Southern Violin Association
association of violin makers in the Western Hemisphere

Maker Competition Guidelines 2025

2025 Making Competition

2025 Instructions

  • Entry Deadline:
    • Entry forms and fees are due on or before March 19, 2025.
  • Registration:
    • Register for for the convention, competition, new instrument exhibit online at: Click here to Register
    • Participants will receive an invoice for payment after registration.
  • Fees: $125 per instrument (non-refundable).
  • Check-In: Instruments must be checked in between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
  • Check-Out:
    • Instruments can be checked out on Friday afternoon, March 21, 2025, at a time announced at the convention.
    • Retain your check-in receipt for verification.
  • Instrument Categories: Violins and violas may be submitted.
  • Unaccompanied Entries:
    • Non-attending participants may ship their instruments.
    • Deadlines for unaccompanied entries:
      • Applications and fees due: March 5, 2025.
      • Instruments must arrive at the host shop by: March 12, 2025.
    • Host Shop:
      • Voss Violins
      • 620 Glen Iris Dr NE, UNIT 104, Atlanta, GA 30308
      • Phone: (404) 876-8617
    • Include a prepaid return shipping label for return of the instrument.
  • Submission Limit:
    • A maximum of three instruments per competitor. No more than two of each category.
    • The first 75 instruments submitted will be accepted.

Competition Rules

Objective

The objective of the competition is to inspire the creation of outstanding, artistic, concert-quality violins. Judges will evaluate instruments based on artistic merit, technical execution, tone quality, and ease of playing.

GENERAL RULES

  1. Instruments submitted for Competition must have been completed not more than 24 months before the competition start date - (2 years old).
  2. All competitors must be members of the Southern Violin Association.
  3. Instruments may not be entered if they have already received medal awards in other Competitions (such as 1st, second, silver or gold medal). Instruments may be entered if they have won certificates in other Competitions (such as certificates for tone or workmanship).
  4. The decision of the judges is final.
  5. Hors Concours Status - Individuals that have won three first place awards in at least 2 competitions, with at least one award in each of tone and workmanship, shall be awarded Hors Concours status. Hors Concours winners shall not be eligible to compete in future competitions.
  6. No workmanship or tone judge may have seen, heard, or played on any instrument entered in the Competition prior to the date of the Competition.
  7. Competition Committee (including volunteers) and board members may enter instruments in the Competition - but must not have any direct and singular contact with the judges once competition is underway. No persons entering the competition room after check-in may have instruments in the competition. Maintaining separation and anonymity is of paramount importance and must not be compromised.
  8. Competitors are responsible for insuring their own instruments. The Southern Violin Association will take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of instruments entered into the competition and exhibition. However, the SVA is not responsible for any loss, damage or destruction to any instrument during the competition (including the period during which instruments are stored before and/or after the competition).
  9. Contestants are financially responsible for the transportation of their instrument both to and from the competition site.
  10. By entering this competition the maker agrees to have their instrument photographed by the SVA, and to have the photographs used by the SVA for publication or any other purpose, without prior permission of the maker.
  11. Affidavit of Authenticity. All makers entering the Competition must sign an affidavit on the entry form indicating that the instrument has been made entirely by their own hands.
    • Fittings such as pegs, tailpieces and chinrests on the instrument may be commercially produced.
    • Makers are not permitted to sub-contract work on instruments submitted.
    • Factory produced or mass produced or instruments made using the skills and labor of more than the submitting maker are not eligible for the competition.
  13. Anonymity Rule. In an effort to insure impartiality, the identity of the makers of the instruments is withheld from the judges during the Competition. Participants will at no time during the event discuss their instrument in any way with judges. Any violation of these rules will lead to disqualification. Competitor lists will not be available until the completion of the judging.
  14. Instruments must be made of predominately wood material. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, epoxy and other such materials may be used, but very sparingly.
  15. A rules committee, comprised of the President, the Vice President, and the Makers Competition chairs shall have final authority over interpretation of Competition rules, the settling of disputes and dealing with questions arising during the Competition.
  16. Rules Infractions. Infractions of rules will be determined by the rules committee after consultation with the appropriate judges. Instruments which do not comply with Competition rules will be disqualified. All entry fees for disqualified items will be forfeited.
  17. Any maker who is caught attempting to commit fraud in the Competition by submitting the work of others in his/her name will be disqualified from the Competition and may be banned from all future SVA Competitions.
  18. Restricted Materials. Restricted materials such as elephant ivory, tortoiseshell or whalebone shall not be used in competition instruments. Restricted materials include any materials or items that cannot cross United States borders.
  19. Cover Ownership Markings. To prevent the judges from identifying the maker by looking at the instrument’s label, brand, or stamped mark, it is the responsibility of the contestant to make sure that all such labels, brands, or stamped marks are covered or otherwise concealed at the time of entry. Even so, all instruments must have a (covered) label, brand, or stamped mark. This is so that the maker may be positively identified, if necessary, at the conclusion of the Competition after the judging has taken place.
  20. Competition Number. Once the instruments have been entered into the contest, a random number is assigned to each instrument by the Competition Chair. The connection of instrument maker and competition number is known only to the Competition Chair.
  21. Setup. Setup of the instrument is the responsibility of the maker. Once judging begins, access to instruments will not be permitted until the completion of the competition. Setup of Unaccompanied Entries will be reviewed by the host shop before entering them into the competition.
  22. Repairs. The SVA will designate a qualified luthier to handle small simple repairs and adjustments should the need arise. This will include replacing broken strings and closing open seams between the ribs and plates. A luthier designated by the SVA will close any such open seams with very dilute hide glue to enable the instrument to participate in the tone competition. The judges will be informed of the repair and shown its location on the instrument. Once the instrument is returned to the competitor, he/she may easily reopen the seam and repair it to his/her satisfaction. Makers preferring no repairs will have the opportunity to opt out of repairs on the entry form. Instruments requiring extensive repairs will be removed from the Competition and the Competition fee will be refunded. If a problem occurs during the judging phase of the Competition, the SVA cannot contact the competitor because this would necessitate a breach of security concerning anonymity.

