1. A copy of the Festival Syllabus should be sent to the adjudicator as soon as possible after contractual arrangements have been made.
2. A copy of the Festival Program should be sent to the adjudicator well in advance of the festival, even if only a rough copy is available to send. Festivals are strongly urged to print the title and the composer of each repertoire item.
3. Festivals are strongly urged to allow adequate time for tuning, set-up, performance and adjudication. Performance timings should be requested at the time of application.
4. Members of the committee should completely familiarize themselves with the rules of the festival before the festival commences.
5. The festival is responsible for assessing the appropriateness of entries in particular classes in accordance with the description of the classes.
6. The festival should train its adjudicators' secretaries/assistants in the required procedures before the festival begins.
7. Festivals should establish their own rules regarding memory work: these rules must be clearly stated. In any case, memory work may be a deciding factor when performances are otherwise equal.
8. The Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators' Association strongly urges that the use of video cameras, still cameras and tape recorders not be allowed in festival sessions. In any case, the adjudicator's verbal adjudications may not be taped without permission of the adjudicator.
9. Laws regarding copyright must be fully observed by the festival.
10. Every effort should be made to streamline the process of awarding scholarships and other honours and prizes. Festivals should give adjudicators complete details of the awards for which they are responsible.
11. Scholarships and other honours and prizes must be awarded as fairly and impartially as possible. It is generally regarded as being the responsibility of the adjudicator to make such decisions: if the festival intends to make such decisions, that must be clearly and publicly stated.
12. Festivals should advise the adjudicator if his/her recommendations for the final concert are required.
13. Marking procedures vary from festival to festival. Generally, festival markings are less severe than in examinations, with the usual range of marks running from 70 to 90. Festivals should discuss their particular preferences and procedures with the adjudicator prior to the festival.
14. Festivals should establish their own preferences concerning tied marks for first place: festivals should inform the adjudicator of such preferences.

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Guidelines for Festival Committees (22kb PDF)

CMFAA Guidelines for the Contracting of Adjudicators & Sample Contract (55kb PDF)