Syllabus and Fees

To download a pdf of the syllabus, click here.

• General Rules
  • Eligibility
  • Registration
  • Repertoire
  • Adjudication Procedure
  • Concerto Competition
  • Awards
  • Recognition Concerts
  • Accompanists
  • Scholarships
  • Attire
• Piano
• Strings
• Winds
• Harp
• Voice
• Ballet

General Rules

Eligibility

All individuals, ensembles, or groups must be in a regular program of music study under the direction of a recognized teacher or director. They must have studied a minimum of one (1) year.

All entrants must be non-professional.

Classes are determined according to school grade except the College/Adult classes and Ballet classes. Home-schooled students and college students who are under 18 may enter and be adjudicated with the class closest to their age group.

Registration

To register for the festival, please send:

• Complete registration form for each class the student enters.
• A check, covering the entry fees for each class the student enters.
• Complete Scholarship form, if the student is applying for scholarship.

If a student enters more than one class, an entry form must be provided for each class he enters.

Student fees may be combined in any way that is convenient. Please indicate clearly the fees being paid, and for whom, in a combined fee check.

Entries for duets or ensembles must contain a complete entry form for each student. Staple forms together and submit all forms for the group in the same envelope with a check for the class fee.

Repertoire

When listing the pieces to be performed, please provide as much information about the selection as possible. No substitutions may be made for compositions listed on the entry form

Time limits listed in the class tables are the maximum time allowed. Entrants may cut portions of their selections to fit within the alloted time, or they may choose to play their selections in their entirety and be stopped by the table monitor or adjudicator when their time is up.

Adjudication Procedure

On being called to perform, the entrant shall present the original musical score to the adjudicator, opened to the proper page. The entrant shall announce the title of the compositions and the composers before performing. All entrants will pause between performance selections and wait for the adjudicator's signal before continuing. The adjudicator or table monitor may enforce the time limit.

The adjudicator, at the end of each class grouping, will give an oral adjudication. All persons attending are required to stay until the class is dismissed unless previous permission has been obtained from the table monitor before the class begins.

When oral adjudications are finished, each entrant will receive a copy of the adjudicator's written comments. At this time, the entrant should retrieve his or her music. PAFE will not be responsible for the loss of music or adjudicator comments. Adjudicator evaluations are final.

Teachers and parents may attend the adjudications, space permitting. Teachers and parents may not make any comments during adjudications and may not question adjudicators or adjudication decisions at any time during the festival.

No recording of any kind - audio, video, or digital - is allowed during the adjudications.

Concerto Competition

Students in Grade 7 and above participating in a concerto class are eligible to be chosen as finalists in the Concerto Playoff Competition. Finalists are chosen by the adjudicators. At the Playoff, a distinguished panel of judges will select a first place winner and two runners-up. Judges' decisions are final.

Students chosen to compete in the Playoff Competition should prepare a reduction of their concerto 12 minutes in length or less. PAFE reserves the right to stop the contestant before his or her piece is finished if the time exceeds 12 minutes.

Awards

PAFE will issue First (1st) Place, Second (2nd) Place, and Honorable Mention certificates in each class, based on the adjudicator's reccomendations. In addition, each adjudicator will select the one "Outstanding in Division" performer from the Solo or Ensemble classes they adjudicated. Outstanding in Division performers will receive a special certificate and monetary award.

• Results will be posted on the winners page as soon as they become available.
• All awards and certificates will be presented at the Recognition Concerts. An award winner not present at the Recognition Concerts forfeits his or her award, including any monetary award he or she may have won.

Recognition Concerts

Two recognition concerts will feature students receiving First Place marks and Outstanding in Division awards from their adjudicator.

• Only solo pieces will be performed, as chosen by the adjudicator. Concertos will generally not be played due to time limitations. The concert programmer reserves the right to choose the selection for the program to avoid duplications and to keep the concert length reasonable.
• All pieces must be performed from memory.

Accompanists

An entrant whose performance requires an accompanist must submit the name of his or her accompanist on the entry form. Until an accompanist is named, the entry will not be scheduled.

• Students must provide their own accompanists.
• No mechanical accompanying devices, such as cassette tape or CD players are allowed except in Ballet.

Scholarships

All monetary awards and scholarships are determined by the Festival Board and are commensurate with funds donated to the Festival for such purposes.

Attire

PAFE hesitates to set a formal dress code so please use good judgement in attire. Avoid jeans, t-shirts, and shorts if at all possible.

Piano

Eligibility

Piano division entrants must reside in the greater Eastside of King County, and/or study with a teacher who resides and teaches in the greater Eastsid. "Greater Eastside" is defined by the following boundaries: Bothell-Woodinville to the north, Renton to the south, Snoqualmie Valley to the east, and Mercer Island to the west.

Solo Section

Entrant will play one or two selections of contrasting styles. All selections must be played from memory.

Concerto Section

Entrant must also enter the Solo Section to qualify for the Cerncerto Section. Entrant will be expected to play, from memory, one or two movements of a standard repertoire work. Accompanist required.

Ensemble Section

One piano (four or six hands) or two pianos (four or eight hands). Use of musical score is permitted. Enter class according to the grade of the oldest entrant.

