NO CONTRIBUTION IS NECESSARY - MAKING A CONTRIBUTION WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THIS CONTEST

HOW TO ENTER THE ABOVE CONTEST.

No contribution or purchase is necessary. There are two ways to enter the Minnesota Varsity contest (the "Contest"):

1. Visit http://www.classicalmpr.org/varsity and follow the instructions for how to post an audio or video file of a performance. Then, complete the entry form posted on that page. OR
2. Mail a hard copy of the completed entry form along with a CD containing the performance to Minnesota Public Radio (the "Contest Sponsor" or "MPR") at the address on the form.

The entry (the "Submission") will be deemed to be submitted when MPR receives both the completed form and the performance. Incomplete entries or entries submitted by other means will not be considered. Submissions must be postmarked or otherwise received between 9 a.m. CT on November 7, 2011 and 9:00 a.m. CT on January 19, 2012 (the "Submission Period").

MPR has sole responsibility for determining if an entry has been successfully submitted. Any Submission that is not in compliance with these Official Rules may be disqualified, at the sole discretion of the MPR. Void where prohibited by law.

ENTRANT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to enter the Contest, a youth musical artist or ensemble (the "Entrant") must be able to meet all of the following eligibility requirements on April 29, 2012:

1. Entrant must enter in one of the following categories:
   1. Instrumental chamber ensemble without conductor (max 8 participants including accompanist*) performing Classical** Music,
   2. Instrumental soloist (with or without accompanist*) performing Classical Music,
   3. Vocal Chamber Choir (e.g., Classical/Glee Club/Show Choir) without conductor (max 20 participants including accompanist*) performing Classical or Broadway** Music, or
   4. Vocal soloist (with or without accompanist*) performing Classical or Broadway Music.
   * See #5 below for additional requirements regarding the use of an accompanist.
   
   ** For purposes of this Contest, Classical Music means any music in the tradition of Western sacred and secular music from the 11th century to present times, and is not limited to music from the Classical Period from about 1750 to 1820 (only). Broadway Music means any music in the tradition of theatrical or motion picture music, and is not limited to music from Broadway musicals (only).
   
   The individual members of an ensemble are the “Entrant Members”.
2. Entrant must be either an individual artist or an ensemble with no more than eight (8) members including accompanist. (See below). The individual members of an ensemble are the “Entrant Members”.
3. Entrant (including all Entrant Members) must be (a) at least in ninth grade OR 14 years of age, and (b) at most in 12th grade OR not more than 18 years of age. (For example, a 14-year-old 8th grader, a 13-year-old 9th grader, a 17-year-old college student, and a 19 year old 12th grader may enter the Contest.)
4. Entrant (including all Entrant Members) must be active participants in either a community or school music program, including a community program that extends beyond Minnesota (e.g., a Duluth, MN-Superior, WI or Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN program).
5. Entrant (including all Entrant Members) must be Minnesota residents and have a Minnesota legal residency address.
6. Accompanist, if any, may be of any age, subject to the following rules: a) If the accompanist is 18 or younger, then the accompanist will be deemed to be a member of the Entrant for purposes of determining the number of members in the Entrant. All members of the Entrant, including the accompanist, must meet all eligibility requirements (including residency and participation in a music program). The accompanist's performance will be considered in the evaluation of the Entry. b) If the accompanist is over 18, then the accompanist will not be deemed a member of the Entrant and is not required to meet any eligibility requirements. The accompanist's performance will not be considered in the evaluation of the Entry.
7. This Contest is for youth who are not professional musicians. Entrant will not be disqualified if the Entrant or an Entrant Member has accepted a modest stipend, payment, or honorarium for performances (e.g., paid church musician, paid accompanist). However, no Entrant or Entrant Member a) may be represented under a talent contract (e.g., by a talent agent or manager), b) may have a merchandising agreement, c) may have a signed contract with a record label, d) may have any contract that would limit or impair any of MPR's ability to use the Submission, e) may have any contract that would make an Entrant's appearance in the Submission a violation of any third party right(s), and/or f) may have any other contractual relationship (e.g., guild or union memberships) that may prohibit the Entrant or any Entrant Member from participating fully in this Contest, or from allowing MPR to use, on a residual-free and royalty-free basis, the Submission worldwide (subject to all local laws and regulations) in all media in perpetuity.
8. Since April 1, 2011, the Entrant, the Entrant Members, their immediate family, or persons living in the same household are or were not employees of American Public Media Group or its related organizations, including MPR.

