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Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year 2014

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lowden Guitar, George Lowden Guitars are delighted to introduce the Young Guitarist of the Year 2014 competition.

George Lowden has been designing and making his acoustic guitars in Ireland since 1974 and exporting them worldwide since 1981. A growing team of craftsmen, including 2 of his sons, work under his direct supervision building Lowden guitars by hand in Downpatrick, Co Down.

Making a Lowden requires a passionate commitment to no compromise. This commitment is something we will look for in the eventual winner of the competition.

The Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year gives you an opportunity to showcase your skills in front of prominent music industry figures. The competition will showcase your skills not just through social media, but also in front of a live audience for the competition winner. The Competition Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year sponsored by George Lowden Guitars, Amped Promotions, Candyrat, G7th Capo Co, and LR Baggs. It is open to entrants, worldwide, aged 25 or below on 20th November 2014.

How To Enter All you have to do to enter is upload a video to YouTube of you performing on the guitar a composition composed or arranged by you. The video must be no more than four minutes long. You must then place a link to the video on to the Lowden Young Guitarist Of The Year Facebook page on 12th September 2014. Be sure to put “Lowden Young Guitarist Competition Entry” in the video title.

You MUST also submit the competition entry form available in the tabs at the top of the George Lowden Guitars Facebook page.

An independent judging panel will judge all the competition entries based on four criteria: composition, technical ability, taste and feel, performance and delivery. The panel will then prepare a shortlist of finalists that will be announced on www.georgelowden.com and the Facebook page. The finalists will be evaluated by a panel of expert judges and industry figures. The winner will be announced in September 2014.

The winner will win a Lowden acoustic guitar, and will enjoy the prestige of being crowned Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year 2014. The winner will also be flown to perform in the Lowden 40th Anniversary Concert in Belfast, NI on 20th November 2014. They will be eligible for a 1-year management contract and will be featured in magazines and press.

Before entering, be sure to read the Terms & Conditions carefully.

   

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Important – if you are under 18, a parent or guardian must consent to you entering the competition before you enter.

Closing date for entries is 11:59pm GMT, Sunday 31st August.

The shortlist will be announced at the Lowden website on 12th September 2014. Good luck!

Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year 2014 Competition Rules

1. Competition

1.1. By taking part in the Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year 2014 competition (“Competition”), you agree to be bound by the terms set out herein (“Competition Rules”).

1.2. The organiser of the Competition is George Lowden Guitars Limited, a company with a registered address at Unit 27, Down Business Centre, Belfast, BT30 9UP (company no. NI054467 (“Lowden”) in association with Amped Promotions.

1.3. Clause headings will not affect the interpretation of these Competition Rules, and a reference to a clause is a reference to a clause in these Competition Rules. Words in the singular include the plural and in the plural include the singular, and references to any gender include all genders. References to including and include(s) shall be deemed to mean respectively including without limitation and include(s) without limitation.

2. Eligibility

2.1. You may only enter the Competition if you will be 25 years old or younger on 20th November 2014.

2.2. If you are under 18 years old on the date that you submit your video, you will need the consent of your parent or guardian before entering the Competition. You must not enter the Competition unless you have obtained the relevant consent of your parent or guardian.

2.3. You must be available to perform at the Lowden 40th Anniversary Concert in Belfast on 20th November 2014.

2.4. Employees and/or freelance contributors, contractors or sub-contractors of Lowden, and any of the official partners, sponsors, or associates of Lowden relating to the Competition (any such party, “Associates”) or any Judges (as defined at clause 4.2) and any family members of any of the aforementioned parties are not eligible to enter this Competition.

3. Competition Entry

3.1. In order to enter the Competition, you must submit a video (“Entry”) of you (“Entrant”) performing a composition on the guitar (“Composition”).

