FALL 2020 COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT

43 minutes ago, Tónskáld said:

I'm not the moderator of this thread, but I am certainly not opposed to extending the deadline by a week. This would give a new deadline of 12/11 @ 11:59 PST.

I also propose to remove the judging component of this competition, and just let it be by popular vote. I'm happy to remain an official "reviewer" and will compile my comments on the pieces as I receive them, but they will not be scored.

If you've committed to this competition, please let me know your thoughts on my proposals above.

 @Bradley Scarff

@Left Unexplained

@caters

@PaperComposer

@Joshua Ng

@Hendrik Meniere

@bkho

@Aled Edwards

@Ivan1791

@zhenkang

@Leonardo C. Núñez

@Thatguy v2.0

@luderart

 

I think that is fine. I'm sure a lot of people need some extra time and I am pretty busy lately so if at the end there is just popular vote I will be relieved. 

I am not totally sure if a popular vote will be a best way to determine which music is good, but if we have limited time then, well, I dont really mind.

On my side actually, I am finishing up my piece, just needs a few tweaks to settle some minor issues. It isnt a theme and variation. I will tell more when I submit the piece.

IMPORTANT OFFICIAL STUFF: THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 AT MIDNIGHT. FURTHERMORE, THE TRADITIONAL JUDGING PORTION OF THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN ELIMINATED, AND MEMBER VOTING WILL BE THE ONLY SCORING METHOD.

DO NOT POST YOUR PIECE AS NORMAL IN THE FORUMS. SEND IT TO ME ( @Noah Brode ) IN A PRIVATE MESSAGE AND I WILL POST IT FOR YOU ANONYMOUSLY. THEN, MESSAGE ME WITH YOUR FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD-PLACE PICKS, AND I WILL CALCULATE THE RESULTS AND POST THEM. 

Special thanks to Paper Composer and Tonskald for whipping the rest of us into shape here. 😁

CC:

Current Entrants: 

@Bradley Scarff

@Left Unexplained

@caters

@PaperComposer

@Joshua Ng

@Hendrik Meniere

@bkho

@Aled Edwards

@Ivan1791

@zhenkang

@Leonardo C. Núñez

@Thatguy v2.0

@luderart

@Tónskáld

@Leonardo C. Núñez yea that's true. I overlooked the monothematic sonata and fugue. I would say that the only real choices given the criteria would be the monothematic sonata, fugue and theme and variations for developing a theme very extensively. I was considering sonata form but realised that it wouldn't really fit the criteria of developing the theme as much as say a theme and variations.

@Tónskáldthank you for extending the deadline, I greatly appreciate it!

Also, I agree with @zhenkang, I understand that there is a manpower constraint that makes it unable to conduct traditional judging. However, I would say that the current form of popular voting is has room for improvement. From the summer competition, the results of the popular vote was also very different from the traditional judging. Having simply a first, second or third choice for voting can be a bit ambiguous, as there is no real score system for popular voting. In a sense, judging by that metric alone and just picking one's 3 favorite pieces can disadvantage more complex pieces that require a closer look or analytical approach. I would suggest that while we keep to a popular vote, we modify the system of the popular vote. What I would suggest is that all entrants judge all scores through a score system with rubrics, and provide feedback to ensure that their scores are well-reasoned and feedback invaluable to the composer can be obtained.

3 minutes ago, Joshua Ng said:

I overlooked the monothematic sonata and fugue. I would say that the only real choices given the criteria would be the monothematic sonata, fugue and theme and variations. I was considering sonata form but realised that it wouldn't really fit the criteria of developing the theme as much as say a theme and variations.

I don't think those are the only kinds of forms you could use.  You could use a regular sonata form too or a rondo or anything really.  For the second theme of a sonata form you could just vary the theme enough to create a considerably different/contrasting theme.

7 minutes ago, Joshua Ng said:

I would suggest that while we keep to a popular vote, we modify the system of the popular vote. What I would suggest is that all entrants judge all scores through a score system with rubrics, and provide feedback to ensure that their scores are well-reasoned and feedback invaluable to the composer can be obtained.

