Requirements
All individuals and ensembles in a regular program of music study in the Greater Puget Sound area, who have studied under a PAFE teacher for at least one year are eligible to enter the Festival.
- All students must be non-professional.
- All students must be registered by their parent or guardian to ensure we have their permission to enter the festival.
- Classes are determined according to school grade. Home schooled students who are 18 or under may enter and be adjudicated with the class closest to their age group. We follow the Bellevue School District guidelines for determining grade placement. See here for more information.
Class Types
The Festival offers Solo, Concerto and Ensemble classes for students. See the Registration Instructions for details.
Concertos are not solo pieces and are not permitted to be performed in Solo classes. Even concerto pieces which have been rearranged to be performed as solos are not acceptable in Solo classes. Concerto pieces composed for multiple instruments are not allowed in Concerto classes; they can, however, be performed in Ensemble classes. Some pieces written for solo instrument and orchestra (not concertos) will be allowed if first approved by the Division Chair of the student’s instrument. If there are any questions about the appropriateness of any given piece for a class, please check with the specific Division Chair before registering.
All student performances must be played from memory, except for woodwinds and ensembles which are allowed to use music. Please be sure to bring enough copies of the music for your use, as well as for the Adjudicator. We will not be able to make copies at the Festival. Music must include measure numbers. Be sure to arrive 10-15 minutes before your performance time.
If you are going to be out of town or unavailable during any part of PAFE week, please let the Registrar or Division Chair know when you register. We will do our best to accommodate your request, although we cannot make any guarantees. We cannot accept special scheduling requests after registration has closed.
BE ADVISED: We cannot give refunds for cancellations for any reason.
Registration Instructions
In addition to the Festival requirements, you must also read the information relating to the Registrations instructions. You can do so by selecting the link in the photograph.
Wait List
Keep in mind that there is a limit to the number of students that can be accommodated in the available space and time. Individuals who register once a division is full (and closed) will be put on a waiting list. Wait listed entrants are not charged unless they are accepted to the festival.
In general, we start adding students from the wait list when we schedule the classes. It is only with this detailed schedule that we know how many more students will fit. There is no fixed date for this, but it is roughly a month before the start of adjudicated classes. Once we have added all the students we can, we will inform those that we were unable to accommodate.
If you wish to be removed from the wait list, please let the Registrar know this and we will cancel your registration from the wait list.
NOTE: You are advised to register early to ensure your participation in the Festival, aa in the past several years, registration has closed early in most divisions.
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the adjudication procedures, so you understand the process. The link in the photograph will take you to the information.
Accompanists
If a student is playing a piece composed to be performed with accompaniment, then an accompanist is required. Students must provide their own accompanists. No mechanical accompanying devices of any kind, such as CD players or MIDI players, are allowed.
All performers in Concerto classes will need accompanists. If your performance piece was written with an accompaniment, you must provide your own live accompanist. PAFE will attempt to schedule around accompanist conflicts but makes no promises, due to the large number of performers involved in the Festival.