3.2. The Composition:

3.2.1. may be performed either solo or over a backing track (which you have the right to use or allow to be used for the purposes set out in the Competition Rules);

   

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3.2.2. must either be an original piece of music composed by you or an original arrangement by you of an existing piece of music (for which you have the consent of the rights holder to use or allow to be used in accordance with the Competition Rules); and

3.2.3. must not contain anything which may be deemed obscene or offensive.

3.3. A Composition that has won a prize in a major national or international competition or that has been entered into such a competition where the results are still pending is not eligible for entry.

3.4. An Entry will only be admissible if it is:

3.4.1. submitted in accordance with the instructions set out on the Lowden Facebook page;

3.4.2. submitted by an Entrant (or, where the Entrant is under 18 years of age, by a parent or guardian on behalf of the Entrant) (not via an agency or any other representative body); and

3.4.3. received by Lowden no later than 11:59 pm on Sunday 31st August 2014.

3.5. An Entrant is only permitted to submit one Entry in the Competition.

3.6. There is no fee for entering the Competition.

4. Judging, Notification and Finals

4.1. Each Entry will be judged on the following four criteria: composition, technical ability, taste and feel, performance and delivery.

4.2. Subject to clause 4.7, a panel of judges appointed by Lowden (“Judges”) will determinate (at its sole discretion) which Entrants shall be short-listed for the next round of the Competition (such participants, “Finalists”). Finalists will be announced on 12th September 2014 on www.georgelowden.com (“Lowden Website”) and on Lowden’s Facebook page.

4.3. The selected Finalists may be requested to submit an additional entry video (“Additional Video”) for the Judges to determine the winner of the Competition (“Winner”). If you do not comply with any request by the Judges to submit an Additional Video, you may be disqualified from the Competition. For the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Video will be subject to the same restrictions as an Entry and will be subject to these Competition Rules.

4.4. The Judges will select one Winner from the Finalists. The Winner will be announced at the end of September 2014 on the Lowden Website and on Lowden’s Facebook page.

4.5. All decisions by the Judges, Lowden or its Associates in relation to the Competition are final. In the event of a disagreement between any of these parties, Lowden shall be entitled to make the final decision.

4.6. If the quality of Entries does not meet the standard required by Lowden, at its sole discretion, Lowden reserves the right to instruct the Judges not to select any Finalists and/or Winner.

   

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4.7.  Lowden reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant where it believes, in its absolute discretion, that the Entrant is in breach of the Competition Rules, or has acted illegally or in any manner that could bring Lowden’s reputation into disrepute.

5. Prizes

5.1. The Winner shall, subject to clause 5.2, be awarded:

5.1.1. the title of ‘Lowden Young Guitarist of the Year 2014’;

5.1.2. a Lowden acoustic guitar selected by Lowden;

5.1.3. a one year management contract (subject to terms) with Amped Promotions;

5.1.4. coverage in magazines associated with or selected by Lowden and on the Lowden Website; and

5.1.5. the opportunity to perform at the Lowden 40th Anniversary concert in Belfast, NI on 20th November 2014. Flights and hotel accommodation for the Winner shall be at Lowden’s expense.

5.2. Lowden reserves the right to remove any prizes or title awarded in connection with the Competition (“Prize”) in the event that the recipient of any such Prize has been found to be in breach of the Competition Rules, or committed any illegal acts or other acts which would bring Lowden into disrepute.

5.3. Lowden reserves the right, in its sole discretion to change or add to any Prize awarded.

5.4. In the event that you receive any Prize, you acknowledge and agree that neither Lowden nor its Associates have any liability whatsoever to you in connection with your use and/or possession of the Prize provided that nothing in these Competition Rules shall exclude or limit the liability of any part for personal injury or death caused by negligence or for anything else which cannot be excluded or limited by law.

6. Publicity

6.1.  Where requested to do so by Lowden, you agree, subject to reasonable notice being given to you, to participate in any publicity event in connection with this Competition and/or in connection with the business of Lowden or its Associates and you consent to Lowden and/or its Associates using your name and image for such purposes.

