Summary: Eisteddfod Genres and Categories

To access the complete Prospectus 2020 – 2021, login to the secure NESA Online Entry platform. If not registered yet, you will be able to do so now. Login HERE

Click on the button of your choice for an overview of the particular genre.

Confidence builder provides for participants that would like to perform for the pure joy of it, without the pressure of the competition element. It does not involve any “grading” of the performance and no “marks” or  “awards” will be presented.

Novice section & Elementary level provides for a participant has received up to 3 years of teaching on an instrument. This applies to all novices, irrespective of the  TEACHING method (traditional classical or modern contemporary).

Choral singing refers to a group of singers performing together under the guidance of a conductor or choir master. Choirs may sing without instrumental accompaniment, with the accompaniment of a piano or other instruments, and in recent years even backing tracks.

The Instrumental Music category includes all instruments with separate sections for Classical music (the music of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, etc.) as well as instrumental performances in Crossover style (Richard Clayderman and others) and Contemporary music (pop, rock and folk etc.)

The Vocal music section includes vocal performances in all styles of music, including Classical, Crossover and Contemporary.  This section provides for solo singing as well as vocal ensembles.

Speech & drama covers a wide range of categories ranging from solo verse speaking up to one act plays. It provides for all official languages and all material is own choice.  The Prospectus provides comprehensive support material and guidelines for the various categories.

Creative arts section provides for and promotes the creation of new music compositions (vocal and instrumental in any style), new literature (including poetry, prose and short stories, monologues and scenes, as well as short plays) and fine arts  (including drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.) It speaks for itself that all creative work should be original works by the participant that enters the eisteddfod. All creative art entries should follow the prescribed  themes for the year. The themes for 2018 -2019 are “My country, my people“, “A new dawn” and “This makes South Africa great!” .

The Musical Theatre section provides for any performance that involves singing, dancing and acting. Examples are the presentation of a cabaret style production, vocal ensemble productions (including “serenade” and “glee”), extracts from Broadway musicals, musical theatre productions and experimental musical plays

Indigenous South African Arts provides for art as performed by indigenous people that lived in South Africa long before other people came to live here. In South Africa this in particular refers to the San and Nama people. However, many cultures that are now considered indigenous to our country, (although not in the same sense than the San and Nama were), brought their innate culture with them as they migrated towards the south from various places since the 16th century.

The category for Learners with different abilities refers to learners with special needs and includes the deaf and hard of hearing, blind and partly sighted, physically disabled and learning disabled, as well as intellectually challenged participants. In many instances these participants (e.g. blind and partially sighted, physically disabled and learning disabled) can be enter in any of the categories of the National Eisteddfod. Special categories are also available to provide for participants that are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as intellectually challenged participants  .

(This information provided on this page may only be copied or reproduced in any way what so ever for the purpose of participating in the activities of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa.)