2024 Requirements for Virtual Competition

Entries accepted between May 1 -May 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced on June 2, 2024 at the IN-PERSON event.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

By participating in this Contest, each participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and to the decisions of the judges selected by Common Ground on the Hill, which are final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. The Contest will operate as described below:

• There is NO FEE to register or to compete.
• In order to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 crisis, this year's competition will include solo performances only.

ELIGIBILITY

• Common Ground on the Hill staff members, members of the Common Ground on the Hill Board of Directors, Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention judges', and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in this contest.
• Traditions Weeks instructors who receive honoraria are NOT considered employees of Common Ground on the Hill, and ARE eligible to participate.
• Each Entrant must be the rightful owner of the e-mail address registered with the YouTube account used to log in and upload the video.
  Entry constitutes each Entrant’s certification that the Entrant meets the eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules. Exception for Young Performer contestants or those without access to the internet, who may use a YouTube account registered to a parent or their music instructor.

Videos must:

• Be created specifically for the Contest.
• Be a maximum of 4 minutes for one continuous piece of music. The piece may be a medley. Points will be deducted for taking more than 4 minutes.
• Comply with YouTube terms of service and specifications for user submissions and/or video uploads, located at http://www.youtube.com/t/terms, or as may otherwise be posted on YouTube’s website.

Videos must NOT:

• ‍‍Contain material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including, but not limited to, material that violates privacy, publicity, or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright or trademark infringement;
• Include third parties, including but not limited to minors, celebrities, and friends who have not expressly authorized Entrant to display their image, likeness, or voice in any submitted Video or otherwise use such image, likeness, or voice in accordance with these Official Rules.

Performance Requirements:

• Individuals must fill out a separate registration for each performance category in which they are competing. Individuals may compete once in no more than three (3) categories.
• Contestants in the various categories of individual competition (including vocal) may have one backup instrument in addition to their own. NOTE: Backup instruments are not required. Vocalists may perform a cappella and will receive full consideration by the judges. Vocalists may enter the individual category only as soloists.

Virtual Competition Categories:

• Banjo
• Fiddle
• Guitar
• Mandolin
• Special Instrument (all instruments other than those listed above)
• Vocal
• Young Performer (ages 12 and under)

GRANT OF RIGHTS

In consideration of an Entrant's Video being reviewed and evaluated for this Contest, each Entrant hereby grants to Common Ground on the Hill a non-exclusive, irrevocable, universal license to use, copy, sublicense, transmit, distribute, publicly perform, publish, delete, or display such Video, or any portion thereof, or the musical composition contained therein, in any media now known or hereafter devised and for any purpose, including advertising or promotions, and to use the name, likeness, voice, biographical information, and image of Entrant and any other persons who appear in such Entrant’s Video in any media now known or hereafter devised and for any purpose, including advertising or promotion of Common Ground on the Hill or any other person or entity at Common Ground on the Hill's discretion.

By entering the Contest, each Entrant warrants that the videographer who recorded that the Entrant’s Video has granted to the Entrant a transferable license to the Video, and that the Entrant transfers to Common Ground on the Hill the right to use the Video, or any portion thereof, including the right to make derivative works or to mix the Video with other videos or elements, in any media for any purpose. Entrant expressly waives any moral rights in the Video. Each Entrant also grants to Common Ground on the Hill a non-exclusive, perpetual, sublicensable, worldwide, and royalty-free right to use the musical composition performed in the Video for any purpose, whether with the Video or separate, and grants to Common Ground on the Hill any synchronization, mechanical, or public performance rights necessary to use the music or Video in any media (including platforms that may not have PRO licenses) and for any purpose. Each Entrant authorizes Common Ground on the Hill and any entities affiliated or in privity with Common Ground on the Hill to utilize, for eternity and in any manner they see fit, the Video, and to make derivative works from such materials.

