Attention fiddlers! A call for contestants has gone out for the 2nd annual “Tennessee Style” fiddle contest at the Hoedown On The Harpeth festival next weekend in Kingston Springs.
The competition is open to fiddlers of any age and style, who will go up against each other in 3 youth categories and an open competition for adults. Cash prizes will be awarded in each division for the top three finishers. There is no entry fee for the contest, but you will need a festival ticket in order to enter. Youth contestants will be reimbursed for their ticket purchase after competing, and children 12 and under are admitted free.
Below are the age breakdowns and prizes for the top three places:
Tadpole – ages 0-10; 1st $50/2nd $25/3rd $15
Junior – ages 10-14; 1st $75/2nd $50/3rd $25
Middle – ages 14-18; 1st $100/2nd $75/3rd $50
Open Championship – 1st $325/2nd $225/3rd $125
Registration is on-site only, and each fiddler should be prepared to play two pieces. No sheet music is allowed, nor electric pickups of any kind.
Contestants will be judged on Contestants will be judged on timing, tone, execution, expression/feel, and overall impression.
The festival intends to build this event into a premiere event on the fiddle contest circuit. Fiddle Contest Chair, Jenny Obert, tells us, “With the contest, we celebrate the grand tradition of fiddling in Middle Tennessee and also want to promote jamming, preservation of fine old fiddle tunes, education and just have fun in general.”
You can see the complete rules on the contest web site.
