Festival Dates
13th - 16th August 2020 (Thursday - Sunday)

A distinguishing characteristic of this festival is that it aims to be positive and non-competitive, while still providing recognition to outstanding performances. The adjudicators for each section have the task of not only providing constructive feedback, but awarding every ensemble with either a gold, silver or bronze rating based purely on whether they feel a performance has been especially refined, moving, inspirational or otherwise significant. There is no ranking or placing within those categories, and each section will have a completely different combination of gold, silver and bronze awards, depending on the adjudicators’ impressions.  The Award Criteria may be viewed by following this link; please note, these criteria are used as a tool to guide feedback for an ensemble’s performance based on a given moment in time.

In recent years, a number of changes have been instituted with regard to how the Festival views awards.  In 1998 the new awards system of Gold, Silver and Bronze plaques was introduced to replace the original First, Second and Third competition certificates. In all sections adjudicators have been asked to provide feedback to each ensemble using criteria that takes into account many factors including the age and experience of the performers, the difficulty of the music and the quality of the performance. This created a system that allowed more than one ensemble in a section to receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze award or indeed it is possible that the adjudicators may not award a Gold, Silver or Bronze award if the criteria for the section are not met.

This awards section has meant a lot more ensembles going back to their schools after the weekend with tangible recognition for their efforts. Many school walls throughout Queensland are now adorned proudly with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards received at the Festival. The awards also reduce the competitive feeling associated with the Festival. Student ensembles are really competing by themselves against a set of criteria not against other school ensembles in the particular section.