It is the responsibility of each ensemble director to be familiar with the Rules and Regulations and all pertinent information, and review these guidelines with all participants and personnel in preparation for attending the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival. Concerns regarding the Rules and Regulations should be discussed with the GHMF Organizing Committee – please contact us at [email protected]
1. Festival Participation
Participation in the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival is open to all performing groups in the areas of concert band, string orchestra, symphony orchestra and jazz band, jazz combos, or instrumental chamber ensembles. Ensembles may be associated with a public, Catholic or private school, or exist as a community ensemble.
2. Categories of Ensembles – **important 2025 updates, click on the applicable ensemble type**
String Orchestra / Symphony Orchestra
3. Registration Fees
Payment is due by November 29, 2024. You will receive an invoice within 7-10 days of registration. If fees are not received by November 29, 2024, your selected times on the schedule will be released and made open to the public and/or our waiting list.
There is a $425 registration fee for each ensemble participating in the GHMF. An invoice will be emailed to you within 7-10 days of your online registration.
As an official festival of the Ontario Band Association, membership to the OBA is required by the participating director from the school.
An annual teacher membership is $55 and can be paid alongside your ensemble(s) registration.
* Please note, if you are registering more than one ensemble in the festival, please only choose the “add OBA membership” option once/alongside your first ensemble’s online application form. For more information about the OBA’s membership benefits, please visit the OBA’s main website.
EXAMPLES:
- If you are not currently an OBA teacher-member and you are bringing one ensemble, your total will be $480 ($425 band plus $55 membership)
- If you are not currently an OBA teacher-member and you are bringing THREE ensembles, your total will be $1330 ($425 x 3 = $1275 bands plus $55 membership = $1330)
All payments are due prior to November 29, 2024. Your requested date and time will be held for you and fully confirmed once we have received your payment(s). If we do not receive prompt payment, your time slot(s) will be released and made available to other groups. Once we receive payment, you will be sent a confirmation indicating all of the participation details for your ensemble(s). This will include specific times for arrival, warm-up, performance and workshop.
PAYMENT
Payment may be made by school cheque, or by credit card over the phone (see below).
CHEQUES (PLEASE READ; THIS HAS CHANGED!):
*Please make cheques out to: Ontario Band Association
Please mail cheques to:
Ontario Band Association
TH69A – 83 Borough Dr.
Scarborough, ON
M1P 5E4
Please include your school/invoice #(s) in the memo field of the cheque.
CREDIT CARD:
Please choose the credit card option on the online registration form, and you will be contacted by phone by an OBA representative to process your payment. There will be a fixed day when the OBA’s representative will contact you/be available for inbound calls with card info. The info will be entered and transmitted via secure platform to our SQUARE card processor. We expect this day to be a school day, in mid-late November 2025.
Refunds will be issued in the following situations only:
- if the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival is cancelled by the organizers/OBA
- if you’ve registered and fully paid/confirmed prior to November 29, 2024 and your cancellation request comes to us via email prior to November 29, 2024
***Please note, if there is inclement weather and your board cancels activities and bussing we will not be able to issue a refund. We will do our best to reschedule you if there are times available and/or accommodate a video submission for adjudication at a later date.
***Please note, the GHMF operates on a fiscal year balance sheet and does not have the means or mechanisms to hold/apply/refund toward a future year.
***Please note, the GHMF operates our finances independently of the Ontario Band Association’s other festivals (example, the provincial band festival/PBF). As such, the OBA is not able to cancel a confirmed performance at GHMF and apply the money to one of the other festival’s fees/balances.
4. Standard of Performance
Groups which opt to play to the standard will be required to adhere to all rules and regulations outlined in this document. These rules and regulations have been established to maintain the educational integrity and management effectiveness of the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival. It should be noted that Concert Bands playing to the standard must select one piece from the Musicfest Canada Concert Band Syllabus or the Ontario Band Association PBF Syllabus Please note that the syllabus is updated every year and must be adhered to in its most current form. Gold, Silver Plus, Silver, and Bronze Standards of Performance are recognized by the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival in various classes.
Gold Standard signifies that a group is demonstrating an exceedingly high standard of musical excellence and merits an invitation to participate in the MusicFest Nationals
Silver Standard signifies an above average quality of performance with the latitude for improvement. Adjudicators reserve the right to assess and use the “Silver Plus” rating. Musicfest Canada invitations are discretionary, by the adjudication panel for all silver and silver plus ratings.
Bronze Standard acknowledges an average quality performance.
Musical integrity will be the basis of evaluation. Adjudicators will consider stylistic interpretation, intonation, dynamics, attacks, releases, articulations, balance, instrumentation, phrasing, repertoire, and improvisation and diction where they apply. Adjudicators’ comments will reflect a total assessment of the performance selections. Recorded adjudications will be made available at the conclusion of the Festival. The award of Gold, Silver Plus, Silver, and Bronze Standard of Performance Awards presented in the class will be at the SOLE DISCRETION OF THE ADJUDICATORS. Adjudicators will issue awards solely on the basis of performance.
As this is a non-competitive festival – There will be no ranking of groups, and the number of awards at any standard is not limited. All award decisions are final.
