June 9th, 2012
Carroll County Farm Museum

500 South Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157

Our 2011 Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention Winners

Old-Time Band
1st FROG
2nd New Broom
3rd The Fenchurchers

Old-Time Fiddle
1st John Simmons
2nd Elizabeth Murray
3rd Sandy Hoffeerth

Old-Time Banjo
1st Victor Furtado
2nd Cathy Fink
3rd Brad Kolodner

Guitar
1st Brennem Ernst
2nd Daniel Caton
3rd Dave Hanna

Mandolin
1st Brennen Ernst
2nd Tara Lindhardt
3rd Daniel Caton

Celtic Instrumentalist
1st Peri Leighty
2nd Coby England
3rd Lou Janesko

Vocalist
1st Kathy Booker
2nd Jerry Leitner
3rd Tom Mindte

Young Performer
1st Peri Leighty
2nd Lula Furtado
3rd Victor Furtado

Clogger
1st Mark Wilson
2nd Victor Furtado
3rd Jacob Rafferty

Special
1st Cathy Fink
2nd Brennen Ernst
3rd John Simmons
3rd Coby England
3rd Brad Kolodner

On November 3, 2010, Common Ground on the Hill formally accepted
management of the 40-year old Deer Creek Fiddlers' Convention.

Presented by Common Ground on the Hill www.commongroundonthehill.org

Old-Time, Bluegrass & Celtic Music

Saturday, June 9, 2012 at the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157

GATES & ON-SITE REGISTRATION OPEN AT: 9:00 AM

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 10:30 AM

CONTEST BEGINS AT 11:00 AM

$3000.00 in Prize Money Awarded

And featuring for the first time, an OPEN MIC STAGE

Please read and understand these rules before registering!!!

Deer Creek Fiddlers’ Convention Rules

1. Contestants must fill out a separate registration sheet for each performance category in which they are competing. Individuals are allowed to compete once in no more than three categories. Sample forms are posted at the registration table.

2. Advance Registration: Online, phone, or mail in registrations are welcome but must be received no later than 5 PM Eastern on Thursday June 7, 2012.

3. Onsite registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will end at 10:30am. At 10:30am there will be a random drawing to determine the order of competition. The order will posted at the stage and at the registration desk. Contestants must compete in order of the registration number.

Contestants must be at the staging area at the rear of the stage two acts prior to their performance.
Contestants who are not ready to perform at the time their number is announced by Master of Ceremonies will be skipped.
The contest will begin at 11:00 a.m.

4. There is NO FEE to register or compete, but everyone must PAY ADMISSION: $12/ADULTS (age 18-64); $10/Teen/Senior (age 13-17, 65 and up); 12 and under FREE with paying adult.

5. In return for the right to compete in this contest, all contestants relinquish any and all rights to any recorded or photographic material of the contest and consent to the recording and photographing of their performance by anyone in attendance.

6. Only acoustic instruments will be considered in the individual competitions. A band may compete with an electric bass.

7. Contestants in the various categories of individual competition (including vocal) may have one backup instrument in addition to their own.

Backup instruments are not required.
Vocalists may perform a cappella and will receive full consideration by the judges.
Vocalists may enter the individual category only as soloists.

8. Contestants in the individual categories (including vocal) will have 3 minutes to perform one continuous piece of music. The piece may be a medley. Points will be deducted for taking more than 3 minutes.

9. Bluegrass and oldtime bands must consist of at least 3 individuals playing 3 different types of instruments. Celtic bands/ensembles must consist of at least 2 individuals. Bands may compete in all three categories: Old-Time, Bluegrass, and Celtic

10. Bands will perform no more than two pieces of music, each not to exceed 3 minutes in length. One piece may be a medley.

• Bands may include only one a cappella piece as part of their performance.

• Bands will lose points for going over 6 minutes for their total performance.

• Bands should not spend their short performance time introducing their individual members or spend time telling band history.

• Bands should introduce their piece of music and tell where it comes from.

11. Each contestant will receive a numerical score from a panel of three judges.

• Common Ground on the Hill selects judges for their expertise and willingness to perform the job.

• Common Ground on the Hill has no input into, or provides any influence to, the judges as to how to apply the point system to any contestant.

• Judges do not total scores and do not know who will win or how anyone will place until after the score totaling is completed.

• The scores of the first ten acts will be reviewed by the judges before final scoring.

12. All prizes will be awarded based on contestant placement in only one round of competition and will be for first, second, and third place as scored by the judges.

13. In the event that there are only 4 contestants in any given category, only First and Second prizes will be awarded. In the event that any category of competition has only two contestants, their scores will be moved to the special performance category for placement tabulation. Prize money for any category with less than two contestants will not be awarded.

14. Scoring of the performances by the judges is final.

The prizes are as follows:

First Second Third

Bluegrass Band $200 $100 $50

Old Time Band $200 $100 $50

Celtic Ensemble $200 $100 $50

Bluegrass Fiddle $100 $50 $25

Old Time Fiddle $100 $50 $25

Bluegrass Banjo $100 $50 $25

Old Time Banjo $100 $50 $25

Guitar $100 $50 $25

Mandolin $100 $50 $25