The Junior Festivals give students the opportunity to perform for a judge and be evaluated on their musical growth.  Students are praised for what they do well, and given constructive suggestions as to how they can improve.  The New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs strives to nurture a love a music as well as a growing technical mastery.

RULES AND OVERVIEW OF JUNIOR FESTIVALS

“Festivals are designed for all members of the National Federation of Music Clubs.  The Festival is not a competitive event but an opportunity to perform and receive evaluation.  The rules are set by the National Federation of Music Clubs.” (NFMC Federation Festival Bulletin, ii)

 

General Festival Information

• The New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs usually holds it Junior Festivals on two or three different weekends in the month of March or early April. In person festivals are held at William Paterson University in Wayne, Caldwell University in Caldwell, the County College of Morris in Randolph, and Jacob’s Music Center in Cherry Hill.  Due to the coronavirus pandemic, 2021 Junior Festivals will be held virtually through online submission. 
• At these Festivals, the students perform two or more pieces for a judge, and receive an evaluation that commends what they do well and gives constructive suggestions for improvement.  This is not a concert, and the student performs only for the judge and a proctor. It is a non-competitive event in which a rating is given, and trophies can be earned.
• All instruments are welcome at these Festivals.  See the NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin for specific listings of instruments and requirements.  The Bulletin is available through the NFMC website.
• To see lists of music from the current bulletin that have been recommended by various teachers, click the links below.
  
  • Recommended Piano Solo
  • Recommended LFO Solo
  • Recommended Piano Duet
  • Recommended Piano Concerto

Materials Necessary:     National Festival Bulletin (available through nfmc-music.org) and the information and forms found on this website.

 

Child Protection Policy:

The National Federation of Music Clubs has established a Child Protection Policy to ensure that all students have a safe and positive experience at the Junior Festivals.  As part of this policy, the New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs has two adults in a judging room, and follows the guidelines set out in the pamphlet “Preventing Child Sexual Abuse”.  All adults working as judges and proctors in the NJFMC Junior Festivals are required to read this pamphlet, and need to sign the Child Protection Form on a yearly basis.  The Child Protection forms will need to be signed at the Festival Centers.

 

Rules & Regulations:

• Review the National Festival Bulletin for all rules and regulations.
• It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that their student has complied with all of National’s requirements.
• Entrants must be age 5 or older by the festival date.
• A student may enter up to 3 events (but not more).
• Scales and cadence recommendations - click here.  (Scale requirements are suspended for video submissions in 2021, although a teacher may ask the student to record them if desired.)
• Non-piano instrumentalists are allowed to use music upon the teacher’s request.
• If you need further clarification of the rules, contact your area chairman.

 

REGISTRATION FORMS FOR THE JUNIOR FESTIVALS:

In order to participate in the Festivals, the following forms are due to be submitted online by JANUARY 15th. (Please Note: While all forms are to be submitted online, payments are to be made by check and mailed. We hope to be receiving credit card payments in the near future.) Total Fees are due upon receipt of your invoice. Make one check payable to NJ Federation of Music Club, Inc. and send it to our Festival Payments Manager:  Reed Bodenstein (See membership directory for for address.)

Please note, registration forms received after January 15th are subject to a $75 late fee.

1)  Junior Festival Teacher Registration Form

2)  Junior Festival Student Registration Form

3)  Junior Festival Online Video Submissions Form

• Every student participating in the Festivals must be registered.
• There is an additional $1 per student fee required by National for studios with more than 20 students
• Please note: in the case of duets or other ensembles, each performer must pay the fee if they are being judged and awarded points towards gold cups and trophies.  However, if a performer is only there as a “helper” and is not being evaluated, then there is no fee.
• Your code is your street address number plus the first letter of your first name.  For example, if Nancy lives at 52 Main Street, her code is 52N.
• If your student is Gold Cup eligible, indicate which number cup they are expecting (i.e.: 1st, 2nd, etc.)
• If your student has fulfilled the NJ Trophy requirements, place a check in the appropriate column. 
• Your area chairman will contact you with your students’ scheduled audition times and dates.

 

3)  Rating Sheet:

• Each student playing up to and including Moderately Difficult 3 level needs one rating sheet per event, and each student playing Difficult I and higher needs two rating sheets per event.
• Complete the top of the rating sheet. Enter your code (your code is your street address number plus the first letter of your first name.  For Example, if Nancy lives at 52 Main Street, her code is 52N.

