You are receiving this email via the Ottawa Musicians List.  The OBS Road to Memphis Solo/Duo 2011 'call for entries' is being sent to all Ottawa area musicians, using all mailing lists available.  Apologies if you receive this information more than once, but we want to make sure no one is missed. 

Please note that the OBS Road to Memphis Band and Solo/Duo competitions will be held separately and the 'call for entries' below relates to the Solo/Duo Blues Challenge only. 
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Liz

Liz Sykes
President
Ottawa Blues Society
http://www.ottawabluessociety.com

OBS Road to Memphis
Solo/Duo 2012

This year, the Ottawa Blues Society Road to Memphis Solo/Duo competition will be held in April.  The Solo/Duo qualifying rounds will take place Wednesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 25, with the finals scheduled for Friday, April 27, 2012 at Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank Street. 

Deadline for entries is Friday, March 30, 2012 at 6 pm (Ottawa time).  

For the purposes of the IBC, a ‘solo/duo’ is any act with one or two musicians; vocalists are counted as musicians for the purpose of this competition.  Both electric and acoustic instruments are allowed.  At the local competition, entrants will be judged using the same criteria as in the International competition.  Each solo/duo entry will have 20-25 minutes to perform (to be confirmed following close of entries) and will be given points based on Blues Content, Vocals, Talent, Originality and Stage Presence.  For full details on scoring criteria and official rules, see the Blues Foundation website http://www.blues.org/ibc/scoring.php

Eligibility Requirements:
¯  Entrants must be 2012 residents of the Ottawa/Gatineau area (approximately 100 km radius of Ottawa).
¯  Entrants must be available for both qualifying rounds and the final round and must be able to travel to the IBC in Memphis, January 29-February 2, 2013. 
¯  Entrants will play one set; set length will be 20-25 minutes (to be confirmed following close of entries).
¯  All songs presented MUST be Blues (electric or acoustic), Rock/ Blues, Jazz/Blues, Country Blues or Rhythm & Blues.

To enter, please download the entry form (available on our website at http://www.ottawabluessociety.com/road2memphis.php), complete all sections and attach completed form to an email addressed to the Ottawa Blues Society at ottawabluessociety@gmail.com; please cc your entry to lizblues@rogers.com.

Every effort will be made to accommodate all applications that are received on time and meet the established criteria.  However, should it be required for any reason deemed appropriate, the Ottawa Blues Society reserves the right to limit the number of entrants in the competition. Should it be necessary to exercise this right, a pre-screening of the applications received will be conducted based on the sample music provided (see entry form).  The results of the pre-screening are final.  Although flexible, for planning purposes the target is to have 2 nights of qualifying rounds. 

Should there be an insufficient number of entries to run a reasonable competition or for any other reason deemed appropriate, the Ottawa Blues Society also reserves the right to cancel the event.  In such a case, all entrants would be given priority should they wish to enter the competition in the following year.

You will be contacted for further information following the submission deadline.  Please address any questions to lizblues@rogers.com.