Competition terms 2010

About Terms Competition

Les conditions de Concours (Français)

Instruments and dates

The 62th Prague Spring International Music Competition, a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Geneva, will take place from 7 to 15 May 2010 in Prague for the instruments violin and trumpet.

Conditions for participating

The competition is intended for artists of all nationalities who:

  • fall within the age limit – 30 years (i.e. born on or after 7 May 1980)
  • have not yet won 1st prize in the Prague Spring International Music Competition for the relevant instrument

Application form

Competition applicants should complete legibly the enclosed application form and send it to the address:

Prague Spring International Music Competition
Hellichova 18
118 00 Praha 1
Czech Republic

With the application please enclose:

  • an uncut recording – an audio recording (CD or mini disk) – marked with a password – of good technical quality of the compositions listed in the “Repertoire” section of these conditions. The recording quality must meet professional standards. The candidates who will be allowed to compete in Prague will be selected on the basis of this recording. The selection will be anonymous, so mark the recording with a password. At the same time, submit confirmation from a pedagogue or other artist (e.g. the recording producer or sound engineer), guaranteeing that the recording is authentic. Failure to comply with the stated programme requirements will result in your disqualification.
  • a copy of your birth certificate
  • a photograph (portrait) suitable for reproduction, signed legibly
  • confirmation of payment of the administrative fee (for costs associated with registration and the preliminary round) of EUR 25 onto account no. 1031014100/5500 at Raiffeisen Bank, IBAN CZ10 5500 000­0 0010 31014100, B.I.C. RZBCCZPP
    (those interested in paying in Czech crowns should contact the competition office regarding the account number)

The materials listed above will not be returned.

Application deadline – 15 December 2009 (The criterion is the date of the postmark.)

Candidates will be informed by 15 February 2010 about whether their application has been accepted.

Candidates receiving notification that their application has been accepted shall send in the participation fee:

EUR 75 no later than by 31 March 2010. The participation fee is nonrefundable.

Accommodation

All travel expenses and accommodations expenses for the duration of Round I are paid by the candidates themselves. Starting in Round II, candidates will receive paid accommodation in a hotel chosen by the competition organizer for the duration of their active participation in the competition. Accommodation will be paid for prizewinners until the day when the prize is presented to them. If a candidate secures accommodation other than that arranged by the organizer, Prague Spring will not pay for the accommodation.

Main prizes

The following prizes are listed for each instrument in the 62th Prague Spring International Music Competition:

  • 1st prize CZK 200,000
  • 2nd prize CZK 100,000
  • 3rd prize CZK 50,000

The prize money figures are gross amounts, meaning that taxes and other fees must be deducted in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in the Czech Republic.

If the quality of the candidates' performing is insufficient, the jury will decide whether to award all of the listed prizes, and may choose not to award any of them if it judges that the candidates' performing is below the usual artistic standards of the competition for the awarding of prizes. If candidates perform at an equal level, the jury may award multiple prizes at the same level, and the prize money will be combined and then divided equally for the prizes of the same level. In doing so, it is necessary to ensure that the amount of prize money is not contrary to the final standings and does not exceed the amount designated for the respective individual awards of prize money.

1st prize may be awarded to only one winner. The winners of these main prizes also earn the title of “competition laureate”.

Other prizes

For each instrument

  • Czech Radio Prize – a free studio recording and presentation of the best laureate in a Czech Radio broadcast with commentary by an expert and a free studio recording of the composition written for the Prague Spring International Music Competition for the winner of the award of the best performance of that work.
  • The Czech Music Fund Foundation Prize for the best performances of compositions written for the 2010 Prague Spring International Music Competition
  • Gift prize from the City of Prague for the most successful laureate
  • Honorary mention by the jury – this may be awarded to some of the outstanding candidates in Round II who did not advance to Round III.

Prize for violin

  • Josef Suk Award – for the best performance of Josef Suk's Four Pieces – CZK 15,000

Prizes for both instruments together

  • The Oleg Podgorný Prize for the best, youngest Czech participant in the entire competition  – CZK 25,000 granted by the ARTIST'S LIFE FOUNDATION. Prague Spring donates the work of an outstanding Czech graphic artist.
  • The Gustav Mahler Prize for the youngest finalist in the whole competition – CZK 20,000 granted by the Mahler 2000 Society
  • The Gideon Klein Foundation Prize for the most successful Czech participant in the entire competition – CZK 15,000

The prize money amounts listed here are also gross amounts.

Winners of these additional prizes are not entitled to use the title “competition laureate.”

Concert performances

For each instrument

Professional engagement at the 66th Prague Spring International Music Festival in 2011 for the winners of the 1st prize on both instruments

Concert performances for laureates of both instruments (the organizer reserves the right to choose a laureate from one category)

  • The Pro Harmonia Mundi Foundation Prize, Switzerland – performance at the Ticino Musica International Gathering of Young Musicians
  • Mitte Europa International Festival
  • EuroArt Prague International Music Festival
  • Young Prague International Music Festival
  • Young Stage Festival – a part of the Czech Culture Festivities
  • Treasures of Broumov Festival
  • Central European Festival of Concert Artists in Žilina

Performance as part of the subscription cycle in the 2010/2011 season for winners of one of the main prizes:

  • Czech Chamber Music Society of the Czech Philharmonic
  • Bohuslava Martinů Philharmonic, Zlín
  • Hradec Králové Philharmonic
  • Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra of South Bohemia, České Budějovice
  • Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra
  • Moravian Philharmonic, Olomouc
  • Antonín Dvořák Memorial in Vysoká u Příbrami (for violin)
  • North Czech Philharmonic, Teplice

Other prizes are under negotiation and will be announced publicly on the web site www.festival.cz and in the competition catalogue.

