Music Competition FAQ
Here is a list of answers to frequently asked questions about the music competition at the Cleveland Festival. Please read through this list to see if your questions have been answered, before you e-mail the organizers.
I won first place last year. May I still compete in the same category?
Yes you may. The competition is to encourage excellence in the musical arts. Excluding good participants does not help further this goal.
In addition, prize-winners from the past have competed in subsequent years and not won again.
I won first place last year. May I compete in the next higher age category?
No. The divisions are by age, and not by ability or years of training. If you wish to compete at a higher level, please try some of our advanced categories.
What time is my category scheduled for on Friday?
The competition takes place in several rooms simultaneously. We will post a schedule, showing the order of events in each room. Exact times won't be posted, but you will be able to estimate the start time of each event based on the posted schedule.
Do I need to bring a sruthi box?
You should bring your own. We don't provide sruthi boxes for participants.
Do you provide musical instruments? Can I borrow someone else's instrument?
We do not provide musical instruments. While we appreciate the difficulty in transporting bulky instruments, we don't keep a stock of instruments for the competition. In any case, playing on an unfamiliar instrument may put you at a disadvantage during the competition.
Is there a penalty for going over time? Should I prepare a piece that fits within the time, or just perform the best item I can and be cut off at the time-limit?
There is no explicit demerit for not finishing your item within the time limit. A buzzer will sound at the end of your time, and you will be required to stop then. The judges may ask you to stop before then as well. Having said that, preparing performances to fit within a time-frame is a necessary skill to develop, so contestants should keep this in mind as they prepare their choices for the competition.
For the niraval / kalpana swaram category, do I need to perform the entire krithi?
No you do not. Just sing a few lines around where you will be performing the niraval / swaram, and go from there.
In the krithi competition, the rules say that no kalpana swaram may be performed. Are chitta swarams allowed?
Chitta swarams that are part of the composition are permitted.
Can I change my entry after I have registered?
Yes you can. Just log into the registration page, and click the "Edit this entry" button next to the entry you wish to change.
You cannot make any changes to your entries after the deadline has passed. You can still view them, but changes will be rejected.
How long should I plan on being in Cleveland for the competition?
The competition will be conducted on Friday, and the results will be announced on Sunday afternoon. We recommend that you arrive on Thursday at the latest, and stay at least until the results are announced.