Strings

Any class consisting of three or fewer entrants will be combined with another class.

Eligibility

String and wind entrants must reside within King County.

Solo Section

Entrant will play one or two selections of contrasting styles. Concerto movements and compositions written to be played with orchestra may not be played as solos. Sonatas are considered ensembles and may not be played as a solo piece. All selections must be played from memory.

Concerto Section

Entrant must also enter the Solo Section to qualify for the Cerncerto Section. Entrant will be expected to play, from memory, one or two movements of a standard repertoire work.

Ensemble Section

Each group of entrants will play one selection - or one full movement or combination of movements - from a standard repertoire work within the time limit. Musical score may be used. Entrants must provide music stands. A pianist, other than an accompanist for a duet, must be a student and will be considered as part of the ensemble. Enter class according to the grade of the oldest entrant.

Winds

Eligibility

String and wind entrants must reside within King County.

Solo Section

Entrant will play one or two selections of contrasting styles from the standard repertoire. Concerto movements and compositions written to be played with orchestra may not be played as solos. Jazz is not permitted. Compositions played in the Solo Section need not be memorized for adjudication.

Concerto Section

Entrant must also enter the Solo Section to qualify for the Cerncerto Section. Entrant will be expected to play, from memory, one or two movements of a standard repertoire work.

Ensemble Section

There may be no more than six performers for any given entry in the Ensemble Section. Use of musical score is permitted. A pianist, other than an accompanist for a duet, must be a student and will be considered part of the ensemble. Entrants must provide music stands. Enter class according to the age of the oldest entrant.

Harp

Harps may be loaded and unloaded from the ramp area with double doors on the east side of the facility.

Eligibility

Voice and Harp entrants must reside in King, Pierce, or Snohomish counties.

Solo Section

Two selections showing contrasting elements from standard repertoire (classical, baroque, Celtic, contemporary/modern). No jazz. All selections are to be performed from memory.

Concerto Section

Entrant must also enter the Solo Section to qualify for the Cerncerto Section. Entrant will be expected to play one or two movements of a standard repertoire work. Use of musical score is permitted. Accompanist required. Please note Harp Concerto selections may be judged by the Piano Concerto adjudicator earlier in the week if the number of entries is too low.

Ensemble Section

Ensemble classes are open to two or more harpists or a harp with other string, reed, or woodwind instruments only. A given group is not to exceed six performers. Use of musical score is permitted. Enter class according to the grade of the oldest entrant. Students must provide music stands.

Voice

All selections are to be performed from memory. The entrant must provide his or her own accompanist.

Eligibility

Voice and Harp entrants must reside in King, Pierce, or Snohomish counties.

High School Section

Classes 1 and 2: Solo. Two selections only of contrasting styles and periods, chosen from the standard repertoire (baroque, semi-classical, classical, art, and romantic). Opera arias are not permitted.

Class 3: Two, three, or four voices, repertoire as above.

Classes 4 and 5: Solo. Two selections only from operettas and musical theater, sung in concert version.

Class 6: Two three or four voices. Standard repertoire as listed above.

College/Adult Section

Standard repertoire as listed under High School Section. Open to singers 18 years or older and in a study program

Class 7: Two selections, one of which must be in a foreign language.

Class 7A: One or two selections sung in concert version. Both may be in English. Opera arias are not permitted.

Opera Aria Section

Entrant must be at least 18 years old and in a study program.

Class 8: Three arias, one in a foreign language. First selection is the student's choice. The adjudicator will then select an aria from the remaining two arias submitted. Entrant is required to announce the first aria, the opera, and the composer.

Class 8A: One or two selections sung in concert version. Both may be in English.

Ballet

Eligibility

Ballet entrants must reside in the greater Puget Sound region, including British Columbia.

Master Class

• body directions (croise, efface/ouvert, ecarte)
• en dehors, en dedans including execution of pirouettes en dedans and en dehors
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd arabesques
• basic allegro steps: changements, echappes soubresauts, jetes, pas de chat, assembles, and obvious linking steps (i.e. glissade, pas de bourree)

• waltz turns
• diagonal turns
• very secure pirouettes
• adage: able to execute developpes in all directions
• beginning to do beats

• double pirouettes
• more turns
• grand allegro
• grands jetes
• saut de Basque
• brises
• longer, more complex combinations

Individual Adjudication

Entrant must participate in a Master Class to qualify for Individual Adjudication.

Variations

For variations (ballet only) entrants must provide their own music. A CD/cassette player will be provided. For live piano accompaniment, please furnish your music to the pianist by March 1. Music may be sent to PAFE, P.O. Box 3282, Bellevue WA 98009. We are currently unable to consider variations in other dance forms such as jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, hip hop, etc.

Adult dance students over age 18 are invited to register, but adults are not eligible for awards. Observers must pay a $5 fee, but one teacher per student may observe without charge. Space is limited and reservations are required. Please call the ballet chairperson to make a reservation.

Attire

Female dancers are required to wear black leotards (any length sleeve), pink tights, and ballet shoes. No skirts, adornments, jewelry, or color substitutions may be made. Hair must be pulled back in an appropriate ballet bun.

Male dancers are required to wear white shirts, black tights, and black or white shoes.