Any Entrant or Entrant Member a) that does not meet all eligibility requirements, or b) that exhibits behavior that is illegal, unethical, inconsistent with good citizenship, or is otherwise inappropriate may be disqualified at any time, at the sole discretion of MPR.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for the Contest, a Submission must meet all of the following requirements:

1. The submission must be made by an Entrant that meets all eligibility requirements.
2. Submissions must be of an unedited performance by an Entrant.
3. The Submission must be of musical works in the style of classical music or musical theater. MPR reserves the right to determine whether the musical works are within the scope of the required musical style.
4. The entire Submission, including the musical performances, may be up to ten minutes in length. If a submission is longer than ten minutes, then only the first ten minutes will be considered.
5. Submissions may be in audio or video format. If a Submission contains video, then only the audio portions of any video submission will be considered by MPR.
6. Submissions must comply with all Terms of Service for the web site where they are posted (e.g., youtube.com, vimeo.com, myspace.com).
7. Submissions may not contain content that violates any third-party rights or that MPR, in its sole discretion, deems inappropriate.
8. An Entrant may enter a submission in more than one Category, but may only be chosen for the Featured Round in one Category. If an Entrant or Entrant Member is selected in more than one Category, then MPR, in its sole discretion, will determine the Category for which the Entrant will move forward in the next round of judging.

Any Submission that does not meet all Submission Requirements may be disqualified at any time, at the sole discretion of MPR.

SPONSORS RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

MPR reserves the right to modify these Official Rules (e.g., add rules or to clarify any or all of the rules) at any time during the Contest. Any such additions or clarifications will be posted with these rules; MPR has no further obligation to publicize such additions or clarifications. Likewise, MPR reserve the right to make exceptions to the Rules in its sole discretion and without further obligation to other Entrants.

LICENSE

By entering the Contest, all Entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive license to MPR and its related companies to reproduce, distribute, and display the Submission and, in the case of Showcase Artists, the performance at The Fitzgerald Theater 1) in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, including, but not limited to terrestrial broadcasts, web, and any other platform now known or later developed, and 2) in any other noncommercial use in any media now or hereafter known. MPR will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use. Subject to receiving a signed copy of MPR's parent/legal guardian consent form (see below), MPR or its related organizations may use name and likeness of Featured Artists and Showcase Artists for advertising, fundraising, promotional or publicity purposes without further compensation.

SELECTION

Selection will be made according to the following process, or as otherwise determined by MPR:

