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Songwriter Contest

We are pleased to host the third Sing Me High Music Festival Songwriter Contest culminating in a finalist showcase on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at the Sing Me High Music Festival in Harrisonburg, VA.
The Sing Me High Music Festival celebrates music and faith in the Shenandoah Valley, and we encourage musicians to reflect the love of Jesus into the world through their songwriting.

Use for the form above to sign-up, and use the WeTransfer link generated upon completion to upload entries. Or use this link to upload after submitting the form.

PRIZES

  1. GRAND PRIZE - $300 + studio time + perform on main stage

  2. First Runner-Up - $200

  3. Honorable Mention - $100

FORMAT / DEADLINES

There are three stages to the Songwriter Contest:

  1. Song Submission - due July 10, 2023

  2. Finalists Notified - July 15, 2023

  3. Finalist Showcase - August 12, 2023 [Prizes Awarded at 6 PM]

TERMS DEFINED
Entry - Consists of at least two original songs. May be any style or genre. All entries should evidence some element of Christian faith.
Entrant** - A songwriter, or songwriting team. (Sometimes multiple heads, hearts, and voices are better than one.) PLEASE NOTE: Artists/songwriters that are already booked to perform at the 2023 Sing Me High Music Festival are not eligible to participate as entrants in this year’s songwriting contest.
Finalist Showcase - On Saturday, August 12, the selected finalists will perform 2-3 songs. A panel of judges will make selections for the three prizes, and the grand prize winner will perform one song on the Joseph Funk main stage at 6 pm.

RULES / GUIDELINES

SONG SUBMISSION

  1. Entries shall be original songs. By submitting entries, the songwriter affirms that the work is their own.

  2. Entries shall be submitted in the form of Lyrics (PDF or Word) and Video/Audio (MP3) via the link above by July 10, 2023. Entrants may submit no more than five (5) entries.

  3. Entries shall not contain profanity, sexual innuendo, or references to drugs or alcohol. The Sing Me High Music Festival is a family-friendly event; if in doubt, steer clear.

  4. Entry to the contest is open to all. (Except those who are already on the bill to perform at this year’s festival).

SELECTION FOR FINALIST SHOWCASE

  1. The Finalist Showcase will feature 10-12 finalists***, selected from the online submissions.

  2. Selection to the showcase will be based on lyrics, music, and an effort to reflect the love of Jesus into the world through songwriting.

  3. Finalists shall be notified of selection on or before July 15.

  4. Selected finalists shall confirm that they will perform in the Finalist Showcase when notified of selection.

  5. Entrants must be able to perform their songs at the festival on Saturday, August 12, 2023 to qualify for selection.

FINALIST SHOWCASE - PRIZES AWARDED

  1. All finalists will receive complimentary 2-Day passes to the Sing Me High Music Festival. Friends and family will need to purchase tickets.

  2. Finalists will receive email instructions about performance time, check-in, load-in, soundcheck, etc.

  3. Winners for each prize will be selected from finalists performing in Aug. 12 showcase.

  4. Prizes will be announced from the Joseph Funk main stage at 6 PM.

  5. Peace, non-violence, simple living, Creation care, stewardship, reconciliation, community, service, and love of neighbors/enemies are some of the core values of Brethren & Mennonites. Feel free to contact thesoilandtheseedproject@gmail.com with questions.

  6. Songwriting is inherently subjective. Judges’ scoring will account for 70% of scoring in the contest. Our panel of judges will make determinations with regards to selection of finalists and awarding of prizes based on a number of criteria including:

    • Lyrics

    • Music

    • Performance

  7. In addition to the panel of judges, audience votes will account for 30% of the scores.

*The recorded performance (Video/Audio) may include any number of performers.

**All entrants will receive a promo code for discounted admission to the Sing Me High Music Festival. Promo codes will be emailed the first week of August at the latest.

***Finalist Showcase performances may include a reasonable number of performers. Sing Me High Music Festival reserves the right to charge a discounted admission fee at the discretion of festival organizers.