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***

Why update the Judging Sheets to standardized rubrics?

Rubrics are incredible tools for assessment and student learning. The Harp Festival is a learning event, and we want to help students and their teachers understand the feedback and use the feedback to set meaningful and achievable goals.  For more information about rubrics, check out this resource (linked here).

Why have different language for Different Levels?

In an effort to make sure each student receives feedback that is most applicable to their level, the Judging Committee chose to separate out the language in the rubrics to be more helpful to each specific level.  A student at level 8, for example, must consider pedaling where a level 1 student would not.  A student performing a concerto must consider general interpretation and musicianship in their presentation than a level 3 student would.

PLEASE NOTE: These rubrics may have slight changes (formatting, specifically) before the festival but will NOT be updated after April 1.  The correct rubric will always be found on this page.

Rubric for Levels 1 and 2

Note the language around musicianship and technique.  For younger levels, the focus is on consistency and clarity and less on expressive musicianship.

Rubric for Levels 3 through 7

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.

Rubric for Levels 8 through 12

Notice the more specific expectations for students at these levels.  Repertoire for levels 8-12 are approaching or at college-application level.  Notice the language discussing technique: judges are looking less for the key indicators we look for in new students (flat fingers, strictly following your technical school regarding hand position, etc) and more for a student using technical skills appropriate to the piece and the composers intent.