1.    The Festival will run under the Victorian Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria guidelines. 
2.    The Festival is open to amateurs only. An amateur is one who does not derive regular income from the art in which he/she is entering. 
3.    The age of Performers will be as at the 1st of August 2025 as calculated from their date of birth. The ages of all members of an ensemble must be within the age group for the section entered. 
4.    Students, immediate relatives, or close associates of Adjudicators in 2025 are not eligible to enter any solo sections their teacher, relative or associate is adjudicating. 
5.    The AMEB Grade (or equivalent) is the level at which the Performer is studying at time of competition. Performers can only enter one AMEB Graded section for each Discipline. Please verify with your music teacher that the “grade” of the piece to be performed is equivalent to the specified AMEB grade of the section to be entered to ensure fairness of competition.
6.    All entries must be via www.stardom.com.au. Entry fee payment must be made by credit card. See www.monashyouthmusicfestival.com.au for details. 
7.    ENTRIES CLOSE for each section as soon as that section reaches capacity, and all remaining sections will close on 9 June 2025. Registrars cannot accept entries for sections beyond that section’s limit. Registrars do not keep wait lists.  No late entries will be accepted.
8.    Where a Performer is entering more than one section, a different piece of music must be performed for each section. 
9.    No entry fee will be refunded unless a section is cancelled. Please select your sections carefully and check your dates and select sections before entering this Festival.
10.    In the event of an insufficient number of entries in any section, the Committee reserves the right to cancel, modify or merge the section with another. Prizes awarded are at the Adjudicator’s discretion. 
11.    Pre-recorded accompaniment is not accepted in any section. Soloists performing with accompaniment must use an accompanist using a single acoustic instrument (e.g. piano or guitar).
12.    Choral leaders/conductors are not permitted to sing with their choir.
13.    Performers requiring the Official Accompanist must contact the Accompanist and supply sheet music to the Accompanist at least 2 weeks prior to the Festival. The Accompanist reserves the right to decline to accompany if this condition is not met. The cost of the Official Accompanist for your performance is included in the Festival entry fee. Rehearsals arranged privately with the Accompanist are encouraged, but are at your cost. If a Performer’s music requires accompaniment, the Adjudicator may penalise the competitor for performing without an accompanist.
14.    A Notice of Appearance with date, time and venue will be sent to the Performer. Where multiple Performers are entered into Stardom on the one form, the one making the entry must forward the Notice of Appearance to each Performer. Every performer must come to the Festival well prepared and must comply with these rules. Please note that for solo entries, it is not possible to change the order of performers once the entry has been received, and requests to play early or late in a section will not be considered. No discussion will be entered into. All Performers are required to perform in their assigned order.
15.    The Performer MUST register within the registration time and at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled start time. The Performer must be ready to perform in the order shown in the Programme and/or Running Sheet. A Performer will be disqualified if not present in the room and ready to perform when called. Please note that once registration is closed, late arrivals will not be permitted to perform. 
16.    The Performer must own a copy of the original sheet music. Refer to COPYRIGHT NOTE Rule No. 25 below. Before the Festival, the Performer must make a clear photocopy of their sheet music and number the bars at the start of each system of the score.  Guzheng Performers must make a clear photocopy of their sheet music in cypher (Jianpu) notation and number each row before the Festival. On performance day, the Performer must bring the photocopy of the sheet music to the Registration desk and hand to the Registrar (for the Adjudicator’s use). NOTE: Performers cannot use the printing facilities at the venue; these are owned by the venue, and we do not have access to them. 
17.    TIME LIMITS: Performance selections must be chosen so that the total playing time must not exceed the time limits prescribed. A bell or timer will indicate the expiration of the time and the point at which adjudication ceases. Performers in solo competitions have 20 seconds to cease playing without penalty, but if they exceed the 20 second overtime limit and do not stop when requested, they will be disqualified. For Performers in ensembles and choral sections, adjudication will cease 30 seconds after the time limit. 
18.    The Committee reserves the right to appoint alternative adjudicators and accompanists, and to divide any section for adjudication. 
19.    All Performers must always behave with kindness, courtesy, and respect for all others. Performers and audience members must remain still and quiet during performances. Any disturbance, such as talking audibly, or entering or exiting the venue during a performance, will result in that person to be immediately expelled from the venue and banned from returning. 
20.    Reports (and prizes) will be presented at the conclusion of each section. Performers are encouraged to remain for the entire section to listen to, and support. other performers, and to hear the Adjudicator's comments. Honourable Mentions may be awarded to performers who show promise or potential. The Adjudicator’s Report (and any prizes) must be collected at the end of the section. 
21.    The Adjudicator must always remain impartial. No communication is allowed between Performers or their families and the Adjudicator, from the time the Adjudicator is appointed until the conclusion of the Festival. This includes both personal communication and use of social media of any kind. Any communication with the Adjudicator during this time will disqualify the Performer. Adjudicator feedback is provided in written form only. Verbal feedback will not be given under any circumstances. All Performer feedback is found on the Adjudicator’s written report.
22.    THE ADJUDICATOR’S DECISION IS FINAL. Any protest must be made to The Registrar in writing within one hour of adjudication of the section and be accompanied by a deposit of $10 to be forfeited if the protest is deemed unjustified. Protest forms available from the Registration Desk.
23.    PHOTOGRAPHS – THE COMMITTEE IS AUTHORISED to photograph any Performer during the MYMF. In submitting your entry, you have granted permission for your photographs to be used by the Committee for marketing and social media accounts associated with the MYMF or for grant application purposes only. Please tell Photographer if you do not wish your photo to be taken.
24.    UNAUTHORISED AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING OF PERFORMANCES BY PHONE, CAMERA, VIDEO CAMERA OR OTHER DEVICE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Photos of Performers by family members are permitted and welcome only at the conclusion of each section and session, but not during the performance. Anyone recording will be immediately expelled from the venue.
25.    COPYRIGHT—According to APRA/AMCOS and Copyright Australia Ltd. (CAL), Performers using copyright protected sheet music (i.e. not from memory) must use original music publication only. The Performer must comply with Copyright Regulations from APRA/AMCOS, 3-5 Sanders Place, Richmond. 3121. (www.apra-amcos.com.au). The MYMF has permission to handle the Performer’s photocopies during the Music Festival for adjudication purposes only, but the Committee does not condone the unlawful copying of Copyright material. All photocopies will be destroyed after use as per AMCOS regulations. Please do not ask for your photocopy to be returned to you.
Further information can be obtained from www.monashyouthmusicfestival.com.au. All other matters should be referred to The Secretary, PO Box 121, MOUNT WAVERLEY VIC. 3149.