Judging

INSTRUMENT WORKMANSHIP JUDGING

  • Workmanship judges will work together to establish a numerical scoring plan with a maximum score of 100 points that ensures balance between construction, varnish, setup, and overall impression.
  • Judges shall write comments for the maker and are encouraged to discuss the scoring and observations with the maker after the competition is complete.
  • All instruments shall receive a numerical score.
  • The total point scores shall inform the judges’ selection of winners. But it is recognized that judges use numerical scoring differently. The judges can use discretion in their unanimous selection of the winners.
  • Judges may choose to review and score top instruments more than one time.
  • Score cards with notes will be available to the owner of the instruments.

TONE JUDGING

  • Tone judges will work together to determine which instruments will receive tone awards.
  • Judges shall consider tone quality and ease of playing in a subjective selection of award winners.
  • Tone judges may choose to use a numerical rating system or not, as they choose.
  • Notes will be recorded by the judges and shared with the maker for all instruments.

PRIZES

  • First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize medals will be awarded in workmanship, and in tone in all categories of instruments. These terms may be changed to “Gold, Silver, Bronze” if the judges determine that the level of workmanship is competitive with other international competitions.
  • Certificates of Merit may be awarded by the workmanship and/or tone judges for outstanding instruments that do not receive a First, Second, or Third prize medal.
  • Southern Maker Award. For a violin to receive the Southern Maker Award, the maker must be residing and working in one of the following states at the time of the competition: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., or West Virginia. At the completion of the workmanship and tone judging, those instruments made by makers from southern states will be pointed out and shown to the judges again for consideration of a Southern Maker Award. The workmanship and tone judges shall collaborate to award Southern Maker awards. An instrument may also qualify for any other award, as well as this one. At the judges’ discretion, no instruments, or multiple instruments may receive this award if the quality of the instrument dictates such a decision.
  • Novice Maker’s Award. For a violin to receive a Novice Maker’s Award, the maker must have completed no more than 10 instruments at the time of the competition. At the completion of the workmanship and tone judging, those instruments made by a novice maker will be pointed out and shown to the judges again for consideration of a Novice Maker’s Honorable Mention award. Workmanship and Tone judges shall collaborate in selection of this award. A violin may also qualify for any other award as well as this one. At the judges’ discretion, no instruments may receive this award or multiple instruments may receive this award if the quality of the instrument dictates such a decision.

For questions, contact the competition committee at info@southernviolinassociation.com.