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Ïî-ðóññêè		 3rd INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL-CONTEST
"SOLI DEO GLORIA"
2009


3rd INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL-CONTEST “SOLI DEO GLORIA”
RULES AND CONDITIONS

Moscow, Russia

2009

1.General remarks
1.1. 3rd International Festival-Contest “Soli Deo Gloria” (Latin for “Glory to God alone”), hereinafter referred to as Festival, is a production of “The Art of Goodness” / “De Boni Arte” Charitable Foundation, Russia.
1.2. The Festival is comprised of two competitions: Young composers competition (hereinafter referred to as Composers competition) and Young organists competition (hereinafter referred to as Organists competition). Composers competition will run by means of correspondence between March 1 and April 30, 2009. Organists competition will take place on July 1-5, 2009 in the Roman-Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Moscow (27/13-1, ul. Malaya Gruzinskaya, Moscow, 123557, Russia).
1.3. Official website of the Festival (hereinafter referred to as Festival Website) is located at http://sdg.artbene.ru/. Conditions, main news and results of the Competitions will be published at the Festival Website.
2.General objects
2.1. Promoting young musicians composing and performing sacred music.
2.2. Presenting masterpieces of the sacred music of various ages to wide audience.
2.3. Introducing young musicians to the liturgical aspect of the organ sacred music and church music composing and performance traditions.
2.4.Contributing to the growth and excellence of contemporary composing school.
3.Participants of the Competitions
3.1. The Composers competition is open to composers of all nationalities born between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 1988. The Organists competition is open to organists of all nationalities born between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 1991.
4.Rules and regulations of the Composers competition
Participation conditions
4.1. Applications can be submitted between March 1 and April 15, 2009.
4.2. In order to participate in the Competition composers should submit their applications to the Festival Organizing Committee either in person / by mail (27/13-1, ul. Malaya Gruzinskaya, Moscow, 123557, Russia) in an envelope/file entitled “Composers Competition Application”, or by e-mail to sdg@deboniarte.org with the message title “Composers Competition Application”. In the latter case the applicant should receive a confirmation of the delivery of the application and time taken for its consideration. If such confirmation doesn’t come within 3 days after sending the applicant should resend the application and contact the Organizing Committee by phone.
4.3. The Application should include:
• a short resume (education, composing experience, previous competition awards etc.);
• score(s) of the composition(s) (see 4.4 and further); short commentary on the works is optional;
• a photo (color photo preferably) – if the Application is submitted by electronic means the file with the photo should be not less than 800*600 pix; in case of hard-copy Application the size of the printed photo should be not less than 15*10 cm;
• contact details (address, home and mobile telephone numbers, e-mail).
4.4.Competition is comprised of two categories: “work for organ” and “work for choir and organ”. Applications can be submitted for one or two categories.
4.5.In order to participate in both categories the applicant must submit only one Application with both scores included.
4.6.One composer may present only one work for each of the categories.
4.7.Requirements for work for organ:
4.7.1. Duration – 4-5 minutes.
4.7.2. The work should be based on the 1st Gregorian mode – both in terms of melodics as well as aesthetics, philosophy and symbolics. For more details about the 1st Gregorian mode – see the Festival Website.
4.8.Requirements for work for choir and organ:
4.8.1. Duration – 5-7 minutes.
4.8.2. The work should be based on so called Hymn to Love – 13th Chapter of the Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians (Church year 2008/09 is dedicated to St. Paul). The text can be used either in full or as selection of verses – in Russian or Latin. Exact texts are available at the Festival Website.
4.8.3. The work should be composed for a mixed chamber choir (20 singers max). A solo part (for a soloist from the choir) is allowed.
4.9.General requirements for the works:
4.9.1. The organizers of the Composers competition do not impose any limitations on the composing techniques, styles or genres used by the contestants.
4.9.2. The works submitted must be composed specially for the Composers competition, never have been published, performed in public or have been awarded a prize under its present or other title.
4.9.3. The works must be submitted as a Finale/TIF/PDF file or in printed form. Handwritten works may be submitted only as an exclusion – if agreed with the Festival Organizing Committee.
4.9.4.The scores should include all marks necessary for its performance (tempos, dynamics etc.) and its approximate duration.
