VSMF Orchestra

Orchestra

2026 Dates:

VSMF Orchestra Section
July 27th - 31st

August 3rd - 5th
Hawthorn Arts Centre

Registration Dates

Registration for 2025 Orchestra open between Monday April 28th and Thursday May 1st.

2025 FESTIVAL REGULATIONS

Registration Process

REGISTRATION

Registration Process

Registrations open at 9am on Monday April 27th and close at 5pm Friday May 1st.
There are a certain number of places available in each section, refer to the proposed timetable. Groups will be allocated to sections in the order registrations are received.
NOTE: This may happen before the close of registrations. Once places are filled schools will be placed on a waiting list.
Registration can only be submitted on-line at vsmf.com.au
Requests made after May 1st (close of applications) will be considered if possible. Please consult the proposed timetable when stating preferences.

Fees

$80.00 per school ensemble plus $12.00 per participating student.
Registration fees are inclusive of GST.
Cancellations received prior to July 6th 2026 may apply for a refund of the participating student’s fees only. After July 6th no refunds will be made (this includes students who do not attend the actual event). Fees will still be applicable even if groups have withdrawn.
Registrations will not be accepted without a school order number. A tax invoice will be sent on receipt of registration.

General Procedure

Each ensemble will be given an arrival time. After registration the ensemble will be assigned to a courier who will have the responsibility of acting as a guide for the ensemble.
Schools must adhere to arrival and departure times. Any school that departs without completing all activities without prior arrangement with the Festival Administrator may be excluded from receiving a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze award.
Each ensemble will participate in three activities:

PERFORMANCE

Pre-performance warm –up & tuning period
Performance to a panel of adjudicators
ON STAGE TUTORIAL
Post Performance workshop on stage with the chief Adjudicator
LISTENING
Each ensemble will listen to 2 other ensembles perform.

Participation Criteria

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA

SCHOOL ENSEMBLES

The festival is open to students who are currently attending primary or secondary school, and who are participating in school/college orchestras.
Combined school groups may participate if that ensemble rehearses on a regular basis. Confirmation of this arrangement must be sent with the registration form & co-signed by the principals of the schools involved.
Teachers may not play with the ensemble except in the beginner strings section or primary school orchestra section, refer to the category information for further explanation.
All school groups must be supervised at all times. It is not the responsibility of the festival staff to monitor group behaviour. This also applies to groups attending the evening sessions.
No school may register the same ensemble or an ensemble comprising of 80% of the same performers in two different levels within the same genre of ensembles (eg. Junior string orchestra & Intermediate String Orchestra)

CHOICE OF SELECTION & REPERTOIRE

Please refer to category information for specific regulations regarding choice of music.
Any ensemble that fails to meet the performance criteria as set out for each category may be excluded from receiving a Platinum, Gold, Silver or bronze award. This decision will be made at the discretion of the Chair of Adjudicators.

PERFORMANCE TIME LIMITS

If the total performance time as permitted in the performance criteria is exceeded, excess performance time will be subtracted from the on-stage tutorial time. Excess performance of more than two(2) minutes may result in exclusion from receiving a Platinum Gold, Silver or Bronze award. This decision will be at the discretion of the Chair of Adjudicators.

PROVISION OF CONDUCTOR SCORES

Participating groups are required to provide copies of each of their scores for adjudication purposes. Two (2) copies are required for Symphony Orchestra, Senior String Orchestra, Intermediate String Orchestra, Junior String Orchestras, Beginner String Group & Primary School Orchestras.
All changes to the score must be clearly indicated (eg. Double bass part being played on the cello).
Each score is to be stapled together with the name of the school clearly marked and bars numbered.

AWARDS

Each ensemble will receive an award, refer to ensemble information for details.

