Judging Resources
Harp Festival Judging Resources
Judges Training Slide Deck
Judges Training Explainer Video
Judges Guidelines and Support
Festival Judging Rubrics
Please review the judging rubrics for your students' levels. Print off a copy for your students to use as they practice and review the expectations with them regularly.
Teachers, please participate in the Judging training to help you better understand the rubric and how feedback will be provided. Additionally, please reinforce to students that a good performance will be recognized with an Excellent.
Superior = Student performs well above expectations for their age and level (recital or competition ready performance)
Excellent = Student performs admirably and clearly prepared well (recital ready performance)
Very Good = Student performed well, but had clear mistakes or areas that were not ready for performance, including reading the music during the performance (approaching recital ready)
Good = student presented a performance that was not memorized nor polished
Fair = student presented a performance as if they were sight-reading the piece for the first time.
*** the adjusted expectations to Excellent being the average score (instead of Superior) for participants will NOT negatively impact students expecting recognition this year***
Rubric for Levels 1-3
Note the simple feedback. Judges will provide at least 3 highlights (things the student does very well) and provide 2-3 suggested goals. These goals are not necessarily going to be something that was lacking in the performance, rather ideas for next steps for student growth.
TEACHERS: This Rubric is open for comment until March 1. Please open the Google Doc link by clicking here and use the comment feature. Comments will be complied and any appropriate edits made to the rubrics by March 15.
Rubric for Levels 4 through 12+
Students in these levels are performing more complex pieces where musicianship and expression through dynamics and tone are increasingly more important. Notice the specific rubric requirements for students in these levels.
TEACHERS: This Rubric is open for comment until March 1. Please open the Google Doc link included here and use the comment feature. Comments will be complied and any appropriate edits made to the rubrics by March 15.
Rubric for Special Category - Concerto [COMING SOON]
Students performing concertos will be assessed on their performance and musicianship as well as their ability to work with an accompanist. Please see the Concerto Category page for more information on this category.
TEACHERS: This Rubric is open for comment until March 1. Please open the Google Doc link included here and use the comment feature. Comments will be complied and any appropriate edits made to the rubrics by March 15.
Rubric for Special Category - Chamber Music [COMING SOON]
Students performing in this cateogry will receive feedback on their stage presence, accuracy, musicianship, etc but the feedback will focus more specifically on the group's cohesive performance. Please see the Special Category page for more information on this category.
TEACHERS: This Rubric is open for comment until March 1. Please open the Google Doc link included here and use the comment feature. Comments will be complied and any appropriate edits made to the rubrics by March 15.
Rubric for Special Category - Harp Ensemble [COMING SOON]
Students performing in this cateogry will NOT receive feedback on their individual stage presence, accuracy, musicianship, etc but the feedback will focus more specifically on the group's cohesive performance. Please see the Special Category page for more information on this category.
TEACHERS: This Rubric is open for comment until March 1. Please open the Google Doc link included here and use the comment feature. Comments will be complied and any appropriate edits made to the rubrics by March 15.