Music Contests < RockyGrass

2013 Music Competitions

Once again, instrumentalists and bands from around the country will take part in the nationally recognized RockyGrass band and instrument contests, vying for beautiful instruments, cash prizes, and well-deserved recognition.

2013 Instrument Contests

2012 Instrument Contest Finalists (photo Benko Photographics)

The RockyGrass Music Competitions are traditional bluegrass competitions that began at the 1st Annual Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival in 1973. Instrumentalists compete on flatpick guitar, mandolin, banjo, dobro, and fiddle to receive beautiful instruments and cash prizes. The preliminary round is held in the Wildflower Pavilion and the final rounds are held on the RockyGrass main stage on Saturday morning for all to enjoy - with many of the finalists' performances broadcast live on KGNU Boulder-Denver.

2013 Contest Registration

The registration fee is $15 per contest. (This registration fee is fully refundable if cancelled before April 26, 2013.) Register now at shop.bluegrass.com.
Since the contest is held inside the festival grounds, contestants must have a festival pass for Friday and Saturday (in case you reach the finals on Saturday)

RockyGrass Instrument Contest Rules

Because the contest takes place on the Festival grounds, you must have a ticket to the Festival to participate.
Each competition is limited to 12 registered contestants. If there are still spaces available contest day, you may register on site at the workshop/contest tent on a first come, first served basis.
Time limit is 3 minutes per song. The judges will mark you down if selections significantly exceed the time limit.
Contestants plays 2 songs in the preliminary round and 2 songs in the final round if finishing in the top three.
Repeats of preliminary songs are not allowed in the finals.
One backup musician allowed. No electric instruments or pickups allowed.
The Picking contest is judged ”in the blind”; i.e. judges will not be in the audience.
Contestants who have previously won a contest may not enter that contest again.
The contestant order will be randomly assigned prior to each round.
In the event of a tie or virtual tie, the judges as a group will be allowed discretion to come to a consensus regarding the winner(s). A virtual tie is defined as total scores within 5 points of each other. Judges may need to confer to ensure fairness and consistency in the rating process.

Pickers & Fiddlers Score in the Following Categories

50% Overall Ability (includes difficulty, expression, material selection, taste, execution)
25% Rhythm
25% Tone

2013 RockyGrass Instrument Contest Schedule

RockyGrass Fiddle Contest (photo Benko Photographics)

Banjo

Prelims: 11:30am, Friday, July 26th, Wildflower Pavilion
Finals: 10:45am, Saturday, July 27th, Main Stage

Flatpick Guitar

Prelims: 1:00pm, Friday, July 26th, Wildflower Pavilion
Finals: 10:30am, Saturday, July 27th, Main Stage

Mandolin

Prelims: 2:30pm, Friday, July 26th, Wildflower Pavilion
Finals: 10:15am, Saturday, July 27th, Main Stage

Fiddle

Prelims: 4:00pm, Friday, July 26th, Wildflower Pavilion
Finals: 10:00am, Saturday, July 27th, Main Stage

Dobro

Prelims: 5:30pm, Friday, July 26th, Wildflower Pavilion
Finals: 9:45am, Saturday, July 27th, Main Stage

2012 RockyGrass Instrument Contest Prizes

Immediately after the 2012 final rounds on the main stage, the winner of each contest was awarded one of these finely crafted new instruments. Watch for the announcement of the 2013 instrument prizes later this winter.

Deering Eagle II banjo

The Eagle II banjo is a whole new breed of banjo. It features the ground breaking, patent pending Twenty-Ten Tone Ring which is a completely original Deering design that is unlike any other traditional tone ring. It produces a high quality sound that is versatile for many styles of playing. While the sound is uniquely Eagle, it represents a refinement in the quality of banjo tone, something that allows the player to soar to new heights. It is perfect for the player who wants a professional quality banjo that he can use for playing many styles of music. Our newest and most affordable professional grade resonator 5-string banjo.

Gibson Advanced Jumbo guitar

First built in 1936, the "AJ" or "Bonecrusher" is one of the most sought after Gibson acoustic guitars on the Vintage market. Originally referred to by Gibson in the 1930's as "the original acoustic cannon", Gibson Acoustic Guitars have been hand built in Bozeman, Montana since 1989. A small quantity of AJ's are built each year and offered through a small select subset of Global Gibson dealers, including a recent limited edition Randy Scruggs AJ. The design features a booming low end, coupled with a brilliant treble response. Unique in Gibson design, the AJ is built around a 16" Slope Shoulder Jumbo body, [more...] "Advanced" bracing (a revolutionary open X brace pattern), 25 ∏" scale, select Indian Rosewood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, and a Genuine Mahogany neck. As are all Gibson products, the finish is nitrocellulose lacquer applied in a Vintage Sunburst pattern [less...]

Gibson F5 Custom master Model Fern

Hand built and signed by Colorado's own Gibson Master Luthier David Harvey, this mandolin was built by David specifically for the Rockygrass contest winner. Built around a 1925 Gibson F5, it features highly select flamed maple back and sides, with a select Spruce top with tone bar bracing, carved and tone tapped to produce punch and growl right off of the workbench. Features include an Abalone Fern headstock inlay pattern, a scalloped fingerboard extension, and a nitrocellulose lacquer Vintage Sunburst finish.

Electric Violin Lutherie (EVL) violin

EVL aims to create unique instruments to fit your needs as a musician. The EVL electric violin bodies were designed to give the player the most natural tone. The instrument is engineered carefully so that the chambered body weighs and balances the instrument to feel like an acoustic, and the chambers also allow for a more resonant tone than you will get from a solid instrument. We use select woods with the same techniques to create our instruments that violin makers have been using for centuries. We believe this makes our instruments stand to a higher quality with increased playability.

Gibson Hound Dog Dobro

With its classic Dobro® lines, maple wood body, and classic single cone resonator/spider bridge construction, the Gibson Original Dobro® Hound Dog Square Neck is stunning in both appearance and tone. In addition to the bridge's ebony saddle atop a maple base, the full, warm tone of the Hound Dog Square Neck is enhanced and projected by a new proprietary Dobro® cone. With its classic construction compelling tone, the Hound Dog Square Neck represents Gibson Original's deep respect for both the instrument's history and the needs of today's players.

In addition, the 2nd place finisher on each instrument will receive a check for $100 and the 3rd place finisher on each instrument will receive a check for $50. All 3 finalists on each instrument will also receive a commemorative RockyGrass Instrument Contest award ribbon.

2012 Instrument Contest Finalists