Inner West Eisteddfod Strings — Own-Choice String Solos for Six Age Classes, Plus a National Violin Prize for Ages 15 to 23

Cultural & Folk Festival · Asia-Pacific

The Inner West Eisteddfod (Burwood, Sydney) 2025 Strings section: own-choice violin, viola and cello solos by age class (6 to 14 and under) and Open Age, plus the Marcus Edwards Violin Prize for ages 15 to 23.

A ready-made string-music programme for a one-day community eisteddfod: violin, viola and cello solos from six years and under to Open Age, with time limits from two to ten minutes and a separate violin prize class.

This template models the Strings section of a one-day community eisteddfod held each autumn in Burwood, a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Every class is a solo class on a bowed string instrument, open to boys and girls, and the entrant chooses their own piece. It is built from the festival’s own 2025 strings syllabus and covers only the strings sections; the piano, vocal, speech, dance and ensemble sections of a full eisteddfod are not included.

Seven groups are modelled. Five age classes (6 years and under, 8 years and under, 10 years and under, 12 years and under and 14 years and under) and an Open Age class all use the same item, String Solo – Own Choice, and a seventh group holds the Marcus Edwards Violin Prize for ages 15 to 23. Because the syllabus prints only the upper age limit of each “and under” class, the template gives each one the same placeholder lower age of 3 and lets the classes overlap by design, so a ten-year-old can enter the 10, 12 or 14 and under class but should be placed in one. Age is counted on the day of performance.

Time limits grow with the age class: two minutes at 6 and under, three at 8 and under, five at each of 10, 12 and 14 and under, and ten minutes for Open Age. The syllabus sets a playing standard for the youngest and oldest classes (roughly first-grade level for 6 and under, fifth grade and above for 14 and under, sixth grade and above for Open Age), and it names which instruments each class accepts: violin or cello at the two ends of the age range, with viola added in the middle classes. The template carries the time limits only; instrument choice and standard are rules for the organiser to publish.

The prize class is different in shape: two works within fifteen minutes, at least one of them accompanied, for Australian citizens aged 15 to 23, with a cash prize pool of $3000 and a one-year exclusion for earlier first-prize winners. The syllabus prints no mark scale, points table or judging criteria for any class, so every class is scored here out of a nominal 100, entry fees are installed as zero, and First and Second are installed with no points. If you run a similar strings day, tell entrants beforehand what the adjudicator will weigh, such as tone, intonation, rhythm, interpretation and stage presence, and publish your own fees, prizes and closing date.

Where this event comes from

Local eisteddfods with graded solo classes, strict time limits and an open-age or prize class belong to the competitive music-festival tradition that spread across the Commonwealth from the British Isles, and own-choice instrumental solos are among its most familiar items.

Where this event is run

Graded own-choice solo classes for violin, viola and cello, with an age ladder and a longer time limit as the age rises, are a standard part of music festivals in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and South Africa. Community eisteddfods, music societies and schools run smaller versions of the same shape: one class per age band, a stricter limit for younger players, and an open or scholarship-style prize class for older students.

• Australia (New South Wales)

Key facts

• Six age classes using one item, String Solo – Own Choice: 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 and under, plus Open Age
• Time limits of 2, 3, 5, 5, 5 and 10 minutes by class
• A separate violin prize class for ages 15 to 23: two works in 15 minutes, at least one accompanied
• All classes are individual and open to boys and girls; the entrant chooses the piece
• Scored here out of a nominal 100 because the syllabus prints no points table; fees installed as zero, First and Second with no points

Age groups

7

Competition items

2

Competitions

7

Grade bands

0

Rank awards

2

Age groups

Every candidate is placed into one of these groups by age, and competitions are run per group.

6 & Under

3From

–

6To

Candidates aged 3 to 6 compete in this group

8 & Under

3From

–

8To

Candidates aged 3 to 8 compete in this group

10 & Under

3From

–

10To

Candidates aged 3 to 10 compete in this group

12 & Under

3From

–

12To

Candidates aged 3 to 12 compete in this group

14 & Under

3From

–

14To

Candidates aged 3 to 14 compete in this group

Open Age

3From

–

120To

Candidates aged 3 to 120 compete in this group

Marcus Edwards 15-23

15From

–

23To

Candidates aged 15 to 23 compete in this group

Competition items

The events themselves — each with the category it belongs to and how judges score it.

String Solo - Own Choice

MusicMarks

Marcus Edwards Violin Prize

MusicMarks

Frequently asked questions

Can I change this template after installing it?

Yes — installing it creates a fully configured, live event, not a locked package. Every age group, competition item, rule and scoring setting can be edited afterwards to match exactly what your event actually needs.

Do I need technical knowledge to set this up?

No. Installing a template does the setup work for you; you only need to review the details (dates, unit or house names) and open registration.

Want the fuller picture first? See our guide to instrumental music judging criteria guide.