Flute Competition

Competition Official Rules & Regulations

Competition Objective

To foster an appreciation for honest, rigorous competition.

To support music education and provide further musical opportunities for gifted and hardworking music students.

To provide a creative outlet for musicians of all ages and encourage experimentation, innovation and excellence in the field of flute performance.

The Banddirector.com Flute Competition was created first and foremost to promote musical excellence. Banddirector.com does not discriminate based on gender, physical or mental disabilities, race, or religion.

Division I Rules & Regulations:

  1. Participants may only submit one (1) entry per division. Entrants are permitted to submit an appropriate entry in both Division I (Traditional Repertoire) and Division II (Alternative).
  2. All entrants must have a valid e-mail address and check it regularly.
  3. Performers must meet eligibility requirements. For Division I entrants, eligibility guidelines are as follows:
    1. Entrant must be no older than 19 as of December 31, 2007 and an enrolled high school student (grades 9-12) actively participating in a school instrumental music program (wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, marching band, et cetera). If the entrant participates in an alternative education program (home-schooling, private school, et cetera) or attends a school without an instrumental music program, the entrant is asked to indicate this information at the time of initial submission. All such entries will be subject to verification upon advancement to the semifinal round. Educational information will be verified for all finalists without exception. Any entrant who does not meet these requirements will be notified and automatically disqualified.
    2. It is not required that the entrant play flute as a primary instrument in their school music program.
    3. All Division I entries must be performed on any concert C-flute. Piccolo or harmony flute entries will not be considered.
    4. All entrants must be citizens or legal residents of the United States or Canada.
  4. Entrants for Division I (Traditional) must play a specifically selected solo excerpt or etude for each round of competition. Banddirector.com has selected works designed to highlight both artistic and technical ability (See Music Selection & Scheduling). Entries that do not feature the selected music will not be considered.
  5. Performers chosen to proceed to round three must video tape their submission with the original piano accompaniment, live. Pre-recorded piano accompaniment or accompaniment that also contains additional flute backing or any other instrumental or vocal backing will result in disqualification.
  6. Submissions must not contain a metronome beat.
  7. Entries must be of a sufficient audio and video quality for judges to render a fair and accurate opinion. Although Banddirector.com realizes that not all musicians have access to superior audiovisual equipment and will make allowances for technical difficulties at their discretion, entrants are encouraged to attempt to provide the highest quality recording possible. Entries of sufficiently poor quality to obstruct the judging process will be penalized or disqualified at the judges' discretion.
  8. Entries featuring foul language or inappropriate content will be disqualified. Foul language is defined as language not appropriate for a professional performance setting and inappropriate content includes nudity, sexuality, or other obscene elements. Questionable elements will be evaluated at the judges' discretion. If a submission is deemed inappropriate, further submissions will be blocked.
  9. All submitted entries must be filmed in one take. Entries that consist of multiple takes pieced together will be immediately disqualified. Separate takes for the verbal introduction (see Submission Guidelines for further information) and the actual performance is acceptable.
  10. Entries must be submitted according to the Submission Guidelines. Posted deadlines are binding and will not be altered for any entrant for any reason.
  11. In keeping with the purpose of this competition, to encourage musical excellence and fair play, Banddirector.com may disqualify any entrants at their discretion in the case of obvious or suspected dishonesty. This includes but is not limited to obvious or suspected manipulation of audiovisual elements. Banddirector.com reserves the right to determine what constitutes unfair play and take appropriate action when deemed necessary. For further guidelines on what to include and exclude from a submission video, please carefully read the Submission Guidelines.
  12. Although overall rankings and video submissions will be made publicly available, judges' scores will not be made available to any performer at any time. Judges reserve the right to disqualify or reject any entries based upon aforementioned reasons without explanation. All judges' opinions are final.
  13. Selections that continue for longer than five (5) minutes will not be scored past the five minute mark.
  14. All submissions must be strictly noncommercial. Any submission featuring any type of implied or blatant endorsement (verbal, visual or otherwise) of any commercial entity of any kind will be disqualified and all further submissions will be blocked.

Division II Rules & Regulations

  1. Participants may only submit one (1) entry per division. Entrants are permitted to submit an appropriate entry in both Division I (Repertoire) and Division II (Alternative).
  2. All entrants must have a valid e-mail address and check it regularly.
  3. Performers must meet divisional eligibility requirements. For Division II, eligibility guidelines are as follows:
    1. Entrant must be at least 13 years old and can be at any educational level. Enrollment in a school music program is not a requirement. Educational information will not be collected.
    2. Entries can be performed on a standard concert C flute, alto flute, or bass flute. Submissions utilizing other instruments will not be considered.
  4. Entrants for Division II (alternative) may perform a work of their choosing. In keeping with the tone and intention of Division II, entrants will be rewarded for displaying creativity, innovative technique,and musical excellence. Entrants are encouraged to re-interpret a piece of music written by another composer or to write or improvise a piece themselves. Entrants are encouraged to be as creative as possible but are reminded that this is a flute performance competition and minimal use of the flute will negatively impact scores at the judges' discretion.
  5. Entrants must perform a different piece for each level of competition. Entrants performing the same work multiple times will be disqualified. Entrant may submit a performance of a work from the genre and composer of their choosing.
  6. All entries will be unaccompanied and include only the solo instrument and vocalization or self-made percussive sounds. Entries featuring accompaniment of any kind, including live or pre-recorded instrumental or vocal backing, will be disqualified.
  7. Submissions must not contain a metronome beat.
  8. Entries must be of a sufficient audio and video quality for judges to render a fair and accurate opinion. Though Banddirector.com realizes that not all musicians have access to superior audiovisual equipment and will make allowances for technical difficulties at their discretion, entrants are encouraged to attempt to provide the highest quality recording possible. Entries of sufficiently poor quality to obstruct the judging process will be penalized or disqualified at the judges' discretion.
  9. Entries featuring foul language or inappropriate content will be disqualified. Foul language is defined as language not appropriate for a professional performance setting and inappropriate content includes nudity, sexuality, or other obscene elements. Questionable elements will be evaluated at the judges' discretion. If a submission is deemed inappropriate, further submissions will be blocked.
  10. Entries must be submitted according to the Submission Guidelines. Posted deadlines are binding and will not be altered for any entrant for any reason.
  11. All submitted entries must be filmed in one take. Entries that consist of multiple takes pieced together will be immediately disqualified. Separate takes for the verbal introduction (see Submission Guidelines) for further information and the actual performance is acceptable.
  12. In keeping with the purpose of this competition, to encourage musical excellence and fair play, Banddirector.com may disqualify any entrants at their discretion in the case of obvious or suspected dishonesty. This includes but is not limited to obvious or suspected manipulation of audiovisual elements. Banddirector.com reserves the right to determine what constitutes unfair play and take appropriate action when deemed necessary. For further guidelines on what to include and exclude from a submission video, please carefully read the Submission Guidelines.
  13. Although overall rankings will be made publicly available, judges' scores will not be made available to any performer at any time. Judges reserve the right to disqualify or reject any entries based upon aforementioned reasons without explanation. All judges' opinions are final.
  14. Selections that continue for longer than five (5) minutes will not be scored past the five minute mark.
  15. All submissions must be strictly noncommercial. Any submission featuring any type of implied or blatant endorsement (verbal, visual or otherwise) of any commercial entity of any kind will be disqualified and all further submissions will be blocked.

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