6th Annual Midwest Fiddle Championship
Three Divisions - Two Venues
The first two divisions compete July 10th at 7pm at Giddings Plaza in Lincoln Square
- Youth (under 16): compete alone or with team
- Fiddle Teams: a fiddler and another lead instrument
- Fiddle Bands: a fiddle-led dance band with dancers
Youth & Fiddle Teams Winners perform at Chicago Folk & Roots Festival!
Team Division
- First Prize - $250
- Second Prize - $125
- Third Prize - $75
- Fourth Prize - $50
Youth Division
- First Prize - $100
- Second Prize - $75
- Third Prize - $25
Rules
For all: be prepared to play two tunes of your choice. There is no strict time limit, so you may play it enough times through to find your grove. To be considerate of other contestants your two selections should last about five or six minutes. Have one additional tune ready for a playoff, if needed.
1. Teams: must include a fiddle and second lead instrument. The other instrument may be a second fiddle or a banjo, accordion, lead guitar, bagpipes, dulcimer, steel guitar, flute, fife, harmonica, trumpet or clarinet. Each team may also use one accompanying instrument such as a guitar, ukulele, jembe, bodhran or rattlebones.
2. Youth: may enter as a team (both lead players must be under 16) or as a single. Both teams and singles are allowed one accompanist.
Judging
The only criteria is musicality. What does that mean? It means play from your heart. Play it hard and play it strong so that people want to get up and dance. Play it soft and play it tender so that folks in the audience have to wipe away a tear. There are no extra points given for trick fiddling or showy technique.
As in past years, this contest is to promote the many sounds of fiddling in Chicago. It is being organized in the spirit of fun and musical conviviality that accompanied two huge fiddle contests held in our fair city nearly 80 years ago. Players from all traditions are welcome: old-time, bluegrass, Irish, Cajun, Mexican, Polish, Swedish &c. All decisions are final and are not subject to second-guessing.
New this year, a third division!
Fiddle Band: a fiddle-led dance band with dancers
Note: the third division is by invitation only
- First Prize - $350
- Second Prize - $225
- Third Prize - $150
- Fourth & Fifth Prize - $100 each
Rules
Be prepared to play two tunes of your choice. There is no strict time limit, so you may play it enough times through to find your grove. To be considerate of other contestants your two selections should last about five or six minutes. Have one additional tune ready for a playoff, if needed.
Each Band will be led by a fiddler and must include one to three additional instrumentalists. Plus each entry must bring one or two dancers to perform in the traditional style appropriate to the music.
Judging for the Band Division
There are two criteria: musicality and danceability. What does that mean? It means play from your heart. Play it hard and strong, or soft and tender, so that it moves your dancers. Judges will be looking for the band and dancers to be in synch, in a groove. There are no extra points given for trick fiddling or showy technique.
Sponsored by Seman Violins