EQUIPMENT

All schools must use the equipment supplied.
Schools may not use their own drumkits but may bring their own cymbals.
Schools must provide all percussion mallets required for their performance and all auxillary percussion eg: triangle, cabasa, tambourine etc.
The following equipment is supplied for ensembles: Chairs, music stands, conductor’s stand, podium, snare drum, drum kit (with cymbals), suspended cymbals, hand (crash) cymbals, congas, bongos, 4 timpani, marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, gong, bass drum, chimes, bass amplifier, guitar amplifier, keyboard amplifier, electric piano and acoustic piano.

Performance Criteria

PERFORMANCE CRITIERIA

ADJUDICATOR’S COMMENTS

Adjudicators will provide both a written adjudication sheet and recorded comments. Adjudication comments are recorded and made available to all participating schools.

BEGINNER STRINGS/PRIMARY STRINGS

Beginner String Group/ Primary School Orchestra (Grade 0.5 – 1.0)

Open to any string ensemble that has not performed in any festival or competition before 2025. Primary School Orchestra is open to any primary age string ensemble. Instrumentation should be appropriate to the repertoire chosen.
The ensemble must have a minimum of eight (8) players.
Performance time must not exceed eight (8) minutes.
Each ensemble must play at least two (2) contrasting published pieces of music.
At least one piece must be selected from the 2026 Beginner String Orchestra list
One teacher may accompany the ensemble, either on piano or playing from the podium.

All ensembles will receive a Performance Award plaque acknowledging their performance.

JUNIOR STRING ORCHESTRA (Grade 1.5 – 2)

An ensemble consisting of: Violin 1, violin 2, viola/3rd violin, cello & double bass.
Minimum number of performers is ten (10).
Performance time not to exceed ten (10) minutes
Each ensemble must play at least two (2) published (in print & commercially available) movements or pieces of music showing contrasting styles.
At least one piece must be selected from the 2026 Junior String Orchestra list
All ensembles are eligible for a Platinum, Gold, Silver & Bronze award.

INTERMEDIATE STRING ORCHESTRA (Grade 2.5 – 3.0)

An ensemble consisting of: Violin 1, violin 2, viola/3rd violin, cello & double bass.
Minimum number of performers is twelve (12)
Performance time must not exceed fifteen (15) minutes
Each ensemble must play at least two (2) published (in print & commercially available) movements or pieces of music showing contrasting styles.
At least one piece must be selected from the 2026 Intermediate String Orchestra list
All ensembles are eligible for a Platinum, Gold, Silver & Bronze award.

SENIOR STRING ORCHESTRA (Grade 3.5+)

An ensemble consisting of: Violin 1, violin 2, viola/3rd violin, cello & double bass.
Minimum number of performers is twelve (12)
Performance time must not exceed twenty (20) minutes
Each ensemble must play at least two (2) published (in print & commercially available) movements or pieces of music showing contrasting styles.
At least one piece must be selected from the 2026 Senior String Orchestra list
All ensembles are eligible for a Platinum, Gold, Silver & Bronze award.

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

A balanced ensemble consisting of a full string section with additional woodwind, brass & percussion. The usual instrumentation for an orchestra is: violin 1, violin 2, viola/3rd violin, cello double bass, flute x 2, oboe x 2, clarinet x 2, bassoon x 2, French horn x 4, trumpet x 2, trombone x 3, tuba x 1 and percussion.
The minimum number of performers is thirty-five (35).
Performance time is not to exceed twenty (20) minutes
Each ensemble must play at least two (2) published (in print & commercially available) movements or pieces of music showing contrasting styles.
The suggested repertoire is to be used as a guide for standard of entry into this category.
All ensembles are eligible for a Platinum, Gold, Silver & Bronze award.

SUGGESTED REPERTOIRE STANDARD

The following repertoire is used as a guideline only for standard of entry for this category and can be found here.

These pieces are not compulsory.

2026 Orchestra Repertoire

View & Order 2026 Beginner String Orchestra Repertoire

View & Order 2026 Junior String Orchestra Repertoire

View & Order 2026 Intermediate String Orchestra Repertoire

View & Order 2026 Senior String Orchestra Repertoire