Download 2017 Talent Production Guidelines for Contestants

~2017 Contestant Talent Request Form~
Date Submitted:
Contestant’s Name:
Local Title:
Local ED Name:
Parent’s Name:
Telephone Number: Home: Cell:
E-Mail Address:
Type of Talent (Be Specific):
Examples: Vocal= Pop, Jazz, Opera, Broadway, Religious
Dance= Ballet, Ballet en Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary
Drama, Instrumental, etc.
Full Title of Music:
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
P.O. Box 211, Dover, DE 19903
Composer: Publisher:
Will you use a custom CD?
A Commercial CD?
No CD
(Mark Yes/No)
For Custom Recordings:
Please give the name, address and phone number of the person writing the arrangement:
For Non-Custom Recordings: If your CD is a commercial track (produced by a tracking company, but
not the original sound track), please give the name, address and phone number of the tracking company:
Dramatic Reading, Comedy, Monologue: Provide the name of the book, play or writing you will use:
Copyrighted:
Publisher:
Author:
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
P.O. Box 211, Dover, DE 19903
2017 Talent Production Guidelines for Contestants
Talent Music Reservation: due to Jody Dallas, State Field Director, within 45 days of winning local title. Please email the
completed Contestant Talent Music Request Form to: [email protected]
You will be notified within 48 hours if the music selection you are requesting is available or if it has already been reserved
by another contestant.
Please remember that you must EMAIL your talent request form COMPLETED by the 45 th day after crowing.
BMI/ASCAP Music Clearance Documentation: the internet search results from the BMI or ASCAP websites for the music
you are requesting for your talent and submitted with the Contestants Talent Request Form above. This documentation is
due at first orientation.
Accompaniment CDs: two (2) CDs of your approved talent music are required by first orientation.
The Talent Accompaniment CD time is strictly limited to ninety (90) seconds. Nothing longer is permissible.
All CDs must be new and of excellent sound quality. Once your Talent CD is accepted and approved, no changes or
substitutions are permitted. This is the only Accompaniment CD authorized for use throughout the 2016 Miss Delaware
and Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen Pageant.
All CDs must be labeled with the following information:
1. Contestant Name & Local Title
2. Music Title
3. Talent (i.e. Vocal, Classical Vocal, Lyrical Dance, Ballet, Piano, Violin, etc.)
4. Talent Time (i.e. 90 seconds, 88 seconds, etc.)
Lyrics, Dialogue and Backup Lyrics on Accompaniment CD: if you are singing or speaking, one (1) copy of your lyrics,
any backup lyrics and/or dialogue is required. Every word must be included, no matter how little. This should be brought
with your (2) CDs to first orientation.
Original Written Material Permission Letters: if you have written the material for your performance, we must receive one
(1) copy of a letter granting the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization permission to use your material for live on-stage
performances.
Talent Competition: there can be no duplication of a talent act among contestants. A contestant may not include in a vocal
medley, the same song another contestant is planning to sing as a solo or as part of a different medley. The same song,
however, may be used in a different talent type, for example; played on a musical instrument or used as accompaniment
for dance by another contestant. Talent music is reserved for contestants on a first-come, first-serve basis. Miss Delaware
Scholarship Organization can only reserve one (1) music request per contestant and cannot place music reserves on hold.
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
P.O. Box 211, Dover, DE 19903
Talent Time: the time limit for talent presentation at Miss Delaware and Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Pageant is ninety
(90) seconds. This applies to all talent, even if you are not using an Accompaniment CD. If your CD exceeds this time
limit, it will be returned and a new one must be produced. Please do not plan a performance that exceeds the ninety (90)
second time limit.
Accompanying Oneself with a Pre-Recorded CD: a contestant may pre-record herself as a backup vocalist, (if she is
performing a different talent than vocal), or instrumental accompanist and use that CD to accompany her live talent
performance. For example, a contestant dancing to a pre-recorded CD of her singing or playing an instrument. However, it
cannot be announced to the judges that the Accompaniment CD contains any performance by the contestant. Contestants
are judged solely on what they are performing live, no exceptions. A talent cannot be performed electronically (i.e. video
tape) or with additional live accompaniment. CD Enhancements: regardless of the talent performed, the background CD
cannot have voices, instruments or other noises that mimic the talent of the contestant. Example: a vocalist may have
background vocals with “oohs and aahs” but cannot have a CD containing any background lyrics or a voice singing the
melody line for the contestant to sing along. This also includes instrumentalists, dancers and any other talent as it could
provide an unfair advantage if judges cannot delineate from the “live” performance and the talent track.
Double Talents: contestants are only judged on what is performed “live.” If a contestant wishes to perform a double talent,
for example, singing and dancing, or singing and piano playing, she must perform both live on-stage. However, if a
contestant dances to a pre-recorded CD of her singing, she is only judged on her dance and it is not announced that she is
singing on the CD.
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
P.O. Box 211, Dover, DE 19903
Search Instructions for BMI/ASCAP/SESAC Coverage
How to Search BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
• go to www.BMI.com
• Enter music selection in “BMI Catalog Search” box
How to search ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers)
• go to www.ASCAP.com
• click on “ACE Database”
• click on “Search the Database”
How to search SESAC (Performing Rights Organization)
• go to www.SESAC.com
• click on “search”
• click on “continue on Search Repertory”
It is usually best to begin your search by title. Once the title comes up then match the writer(s).
Be sure the title and the writer(s) match the song you plan to use.
1. How much does it cost to use a song?
Licensing fees depend on many things – including, but not limited to the fame of the song, the popularity
of the performer, the way the song is used in production and the production media format. Permission and
the setting of fees are discretionary with the publisher and can only be obtained by MAO’s production
company. However, MAO has an agreement to use only music covered by the above licensors, and the
appropriate printout must be received with the submission of Contestant Talent Request Form.
Even if you know the writer, performer or their management, they do not always control their own music
and their approval may be invalid.
2. The music I want to use in my production is so old I think it’s in the public domain (also called PD).
Do not assume that your music selection is classified Public Domain (PD) because it was published in
1922 or earlier. Whether a song is PD depends on MANY things – laws vary depending on WHEN the
piece was created, as well as WHERE your production will be exhibited. Sometimes PD pieces are newly
arranged and we also need to clear the publishing rights for any new arrangements.
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
P.O. Box 211, Dover, DE 19903