HOW TO ENTER

• ‍Registration for VIRTUAL Fiddlers' Convention: Video submissions are accepted from May 1 - May 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Fill out virtual competition registration form below

• Virtual contestants must fill out a separate registration for each performance category in which they are competing. Individuals are allowed to compete once in no more than three (3) categories.
• Virtual contestants must submit a video link from their YouTube Channel of a performance of no more than 4 minutes. Videos will not be judged on recording quality, but should be clear enough to be heard and seen in order for judges to rate the performance. If you do not have a YouTube Channel, here is a brief tutorial on how to create one: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1646861?hl=en
• Prizes will be announced at the in-person Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention on Saturday, June 2, 2024.
• In return for the right to compete in this contest, all contestants give Common Ground on the Hill the non-exclusive rights to share their video submissions.
• Vocalists may perform a cappella and will receive full consideration by the judges.

Requirements for In-Person Competition

On-site registration runs from 9-10 AM on Sunday, June 2, 2024

Location

The in-person Deer Creek Fiddlers' convention will take place at the Carroll County Farm Museum (500 S. Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157). Click HERE for map. Free parking.

Admission:

• All Contestants (Youth and Adult): $15
• All Non-Contestants age 13 and over: $20
• Non-Contestant Children ages 12 and under: FREE

Eligibility

• All attendees (both contestants and non-contestants) are required to pay admission to the Fiddlers Convention. Ticket prices TBD. On-site registration inside the grounds of the Farm Museum.
• Common Ground on the Hill staff members, members of the Common Ground on the Hill Board of Directors, Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention judges', and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in this contest.
• Traditions Weeks instructors who receive honoraria are NOT considered employees of Common Ground on the Hill, and ARE eligible to participate.
• In return for the right to compete in this contest, all contestants relinquish any and all rights to any recorded or photographic material of the contest and consent to the recording and photographing of their performance by anyone in attendance.
• Only acoustic instruments will be considered in the individual competitions.  A band may compete with an electric bass.
• Contestants in the various categories of individual competition (including vocal) may have one backup instrument in addition to their own.
• Backup instruments are not required.
• Vocalists may perform a cappella and will receive full consideration by the judges.
• Vocalists may enter the individual category only as soloists.
• Contestants in the individual categories (including vocal) will have 3 minutes to perform one continuous piece of music.  The piece may be a medley. Points will be deducted for taking more than 3 minutes.
• Bluegrass and old-time bands must consist of at least 3 individuals playing 3 different types of instruments. Celtic bands/ensembles must consist of at least 2 individuals.  
• Bands will perform no more than two pieces of music, each not to exceed 3 minutes in length. One piece may be a medley.
• Bands may include only one a cappella piece as part of their performance.
• Bands will lose points for going over 6 minutes for their total performance.
• Bands should not spend their short performance time introducing their individual members or spend time telling band history.
• Bands should introduce their piece of music and tell where it comes from.
• NOTE: Bands may not win a Festival (either Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival or Common Ground on the Hill Roots Music & Arts Festival) performance more than once. First Place contestants from prior years will be eligible for cash prizes ONLY.
• Special Performer includes any instrument not otherwise categorized

JUDGING

• ​​​Each contestant will receive a numerical score from a panel of judges.
• All prizes will be awarded based on contestant placement in only one round of competition and will be for first, second, and third place as scored by the judges.
• Instrumental prizes will be awarded by Judges' Choice. Please see the Prizes tab above for details.
• In the event that there are only 4 contestants in any given category, only First and Second prizes will be awarded. In the event that there are only 3 contestants in any given category, only a First place prize will be awarded. In the event that any category of competition has only one or two contestants, their scores will be moved to the Special Performance category for placement tabulation.
• Scoring of the performances by the judges is final.
• The Young Performer category is for ages 12 and under.

Competition Categories

NOTE: Certain categories are ONLY available during the IN-PERSON competition

• Appalachian Clogging & Flat-footing (IN-PERSON ONLY)
• Band: Bluegrass (IN-PERSON ONLY)
• Band: Old-Time (IN-PERSON ONLY)
• Band: Celtic (IN-PERSON ONLY)
• Banjo
• Fiddle
• Guitar
• Mandolin
• Special Performer (any instrument not otherwise categorized)
• Vocal
• Young Performer