The following are the rules governing the Flute Makers' Competition at the 2011 Native Rhythms Festival.

Competition Eligibility

1.      No member of the Native Rhythms Festival Organizing Committee may enter. Otherwise, this competition is open to all flute makers, both vendors and non-vendors.

2. The maker must present his/her own flute(s) in person at the time of competition registration.
3. A minimum of two entries will be required for competition to proceed.
4. For the purpose of this competition, a Native American style flute is an instrument constructed with:

·         A separate Slow Air Chamber (SAC) and sound chamber and a barrier between them,

·         An external block that contributes to directing the airflow between the chambers,

·         And 5 or 6 playing holes.

·         Flutes may be of any key or tuning (e.g., minor pentatonic, diatonic, etc.). However, it will be to the competitor’s advantage to use a common tuning that the judges would be familiar with to allow them to easily evaluate the flute.

5. There is no required theme for this competition. All flutes must have a theme but entrants are free to select their own.
6. Any signatures, trademarks, or other identifying markings must be covered.
7. All flutes must have “NRF 11” or “NRF 2011” somewhere on the flute.
8. The fee to enter a flute is $20.00 (checks made payable to “NHGI”). Application fees are not refundable. An individual may enter only one flute.

9.      All flute makers’ competition entrants will receive a necklace with the event’s Kokopelli image imprinted on Jerusalem stone. Photos of necklace (with last year’s date) will be available on our event website at http://www.nativerhythmsfestival.com/Competitions.htm.

Competition Rules and Procedures

1. The Native Rhythms Festival organizing committee will select not fewer than three judges who are qualified to evaluate the entrants’ flutes by the criteria listed below. Judges may not be related to any of the entrants. Judges will be identified and acknowledged at the event.
2. The decisions of the judges are final and not subject to appeal. Competitors’ scores will not be  disclosed to competitors or the public.
3. The criteria for judging will be as follows (100 points total):

·         Tone quality (35 points)

·         Intonation (including tuning) (35 points)

·         Overall creativity (10 points)

·         Artistic expression (10 points)

·         Theme (10 points)

4. All flutes, with completed entry forms and the application fees, must be presented to the competition registration table by 10AM on Saturday, November 12^th. An identification number will be assigned to each flute at registration. Judging will be “blind” in that the judges will be aware of only the identification numbers.
5. The names of the award winners will be announced as specified on the event schedule. Entrants may pick up their flute beginning one hour after the winners are announced. This notification will be announced from the main stage. This will allow festival guests to see the winning flutes all in one place.
6. Trophies will be awarded for first, second, and third place finishers based on total scores.
7. The previous year’s Best of Show winner is not permitted to enter the competition the following year.
8. Possession or use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by event rules. Anyone violating this rule will be disqualified and asked to leave the event grounds immediately, not to return.

Download Flute Makers' Competition 
Rules & Registration Form

Flute Makers' Competition Rules

Click here to download the Flute Makers' Competition Rules in Microsoft Word format.

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Flute Makers' Competition Registration Form

Click here to download the Flute Makers' Competition Registration Form in Microsoft Word format.

Click here to download the Flute Makers' Competition Registration Form in Adobe PDF format.