50th Maldon Folk Fest Oct 31-Nov 3 '25

Maldon annual family-friendly folk festival, Victoria. Folk Irish Ceilidh bush gospel & blues music; dance, theatre, poetry, workshops, song-writing competitions

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    • Roddy Read Songwriting Award
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Roddy Read Songwriting Award

Entries for the 2025 Roddy Read Songwriting Award are now open and will close Friday 12th September 2025.


Thanks to Trevor and Lee, and our judges, and to Maton Guitars for their sponsorship of this long running songwriting award. And special thanks to Wendy Ealey who has been the co-ordinator and MC for many many years previously.

 

Maton logoThe award is again sponsored by Maton Guitars, with a prize of a guitar and hard case. The winner will perform their winning song on the Progress Hall stage at 1pm on Sunday 2nd November and also be guaranteed a place in the 2026 Maldon Folk Festival. 

Contest coordinators: Trevor Shard (m) 0404 069019 and Lee Merzel (m) 0411 783532

Roddy-Read-Memorial-Songwriting-Award-terms-and-conditions

Roddy Read Songwriting Award Entry Form 2025

  • 1. The song must consist of both original music and words and song length no longer than 5 minutes.
    2. Both recorded and live performance must use no more than four sound sources, for example
    i. two instruments and two vocals
    ii. one instrument and three vocals
    iii. four vocals and no instruments.
    3. A song may be deemed ineligible if the judges believe more than four sound sources have been used.
    4. Songs in a language other than English will need to include a copy of the English translation of the lyrics.
    5. A songwriter, or team of songwriters may submit multiple entries, however, only one entry by any songwriter will be accepted as a finalist. (i.e. a songwriter’s name may appear on the entry form, as (a) songwriter, for only one song accepted for judging in the final shortlist.)
    6. If selected as a finalist, the song must be performed live at Maldon Folk Festival by either the songwriters or by performers nominated on the entry form.
    i. Concert time is subject to change, please refer to the Festival Program.
    ii. If a performer is not present in time to perform an entry, judging will be postponed no longer than 5 minutes from the finish of the last performance.
    7. Recordings of the song must not be commercially available for sale prior to the Friday of the Maldon Folk Festival.
    8. The song must not have won a prize in any other songwriting contest.
    9. Previous winners of the ‘Roddy Read Memorial Songwriting Award’ are not eligible to enter.
    10. The judges’ decision is final, and the contestants retain no right of appeal or discussion.
    i. Entries will be prejudged to determine up to fifteen songs to be performed at the finals concert on the Saturday of the festival.
    ii. The finalist entrants will be notified by email / telephone by COB Monday 14th October 2024.
    iii. The finalist entries will be judged from live performances at the Maldon Folk Festival on the afternoon of Saturday 2nd November 2024, with the winner announced at the concert conclusion.
    iv. Presentation of the prize and a performance of the winning song will occur on the main stage on Sunday 3rd November 2024. In order to facilitate this, the entering songwriter and the performers must be able to attend the finals contest at the Maldon Folk Festival on Saturday 2nd November 2024 and Sunday 3rd November 2024 at their own expense.
    11. Entry for the Roddy Read Memorial Songwriting Contest can be only be made via this online form. The closing date is 5pm AEST, Friday 20th September 2024.
  • You may enter more that one song. Please make sure that we know what you are entering.
  • Drop files here or
    Max. file size: 48 MB.
      If you wish to enter more than one song you can upload all here. Please make sure that all songs uploaded have corresponding lyrics.
    • Drop files here or
      Max. file size: 48 MB.
        If you are entering more that one song please label the lyrics clearly.
      • Please make payment by direct deposit to:
        Bendigo Bank
        Maldon Folk Festival Inc
        BSB: 633-000
        Account Number: 122686983
        Description for statement – RR & (your surname)
      • Max. file size: 48 MB.
      • Condition 12 Acceptance:
        Tick here to accept condition 12 of the Terms and Conditions of Entry as stated below. ..........................
        The songwriters and performers assign to the organisers of the contest and the Maldon Folk Festival Committee, the right to use the entry recording or a recording of the song during its performance in this contest to promote the Maldon Folk Festival, or the Roddy Read Memorial Songwriting Contest itself, without recompense to the songwriters/composers or performers. In this event reasonable efforts will be made to notify of distribution of their material.
        i. Entries will not be returned and may be retained for the purposes of promoting the Festival or the contest.

      Previous Winners

      2024    Emily Pritchard “Fish Out Of Water”
      2023    Alana Wilkinson “Dream Big”
      2022   Cate Taylor “Dust and Gold”
      2019    Matt Glass – ‘The Last Time’
      2018    Hannah Schmidli – ‘Ellanore’
      2017    Cathy Dobson – ‘Jericho Rose’
      2016    Tracey Hogue – ‘Forget You Not’
      2015    Peny Bohan – ‘Jonny’
      2014    Ann-Maree McKee & Bernard Robertson – ‘If You’
      2013    Melissa Main – ‘Black Silk’
      2012    Michael Waugh – ‘Heyfield Girl’
      2011    Oh Pep! – ‘Fooling Around’
      2010    Lauren Lee Williams – ‘Stash Your Dreams’
      2009    Tony English – ‘Leaving Liverpool’
      2008    Geoff McArthur – ‘Sparkle and Shine’
      2007    Rose Bygrave – ‘Erarerama’
      2006    Neil Robertson – ‘Celebration’
      2005    Heidi Hibberd – ‘Lyndee I Have Lost Your Number’
      2004    Mark Cryle – ‘Anytime You’d Fall’
      2003    Caithlin Meave – ‘Buddha and Steel’
      2002    Bruce Watson – ‘Dad’s Clothes’
      2001    Bek Fletcher – ‘Fly’
      2000    Ben Smith – ‘One Little Black Face’
      1999    Graham Dodsworth – ‘Excuse Me’
      1998    Mark Jackson & Cassy Nunan – ‘I Just Received’
      1997    Tiffany Eckhardt – ‘On My Knees’
      1996    Geraldine Hughes – ‘Caravans’
      1995    Enda Kenny – ‘My Own Road’
      1994    Steve Dennis – ‘Don’t Cry for Me’
      1993    Don Cowling – ‘The Ordinary Man’

       

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