RULES OF THE COMPETITION
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
AGE LIMIT
The age limit according to the categories is:
(we take into account only the number of years, and not the number of months: for example, a candidate aged 12 years and 3 months can participate in the category “Young Talent” or “Young Soloists”.)
Category « Young Talents » : Candidates aged from 8 years to 12 years old
Category « Young Soloists » : Candidates aged from 12 years to 15 years old
Category « Young Performers » : Candidates aged from 15 years to 18 years old
Category « Grand Prix » : Candidates aged from 16 years to 28 years old
A candidate who will get a First Prize in his category will not be allowed to participate in the same category during the next edition of the competition.
Candidates are not allowed to participate in 2 categories in the same edition of the competition.
The competition is open to candidates, irrespective of nationality.
Applicants who require a visa will receive an official invitation upon request.
DATES
The Competition will last from 9th to 12th April 2019
Candidates will be informed by mail about their rehearsals, and performance time. A list of candidates with their performance time will be also available at the door of the theater in Gagny.
CLOSING CEREMONY & CONCERT
PLACE
The whole competition will take place in the Grande Salle of the Theatre Municipal André Malraux of the Town of Gagny (700 seats), 1 bis, rue Guillemeteau 93220 GAGNY.
JURY – ARTISTIC COMMITTEE
The Jury and the artistic committee are made up of figures of the international musical world.
If one member of the Jury is or was a contestant’s teacher, he/she will not participate in the vote.
REGULATIONS
When registration will be closed, the Competition’s Artistic Committee will draw a letter that will determine the order of passage of the candidates for each category. We will proceed by alphabetical order, starting from the drawn letter.
All auditions are open to the public and can be recorded and partially or completely broadcasted by simple request of the organizer of the competition. For all radio and TV broadcasts, the candidate transfers all interpretation rights for the performances at the Competition.
Expenses for the trip and accommodations are under the responsibility of the participant.
The decisions of the panel are final.
Non respect of these rules may forbid a candidate to participate to the competition.
In the event of dispute, the French text prevails.
PROCEDURE FOR REGISTRATION ONLINE
- Application for categories «Young Talents », «Young Soloists» and «Young Performers » will include the following:
1. Application form duly filled in
2. A recent picture (portrait) of the candidate (for pictures sent by mail, name the image file with name of candidate) (formats JPG, PNG, PDF, BMP, TIFF)
3. A picture of the ID card or Passport (formats JPG, PNG, PDF, BMP, TIFF)
The Artistic Committee of the competition will communicate the acceptance of the candidate’s application the latest on February 15th 2019
The accepted candidates should pay the application fee at the latest on March 1st 2019
The acceptation of candidates will be complete upon receipt of the payment. We will confirm the reception of payment and the registration immediately.
Candidates who did not pay the fee will not be allowed to perform at the competition.
Due to planning and running of the theater, we will limit number of contestants to 12 per category.
- Application for category «Grand Prix» will include the following:
1. Application form duly filled in
2. A recent picture (portrait) of the candidate (for pictures sent by mail, name the image file with name of candidate) (formats JPG, PNG, PDF, BMP, TIFF)
3. A picture of the ID card or Passport (formats JPG, PNG, PDF, BMP, TIFF)
4. The payment or a copy of the proof of payment of the application fee of 100 € (formats JPG, PNG, PDF, BMP, TIFF)
5. A recording audio or video (File/Internet-YouTube, Dailymotion, etc…) of a free program (only piano solo, no chamber music or concerto with orchestra) proposing different styles, with a duration of about 20 minutes.
We shall not take into account the technical quality of the recording! We accept all kinds of recordings, on the condition that recordings are not edited.
The works recorded may appear in the rounds of the competition. No document or recording will be returned.
The applications and video recordings will be submitted to the Competition’s Artistic Committee which is made up of well-known artists.
Each of the successful applicants will be informed the latest on February 15th 2019
Candidates that will not submit a complete application or candidates that will not be accepted will be reimbursed a sum of 50 € (less eventual bank commission).
The acceptance of candidates will be complete upon receipt of the payment. We will confirm the reception of payment and the registration immediately.
Candidates who did not pay the fee will not be allowed to perform at the competition.
FOR ALL CATEGORIES
Competition can provide a letter of invitation to selected candidates, if necessary to obtain a visa.
