Current:Home > InvestWorld's greatest whistler? California competition aims to crown champ this weekend -Momentum Wealth Path
World's greatest whistler? California competition aims to crown champ this weekend
View
Date:2025-04-14 16:25:44
Some will strum guitars, some will perform with dancers and others may even go the old school route, performing with just a microphone and their lips pursed together.
Contestants from all over the world are putting their whistling skills to the test this weekend at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater in Hollywood, hoping to be crowned the winner of the Masters of Musical Whistling International Competition and Festival.
This year’s competition kicks off Friday and is made up of over 60 whistlers from 11 countries.
The competition is made up of five divisions, with the highest being the World Champion Whistler division. Winners won’t get a cash prize but they will get a trophy or award, organizers said on the contest website.
Performances must be between 2 and 5 minutes and can include classical music or popular music such as country, blues, pop, jazz and international music.
The competition was created by nonprofit Creative Being Inc. and is a celebration of the art of whistling and self-expression.
The Masters of Musical Whistling International Competition says it is the only whistling competition to name a world champion based on live band performances.
How did whistling gain popularity?
The contest was started to celebrate the art of musical whistling, which some historians call the first musical instrument available to people, organizers said.
“Not only used as a musical device, whistling has long served rural communities throughout the globe as a long distance” communicative device, organizers said on the contest website.
And whistling is more complex than people think. There are multiple types of whistling, including puckering, palatal whistling, throat whistling, hand whistling and even finger whistling.
Guinness World Records:American woman breaks Guinness World Record for hula hooping with flaming rings
Between the 1920s and 1950s, many artists would tour and perform with large bands. However when the portable radio was invented, whistling lost some of its popularity, organizers said.
That’s where the International Whistlers Convention comes in. The event was first held in 1973 in Louisburg, North Carolina, about 35 miles northeast of Raleigh. For over 40 years, whistlers from countries such as Japan and the Netherlands showed up to celebrate the art.
The convention lasted until 2014 when it lost its financial backing. The next year, California native Carole Anne Kaufman, “the whistling diva,” launched her own international competition.
Record-setting birds:Overachiever birds that broke world records
How are contestants judged?
Judging is serious business.
Whistlers will be judged based on factors such as rhythmic and note accuracy, breath support, expressiveness, emotional import, stage presence, appearance and more.
Questions judges may ask themselves during the contest include “Do you feel a connection to the performer?” and “Do the energy and musicianship reach out and grab you?”
They will also give bonus points to their top choice winners.
“Whether you are a lover of musical whistling or you simply appreciate great music, there is something for everyone at The Masters of Musical Whistling,” organizers boasted on their website.
To find out more, visit www.mastersofwhistling.com.
veryGood! (7671)
Related
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Lay-up
- Bear Market No More: Discover the Best Time to Buy Cryptocurrencies at Neptune Trade X Trading Center
- Olympics changing breaking in sport’s debut as dancers must put scores above art
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- The Latest: Harris and Walz to hold rally in Arizona, while Trump will visit Montana
- Record-breaking wildfires scorch more than 1.4 million acres in Oregon, authorities say
- Travis Scott Arrested After Alleged Altercation With Security Guard in Paris, Prosecutors Say
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Save 49% on the Cult-Fave Beats Studio Pro & Up to 55% Off Beats Headphones & Earbuds — Starting at $40
Ranking
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- Travis Scott Arrested After Alleged Altercation With Security Guard in Paris, Prosecutors Say
- Safe to jump in sprinkle pool? Man who broke ankle sues Museum of Ice Cream in New York
- Olympic Legend Allyson Felix Shares Her Essentials for Paris and Beyond With Must-Haves Starting at $3.17
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Deion Sanders reveals he is not happy with CBS, also trolls Pittsburgh coach at news event
- Don’t Miss Colleen Hoover’s Cameo in It Ends With Us
- Top picks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels see first NFL action in preseason
Recommendation
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
Marathon swimmer ends his quest to cross Lake Michigan after two days
US women have won more medals than all of Australia, France and almost everybody else
We all experience cuts and scrapes. Here's how to tell if one gets infected.
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Flight with players, members of Carolina Panthers comes off runway at Charlotte airport
Who plays Lily, Ryle and Atlas in 'It Ends with Us' movie? See full cast
Save 49% on the Cult-Fave Beats Studio Pro & Up to 55% Off Beats Headphones & Earbuds — Starting at $40