The Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors is one of the most prestigious performance competitions in Poland. It is addressed to artists younger than 39. Its renown and the prestige associated with winning any place on the podium open a path to a world carrier for young conductors. Since its very beginning, the Competition has been organised by the Silesian Philharmonic, which ever since the first years of its existence has been strongly connected with the figure of the patron of the competition.
Application rules:
The application drawn up in Polish or English should contain:
A short biographical note (1000 characters with spaces at the most);
A photocopy of an official document confirming the Candidate’s date of birth;
The GDPR form, available on www.fitelbergcompetition.com;
An up-to-date portrait photograph in a digital version 600 dpi in the *.tif or *.jpg format (if the application is sent by traditional post the photograph is to be saved on an appropriately identified data carrier);
Photocopies of documents confirming the fact of conducting artistic activities covering a period of not more than the last four years (e.g. participation in international conducting competitions, copies of diplomas, awards and distinctions, programmes of concerts and performances at festivals, etc.);
Links (unlimited in terms of the number of active hits) or a DVD (if sent via traditional post) with a 15-minute-long audio-visual recording of a rehearsal or a concert with an orchestra, conducted by the candidate;
Confirmation of payment of the registration fee with the title: “First name and surname – XI MKD” into the bank account of the Silesian Philharmonic:The application drawn up in Polish or English should contain:
in the amount of EUR 100 to the bank account in Santander Bank Polska S.A., account number: PL 83 1090 1186 0000 0001 4915 8934, BIC: WBKPPLPP
or its equivalent expressed in PLN according to the average exchange rate of the National Bank of Poland as of the date of executing the payment into the bank account of the Philharmonic in Santander Bank Polska S.A., account No. 93 1090 1186 0000 0001 4266 6156.
Having received a notice on being qualified to the Competition, the Contestants shall be obliged to pay a competition fee in the amount of EUR 250 or its equivalent expressed in PLN according to the average exchange rate of the National Bank of Poland as of the date of payment.
The Philharmonic shall not cover the costs of the Contestant’s travel.
During the entire time of the Contestants’ participation in the Competition (including the Concert of the Laureates), the Philharmonic shall provide the Contestants with accommodation in a hotel with breakfasts and cover the costs thereof. The Philharmonic shall not provide accommodation and shall not cover the costs of the accommodation of persons that accompany the Contestants.
The Philharmonic shall not mediate in the procedure of obtaining visas by the Contestants; however, upon requests of individual Contestants, the Philharmonic shall issue and send a certificate confirming the Contestant’s qualification to take part in the Competition.
The Contestants are obliged to be covered with a health insurance for the time of their stay in Poland in connection with the Competition.
Awards:
First Prize: EUR 20,000
Second Prize: EUR 10,000
Third Prize: EUR 6,000
Three equal distinctions – EUR 4,000
Repertoire:
From the repertoire provided below the Contestant selects two pieces from group A and two pieces from group B, and next they draw one piece from each group. The Contestant has not more than 30 minutes to work on the drawn oeuvres with the orchestra. In case of cyclic or multi-part pieces, if the Jury resigns from selecting a specific part, the Contestant chooses the part at their own discretion.
GROUP A
G. Rossini – Overture to the opera The Thieving Magpie (La gazza ladra; ed. Luck’s Music Library)
C.M. Weber – Overture to the opera Oberon
G. Verdi – Overture to the opera Nabucco
S. Moniuszko – Fantastic overture to The Fairy Tale
GROUP B
W.A. Mozart – Symphony in D major Haffner Symphony KV 385 (ed. Bärenreiter)
W.A. Mozart – Symphony in C-major Linz Symphony KV 425 (ed. Bärenreiter)
L. van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 in C minor op. 67 (ed. Bärenreiter)
L. van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 in E flat major op. 55 Eroica
Stage II
From the repertoire provided below the Contestant selects two pieces from group A and two pieces (including a composition by Karol Szymanowski or Henryk Mikołaj Górecki – mandatory) from group B, and next they draw one piece from each group. The Contestant has not more than 45 minutes to work on the drawn oeuvres with the orchestra. In case of cyclic or multi-part pieces, if the Jury resigns from selecting a specific part, the Contestant chooses the part at their own discretion.
GROUP A
E. Elgar – Enigma Variations op. 36
A. Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 in E minor From the New World
J. Brahms – Symphony No. 4 in E minor op. 98
M. Karłowicz – Symphony in E minor Revival op. 7
GROUP B
A. Dvořák – Cello Concerto in B minor op. 104
H.M. Górecki – Concerto-Cantata op. 65
J. Sibelius – Violin Concerto in D minor op. 47
K. Szymanowski – Violin Concerto No. 2 op. 61
Stage III
From the repertoire provided below the Contestant selects two pieces from group A and two pieces from group B, and next they draw one piece from group A and one piece from group B. The Contestant has not more than 50 minutes to work on the drawn oeuvres with the orchestra (not more than 25 minutes per each of the drawn pieces). In case of cyclic or multi-part pieces, if the Jury resigns from selecting a specific part, the contestant chooses the part at their own discretion.
GROUP A
C. Debussy – The Sea
S. Hindemith – Symphony Mathis the Painter (Mathis der Maler)
B. Bartók – Concerto for orchestra
W. Lutosławski – Concerto for orchestra
GROUP B
K. Szymanowski – Symphony No. 2 in B flat major op. 19
W. Lutosławski – Symphony No. 4
H.M. Górecki – Refrain op. 21
K. Penderecki – Symphony No. 2 Christmas Symphony
Changes in the programme of each stage communicated in the Competition are permissible provided they are communicated (by electronic means in a registration form available on the Internet website www.fitelbergcompetition.com) not later than by 29 September 2023.
The Contestants who do not get qualified to take part in the next stage of the Competition shall receive diplomas confirming their participation in the Competition.
More information: https://fitelbergcompetition.com/competition/rules/.