6.2. In the event that you are required to perform your Composition at the request of Lowden, you agree:

6.2.1. to comply with any instructions reasonably given by Lowden; and

6.2.2. that your performance will not include anything that could be deemed (in Lowden’s sole opinion) to be obscene or offensive.

   

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7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1. By submitting an Entry you represent and warrant:

7.1.1. that you own all rights (or have the necessary consent of any third parties who own any rights) in and to the Entry (including the Composition); and

7.1.2. that use (including reproduction) of the Entry and/or Composition by Lowden or its Associates in accordance with the Competition Rules shall not breach the rights (including intellectual property rights) of any third party.

7.2. By submitting an Entry you grant Lowden and its Associates a world-wide, royalty-free licence commencing on the date on which the Entry is submitted and continuing for the period of 3 years from the date on which the Winner is announced, to use the Entry for purposes including the following:

7.2.1. in association with the Competition;

7.2.2. for marketing purposes on any websites associated with Lowden and/or its Associates, including the Lowden Website and Lowden’s Facebook page;

7.2.3. for promoting the Competition and/or Lowden’s business at public exhibitions and events, on television and via other media channels including emails, websites and press packs; and

7.2.4. for reproduction on merchandise associated with the Competition.

7.3. Lowden shall be entitled to sub-licence its rights under clause 7.2 to other third parties including users of websites associated with Lowden and/or its Associates.

7.4. You agree (and you procure that any third party who has any rights in and to the Entry agrees) to waive any moral rights or similar rights you have (or that third party has) in your Entry whether such rights arise pursuant to the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 or equivalent legislation anywhere in the world.

7.5. Subject to clause 7.4, you (and/or where appropriate, your licensors) shall retain ownership of all copyright and any other intellectual property rights in your Composition.

8. Liability

8.1. Entries are uploaded at your own risk and Lowden cannot accept responsibility for any damages or losses suffered by you as a result of the actions of any third parties, including the act of copying or using your Entry.

8.2. As part of the submission process, you will be required to upload your Entry on to the online channel, YouTube and the social network site, Facebook. Each of these mediums is subject to terms and conditions separate to the Competition Rules. You should read any such third party terms and conditions and privacy policies before uploading your Entry. Lowden accepts no responsibility for the actions or inactions of any such third party nor for any breach by you or any such third party in uploading your Entry.

   

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9. Personal Information

9.1. By entering the Competition, you will submit some information by which you or another party can identified (such information, “Personal Data”). In the event that you do so disclose such personal data, you:

9.1.1. warrant and represent to us that you have secured all consents and permissions, and have taken all actions necessary, as may be required by applicable law for the purposes of storage by us of any data relating for the purposes set out in the Competition Rules; and

9.1.2. in relation to any Personal Data relating to you, that you consent to the use of such Personal Data in accordance with these Competition Rules.

9.2. We may use your Personal Data for the following purposes:

9.2.1. for the organisation of the Competition; and

9.2.2. for marketing and promotional purposes for the Competition and Lowden’s business.

9.3. By submitting an Entry, you consent to the use of your Personal Data in accordance with clause 9.2. In the event that you do not consent to this use of your Personal Data, you can notify us by sending an email to: guitarist@georgelowden.com or you can notify us by writing to: Lowden Young Guitarist Competition 27 Down Business Park Downpatrick, United Kingdom BT30 9UP.

9.4. The Personal Data that we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA) for instance, if our websites (or YouTube or Facebook) are hosted outside the EEA. These countries may not have as stringent data protection regimes as EEA countries. By submitting your Personal Data you agree to this transfer, storage or processing.

10. General

10.1. If any provision (or part provision) of these Competition Rules is found by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal, the other provisions will remain in force. If any invalid, unenforceable or illegal provision would valid, enforceable or legal if some part of it were deleted, the provision will apply with whatever modification is necessary to give effect to the intention of Lowden.

10.2. These Competition Rules form the entire agreement between you and Lowden.

10.3. These Competition Rules are subject to the laws of Northern Ireland and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Northern Irish courts.