Schedule

Violin

Majakovsky Hall, The National House, náměstí Míru 9, Prague 2:

  • Commencement and drawing: 7 May
  • Round I: 8 and 9 May
  • Round II: 11 May

Municipal House – Smetana Hall, náměstí Republiky 5, Prague 1:

  • Round III: 13 May (as part of the festival).

Trumpet

Academy of Music – Martinů Hall, Malostranské nám. 13, Prague 1:

  • Commencement and drawing: 8 May
  • Round I: 9 and 10 May
  • Round II: 12 May

Municipal House – Smetana Hall, náměstí Republiky 5, Prague 1:

  • Round III: 14 May (as part of the festival)

Prize-giving ceremony: 15 May
Old–city hall – Brožík Hall, Prague 1

The organizer reserves the right to make any changes to the schedule shown above.

Jury

The following artists have promised to serve on the jury:

Violin

Trumpet

Competition repertoire

For both instruments

The competition will be held in three rounds, and the number of candidates is limited. The maximum number of candidates in Round I is 50, a maximum of 12 candidates may advance to Round II, and Round III will have no more than 4 candidates.

The jury has the right to determine the order of compositions or individual parts of compositions for competition performances.

The work by a Czech composer written for the 2010 Prague Spring International Music Competition will be sent to candidates together with notification of their acceptance in the competition.

The competition repertoire stated by the candidate in the application is binding and cannot be changed.

During public performing, playing from copies of printed, published music is a violation of copyright, and the performer accepts the liability arising from any litigation.

The competition performances in all three rounds are public.

Any radio or television broadcasts or recordings of competition performances are at the disposal of Prague Spring and serve for competition publicity. The possible commercial use of the recordings will be the subject of further negotiations.

Violin

Preliminary round (CD recording):

  • Antonín Dvořák: Mazurek, op. 49
  • Nicolo Paganini: Capriccio (chose from among nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12)

Round I:

  • J. S. Bach: Sonata in G Minor, BWV 1001 – Adagio and Fugue
  • Antonín Dvořák: Mazurek, op. 49
  • Nicolo Paganini: One of the listed Capriccios – see above

Round II:

  • Franz Schubert: Rondo in B Minor, op. 70 D. 895
  • Josef Suk: Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, op.17
  • One composition of the candidate's choice from the standard repertoire
  • A composition written for the 2010 Prague Spring International Music Competition (for violin solo, length up to 8 minutes – composer: Slavomír Hořínka)

The total duration of Round II may not exceed 45 minutes.

Piano accompanists – Candidates may perform at the competition with their own pianists who must, however, cover their own travel and accommodations expenses. Candidates who will not be performing at the competition with their own pianist must request in the application that the competition organization secure an official accompanist. The pianos will be tuned to 442 Hz.

The compositions are listed alphabetically. The jury will decide the order in which they are to be played during competition performances before the individual rounds begin.

Round III – finale: in collaboration with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stanislav Vavřínek conducting

One of the following concertos:

  • Johannes Brahms: Concerto for Violin in D Major, op. 77
  • P. I. Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin in D Major, op. 35
  • Antonín Dvořák: Concerto for Violin in A Minor, op. 53
  • Jean Sibelius: Concerto for Violin in D Minor, op. 47

Candidates are required to play from memory in all rounds.

Trumpet

Preliminary round (CD recording):

Joseph Haydn: 1st movement from Concerto for Trumpet in E-Flat Major (without cadenza)

Round I:

  • Joseph Haydn: Concerto for Trumpet in E-Flat Major – cadenza of the competitor's cho­ice, edition chosen by the candidate (candidates are required to prepare the entire composition, and before Round I begins, the jury will decide on the length of the competition performance).
  • One of the following compositions:
  • Jean Françaix: Sonatina for Trumpet and Piano
  • Bohuslav Martinů: Sonatina for Trumpet and Piano, H. 357
  • Halsey Stevens: Sonata for Trumpet and Piano

Round II:

  • One of the following compositions:
    Michael Haydn: Concerto No. 2 in C Major
    Leopold Mozart: Concerto in D Major
    Giuseppe Tartini: Concerto in D Major
    Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in A-Flat Major
  • A solo composition of the standard repertoire from the 20th or 21st century
  • A composition written for the 2010 Prague Spring International Music Competition (for trumpet and piano, length up to 10 minutes – composer: Jan Kučera)

The total duration of Round II may not exceed 40 minutes.

Piano accompanists – Candidates may perform at the competition with their own pianist who must, however, cover their own travel and accommodations expenses. Candidates who will not be performing at the competition with their own pianist must request in the application that the competition organization secure an official accompanist. The pianos will be tuned to 442 Hz.

The compositions are listed alphabetically. The jury will decide the order in which they are to be played during competition performances before the individual rounds begin.

Round III – finale: in collaboration with Aleš Bárta (organist), the Hradec Králové Philharmonic, Jan Kučera conducting

  • Petr Eben: Okna (Windows)
  • Georg Philipp Telemann: Concerto for Trumpet in D Major (Sikorski edition)
  • André Jolivet: Concertino for Trumpet

The conditions for this competition are being announced in compliance with the Competition Rules for the Prague Spring International Music Competition dated 3 March 2009. The conditions for the competition are published in the Czech, English, French and German languages. In case of any dispute, the Czech version applies as the authentic text.