2025 Festival
Welcome to the 2025 Hazel Grove Musical Festival!
On the following pages, you will find the information on the Classes for the 2025 Festival, along with details of how to enter.
Entries will remain open until Monday, 14th July.
If you are new to the Festival, below is a brief summary of the entry process and what to expect on the day, but if you would like further information or have a question that is not answered here, please do get in touch via secretary.hgmf@outlook.com
Speech & Drama, Vocal, Instrumental and Pianoforte classes will take place between Friday, 31st October & Sunday, 2nd November
Choral Day will be held on Saturday, 8th November
Completing your General Entry form
(Teachers and organisations entering multiple candidates, please use the Teacher Entry Form also available via hazelgrovemusicalfestival.org.uk)
Entry requirements.
Please read the rules and entry requirements contained within the Syllabus. If you would like any further help or information, please email - secretary.hgmf@outlook.com or contact the relevant Competitor Secretary directly.
Competitor details.
Complete all relevant boxes on the entry form. Please ensure that details are clear and accurate, as they may be used for programme entries and certificates. If you are a parent or carer making entries for more than one child, please complete a separate form for each. We require contact and correspondence details for a parent or carer of any competitor under the age of 18. Please also make clear on the form any medical or accessibility requirements which may help us to ensure your day goes smoothly.
Choirs.
Some choral classes attract large numbers of participants. To ensure that we allocate sufficient seating for all competitors, we ask that you provide a realistic maximum number of participants in your choir (to include the singers, accompanist and Conductor).
Select your classes.
Complete the details of the classes you wish to enter, along with the cost of each (listed alongside in the syllabus).
If you would like to receive a copy of the Festival Programme, posted to your address in advance, please also include the cost of this on the form.
Details of pieces for performance.
Please include the title of all pieces of music or prose and their author or composer for each class.
Privacy policy and Photographic consent.
Please ensure that you read and complete these sections, to provide or decline the relevant consents.
Copies of music or prose.
It may be that you are required to provide copies of the pieces that you intend to perform. These can be sent with your entry form or posted separately, before the closing date, but please ensure that they are clearly marked.
Entry Dates
The 2025 Festival opens for the receipt of entries from Sunday 1st June and will now remain open until Monday 18th August.
Submitting your entry
You can either post your form to –
Hazel Grove Festival Entries c/o 14 Rutland Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 6JE
Scan/photograph the form and send it by email to secretary.hgmf@outlook.com
Or complete it online via our website www.hazelgrovemusicalfestival.org.uk
If you need further help or information, you can find out more about what happens at the Festival on our website, but if you can’t find what you are looking for, please do get in touch via secretary.hgmf@outlook.com
What happens next.
Once we have your form, we will send you an email to acknowledge receipt and put you in contact with your relevant Competitors’ Secretary.
We will then collate all your details and contact you again, to confirm your entries, ask you for any further information and if required, copies of music and prose. We will also provide you with a payment reference, so that you can then pay for your entry by bank transfer.
The entries will all then be sent for timetabling. We will endeavour to keep you updated with provisional dates and timings as we go along, but you will be informed of the precise timetable details in September, before the Festival Programme goes to press. Entries may be withdrawn and any entry fees refunded by cheque, at any point before the Programme is sent for printing, in September.
The Festival Committee reserves the right to restrict entries where classes or sessions are over subscribed. We will always aim to update our website and social media as soon as classes are full and have to be closed to new entrants. One of the most enjoyable aspects of a Festival, is for entrants to have the opportunity to compete alongside other performers, if there are insufficient entries for a particular class, we will make every effort to offer a suitable combination with another similar class or, if there are no suitable close combinations available, we may offer an adjudicated “Performance Class”
The Timetable will be available on the website from late September/Early October and you will receive joining instructions, and any Programmes that have been ordered in advance of the Competition
On the day of the Festival
Adjudicator’s copies. If you have not provided it in advance, please make sure that, in addition to any music or copy that you are bringing for your own performance, you bring a copy for the adjudicator’s use (see rules on preparation of photocopied music).
Our website contains information about transport and directions to our venues, but please be aware that parking is limited and particularly in the case of Windsor Road, will involve parking on residential streets, so please leave plenty of time and be mindful of our neighbours.
On arrival, you will be able to check your class timings and class location at the desk.
Additional programmes will be on sale, along with tickets for audience members (parents and carers of competitors will require an entrance ticket).
There will be drinks, cake and light refreshments available for sale at the Wesley Street venue. If you require a full meal, you are welcome to bring a packed lunch, and there are a number of shops and eateries within easy walking distance.
Stewards will be on hand to direct you to your class. If you arrive early, you are welcome to listen to one of the other classes or wait in the café or foyer.
Warm-up and practice space. For Vocal, Speech & Drama and Instrumental competitors, we may not be able to offer a rehearsal room in advance of classes, and we are not able to offer any practice time on the competition pianos. The exception to this is Choral Day, when choirs will be allocated a time in a separate room for a warm-up.
When you arrive at your class, a Steward will register you, check your ticket and show you in to sit down.
Once the class gets underway, competitors will be called up to perform. Please make sure that you hand the Adjudicator’s copy to the Adjudicator’s Clerk, before you begin your performance.
At the end of the class, the Adjudicator will provide some verbal feedback and may award certificates or prizes, as appropriate. You will be able to collect your own written adjudication sheet either from the Clerk or from the Festival Office.
A few additional reminders.
Further information is contained in the General Regulations and on the website, but we have been asked to highlight the following –
Safeguarding
Our Safeguarding officer will be on site during the Festival and copies of our policy are widely available. However, please be aware that all children under the age of 18 years, must be accompanied by an adult while visiting the Festival. Entries for competitors under the age of 18, must be completed by a parent or carer and must include details for the adult who will be responsible for them and will remain on site.
Photography and recording
No photographs or video/audio recordings, may be taken during the classes.
Accompaniment
Unless specifically stated otherwise in the syllabus, only the official Festival Accompanists can be used for classes. They are available to provide piano accompaniment for competitors, provided that this has been requested and a copy of the music has been sent in advance of the Festival, via the Competitor’s Secretary. No recorded music or outside accompanists may be used.
Choirs
Please note that Conductors are not permitted to sing with their choirs during competition.
Choral Day
The capacity of the venue is strictly limited and as such, we need to deal with entrants and audiences for these classes slightly differently from the other categories. On the entry form you will be asked for a total number of members of your choir or ensemble. You will be able to request tickets for your supporters and guests, in advance of any general ticket sales. Every effort will be made to allocate the required number of tickets to each choir, subject to the constraint of the capacity of the church. Any remaining tickets will be offered to the Friends of the Festival before being put on advance public sale. It is likely that for some more popular classes there will not be any tickets available on the door.
Can you help?
Volunteers needed!
The Festival has been providing opportunities for individuals and ensembles of all ages to perform, compete and receive expert adjudication for over 100 years.We rely on a small army of volunteers to Steward the event, assist the adjudicators and keep the event running smoothly.
We always welcome anyone who is able to volunteer for at least one four hour session as a Steward during the course of the Festival. We are also always grateful for offers of assistance in the general administration of the Festival, so if you think you can help please do get in contact.