 

DAY OF  FESTIVAL (For In-Person only) - Teachers:

Please note:  All children at the Festivals must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  All children are the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.  No child may be left unattended in the waiting room or judges’ room.  This includes the children of teachers/judges.

• Please note that it is a requirement of membership that all teachers with students participating in the Festivals donate their services for one day as a judge or in another capacity.
• You need not judge at the same festival site and/or date where your students will be participating. 
• Please indicate the location and date you wish to judge at the top of the festival site sheet.  Include a second choice.
• Please review the Festival Judging Guidelines prior to your judging assignment.
• Lunch will be provided at all festival sites for all festival workers.
• If you cannot judge please contact your area chairman for an alternate form of participation.
• If you cannot participate in any form, there is a waiver fee of $200.00 for non-participation.  This covers the cost of hiring an outside judge.
• Judges are instructed not to discuss their comments and to refer all concerns to the center head.
• At no time should a teacher address a judge in regard to his/her rating of a particular student.
• If you do have a concern, consult with your center head.
• Your professionalism in all these matters is appreciated.

DAY OF FESTIVAL (For In-Person only - Refer to NJFMC disclaimer on Teacher Registration Form) - Students:

• Your students should arrive at the registration table ten minutes prior to their scheduled audition time.
• Students will need to supply the judges with a completed Rating Sheet (see above).
• Students are to give the judges the original scores of the music they will perform.  PHOTOCOPIED MUSIC IS ILLEGAL and students will be disqualified if they do not have the original music with them.  (In the case of out-of-print music, a note from the publisher is required.)  However, legally downloaded music is permissible.
• No grades will be given out the day of the Festival.
• The completed rating sheets and participation certificates will be mailed to the teachers following the Festival.
• Parents/guardians will not be allowed in the auditions area.  Each site will have a waiting area for the parents.
• All student participants in the Festival must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  Student participants are the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.  Children may not be left unattended in the waiting room.

Festival Generated Awards:

1)     Superior Certificates: 

• This certificate is awarded to every student who receives a superior in any event. (Note: it is not the same as the participation certificate.)
• These certificates may be picked up by the teacher at any Festival site, or at the Gold Cup concert.

2)     Gold Cups: The Gold Cup Plan is described in detail in the Festival Bulletin, available through the NFMC website (nfmc-music.org).  The following is a summary:

• This is an incentive program sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs in which students are awarded a Gold Cup upon the accumulation of 15 points and multiples thereof in an individual event.  
• The ratings the students receive in the festival are given points as follows:

Superior = 5 points

Excellent = 4 points

Satisfactory = 3 points

Fair = 2 points

Needs Improvement = 1 point

• Points in any event are not combined with points from another event (i.e. – A student performing solos and duets receives 5 points for solos and 5 points for duets, not a combination of 10 points).
• In the 9th grade and above, Junior III and Senior Piano Concerto points can be combined with Piano Solo points for faster progress. The solo level MUST be Difficult I or above.  See the National Festivals Bulletin for complete details.
  • 1st Gold Cup = 15 points
  • 2nd Gold Cup = 30 points
  • 3rd Gold Cup = 45 points
  • 4th Gold Cup = 60 points
  • Grand Cup (5th Gold Cup) = 75 points
  • President’s Cup (6th Gold Cup) = 90 points

• The Gold Cup size increases with the point totals. 

 3)     The New Jersey Trophy

• This trophy is a special award for the purpose of encouraging students to play multiple events.
• There are two different ways to earn the NJ trophy:
  1. The NJ Trophy can be earned in 1 year by playing 3 separate events (e.g., piano solo, concerto, duet)
  2. The NJ Trophy can be earned in a 2 year period by playing 2 events for 2 consecutive years

GOLD CUP CONCERT (TBD due to Covid19)

• The Gold Cup concert is open to students receiving their 2nd Gold Cup or higher.
• The location and date will be listed in the NJFMC calendar. 

• Email the Festival Chair by April 10th if your student wishes to participate.
• Students perform by memory with the exception of ensembles, which may use music. 
• Important: please check on the availability of a second piano before planning to play a concerto.
• PLEASE NOTE:  South Jersey has a separate Gold Cup concert, and students with first Gold Cups or higher can participate.  Please contact the South Jersey Chair, for details.

Please plan to attend and encourage your students to attend as well.  It is a wonderful opportunity to hear our young musicians.