Saturday, May 29, 2010 in Ephraim, Utah
 Press Release
Purpose:
The aim of the Scandinavian Heritage Festival/Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts Story/Poetry Writing and Telling Contest is to bring to life the stories of the pioneer settlers of Sanpete County through stories and poetry.
Source Material:
Your source material must come from The Saga of the Sanpitch, a multi-volume history of Sanpete County, (available online Here), or some other authenticated historical book or account that documents Sanpete County’s early history.
Your Story:
Using the techniques of dramatic monologue (story writing and telling), rework the material into a well-crafted and well-told story. Or, patterning your poem after the style of cowboy poetry, create a poetic retelling of the story. Your telling/recitation must last no longer than 10 minutes. Examples of "pioneer poetry" may be found at www.upharts.org.
Standards:
This is a family festival, and your story or poem must be free of profanity, obscenity, sexually suggestive materials, favorable references to drugs or alcohol use, or any other materials or references which would be inappropriate for an audience of all ages.
Your performance:
If your story is selected as one of the 10 finalists, you will have the chance to perform your original story or poem live for us on Saturday, June 29 between 10 a.m. and noon at the Scandinavian Heritage Festival. Judges will then declare the winner at 2 p.m. and the $250 first prize will be awarded. The first place winner will retell their story or poem on the festival's main stage.
Your Application:
Send your application, with a $10 fee, postmarked no later than May 7, to:
Storytelling Contest
1258 Pitchfork Rd.
Murray, UT 84123
Scandinavian Festival Song Writing Contest
Saturday, May 29, 2010 in Ephraim, Utah
Purpose:
The purpose of this contest is to create a body of songs that commemorate the lives and deeds of Sanpete County’s pioneer settlers. This body of work is intended to be a cultural asset which will help Sanpete County’s residents tell their stories in world-class ways in the future.
Source Material:
Your song must be created from stories found in The Saga of the Sanpitch (available on line Here) or some other authenticated historical book or account that documents Sanpete County’s early history.
Your Song:
Using the techniques of dramatic monologue (story writing and telling), rework the material into a well-crafted and well-told song lyrics. Your telling/recitation must last no longer than 10 minutes. More song writing rules are listed below.
Standards:
This is a family festival, and your story or poem must be free of profanity, obscenity, sexually suggestive materials, favorable references to drugs or alcohol use, or any other materials or references which would be inappropriate for an audience of all ages.
Your Performance:
If your song is chosen as one of the ten finalist songs, you must perform your original contemporary song live for us on Sat., May 29, between 11 a.m. and noon at the Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison in order to qualify for a spot as one of the top three winners. Judging will take place at that time.
Each finalist will again play his/her composition on either the Noyes Building stage or the Heritage Plaza Stage at the Scandinavian Heritage Festival in Ephraim at 4 p.m., after which the winners will be announced
The top three winners will receive two free hours of studio time at Pitchfork Studios in Murray, Utah, and the top winning songs will be placed on the album, “The Saga of the Sanpitch”, that will be produced from the best music of this and future contests.
Your Application:
A demo of your song, with a $10 fee, must be postmarked no later than May 7th 2010 to:
SHF/UPHA Song Writing Contest
1258 W. Pitchfork Rd.
Murray, UT 84123
We cannot be responsible for damaged, stolen or undelivered CDs or tapes sent in the mail. Sender is responsible to make sure their demo CD or tape has arrived. CDs and tapes will NOT be returned.
Demos do not have to be fully developed and are preferred in their most simple state. We are judging on lyric and melody. Please make sure to include a lyric sheet!
The top ten finalists will be notified no later than Friday, May 14th, and are expected to perform their song live at two different times and locations on Sat. May 29th.
Official Songwriting Contest Rules and Regulations:
Songwriters under age 18 must have a parent’s consent. You may submit more than one song for the contest. Each song submission costs $10.00. A portion of the proceeds may go toward the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts or the Scandinavian Heritage Festival.
You can perform your original song yourself, using one or more of the allowable instruments listed below, or you can have someone play and perform the song for you. We are focusing on the strength of the song lyrically and melodically, so a simple accompaniment with one instrument is fine and encouraged. Please have available three copies of your song lyrics for the judges to look at if you are chosen to perform on Sat. May 29th.
Instruments used must have been in use by Utah residents during 1847-1867 or have their origins traced to that time period. See list of qualifying instruments below. If your song is chosen for the album, the accompaniment must come from the instruments listed below or have their origins in those instruments.
While the top three winners of the song contest will be receiving two hours of free studio time to record their original song Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts is not responsible for the cost of hiring musicians or vocalists to record the song.
Instrumentation Rules:
Allowable instruments of that time period: violin, mandolin, banjo, guitar, accordion, harmonica, Scottish pipes, Native American flutes and Native American drums, piano, organ, and even woodwind or brass instruments that existed then. A cappella singing is acceptable.
You may use any instrument (or direct descendant of that instrument) whose existence during the years of 1847-1899 you can document. For instance, the steel-string guitar did not exist until1900, but the gut-string guitar did exist during that period and the steel string has its origins in the gut-string and thus can be used.
Exception: we are not allowing any electric guitars or any other form of electric instrumentation, nor are we allowing any drums except Native American drums and military drums such as snare drums and field drums.
If there is an instrument you would like to use, not listed above, that has its origins from 1847-1899 and was used in Utah by any of the recognized pioneer heritage ethnic groups, then you must be able to document its use with the songwriting committee beforehand.
We look forward to hearing all your wonderful songs!
Matt Petersen & Clive Romney- UPHA Song Contest
For more information please contact Clive Romney
801-265-0559/801-706-1997
clive.@upharts.org
www.upharts.org
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