Schedule, Awards & Prizes
SONGfest offers almost $3,000 in prize money, plus heaps of trophies for our best singers! Check it out…
NOTE: 16 to under 19 years includes 18-year-olds who must still be eligible to attend secondary school. Classes listed in GREEN are Classical singing styles and those in BLACK are Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Pop and Waiata styles.
Legend
Class Age Group
CLASSICAL VOCAL SOLO
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1 Under 8 years (Janine Crawford Cup)
2 8 and under 10 years (Doreen Donovan Cup)
3 10 and under 12 years (Glenise Law Cup)
4 12 and under 14 years (Marj Mowat Trophy)
NOVICE OWN SELECTION
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7 Under 12 years (SONGfest! Trophy #1)
8 12 and under 15 years (SONGfest! Trophy #2)
9 15 and under 19 years (SONGfest! Trophy #3)
SONG IN CHARACTER, with Costume and Acting
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NOTE: Full backing track now allowed.
You will be judged on singing, acting and costume.
12 Under 8 years (The Ivy Angow Cup)
13 8 and under 10 years (The Arthur Rackley Memorial Cup)
14 10 and under 12 years (Hishon Family Cup)
15 12 and under 14 years (The Donovan Memorial Cup)
16 14 and under 19 years (The Clark Family Memorial Trophy)
MUSICAL THEATRE SONG pre-1970 (no microphone)
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Any song from a stage show or musical film production. Please note that this song is not with costume or actions: it is judged solely on how the song is sung.
17 Under 12 years (The Bird Family Trophy)
18 12 and under 14 years (The Moira Shanks Memorial Trophy)
19 14 and under 16 years (The Gladys Hope Cup)
20 16 and under 19 years (The Kelly Boys Cup)
MUSICAL THEATRE SONG, 1970 to current day (microphone optional)
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Any song from a stage show or musical film production. Please note that this song is not with costume or actions: it is judged solely on how the song is sung.
32 Under 12 years (The Appleton Family Cup)
33 12 and under 14 years (The Dame Elizabeth Hanan Memorial Tray)
34 14 and under 16 years (The Scally Richardson Family Trophy)
35 16 and under 19 years (The Anna Thomson Cup)
FOLK/TRADITIONAL SONG
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Any composition with no known composer, with a distinctive national character of any country. Sung without accompaniment or with piano or piano-only backing track.
22 8 and under 10 years (The Joy Eggers Cup)
23 10 and under 12 years (The John MacDonald Cup)
24 12 and under 14 years (The Society Challenge Bowl)
25 14 and under 16 years (The Society Challenge Cup)
26 16 and under 19 years (The Elsie Hanan Memorial Tray)
SACRED SONG (Classes 27 – 29 Not from Oratorio)
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27 8 and under 10 years (Muriel Herbert Cup)
28 10 and under 12 years (G.W. Pledger Memorial Trophy)
29 12 and under 14 years (The Angow Cup)
30 14 and under 16 years (The Herbert Tray)
31 16 and under 19 years (The Rosemary Turnbull Cup)
POP SONG
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Any pop song to be sung in its original style, e.g. The Beatles’ “Yesterday”, Beyonce’s “Halo”, Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”. No songs allowed from Musical Theatre: please see Classes 17, 18, 19 and 20.
36 Under 10 years (The Melrose School Cup)
37 10 and under 12 years (The Fennessey Cup)
38 12 and under 14 years (The Mitchell Smith Memorial Trophy)
39 14 and under 16 years (The McMorran Trophy)
40 16 and under 19 years (The Rackley Memorial Trophy)
SONG BY A NZ COMPOSER
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41 10 and under 12 years (The Cockburn Cup)
42 12 and under 14 years (The Sister Mary Berchmans Cup)
43 14 and under 16 years (The Judith Borick Cup)
44 16 and under 19 years (The Green Island Competition Society Trophy)
VOCAL DUET
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45 18 years and under (The Sydney Brinsley Cups, 1 & 2)
VOCAL DUET IN CHARACTER
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NOTE: Full backing track now allowed
47 Under 12 years (The Natalie Ellis Cup & The Muriel White Cup)
48 12 and under 19 years (The Jackson-Telfer Cups)
SCHOLARSHIP RECITAL
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(2 contrasting songs, one can be in a language other than English. No Musical Theatre)
50 14 and under 16 years (1st - The Rowena Nisbet Cup and $100; 2nd - $70; 3rd - $40)
51 16 and under 19 (1st - The Music Teachers' Trophy and $150; 2nd - $100; 3rd - $50)
VOCAL PERFORMANCE (Non-competitive, no prizes or placings)
Own selection, solo, duo, group, classical or contemporary, acapella or with acoustic accompaniment or non-vocal backing track.
