Glossary of Terms

Amateur vs. Professional Rule

All competitors must be amateurs.

An amateur shall be defined as:
• any person whose principal means of livelihood is not obtained from the performance or teaching of music in the particular category in which he/she is competing, even though from time to time they may receive remuneration on an occasional basis (not full-time).

Professionals are ineligible to compete at the OMFA Provincial Finals.

A professional shall be defined as:
• an individual performing in a professional show and/or receiving professional income within the calendar year (September 1 – August 31st)
Disciplines that cannot be entered when performing in a professional musical include Musical Theatre, Speech Arts, Songs from the Screen and More and Popular Voice
• children up to 18 years who perform in a professional show and are not paid, receive valuable professional experience, and are therefore considered professional for the calendar year in which they are cast.
• an individual who is enrolled as a full or junior member of either ACTRA or EQUITY, or who is collecting credits to become an Equity member.
• an individual earning income from performing or teaching music privately or in the school system.
• an individual who has a post-secondary performance degree in an instrument which would render them ineligible to compete in that instrument/discipline.

Exceptions:
• An individual with an Actra or Equity membership in one discipline may compete in Provincials in another discipline (e.g. an individual performing in a professional musical, who has been recommended for classical piano would be allowed).
• A professional performer or music teacher who is a member of a choir, band or orchestra, provided that the other members are amateurs and the group itself is amateur. Conductors or accompanists may be professional.
• A professional performer or music teacher in one discipline may compete as an amateur in another different discipline. For example, a pianist or piano teacher may enter as an amateur in strings, woodwinds, brass, voice, etc.
• Competitors with a music degree in one instrument may compete in another different discipline.
• If the individual has received professional income after they were recommended to the OMFA Provincial Finals, they would be ineligible to participate and their entry fee would be refunded, if applicable.

Accompaniment – A subordinate part for instruments, voices or ensembles – usually piano.

Adult – A competitor over the age of 29 as of December 31, 2022

Advanced Level – Competitors who are performing at an ARCT/ACCM level or higher.

ARCT/A.Mus. – The level directly after Level 10 in either the RCM and CC syllabi.

Class – Each discipline is divided into sub-categories by instrument, and/or by age, and/or by grade level. Each is identified by a five-digit number.

Competitor – A non-professional student who has been recommended to a class indicated in the OMFA Syllabus.

Conservatory – A music training institution that publishes lists of repertoire for exams.

CC– Refers to the Conservatory Canada Syllabus

Diploma Level – Classes that are offered for competitors who are studying at the Conservatory Associate Level but who have NOT completed the Associate Diploma as of December 31st, 2022. Competitors entering the Diploma section can only have been studying at the ARCT/A.Mus. level for 2 years or less. If the competitor has been studying at this level longer than 2 years, they must enter the Open Class.

Discipline – A discipline is a particular area of musical or speech study. A discipline may be for a group such as Band and Chorus or may be for a soloist such as Piano, Vocal, Speech, and a number of different instruments.

Disqualification – Competitors who do not comply with the OMFA rules and regulations will be disqualified.

Graded Level – Applies to RCM and CC levels/grades from Grade 1 to Diploma.

Hand-Held Props – Items used onstage by the performer that can be held in their hands, eg. brush, wand, mirror scarf.

OMFA – Ontario Music Festivals Association is the umbrella body of 42 local member festivals in the province of Ontario

OPEN – Classes that are offered for competitors who are performing at the ARCT/A.Mus. level or above but do not have to have attained their associate degree. Competitors who have been studying at the Associate (Diploma) level for 2 or more years must enter this class.

RCM – Refers to the Royal Conservatory of Music Syllabus