The next Wirral Festival will take place on the last two weekends in March 2012. As usual, one weekend is for Speech and Drama and the other for Music (I am on the music committee)
There is a huge range of classes for all instruments, and singing, many classes are free choice of piece.
Syllabus is now available on http://www.wirralfestival.co.uk

I have some of questions.
In the piano solo own choice classes would a 12 year old pre grade 1 player be likely to be in a class with much more experienced children?
In age defined instrumental classes what sort of mix of levels do you tend to get?
For the above I'd be concerned about relative beginners 12/13 years of age being in the middle of a class of players above grade 5 level.
How many adults have you previously had in open classes?

I realise that these things can vary from year to year.

These may seem like clueless questions but when it comes to Festivals I really am clueless. I have absolutely no prior experience only my own probably misconceived ideas.

This is my experience from Beckenham and other festivals...

In all age related groups there is a mix of abilities, which is why I always enter pupils in grade rather than age related categories : your 12 year old is highly likely, if entered down here, to be the least experienced player there.

Adult open classes tend to be unpopular, with the notable exception of singing classes : but of course that may be different in the Wirral.

Yes that's right Barry. The fixed choice age class pieces tend to be (eg for piano) about Grades 1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8.
But free choice you can get a talented youngster playing at considerable higher levels than age related classes might indicate.
Its similar in other instrument free choice classes, the grade level of the entrants can vary.
To answer sbhoas other question, in 2009 I was present at some of the open piano classes, and there were some adult entries, but last year this was not the case. One very talented lad in his middle teens walked away winning several open classes.

So it looks like things are pretty much as I imagined.
Age related classes tend to cater for those who started early and progressed steadily, not for late starters or those who progress slowly (or 'normally'?...)
Grade classes I imagine may have similar issues for late starters or those who do not progress by at least a grade a year so that a teenage grade 1 (or pre grade 1) would be in a class with very young children?

I don't think that this is anybody's fault, it's just that on the whole festivals are for those who start young and progress at a consistent rate rather than for late starters and/or those who take 2 years or more to get to grade 1 (talking piano here) and a similar rate of progress after that. Then again these student are less likely to be interested in something like a festival anyway.

And for 'average' and/or early grade adults I suppose if you want to do it you grit your teeth and be prepared for open and adult classes to have some very good performers in them and treat them as just an opportunity to perform and get useful feedback.

Maybe I'll stick with Forum events.

I looked at the syllabus (woodwind, recorder and brass) for my local festival - one I played in many many years ago in recorder ensemble. There are no fixed pieces to play, they are all free choice

There are various age classes:
- 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under - there are three classes in each age group (one for each of woodwind, recorder and brass).
- 17 years and under solo - one class for all three
- 14 and under junior recital, 17 years and under senior recital - again these two are just one class each, but in the notes it is noted that these are intended for more advanced players. So if you are a 'lower grade' 16 year old you would go in 17 years and under solo [solo doesn't mean unaccompanied here!]; but a 'higer grade' 16 year old could go in the 17 years and under senior recital. The difference is in the former you'd just be up against the same instrument 'type' as yourself (i.e. woodwind or recorder or brass), whereas in the higher the other people in the class could be any of the three.

There are also two classes exclusively for adults.
Adult intermediate - beginner to G5
Adult advanced - G5-7
Again, here it is mixed recorder/woodwind/brass.

Finally there is 'Open diploma', which is 12 minutes, any age, woodwind or brass or recorder, which must be one 'substantial item'.

:pout: there are special prizes for woodwind and brass, but not for recorder...

There is a festival in this part of the world with a recorder cup named after a forum member...

Some festivals have 'Late Starters' classes to cater for those who learn at a later than normal age. Or you might find a beginners' class based on number of terms' tuition. But each festival varies - our local three are all different. And I'm fuming at the one that no longer has recorder classes for over-16s - my pupil is now 18 and would have entered had there been a suitable class.

Can't recorder be included in a woodwind class?

If, as in most of the local festivals here, there are separate recorder classes, then under no circumstances can recorders be entered into a woodwind class.

For lots of reasons I think it's difficult to mix recorders in with general woodwind.

Just to remind any potential entrant that the closing date is 31st January.
The Music section is to be held on 23rd/24th March at Birkenhead School.

Syllabus can be downloaded from http://www.wirralfestival.co.uk

Just had another look.
There's nowhere to fit in the things I'm currently working on for either instrument.

Well this years festival took place last weekend. Entries were much increased this year.
I was privileged to act as the MC/announcer (call it what you will) for the junior piano classes on Friday night and the senior ones on Saturday morning. Some stunning performances, not least from lad in the '14 and under' own choice class who rattled off Rachmaninovs Prelude in C#minor (he studied at Chets). There was a also good performances of a Prokofiev prelude, a lovely piece by Ireland , and a Chopin F Minor Etude.
Very little music from classical period was chosen, just one Haydn movement from an early Bflat sonata.
A lot of the younger entrants favoured the jazzy style pieces in the free choice classes, without checking I think these were from current syllabi Grade 3-5 . A piece by Eric Thiman 'Stroll On' was also popular.

Ah well a few months lull until we starting picking 'set' repertoire for next years festival.

I think knowing that pupils from a specialist music school were entering would make me feel like deciding not to bother, especially in the age-related classes - it feels a bit like professionals entering the adult singing classes (which in some festivals is allowed, and in some others, perhaps wisely, is allowed only in some very specific classes)

I know competing is not all, but it is still a competition, and if you are teaching hard-working average-for-their-age (if there is such a thing) pupils they're possibly going to end up with a feeling of "why did I bother?"

I tend to agree Linda. He did only enter the one class though, and I think he had done so simply for performance experience. I dont think there were other Chets pupils there or RNCM.
Gee, what would it have been like for the others when Stephen Hough was in these classes. his name is on some of the trophies !

Don't think it matters as long as they deserve to win as seems to be the case here.

Would have liked to have done this festival but it's difficult to skip too many Saturdays. Glad it went well!