- Please check the convention schedule (July 18-21, 2008) and apply only for divisions/events you can definitely attend.

Examples:
1) Recitals by Whistlers' Circles - July 18 (Friday)
2) Children/Teenager/Senior Divisions and the Allied Arts Category - July 19 (Saturday)
3) Adult Division - July 20-21 (Sunday-Monday)

- Please send audition recordings (tape/CD/MD) by postal mail. We will not accept courier delivery service deliveries.

- Entrants from overseas who have previously participated in the Convention are not required to submit a recording. The details will be sent to your home address in May.

- Audition recordings should be sent on a tape, CD, or MD (miniDisk) in an envelope. Please note that we cannot accept MP3, HiMD or DAT recordings.

- The audition recording does not have to be the same music as will be performed in the contest.

- Please write your name, the name of the composer(s), and the title of the song on each of your submissions.

- Recordings will not be returned.

- Auditions which include whistling by non-entrants will not be accepted.

- There are five (5) divisions according to age and gender: Adult Male, Adult Female, Children, Teenagers, and Seniors.

- Entrants to the Teenager age group must be from thirteen (13) up to nineteen (19) years of age. Seniors must be sixty (60) years of age or older.

- There are three (3) categories: Classical, Popular, and Allied Arts.

- Contest rules state that entrants must enter both the Classical and the Popular categories. It is not possible to enter only one or the other.

- The Classical and Popular categories are restricted to solo performers only.

- The expression "Allied Arts" may be unfamiliar to some entrants. It refers to whistling performances which include something other than orawhistling. The IWC rules make a distinction between a simple "musical" performance and a "show" performance. The Allied Arts category includes anything other than a "musical" performance, such as dancing or a skit, or accompaniment by a musical instrument, all of which are forbidden in the Classical and Popular categories.

- In the Allied Arts category, the focus is still on whistling, but entrants are free to choose the structure and style of their performance. Past examples have included singing, dancing, a skit with a moped, accompaniment by a musical instrument, accompaniment by a typewriter (!), duets, etc.

- When entering the Allied Arts category as a duo, either member's name may be listed as the main entrant. In that case, please write both performers' names together in the "Performance Details" section.

- Any type of performance other than orawhistling (such as teeth-whistling, tongue-whistling, throat-whistling, finger-whistling, grass-whistling, etc.) must be entered in the Allied Arts category. According to the rules, these performances cannot be entered in the Classical or Popular categories.

- Entrants over 60 years of age or older may choose to enter either the Adult or the Senior division. However, they may not enter both division.

- Entrants may enter the Classical, Popular and Allied Arts categories at the same time.

- In the Classical and Popular categories, the audition recording should consist of one song per category entered, for a total of two (2) songs. Allied Arts entrants should submit one song.

- Entrants from Japan must pay an audition fee of JPY2,000 by bank transfer by March 31, 2008. Entries will be processed after the fee has been received.

- The audition fee (JPY2,000) is waived for entrants from overseas who have not previously participated in any other IWC, due to the cost of remittance fees. However, successful new-to-IWC overseas entrants must pay the audition fee together with their entry fee.

- Successful entrants must pay the entry fee of JPY10,000 (JPY7,000 for Seniors' and Teenagers' entrants and JPY5,000 for entrants aged 12 and under), which includes admission to all convention events as well as participation fee(s) for events in which they will actively take part.

- Note that lodging,Whistling School, and Party fee are not included.

- There is no charge for submitting an audition tape for the Whistlers' Circle Presentations.

- Entrants should submit a one-song audition recording.

- Each Whistlers' Circle entry should consist of at least two (2) members. Entrants are free to choose the structure and style of their performance. (All members whistling, a solo accompanied by a musical instrument, etc.)

- Members of the same circle may make multiple entries.

- Members of Whistlers' Circles may also enter the Whistling Contests.

- If the list of Circle members who will perform is undecided at the time of application, please indicate this on your application form.

- Successful entrants must pay the attendance and participation fee of JPY4,000 (per entry) (JPY2,000 for entrants aged 12 and under), which includes the Presentation participation fee but NOT the admission to all other events.

- Only the Adult category is divided into Male and Female divisions.

- Preliminary rounds are held only in the Adult Classical and Adult Popular divisions. There are no preliminary rounds in the Children, Teenager, and Senior divisions.

- In the Adult division in both Classical and Popular categories, entrants must perform one song in the preliminary rounds, another in the final rounds, and one or more in the case of ties. Please prepare a minimum of five (5) songs.

- In the Childrens', Teenagers', and Seniors' divisions in both Classical and Popular categories, there are no preliminary rounds. Please prepare one (1) song each.

- In both the preliminary and final rounds, Classical songs may be up to 5 minutes long and Popular songs may be up to 4 minutes long. The audition recording does not have to be the same music that will be performed in the contest.

- In the Allied Arts category, there are no preliminary rounds. Please prepare one (1) song.

- The Allied Arts category is an open competition. It is not divided by gender or musical type.

In the USA...

- there is no Senior division;

- Teenager division is divided by gender;

- entrants may participate in only the Classical or only the Popular category. Contestants who participate only in the classical or popular categories cannot proceed to the finals and consequently cannot become an overall winner.

- Allied Arts' category is divided by gender;

- there is no Whistlers' Circle Recital.

• For Inquiries regarding IWC2008, please e-mail us.