APPLICATION FEE
The application fees (non-refundable) according to the categories are:
50 € – for the candidates accepted to compete in the category «Young Talents »
60 € – for the candidates accepted to compete in the category «Young Soloists»
80 € – for the candidates accepted to compete in the category «Young Performers »
100 € – for the category « Grand Prix » : Candidates not accepted will be reimbursed a sum of 50 € by cheque or bank transfer (less the eventual banking charges)
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Payment can be made by cheque to “Association Concerto Grosso”.
The postal address for payment is: Association Concerto Grosso, 94 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75010 PARIS.
Or via the online secure payment site Paypal (a link will be sent during the process of application).
Please note that payment in cash won’t be accepted.
PROGRAMME
Category « Young Talents » – Performance: 7-10 minutes maximum
An Invention by J. S. Bach (2 or 3 voices),
and one or more works of your choice.
Category « Young Soloists » – Performance: 17-20 minutes maximum
A Prelude and Fugue by J. S. Bach,
and the first movement of a classical sonata,
and one or more works of your choice.
Category « Young Performers » – Performance: 27-30 minutes
A Prelude and Fugue by J. S. Bach,
and the first or last movement of a classical sonata,
and a virtuoso study,
and one or more works of your choice.
Category « Grand Prix »
Category Grand Prix goes in 3 steps:
Selection on recording (step 1):
Duration : 17-20 minutes maximum
Free program, but showing at least 2 different styles.
Rounds taking place at the theater of Gagny (step 2 and 3):
Program for the Semi-final: duration 17-20 minutes maximum
A work by J. S. Bach (transcriptions are not allowed),
and a virtuoso study,
Program for the Final (6 candidates maximum): duration 37-40 minutes maximum
A classical or romantic sonata,
and one or more works of your choice to complete the programme.
Works played in Semi-final will not be allowed to be played again in Final.
Works played on selection recording may be played again in Semi-Final or Final.
For all categories :
Works will be played without repeat, and by memory.
The Artistic Committee and the Jury have the right to ask the contestants to provide some of the scores.
The Jury may interrupt the candidate.
Steinway (concert grand) is the official piano of the competition.
PRIZES/AWARDS
For each category, the Jury will award a First Prize, a Second Prize and a Third Prize. The Jury has the right not to give the First Prize and to share a prize. In case of ex-aequo (tie), the financial award will be shared.
For the categories “Young Talents” and “Young Soloists“, the financial award will be given to the candidate who got the maximum points ! This Laureate will be named “1st Prize “Young Talents” or 1st Prize “Young Soloists”, depending on the category. Some other candidates can obtain a 1st Prize, without financial award. The other candidates will be awarded by a Diploma (Second, or Third Prize).
For categories “Young Performers” and “Grand Prix“, a financial award will be given to the First, Second and Third Prize.
All the candidates will receive a diploma of participation.
THE PRIZES WORTH WILL BE AS FOLLOWS
Category « Young Talents »
1st Prize 200 € (given to the candidate who obtained the highest score)
Special Prizes :
Prize “J. S. Bach” 100 €
Category « Young Soloists »
1st Prize 300 € (given to the candidate who obtained the highest score)
Category « Young Performers »
1st Prize 600 €
2nd Prize 300 €
3rd Prize 150 €
Category « Grand Prix »
1st Prize 2500 € Prize of the town of Gagny
and an engagement for a recital at the theater of Gagny (next season)
2nd Prize 900 €
3rd Prize 400 €
Prize of the audience 200 € (given during the Final round)
Prize “Jean Sébastien Bach” 200€ (best interpretation of a work by Bach during the Semi-final round)
Prize “MUSIDECO” Given to one of the 6 finalists, a major work recorded during the final round of competition will be released via the society Musideco on many digital music shops and streaming services (iTunes, Amazon mp3, Quobuz, etc… )
The proclamation of the results will take place at the end of each category.
The award ceremony will be on 12th April at 20:45, before the concert of prizewinners.
Prize winners of each category will have to play at the final concert. If case of absence, the financial award will not be attributed to the Prize winner. Candidates awarded engage themselves to participate without compensation for the final concert.
JURY OF THE COMPETITION – 4th EDITION
The President of the Jury will be the eminent British pianist Ronan O’HORA, Head of Keyboard Studies and Head of Advanced Performance Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London