1. All eligible Submissions will be made available to the public via terrestrial radio broadcast, web posting, or any other platform(s) selected in the sole discretion of MPR.
2. MPR will select a panel of judges ("First Round Judges") to review all eligible Submission. The First Round Judges will select a pool of not less than fifteen (15) Submissions from Entrants (each, a "Featured Artist"). The decision will be based on a review of all eligible Submissions, and will be made using selection criteria determined in the sole discretion of MPR and the First Round Judges.
3. On or before February 6, 2012, MPR will notify each Featured Artist using the contact information provided with the Submission. If selected as a Featured Artist (see below), then Entrant (including each Entrant Member, as applicable) must provide a) a signed copy of MPR's parent/legal guardian consent form and b) proof that all Entrant Members are currently participating in either a community or school music program. The Entrant will be disqualified if MPR does not receive all such documents within seven (7) calendar days of notification. Before making any public announcement, MPR will confirm that the proposed Featured Artists continue to meet all Eligibility Requirements.
4. Beginning February 6, 2012, MPR will meet with Featured Artists to prepare new recordings of the Featured Artists' performance.
5. The MPR-prepared recordings of the Featured Artists' performances will be posted in an online gallery for public voting through March 28, 2011. Members of the public may vote on the performances, and may cast one vote per email address. Subsequent votes from the same email address will be disqualified.
6. On March 30, 2011, MPR will tabulate all public votes cast for each Featured Artist, and the Featured Artist with the most votes will become one of five "Showcase Artists". The other Showcase Artists, as well as alternates, will be selected by a panel of judges selected by MPR ("Final Round Judges"). The decision will be based on a review of all eligible Submissions, and will be made using selection criteria determined in the sole discretion of MPR and the Final Round Judges.
7. On or before March 31, 2012, MPR will notify each Showcase Artist. Before making any public announcement, MPR will confirm that the proposed Showcase Artist a) continues to meet all Eligibility Requirements and b) is available to perform at The Fitzgerald Theater on Sunday, April 29, 2012.
8. MPR will announce the names of the Showcase Artists on April 1, 2012.
9. Showcase Artists will perform live at The Fitzgerald Theater on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 2 pm.

Each Entrant is responsible for any and all other expenses associated with participating in the Contest. For Entrants selected as Showcase Artists, this includes any and all expenses associated with participating in the April 29, 2012 performance at The Fitzgerald Theater, including but not limited to meals, transportation, and/or lodging.

PRIZE

Each of the five Showcase Artists will receive the following:

1. A cash prize of $1,000.00 cash prize (total)
2. One free recording (on CD) of the MPR-prepared recording of their performance (retail value: approximately $300)
3. Two complimentary tickets to the April 29, 2012 performance at The Fitzgerald Theater (retail value: $15/ticket). If Showcase Artist is an ensemble, then two complimentary tickets will be awarded to each ensemble member.

NOTE: Prize is awarded as a single prize to the Showcase Artist. Except as noted, the prize does not increase if the Showcase Artist is an ensemble with multiple members

Total prize package retail value: approximately $1330.00 (if Showcase Artist is a solo performer) to $1540 (if Showcase Artist is an ensemble with the maximum number of Entrant Members)

Prize is nontransferable. Showcase Artists will receive notification via the delivery service selected by MPR.

SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS

Every eligible entry will be considered. In its sole discretion, MPR will select

1. no less than fifteen (15) and no more than twenty (20) Featured Artists, and
2. five (5) Showcase Artists and one (1) or more alternate Showcase Artist(s).

Featured Artists and Showcase Artists will be notified by telephone, certified mail or email using the contact information provided during the submission process.

If MPR is unable to reach a Featured Artist or Showcase Artist within 24 hours or if a Featured Artist or Showcase Artist is otherwise disqualified, then MPR will go to the first alternate and subsequent alternates. The rules detailing Contest eligibility and method of selecting Featured Artists and Showcase Artists are on file at MPR.

GENERAL

The Entrant acknowledges that by entering the Contest, the Entrant agrees a) that no form of cheating will be tolerated, b) that the performance may not be edited prior to submission, and c) that the Entrant and the Submission meet all Official Rules. Any persons found cheating or otherwise violating the Official Rules, as determined in the sole discretion of MPR, will be immediately disqualified from the Contest.

Further, by participating in this Contest, Entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and agree that MPR and its related organizations, their agents and employees have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind which result from use of the prize, or by participation in the contest. MPR or its related organizations may use winner's name and likeness for advertising, fundraising, promotional or publicity purposes without further compensation. Taxes and expenses as a result of winning this prize are the responsibility of the winner.

CONTEST SPONSOR

Minnesota Public Radio, 480 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, 651-290-1500

11.02.2011