THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEGRO MUSICIANS, INC.

THERE SHALL BE THREE SETS OF COMPETITIONS

LOCAL - A contestant must be sponsored by a branch in good standing. The winner will proceed to the Regional Contest.

1. The age limit, for all categories, shall be from the ages of 18 years through 30 years old from the time of application.

2. A contestant must be sponsored by a branch in good standing and need not be a member of a local branch or the National organization.

3. The local branch assessment to the National must be paid before the contestant participates in its competition. Verification that the branch’s contestant has been properly adjudicated at the local level must be forwarded to the National Office by the local Scholarship Chairperson with copies to the Regional Director(s) before the Regional Contest.

4. Each contestant will be required to furnish the following: a.) The NANM contest application form. *The original application is a triplicate carbon copy document. If duplicated, it will only be accepted with three copies containing identical information and original signatures on all copies; b.) a birth certificate; c.) a one page biography; d.) a $5.00 fee for the local competition.

5. A fee of $10.00, paid by the sponsoring branch, must be forwarded to the National office with a copy sent to the Regional Director.

6. All sponsoring branch Presidents are responsible for disseminating competition requirements to each contest applicant. The branch Presidents should also attach an additional sheet listing contest selections and the adjudicator’s criteria. The National Scholarship Chairperson or a designee should formulate a standard adjudication sheet for the particular area of competition for that year. Additional copies may be obtained from the National Scholarship Chairperson.

REGIONAL- (For the winners from local contests). Winners of the Regional Contest are eligible to represent their regions in the National Contest if all requirements have been met.

Requirements:

1.  A fee of $15.00, paid by the sponsoring Region, must be forwarded to the National Office.

2.  The Region is financially responsible for taking care of its scholarship contestant’s: a.) two-night’s lodging; b.) meals; c.) transportation.

NATIONAL- (for the winners from regional contests) The National Scholarship Contest for the winners of the Regional Contests is to be held at the National Convention.

IV. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Contestants must perform same selections on ALL LEVELS: local, regional and national. Any infraction of the above-mentioned will result in the contestant's elimination from the National competition.

2. All works, with the exception of the organ competition, must be performed from memory.

3. Each contestant must submit three (3) copies of each piece being performed, at each level of competition, to the judges at the time of competition.

4. The type of dress to be worn at the contest on the local and regional levels should be left to the discretion of the local president, the regional director, or the scholarship chairperson. On the National Level, all contestants are expected to dress in formal attire.

1. A first place winner at the National Level is not eligible to compete the following year.

2. Full-time public school music teachers or college faculty as defined in academia (tenure-track and tenured professors) are not eligible to compete. However, those graduate students holding teaching assistantships can participate if they are not receiving 50% of their employment from such appointments (they are still considered students working on a degree at their respective institutions).

4. Instrumentalists with contractual full-time orchestral or ensemble jobs are considered semi-professional or professional musicians and are ineligible.

1. There shall be three judges of the highest caliber available for each competition.

2. The adjudicators are requested to give their opinions of what the participants need for their career advancement.

3. Contestants will be identified by numbers to the adjudicator until the contest is completed.

4. All Score Sheets should be collected after each contestant performs. A monitor should be assigned to each adjudicator; adjudicator should not see the contest program.

5. Copies of adjudication sheets and instructions should be mailed to the selected judges by the Scholarship Chairperson at least one (1) week prior to the National Scholarship Contest.

6. An Individual may not serve as an adjudicator for more than one competition in the same year.

7. A composer or his/her relative may not be an adjudicator when one of his/her compositions is being performed by a Contestant.

8. Each judge will receive a minimum fee of twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for adjudicating at the local and regional levels. Judges will receive seventy-five ($75.00) for adjudication at the national level.

The winners financial awards will go toward payment of tuition at the college of their choice or private teachers. Also arrangements may be made for performances/interviews on the radio and television, in opera, concerts, and special programs during the National Convention. The FIRST PL.ACE award is $1,500.00; SECOND PLACE award is $1,000.00; THIRD PLACE award is $750.00; FOURTH PLACE award is $500.00 and FIFTH PLACE award is $250.00. Prize winners will be paid in United States currency to the teacher/coach or institution of their choice.

1. A contestant may bring his or her own accompanist or the contestant may be accompanied by a staff accompanist. NOTE: The local branch or region must decide which of the above options will be selected for their contestants and give proper notification of that decision to the National Scholarship Chairperson.

2. The National will be responsible for supplying the services of a staff accompanist only if the following requirements are met: