News and Updates
Houstonfest Scholarships -
winners announced!
Changes and updates for 2022 including procedures for
online contest
State Promo Video Contest
"Texas State German Contest at 40" newsletter
series (full of tips for contest prep and Pass auf!
study material)
"Leidenschaft der Aussprache" Pronunciation Contest
Scholarships at State
Contest
Promo Video #1 (students from one school tell why they
love contest)
Contest Promo
Video #2 (one student tells why she loves contest)
Teacher-to-Teacher Tips
Tips for Pair Discussion
Photo Gallery
Arrival at Heights High School
Lunch options
Daily log of changes to
state-qualifier list
Important Dates
Sat., Jan. 15, 2022, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration
spreadsheet due for regular price of $10/student (payment does not have
to be mailed until 1/24).
Tue., Jan. 18, 2022, 4:00 p.m.: Registration
opens for
pronunciation contest "Leidenschaft der Aussprache" (teachers who submit a
Houstonfest registration by the regular deadline will receive a link to register
for this special contest)
Mon., Jan. 24, 2022, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration spreadsheet
due
for late price of $12/student. Deadline to postmark Houstonfest payment.
Wed., Feb. 2, 2022, 8:00 p.m.:
Houstonfest changes (adds,
drops, substitutions) due. After this point, no more changes will be allowed.
Sat., Feb. 5, 2022: Houstonfest
(virtual) - submissions of art and recordings due by 9:00
a.m., some
events conducted live via Zoom
Tue., Feb. 8, 2022, 11:59 p.m.: Remote
Houstonfest judging ends
Fri., Feb. 11, 2022, 4:45 p.m.: Houstonfest
results announced via live-stream (see Results page for a
recording of the awards show)
Wed., Feb. 16, 2022, 11:59 p.m.: State
online registration due for "early bird" price of $10/student (payment does not
have to be mailed until 2/18).
Fri., Feb. 18, 2022, 11:59 p.m.: State online registration due
for
regular price of
$12/student. Also,
Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship
applications due. Deadline to postmark State payment.
Wed., Feb. 23, 2022, 8:00 p.m.:
Deadline extended: Entries in
promotional video contest
due to State director Jennifer Christianson.
Sat., Feb. 26, 2022:
40th
Annual Texas State German Contest
(virtual) -submissions of art and recordings due by 9:00 a.m., some
events conducted live via Zoom (ask your teacher for the sheet with all the
links!)
Tue., Mar. 1, 2022, 11:59 p.m.: Remote State
judging ends
Sat., Mar. 5, 2022, 11:59 p.m.:
Houstonfest Scholarship applications due. State awards video released.
Fri., Mar. 11, 2022:
Gail Cope
Scholarship applications due.
Sat., April 30, 2022:
Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications due.
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The
2022 contest will be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following
rules are still in effect for the most part and are left here in their normal
format for future years. Any tweaks to the rules and additional procedures for
the 2022 online contest environment can be found by clicking "Changes and
updates for 2022" in the column to the left.
Rules:
Drama
Events
General
rules for all drama events:
-
It is not allowed to use the
same script (or a substantially similar script) in more than one event at the
same contest if there are any common cast members in both events. For
example: A school may not use the same script for a skit and a puppet show
if one or more students are in both casts.
-
It is also not allowed for
any cast member to perform a script which he/she has performed in any
previous year. For example: If your Skit 2 in 2022 was "Rotkäppchen," you may not use "Rotkäppchen"
for Skit 3 in 2023 or for Skit 4 in 2024 unless the casts from one year to the
next are 100% different. The spirit of these first two rules
is that students should be challenged to work with different material in each
event they enter, both within the same year and from one year to the next.
-
All drama entries must be memorized. Points will be deducted
if fellow cast members or the judges have to prompt performers.
-
Cell phones may not be used at any time during the performances.
-
Failure to provide at least 2 copies of the piece to the judges will result in a
10-point deduction from the cumulative score.
Duet
Acting:
Entry
Limit: 2
Lower Level pairs (German I-II) and 2 Upper Level pairs (German III-V) per school.
Time
Limits:
Lower Level:
3-5 minutes.
Upper Level: 5-7 minutes.
Contestants
have a 30-second grace period (under or over).
This
competition follows the basic rules of the National Forensic League, which
include the following: The 2 contestants may use no more than 2 chairs, no
other props, and no costumes; may only pantomime actions; must have a memorized
introduction in German; may have no prompting; must use a piece from a published
work (including movie or television transcriptions) by a German-speaking author (no translations); must have 2 copies of this
piece for the judges; and must adhere to the time limits set forth above. The
merit of the selection will be a criterion in judging. Duets may not be
excerpts from a skit or puppet show in which the contestants are
performing.
Download critique sheet.
Puppet Show:
Entry
Limit: 1
Lower Level show (German I-II) and 1 Upper Level show (German III-V, incl.
advantaged speakers) per school.
Time
Limits:
Lower
Level: 4-8 minutes.
Upper
Level: 7-10 minutes.
Contestants have a 30-second grace period (under or over) plus a maximum
of 3 minutes to set up.
Puppet
shows may be written by the class, the teacher, German-speaking authors, or
others. Fairy tales may be adapted as puppet shows. The performers must
memorize all lines from the script. The judges will ensure that the
performers have no scripts. No stage will be provided nor used on the
contest site, but rather, contestants will perform behind chairs or desks
covered by a black cloth (which is provided onsite). Backdrops should be no
larger than 10' × 10'. They may be secured to the wall with painter's tape
only. Each group must provide its own puppets, props, backdrops, and painter's
tape. If advantaged speakers are included in an
Upper-Level cast, this information must be given to the judges. Two
copies of the script must be provided for the judges. Excerpts from the
puppet show may not be reused in other categories by the same cast member.
Download critique sheet.
Skit:
Entry
Limit: 1 skit
per level, per school (Levels 1, 2, 3, & 4); there must be a minimum of 3
performers with speaking parts, no maximum.
Time
Limits:
Levels 1
& 2: 4-8 minutes.
Levels 3
& 4: 7-10 minutes.
Contestants have a 30-second grace period (under or over), plus a maximum
of 3 minutes to set up.
Mixed-level skits must be entered on the level of the most advanced cast member.
If advantaged speakers are included in a level 4 skit, this information must
be given to the judges. Skits may be written by the class, the teacher,
German-speaking authors, or others. Skits may be from fairy tales. Good
pronunciation and grammatically-correct German are most important in the judging.
Costumes and props may be added for flavor and effect, but are not required.
Two copies of the script must be provided for the
judges. Excerpts from the skit may not be reused in other categories
by the same cast member.
Download critique sheet.
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When is the next Houstonfest?
Saturday,
February 4, 2023 Where
is Houstonfest?
Heights High School in Houston
Link to Texas State German Contest
Texas
State German Contest on Facebook
Texas
State German Contest 40th Anniversary Facebook Group |