Please refer to rules regarding accompaniment.
66 Under 21 years
CONTEMPORARY SONG
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Any song in any style or genre that is written, recorded for commercial release, and performed now or recently. Not Musical Theatre or Classical. The singing performance must be authentic to the genre (Jazz, R&B, Pop, etc.) and unique to the singer (not impersonating a performer).
70 Under 12 years (1st - The Effie Cockburn Cup and $30)
71 12 and under 15 years (1st - The Wendy McIntosh Memorial Cup and $50)
CONTEMPORARY RECITAL
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Two contrasting songs. In an exception for this class only, one song may be from Musical Theatre.
72 16 and under 19 years (1st - The Telfer Aria Cup and $150; 2nd $100; 3rd $50)
WAIATA
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Solo performance only.
80 Under 12 years (1st - The Sheralyn Weepers Memorial Trophy No. 1, Junior Class, and $50; 2nd: $35; 3rd: $20)
81 16 and under 19 years (1st - The Sheralyn Weepers Memorial Trophy No. 2, Senior Class, and $75; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $30)
Please read Rule 11, Classes for 18-year-olds, to understand eligibility to enter Classes 54 and 73.
54 CLEVELAND RECITAL 18 and under 21 years (1st: The Cleveland Recital Trophy and $400; 2nd: $300; 3rd: $200). Three contrasting songs:
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- Own Selection
- Song in a language other than English
- 20th Century English Language Art Song OR Song from Musical Theatre
73
MUSICAL THEATRE RECITAL, 18 and under 21 years.
Three contrasting songs from MT, all songs must be sung in the style of the original era. Songs can be sung in any order chosen by the performer.
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Musical Theatre Song (pre-1970)
Musical Theatre Song (1970 to today)
Own Selection from any MT era
SPECIAL PRIZES:
At the end of the festival, the Adjudicator awards special prizes. These prizes are solely the choice of the Adjudicator, and are not necessarily based on prizes already won, aggregates or any other criteria. The Adjudicator awards these prizes to those singers in whom they have seen "something special" or have been impressed by a performance, personality or character.Best Treble Voice: The Jesse Hanan Cup & $50
Most Entertaining in Character: The Erin Pickering Trophy & $50
Most Promising Singer: The VJ Crimp Trophy & $50
Most Improved Singer: The Melrose Cup & $50
Encouragement Award: Under 12 years 60th Anniversary Cup & $50
Encouragement Award: 12 to 18 years 70th Anniversary Trophy & $50
Most Promising Stage Presence: The Margaret O’Cain Trophy & $50
Most Promising Novice: The SONGFest! Novice Award & $50
Spirit of the Festival Award: SONGFest! Spirit Award & $50. Awarded by the committee to the entrant who best exemplifies good character, gracious conduct, and friendliness to fellow contestants.
SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIPS:
Class 52 Most points across Classes 3, 23, 28 (Own Selection, National Song, Sacred Song) 10 & under 12 years: The Florence Griffen Cup & $100
Class 53 Most points across Classes 4, 24, 29 (Own Selection, National Song, Sacred Song) 12 & under 14 years: The Glenys Fraser Cup & $150
DUNEDIN ENTERTAINERS’ CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS:
Open to Dunedin residents only. Winners will receive their scholarships after they have performed at a Dunedin Entertainer's Club Concert in June/July. This is a requirement of the scholarship.
10 & under 12 years $100
12 & under 14 years $100
14 & under 16 years $100