Is it possible to confirm that you received my daughter's application?
Unfortunately, at this time of year we are very busy taking registrations from many local festivals that have just finished, and don't have time to confirm each registration as it is received.  Perhaps in future we will find a way to do this.

Section 5.3 of the Syllabus says "...no introductory comments or remarks are to be made by competitors..."  My children have always been coached to announce the name and composer of their pieces, is that considered an "introductory remark"?
At Provincial Finals we do not have enough time for students to introduce themselves or their pieces.  We have found that some people keep it short and sweet, while others tend to give a bit of a history lesson.  So the decision was made to simply not allow any introductions.  Competitors should go on stage, bow to acknowledge the audience, and begin their performance.

My son has two pieces to play, should he wait for a signal from the Adjudicator before starting his second piece?
No, this should be treated like a concert performance--when he has finished his first piece, he can subtly acknowledge any applause, then he should take whatever time he needs between the two, and proceed when he is ready with his second piece, without waiting for the Adjudicator to signal.

The Syllabus says that attire must be "clothing suitable for Concert Hall performance".  Does this rule mean orchestra black and white, all black, formal gowns, tuxedos? Or simply "no jeans, T-shirts and sports shoes"?
Generally speaking, we treat this competition as if it was a concert recital.  individuals will be assessed as to appropriate concert attire, whether they acknowledge their accompanist at the end of the performance, and of course, on their musicality and performance--the whole package.  Competitors should wear something that they are comfortable wearing, but NOT jeans, shorts, running shoes, flip flops, no undergarments showing, etc.  Black and white is fine, as is a formal dress.  You will see a bit of both at the competition.  For guys, depending on the instrument, tuxedo or jacket and tie is fine; dress shirts with tie and dress pants are also appropriate. 

By what procedure and when are rehearsal and warm-up facilities scheduled?  We haven't met our accompanist yet and are not likely to until shortly before the performance.
Regretfully, we do not have the facilities for rehearsals.  We do, however, provide a warm-up room approximately 1/2 hour before each competitor performs, for their use for about 15 minutes (remember, they have to be at their performance venue 15 minutes AHEAD of their performance time).  That being said, your accompanist may have made other arrangements, and you should contact him/her directly. The facilities we provide are for warm-up prior to the performance, NOT for rehearsing.

I have to stay overnight in Peterborough, do you have any recommendations?
There is a link on our website to local hotels; we can make no recommendations but there is a wide choice from which to choose.

I want to change my accompanist, can I do that?
As performances are scheduled around accompanists, we need to know their names at the time of registration.  We are able to change the name of your accompanist as long as scheduling has not begun;  once scheduling starts, we cannot guarantee that there won't be a conflict if you change accompanists.  You can, however, change accompanists if you wish.   If you DO change accompanists, kindly let the original accompanist know that you have made other arrangements--it is not fair to them to change without informing them.

I just noticed that the timing for one of my pieces is wrong, what should I do?
Timings on registrations must be accurate, and we ask you to perform your piece and time it accurately.  It is VERY IMPORTANT that you let us know any changes to timings as soon as you find out.  Classes at Provincials are scheduled very tightly (to the minute, in fact).