Auchtermuchty Festival
Competitions & Rules

Rules
The competitions are designed to give encouragement to the revival of interest in the traditional music, songs and language of Scotland. The rules for competition allow a wide choice to the competitor, however the competitor should aim to choose pieces that are “traditional” in the best sense of the word.

 

The individual pieces chosen may be from written sources or may have been acquired by the competitor from oral tradition. The adjudicators will be looking for traditional style in the performance and will not expect strict adherence to a written arrangement. Junior competitors should not have reached their sixteenth birthday on the day of entry. Entrants to the Open Class are not eligible for entry to the Junior Class for the same instrument. Individual category rules are printed on the following pages.

 

Use of written music during competitions is not encouraged.

How To Enter
Entries should be made on the day at the Festival Office, but may be made at the door of events up to ten minutes before indicated starting time. Entry fees are 50p per competition.

The Auchtermuchty Festival Society is an affiliated member of the Traditional Music & Song Association of Scotland (T.M.S.A.) and the competitions will be run under T.M.S.A. rules.

 

Traditional Singing (Male & Female)
Any two Scottish traditional songs of contrasting nature to be sung unaccompanied. Marks will be awarded (out of 100) as follow: Traditional Style (25), Liveliness or Feeling (30), Time & Phrasing (25), Tone & Pitch (10), Choice of Song (10).

 

Bothy Ballad (Male & Female)
Any one bothy ballad to be sung unaccompanied. Marks will be awarded (out of 100) as follow: Traditional Style (25), Liveliness or Feeling (30), Time & Phrasing (25), Tone & Pitch (10), Choice of Song (10).

 

Local Singer
Competitions for local singers are held within the traditional singing competitions for men and women. Local is taken to mean the Howe of Fife from Burnside and Strathmiglo to Cupar and New Inn, extending to Newburgh in the north.

 

Children’s Singing
Open to any child under the age of sixteen who should sing any one traditional Scottish Song. Marking rules as for adult singing.

 

Junior and Open Fiddle, Accordion, Button Accordion, Melodeon and Tin Whistle
Any three Scottish tunes of competitor’s own choice, each to be played through twice, chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Instruments should be unaccompanied. A melodeon may have one or two rows of buttons and up to eight basses. Marks will be awarded (out of 100) as follows: Style & Ornamentation (20), Liveliness or Feeling (20), Command of Instrument (20), Rhythm & Phrasing (10), Time (15), Accuracy (15).

 

Junior Tin Whistle
Competitors should play any two tunes, preferably Scottish.

 

New Tune
A Tune written in the Scottish traditional style of competitor’s own choice, to be played through twice, either by the composer or another person. Style to be chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Competitors must have a copy of the manuscript to present to the judge on the day. Only one entry per person.

 

Junior and Open Mouth Organ, Jaws Harp & Diddling
Two pieces of the competitor’s choice from the following list, each to be played through twice: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Instruments should be unaccompanied. Marks will be awarded (out of 100) as follows: Liveliness or Feeling (20), Style & Ornamentation (20), Balance & Coherence (20), Rhythm & Phrasing (15), Time (15), Tone & Tuning (10).

Instrumental Group
Two or more pieces of the competitor’s choice from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Playing time not to exceed five minutes. Group to consist of between three and seven instruments of any description. Any two groups should have no more than one player in common. Any competitor who wishes to enter the competition more than once must play a different instrument each time. Marks will be awarded (out of 100) as follows: Liveliness or Feeling (20), Style & Ornamentation (20), Balance & Coherence (20), Rhythm & Phrasing (15), Time (15), Tone & Tuning (10).

 

Instrumental Pairs
Competitors should play their own selection of Scottish Traditional tunes, the total playing time of which should not exceed five minutes. Tunes should be chosen from the following list: Slow Air, Slow Strathspey, Strathspey, Reel, March, Jig, Hornpipe, Scottish Waltz. Any competitor who wishes to enter the competition more than once must play a different instrument each time. Two instruments only to be used per entry. Competitors should play as a pair, not as one instrument accompanying the other. Marking will be as for Instrumental Groups.

 

Miscellaneous Instrument
Any instrument not included in other categories. Other rules as for fiddle.

 

Storytelling
Traditional Scottish or Scottish version of a story or tale not
to exceed ten minutes. Marks will be awarded (out of 100)
as follows: Traditional character (20), Structuring (20), Narrative style (20), Use of language (20), Oral delivery and expression (20).

 

The John Watt Cup for a New Song in the Traditional Style
This competition was introduced last year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Auchtermuchty Festival and also to honour John Watt’s great contribution to traditional music.The song should be in the traditional style and sung by the composer, unaccompanied or accompanied acoustically. It should be original and not yet entered into current usage. The song can be set to an original tune or to a traditional air adapted to suit.