Springfield Music Festival - Information
2023-2024

Chairpersons: Lisa Thomas

Event Dates:Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Sessions:

Friday at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30.

Saturday at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30.

Students may request a time within a 2-hour block, as follows: Block 1 Friday 5:30-7:30. Block 2 Friday 7:30-9:30. Block 3 Saturday 8:30-10:30. Block 4 Saturday 10:30- 12:30. Block 5 Saturday 1:30-3:30. Block 6 Saturday 3:30-5:30. They may not request a specific hour, but rather a 2-hour block. This should help families with tight schedules.

Location: First Baptist Church of Springfield at 7300 Gary Street, Springfield, VA 22150

Important Dates:

  • 10/20/23: Postmark Deadline for VFMC Junior Club Counselor Dues. Please go online to www.vfmc-music.org to download a copy of the registration form if the form has not already been emailed to you.
  • 11/1/23: Registration opens. Register online at www.springfieldmusicclub.org prior to February 1, 2024. If you are unable to register online, contact Lisa Thomas for assistance.
  • 11/14/23: Postmark date for late JCC dues. The VFMC State Treasurer will NOT accept JCC dues postmarked after 11/14/23.
  • 2/1/24: Registrations must be finalized (no exceptions)
  • 3/8 and 3/9/24: Festival

    • Registration Fee: $25.00 per student entry. Please submit one check per studio for the total amount, payable to: Springfield Music Club to Lisa Thomas. The postmark deadline for for the registration checks is FEBRUARY 5, 2024.

    Festival Bulletin:The bulletin in use is the 2020-2024 version. If you need a copy, please contact Lisa Thomas ASAP.

    Application Forms: No longer necessary.

    Eligibility:

    • Be a paid member of SMC ($55).
    • In addition to your membership in SMC, you must federate your students by paying Junior Club dues to the VFMC no later than the postmark deadline of October 20, 2023 (please see above). This is in addition to the SMC membership fee.
    • If you entered students in the 2023 festival, your junior club counselor dues statement will be e-mailed to you by the VFMC treasurer. When paying your VFMC junior club counselor dues that are calculated based upon the number of students you enter, you must also submit a list of your students’ names who you are federating (entering in festival).
    • If you are participating in the festival for the first time, please contact Lisa Thomas for assistance in federating your students in the VFMC.
    • A $25 late fee will be charged by VFMC for dues postmarked after October 20, 2023. If dues are not postmarked by November 14, 2023, you will not be allowed to participate in the festival under any circumstances.

    Judging:Please see Springfield Festival policies. A two-hour judging shift is required per each 5 students, or fraction thereof, entered in the festival.

    Festival Policies

    Teachers’ judging responsibilities shall be as follows: for every 5 events, or fraction thereof, registered for a festival, one two-hour judging shift may be required. All participating teachers must fulfill their judging requirements or secure their own substitutes and pay them directly. The suggested fee for hiring substitute judges is $50 per hour. Any teacher not fulfilling his/her judging assignment, either in person or by a qualified substitute, may be subject to a fine of $150 per two-hour judging shift.

    With regard to accommodations for student schedule changes, the following policies will apply: all festival applications for piano solos will be designed to allow each student to request a session within a two-hour block. Where possible, every piano solo student will be scheduled within his/her requested time block. After the assignments are made, no further schedule changes will be accommodated. Schedule changes will not be made due to teacher error. Teachers may not swap performance times within their own studios, nor should they request changes from the chairmen as student conflicts arise with other activities. Students performing in events other than piano solos must perform in the time blocks dedicated for their specific instruments. Strings, vocal, piano concerto, and other wind instruments are scheduled by the festival chair, without provision for block selection by the student. Compliance with a fair and consistent set of policies will allow our festivals to operate more smoothly, offering a calm and orderly performance opportunity for all of our students and their families.

    Teacher Code of Conduct

    The VFMC has written a Code of Conduct in 2023 for teachers and judges participating in the State festivals. All teachers are encouraged to take note of the Code of Conduct and abide by it. All participants of the SMC Spring Festival are expected to abide by the highest standards of decorum.