When the entrants entered the competition they weren't counting on having to be judges at the same time.  Since right now the popular voting is mandatory in order to not be disqualified it would be unfair to make it mandatory for all the entrants to also judge with comments and according to some kind of score system with a rubric.  They didn't know they'd be required to do that and not everyone who entered is prepared to be a judge.  Maybe in the next competition some changes can be made but we'd have to vote on that and the rules will have to be clear from the get-go.

I personally think there could be lots of options for how to handle judging/voting.  Say, instead of having just a top 3 popular vote we could have a top 5 or top x (x being the number of submissions in the contest minus 1 since you can't vote for yourself).  How detailed the comments should be as pertaining to judging could also be variable.

1 minute ago, PaperComposer said:

When the entrants entered the competition they weren't counting on having to be judges at the same time.  Since right now the popular voting is mandatory in order to not be disqualified it would be unfair to make it mandatory for all the entrants to also judge with comments and according to some kind of score system with a rubric.  They didn't know they'd be required to do that and not everyone who entered is prepared to be a judge.  Maybe in the next competition some changes can be made but we'd have to vote on that and the rules will have to be clear from the get-go.

I personally think there could be lots of options for how to handle judging/voting.  Say, instead of having just a top 3 popular vote we could have a top 5 or top x (x being the number of submissions in the contest minus 1 since you can't vote for yourself).  How detailed the comments should be as pertaining to judging could also be variable.

Yea I'm fine with that, I think we can consider that suggestion in future competitions rather than this one then.

3 minutes ago, PaperComposer said:

I don't think those are the only kinds of forms you could use.  You could use a regular sonata form too or a rondo or anything really.  For the second theme of a sonata form you could just vary the theme enough to create a considerably different/contrasting theme.

Hmm, a rondo wouldn't vary the theme as much I would say? But yea thats true, there is still room for development of the theme in these forms as well. 

8 hours ago, Joshua Ng said:

@Leonardo C. Núñez yea that's true. I overlooked the monothematic sonata and fugue. I would say that the only real choices given the criteria would be the monothematic sonata, fugue and theme and variations for developing a theme very extensively. I was considering sonata form but realised that it wouldn't really fit the criteria of developing the theme as much as say a theme and variations.

@Tónskáldthank you for extending the deadline, I greatly appreciate it!

Also, I agree with @zhenkang, I understand that there is a manpower constraint that makes it unable to conduct traditional judging. However, I would say that the current form of popular voting is has room for improvement. From the summer competition, the results of the popular vote was also very different from the traditional judging. Having simply a first, second or third choice for voting can be a bit ambiguous, as there is no real score system for popular voting. In a sense, judging by that metric alone and just picking one's 3 favorite pieces can disadvantage more complex pieces that require a closer look or analytical approach. I would suggest that while we keep to a popular vote, we modify the system of the popular vote. What I would suggest is that all entrants judge all scores through a score system with rubrics, and provide feedback to ensure that their scores are well-reasoned and feedback invaluable to the composer can be obtained.

 

I guess you were going to quote me instead of Leonardo haha. 

Hi, I'm sorry but I will not be able to participte at the end. I forggot compleatly and I'm in an evaluation period, so sorry very much.

REMINDER: Today is the last day to submit your piece for the competition! Some of you already have done so; thank you. The rest of you have until midnight tonight Pacific Time to send me your submissions via private message! Thanks.

Current Entrants: 

@Bradley Scarff

@Left Unexplained

@caters

@PaperComposer

@Joshua Ng

@bkho

@Aled Edwards

@Ivan1791 (backup judge)

@zhenkang

@Leonardo C. Núñez

@Thatguy v2.0

@luderart

Current Judges:

@Tónskáld

Thank you to everyone who submitted their works for the competition! I will post another update here once everything is posted anonymously. This will be done by the end of this weekend.