For groups intending to participate at MusicFest Canada it is the responsibility of the Director to be familiar with the rules and regulations of MusicFest Canada. The GHMF is an affiliate with MusicFest Canada and to obtain an invitation, your group must receive a rating and an official invitation form from the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival.
5. Clinic Only (CO)
Groups who prefer not to be adjudicated to the Standard of Performance as outlined above in section 4 are welcome to participate as a “Clinic Only” ensemble. No restrictions will be placed on the ensemble, nor will they be evaluated against the Gold, Silver, Bronze standard. Instead, ensembles will be invited to perform and will receive a clinic with one of the festival adjudicators, where students will receive immediate feedback. Instrumentation, age, institutional affiliation and selection of music will depend on the director and the individual circumstances involved. Groups which opt for a Clinic Only are requested to prepare two or three contrasting selections (all styles/genres are acceptable) to be performed for the clinicians. These will be adjudicated in the broadest of terms so as to permit the clinicians to focus on the specific needs of the ensemble. Sessions will be as flexible as possible so that the clinicians can cater to the requirements of the group.
6. Scheduling
To facilitate scheduling, please inform the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival committee of any school or community conflicts that will occur during the Festival. Scheduling is done on a first come, first served basis. Every effort will be made to accommodate any special scheduling requests, however once the master schedule has been printed there will be no alterations except under the following circumstances:
In exceptional circumstances ensembles may, in consultation with GHMF Organizing Committee, change scheduled slots if, in the opinion of the Rules and Regulations Committee, sufficient notice has been given to accommodate the change. Schedule alterations will also depend on mutual agreement between directors in the slots involved unless there is an open slot available. The ruling of the Organizing Committee will be final. Please note that slot-swaps will be completed and approved by the festival committee.
Alterations may also result from delays and unforeseen circumstances experienced during the GHMF, which will be dealt with as efficiently as possible so as not to interfere with the master schedule. In no case will an extension be given beyond the assigned time unless it is the fault of GHMF, and then only at the discretion of the Organizing Committee.
The GHMF works in 30 minute blocks. Each station (warm up, stage, and clinic) uses 30 minutes per group, less applicable travel time in between the rooms.
7. Supervision and Conduct
Directors and participating ensembles have the sole responsibility for the conduct of ensemble members during the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival. Directors must maintain proper order and conduct of their group at the performance venue and all other GHMF sites. Directors must solicit the assistance of sufficient supervisors to ensure orderly behavior. It is expected that participants will demonstrate respect at all times for the rights of others and conform to the regulations and bylaws of the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (our host and venue partner). Problems and violations brought to the attention of the Organizing Committee will be dealt with appropriately and may result in disciplinary action. Failure to maintain orderly conduct will result in dismissal.
8. Use of Festival Equipment and Liability Disclaimer
Participants of the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival will be provided the use of various equipment for their performance(s) Click here for a comprehensive list of Festival-provided equipment. Percussionists and drummers may ADD BUT NOT SUBSTITUTE drums, cymbals, or other hardware / instruments to the setup. While the Festival will provide rooms for participants to place instruments, coats, and other belongings during their performance(s), the festival is not liable for lost or damaged items at any of the festival venues. A lost and found bin will be located at the festival registration desk. Upon conclusion of the festival all lost and found items will be held for 30 days only, after which time unclaimed items will be discarded.
9. Photography/Media Release
The Golden Horseshoe Music Festival committee and/or others authorized by the committee may be photographing or taping various segments of the GHMF for future use in publications, websites, social media feeds/accounts, or broadcasts. Participation in the publications, websites, or broadcasts is at the option of the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival committee or the producers. UNLESS THEY HAVE NOTIFIED THE FESTIVAL IN WRITING THAT THEY DO NO WISH TO PARTICIPATE, all ensembles will be considered to be participating with consent.
Registration for the Festival constitutes the granting by the ensemble of permission for such photographing, audio and/ or video recording and constitutes a waiver of all fees and royalties unless the Festival is notified in advance in writing. Please ensure that you have obtained media releases as per your school and school board’s requirements.
10. Suspension, Dismissal and Appeals
The Golden Horseshoe Music Festival reserves the right to enact the following sanctions for violation of the Rules and Regulations:
SUSPENSION: Suspension will result from flagrant time violations, age infractions, illegal substitution, and other rule infractions deemed by the Organizing Committee to constitute grounds for suspension. An ensemble which has been suspended shall be deemed ineligible for all GHMF awards.
DISMISSAL: Dismissal will result from conduct which is perceived to be detrimental to the aims of Golden Horseshoe Music Festival. An ensemble which has been dismissed will have all rights and privileges of participating in the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival revoked.
APPEAL OF SUSPENSION OR DISMISSAL: Appeal will be made in writing to the Festival Co-ordinator who, in consultation with the committee members, will review the sanction and notify the Director of the ensemble of the decision. All such decisions will be final.
It is the responsibility of each ensemble director to discuss the Rules and Regulations and all pertinent information with all participants in preparation for attending the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival. Concerns regarding the Rules and Regulations should be discussed with the Rules and Regulations Committee.
*Directors are advised to review the festival rules and regulations every year as important revisions are common. The Golden Horseshoe Music Festival staff and committee will enforce all festival rules and regulations. The management and organizing committee will consider all disputes. The Committee’s decision will be final.