2019 SIFAA Youth Talent Show

SIFAA Talent Competition 2019

SIFAA is organizing our 4th Annual Talent Competition for our up-and-coming youth carnatic musicians. Competitions play a great role in motivating young performers to showcase their talents and offer many more rewards rather than simply winning a prize. Participants will gain substantial experience, improve stage presence, improve confidence and uncover personal aptitude. 

This competition is also designed to provide a platform for youth musicians to gain valuable constructive feedback from notable professional Carnatic musicians, 2019 Sangita Kalanidhi Vid. Dr. Sowmya, Vid. Embar Kannan, Vid. Poongulam Subramanian and musicians from the USA.  Their feedback and guidance can help the performers understand their strengths and identify areas of improvement. The experience gained from attending competitions will go a long way in shaping their musical journey. SIFAA’s core motivation for this talent competition is to help our young performers grow. 

Date of the Competition Sept 20 & 21 2019

Venue – Perimeter Studio & Conference Center, 1100 Perimeter Park Dr, Morrisville, NC 2756

Friday Sept 20 6 - 9 PM - All categories Except Junior and Sub-Junior Vocal

Saturday Sept 21 - 1 - 4 PM - Junior and Sub-Junior Vocal

Age Groups in years (as of Sept 15, 2019)

Sub-Junior: 8 - 10

Junior: 11 - 13

Senior: 14 – 17

Advanced: 14 – 21 

REGISTRATION

Registration is now closed.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions, please e-mail them to sifaa.music@gmail.com 

Competition Guidelines and requirements for participation  

1. The 2019 competition fee is $30 per participant per category. However, children of SIFAA members pay only $15 per participant per category. The payment is due at the time of the Registration.  We will send the confirmation of the payment within 24 to 48 hours.

2. Senior and Advanced Category participants can be from anywhere in the USA.  Ages 14 to 17 can be in Senior or Advanced category but not both.

3. Junior and Sub-junior participation is open only to North Carolina residents. 

4. Depending on the number of participants registered, a sample audio recording may be requested to pre-screen the selection process for the competition.

5. Participants should meet the age limits of the category they wish to compete.  The First place winners from 2018 can choose to participate either in their age group or the next level (For ex. A First place Junior winner from 2018 can compete in either Junior level or Senior level even if they are younger than the age limit set for Senior level, but cannot compete in both levels).  

6. Each individual is allowed to participate in multiple categories within the age group they are registering in. For example, the same student can participate in Junior Vocal and Junior instrument. 

7. Please note there are no separate categories for specific instruments, etc. SIFAA reserves the right to combine or split categories before the competition based on the number of participants registered.

8. Advanced Vocal and Instrumental will be viewed as one category. Advanced Mridangam, Kanjira, Ghatam and other percussion instruments will be combined under Advanced Percussion.

9. In the Advanced category, judges may ask questions and/or pose challenges.

10.Participants should have the approval of their teachers before registering. 

11. Only Individual participants; group participation is not allowed.

12.The participants order in each competition will occur randomly. Anyone who misses his/her turn will be moved to the end of that competition.

13. Each participant should make their own arrangements for Shruthi.

14. Talam assistance: The judges will put Talam for Senior and Advanced Instrumental and percussion categories. External Talam assistance will be acceptable only for Sub-Junior and Junior Instrumental categories. External Talam assistance will not be allowed for any vocal categories.

15. In ALL categories for Vocal and Instrumental, the participant must specify two choices from which the judges will decide which should be presented. For Sub-Junior Percussion, the participant can specify one tala.  All other Percussion categories has to specify two choices. You will have the opportunity till Sept 15th  to provide your choices. We will send another form to get this information after Sept 08, 2019.

16. Krithi categories can register only Krithis.  Both choices need to be different krithis.

17. No walk-in registration.  SIFAA reserves the right to close registration before the timeline.

18. Time limits will be strictly enforced.

19. All instruments should be tuned prior to coming on stage. 

20. The judges will have full discretion to give more than one first/second/third prize or not declare a prize in any of the categories in the competition.

21. Decisions of the judges will be Final. Judges pool comprises of out of town carnatic music enthusiasts/artists and professional artists from India.

22. The Registration fee is non-refundable.  If a participant is not able to participate, the registration fee will be a tax-deductible donation and SIFAA will provide a receipt for tax credits.

23. The prize distribution for the competition winners will immediately follow the concert by 2019 Sangita Kalanidhi Vid. Dr. Sowmya and party, on September  21st.

24. Winners will receive trophies and first place Winners of the Senior and Advanced categories will be invited to participate in future SIFAA programs  (Senior - 30 min concert and Advanced - 1 hour concert).

25. SIFAA reserves the right to update the criteria for the competition.