
14. Any matter not expressly covered in the foregoing rules shall be ruled on by the judges, and their decision in such regard shall be final.
15. No more than 4 strings allowed on the violin.
Please Note: Fiddlers selected to play in the final rounds must play three different tunes than they played in the preliminary rounds. Fiddlers shall not switch division between the preliminary rounds and the final rounds.
