Pa's Fiddle Showcase

Contest Rules
(everyone should read these-even those in the showcase)

1. Contestants will play two numbers, a piece from Pa’s Favorites and a tune of their choice (preferably from the 1850-1900 time period) with the exception of ‘Orange Blossom Special’, ‘Black Mountain Rag’ and/or ‘Listen to the Mockingbird.’ Those are three numbers that have been over-done in fiddle competitions. It would be best to choose a slower melody and an upbeat dance tune. This will give the judges an opportunity to hear your range as a fiddler.
2. Tunes must be played from memory. No music is allowed on stage for the fiddler. Each contestant will be allowed to introduce their selections.
3. Contact microphones and amplified instruments are not allowed. No fiddler is allowed to play more than 6 minutes (in total) for their 2 selections.
4. Trick or fancy fiddling will disqualify a contestant. Included are:  holding the fiddle in an abnormal position, plucking the strings other than normally, over-embellishment of a piece, hopping on a pogo stick while playing etc…. Medleys and cross-tuning are not allowed. If a tune is played that isn’t in line with the rules, it will result in 0 points.
5. Each fiddler is allowed an accompaniment such as: keyboard, guitar, banjo, mandolin or bass fiddle. Each fiddler must provide their own accompanist and instrument.
6. Parent’s signature is required for participants under the age of 18.
7. LIWD reserves the right to use images of any participant for marketing purposes on our webpage and Facebook page.
8. Registration begins at 10:00 am. Contestants who are pre-registered will receive the order of the contest (through a random selection prior to day-of registration). Those registering on the day of the event will be listed at the end.  Contestants must be ready when called.
9. The judge’s decision is final. Judging criteria are as follows:

JUDGING CRITERIA:
1. Rhythm and Timing (25 points): The rhythm and timing should be even and consistent. Any jerking, rushing, dragging or unevenness in tempo of the performance will result in a loss of points.

2. Creativity (25 points): The judges will listen for minor variations and improvisations. However, the creativity should not be excessive so as to change or destroy the basic melody line of the tune. This may result in a loss of points.

3. Expression (25 points): The judges will listen for the “feeling” that the contestant puts into the performance. Flat, mechanical and unfeeling performances may result in lost points as will excessive “showmanship”.

4. Execution (25 points): The judges will listen for the tonal quality and clarity of the performance together with the general command of the instrument(s).

Pa’s Favorite Tunes
These are the music selections found on the three published CD’s of Pa’s Fiddle Recordings LLC
*denotes extra songs from the PBS film Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America.

1. Jesus Holds My Hand
2. When Johnny Comes Marching Home
3. Polly Put the Kettle On
4. My Sabbath Home
5. Life Let Us Cherish
6. All the Blue Bonnets
7. Golden Years Are Passing By
8. Boatmen’s Dance
9. Mary of the Wild Moor
10. The Campbells Are Coming
11. Haste to the Wedding
12. The New Year’s Come
13. The Battle Cry of Freedom
14. Old Dan Tucker
15. The Gum Tree Canoe
16. Money Musk
17. Green Grows the Laurel
18. Daisy Deane
19. Irish Washerwoman
20. Roll on Silver Moon
21. The Blue Juniata
22. Dixie’s Land 23. Happy Land
24. The Monkey’s Wedding
25. The Devil’s Dream
26. Oh! Susanna
27. The Gypsy King
28. Bye Baby Bunting
29. The Arkansas Traveler
30. The Girl I Left Behind Me
31. Sweet By and By
32. Roll the Old Chariot Along
33. Highland Mary
34. Captain Jinks
35. The Big Sunflower
36. Barbara Allen
37. Nelly Was a Lady
38. Uncle Sam’s Farm
39. Promised Land
40. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks
41. Buffalo Gals*
42. Rock of Ages*
43. My Old Kentucky Home*
44. Oft in the Stilly Night*

Susan Cook, Ph.D., Madison, Wisconsin, Hilldale Professor of Musicology, Emerit, with the Mead Witter School of Music, University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has returned to fiddling after teaching music history for years; most recently she spent a sabbatical studying with fiddlers in Scotland and joined the Nordic Lights Dance Band playing Scandinavian-American music of the Upper Midwest.

Mary Pat Kleven, Portage, Wisconsin, holds a music degree from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and has received four grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council to research, teach, and perform Minnesota’s fiddle traditions. She previously organized the fiddle contest at Pepin, Wisconsin’s “Laura Days” festival and has given her talk on “The Real Pa’s Fiddle” to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival, and the UW-Milwaukee OSHER program.