Guidelines for GPMTA Competitions

[created by an ad hoc committee in October 2018]
 
JUDGES / ASSESSMENT / PROTOCOL / FEES
 
NUMBER OF JUDGES
 
  • For six or fewer entries in a competition, a single judge will be engaged. If there are 7 to 10 entries, two judges will be engaged, and for more than 10 entries, three judges will be engaged. [Feb 10, 2020 meeting: it was agreed that there be at least five entries in a competition category in order for that competition category to take place.]
 
  • The Competition Chair will secure one judge in advance of the deadline application date. One month prior to the competition, the Chair will engage one or two more judges depending on the number of entries received.
 
  • A Master List of judges will be available online to event chairs with contact information and a record (date/event) of previous engagement at GPMTA events. For a specific competition, a judge may be re-engaged only after a period of three years, e.g. a judge in 2021 will not be eligible to judge the same competition before 2024. [Joyce Liu is preparing a judges list.]
 
ASSESSMENT
 Competitors are identified by alphabetical letter. For each competitor, the judge will be furnished with an Assessment Sheet to write a helpful and constructive critique of the pieces performed. Judges may comment on basic musical elements as well as style, interpretation, technique, and an overall impression. [Note: A decision on the format of the judge’s comment sheet was agreed upon after the planning meeting in June 2021] 
  • In a competition with a single judge or pair of judges, the Point System will be used:
    • 90 marks or above (out of 100) for a 1st Place award; 85 - 89 marks for a 2nd Place award; and 80 - 84 marks for a 3rd Place award. No ties are allowed for any of the awards. At the end of the audition, the judges will submit their marks to the Competition Chair.
    • Note: There is no obligation to award any of the prizes (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). The judge’s mark for each competitor should reflect the standard attained by that competitor. With two judges, the competitor’s final score will be the average of both judges’ marks. 
    • Honorable Mention(s) may be awarded (by consensus if there are two judges) before the winner(s) are announced.
 
  • In a competition with three judges, the Ballot System will be used:
    • Each judge will rate each competitor numerically in the order of overall placement. For example, if there are 10 competitors, each judge will rate the list of competitors from 1 to 10, with ‘1’ being the highest placement, then in descending order (2, 3, etc. to 10). No ties are allowed in deciding on the order of placement. Each competitor will be identified by an alphabetical letter on the judges’ comment and placement sheets.
    • At the end of the auditions, the Chair will tally each competitor’s placement score from the judges’ submissions to declare the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners. The competitors with the lowest numerical totals are placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in ascending order. In the case of a tie when tallying each competitor’s score, the competitor receiving the lower placement numerical scores from the judges will be given the preference in the final placement.
    • Honorable Mention(s) will be decided by unanimous vote among the judges before the winners are announced.
 
PROTOCOL 
  •  Prior to and for the duration of the competition, judges will refrain from conferring with one another in any manner regarding a competitor or competitor’s performance. This includes any verbal or non-verbal reference, be it positive or negative, with regard to a performer or performance.
  • Other than the competition’s personnel, judges are asked to avoid contact with teachers who may be auditing the competition as students of those teachers present may be participants in the competition.
  • Any need for discussion among judges during the competition will be initiated by the Competition Chair. For example, after the final tally and before the competition results are announced, the Chair will ask the judges if they wish to include any Honorable Mention(s) in the final result.
  • Judges are urged to be positive and encouraging in writing helpful and constructive comments in their written critiques. In no way should a student competitor be discouraged from participating in any future competitive or non-competitive GPMTA event. 
 
Additional protocol
 
  • Though there may be listeners in the room, the audience will refrain from applause or verbal outburst after a competitor's performance. 
  • Music copy will be given to the judges before each audition in the order the pieces will be performed. At the end of each piece, a judge will indicate when to begin the next piece. At the conclusion of the audition, a judge will indicate to the monitor when the music copy may be collected from the judges' table and replaced by the next competitor’s music.
  • A judge will signal to the monitor when the next competitor may proceed to the piano. That competitor may then begin the audition without waiting for a cue from the judges. 
 
JUDGES’ FEES 
 
  • $150 for 3 hours of judging or less, and $30 for each subsequent hour. For an out-of-town judge traveling 20 miles or more to the competition venue, a supplement of $25 will be offered towards that person’s travel expense.
  • This schedule of judges’ fees will apply to all GPMTA events--competitions, festival assessments, and Student Day judging.