1. A COPY OF PIECES FOR THE USE OF THE ADJUDICATOR must be handed in prior to your performance, and be collected at the end of the class. Please make sure your name is on the copy.
2. LATE ENTRIES are not normally accepted. Where feasible, the Section Chair may possibly exercise discretion to accept a late entry shortly after the closing date. Time is of the essence, so make any such request by phone or email, not post. Fees for unaccepted late entries will be returned.
3. ENTRY FEES are not refundable. Receipts will be sent on request.
4. TIMES & DATES. Entrants must accept the times and dates allocated by us to any class. However, we will try to accommodate special requests in exceptional circumstances, if specified, with reasons, on the entry form.
5. THE ADJUDICATOR’S DECISION will be final. No contact may be made with the Adjudicators by entrants, parents, teachers or other interested parties, unless by the consent of a member of the Committee. Trophies & prizes will be awarded to competitors at the discretion of the adjudicator.
6. ELECTRONIC ACCOMPANIMENT is not allowed in any section of the Festival.
7. No unauthorised PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO & SOUND recording is allowed at the Festival whether using cameras, phones, or other equipment. Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child/pupil/vulnerable adult is not included in official authorised photos.
8. OPEN CLASSES, AMATEURS & PROFESSIONALS. A professional is someone who earns their main livelihood from performing, not teaching, the instrument concerned. Medals are not awarded in the Open – Adult classes, and trophies are awarded at the discretion of the adjudicator.
Professionals may enter only the Open Classes and will not be eligible for trophies. However, an Open Ensemble of four or more players may contain one or more professionals (players or conductor) and still be eligible for a trophy. The number of such professionals must be stated on the entry forms.
9. SUB-DIVIDING & COMBINING CLASSES, & ORDER OFPERFORMANCE. The organisers will sub-divide or combine classes if circumstances make this necessary or desirable. The order of performance within a Class is at the sole discretion of the Section Chairman. Only in exceptional circumstances will the printed order be varied and then only with the agreement of the
Adjudicator.
10. SAFETY OF PERFORMERS. It is necessary for teachers and parents to be aware of their responsibilities in entering any performers with limited physical capabilities or special needs, bearing in mind the limitations imposed by the stage and surrounding environment. It is also necessary for the teacher or parent to pass on to the adjudicator, via the section chair, any such information that would impact on the adjudicator’s work.
11. ADJUDICATOR’S MARKS. When awarding marks, the Adjudicators will take into consideration the suitability of own choice material in own choice classes and competency when tuning instruments, when applicable.
12. AGE OF AUDIENCE. Children are very welcome at the Festival, both as performers and in the audience. Generally, we ask you to consider not bringing pre-school children to the Festival. We recognise that circumstances sometimes make this unavoidable. If so, please be prepared to take out your child if they start to cause any disturbance – in fairness to the performers and the audience around you – as we do not wish to have to ask you to leave the performance room.
13. LOSS OR DAMAGE. The Festival Committee can accept no responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings or equipment brought to the Festival.
14. CANCELLATION. The Committee reserves the right to cancel a class without prior notice.
15. DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998. The Woodley Festival will hold data submitted on the entry form on computer, solely for the purpose of running the Festival. The data will not be made available, or communicated, to any third party.
16. SAFEGUARDING POLICY. This policy relates to children under the age of 18 years and those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified to the organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival. Copies of this policy will be on display during the Festival.
Belinda Mikhaïl won the Associated Board and the Queen Mother Scholarships to study piano and singing as a joint first study at the Royal College of Music where she won the Hopkinson Gold Medal for her final recital. She has since travelled extensively performing both as a soloist and as a chamber musician and has appeared as a concerto soloist at the major London Concert Halls.
Ben is a freelance musical director, adjudicator, singing coach and accompanist, working internationally, and is also Artistic Director of Thames Concerts. He is a generalist music adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, having joined in 2009. He is also a music examiner for LCME and a consultant on their musical theatre syllabi.