4.9.5.According to the tradition of composition competitions the works for the present Composers competition must be presented anonymously – the scores should not be marked with the name of the author. The Organizing Committee will assign every submitted work a unique code corresponding to the Application number.
4.10.By applying and taking part in the competition the participants entirely accept the present rules and regulations.
Competition regulations
4.11. Received applications will be checked by the Organizing Committee for compliance with the regulations of the Competition. Once the application is approved, the applicant becomes a participant of the Competition (contestant) and is sent a notification by the Organizing Committee.
4.12. List of participants of the Competition will be available at the Festival Website and will be updated as the new applications will be approved.
4.13. On April 16 all submitted compositions will be sent to the members of the Jury of the Competition. All five members of the Jury will receive 2 sets of scores (1 per category) without the names of the composers. Every member of the Jury will work separately from the other and according to his own criteria will produce and provide the Organizing Committee with two lists (1 per category) of the works sorted – from the best to the worst. The Organizing Committee will summarize the score given that way to every participant’s work by all members of the Jury and hence will produce an overall sorted list of participants.
4.14.For any matter in dispute (eg concurrent score of several contestants) the final decision will be made by the Head of the Jury.
4.15.The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be appealed against.
4.16.The results of the Composers competition (names of the 3 best works in both categories and their composers – laureates of the Composers competition) will be made public at the Festival Website not later than on April 30, 2009.
4.17.All the participants of the Competition will be informed whether their work has won one of the prizes or not.
Prizes and awarding
4.18.Compositions that gained the very best score (1st prize) in the two categories become required elements for the concert programs of organists – participants of the Organists competition.
4.19.The scores of the 6 prize-winning compositions will be published before the end of 2009 along with a CD with those 6 compositions performed by the laureates and members of the Jury of the Organists competition.
4.20.Laureates of the Composers competition may be awarded other prizes. Information about such prizes (if any) will be available at the Festival Website.
4.21. Laureates of the Composers competition are invited as guests to the Organists competition (July 1-5, 2009). Those laureates of the Composers competition who are not from Moscow will be provided with a free accommodation and meals during the days of the Organists competition at the Parish house of the Cathedral by the Festival Organizing Committee.
4.22. Diplomas and other prizes awarding ceremony for the laureates of the Composers competition will take place during the closing concert of the Festival on July 5, 2009.
Additional conditions
4.23. Participants of the Competition reserve the rights for any publication, performance or recording in the future of their works submitted to the Composers competition. The laureates formally agree to include the statement: “1st (2nd, 3rd) Prize Award in the “Work for organ” (“Work for choir and organ”) category, “Soli Deo Gloria” Young Composers Competition, 2009” in any further publications, performances, recordings, etc. of the award winning composition.
4.24.The Organizing Committee retains the rights for radio and TV broadcasting as well as audio and video recording (for CD/DVD production) of the closing concert of the Festival on July 5, 2009 (including the performance of the winning compositions of the Composers competition) without any fee or compensation to the laureates. The Organizing Committee has also an exclusive right of contracting with other parties for the sales of the mentioned materials.
5.Rules and regulations of the Organists competition
Participation conditions
5.1. Applications can be submitted between March 1 and May 31, 2009.
5.2. In order to participate in the Competition organists should submit their applications to the Festival Organizing Committee either in person / by mail (27/13-1, ul. Malaya Gruzinskaya, Moscow, 123557, Russia) in an envelope/file entitled “Organists Competition Application”, or by e-mail to sdg@deboniarte.org with the message title “Organists Competition Application”. In the latter case the applicant should receive a confirmation of the delivery of the application and time taken for its consideration. If such confirmation doesn’t come within 3 days after sending the applicant should resend the application and contact the Organizing Committee by phone.
5.3. The Application should include:
• a short resume (education, previous competition awards etc.);
• project of the sacred music concert program for 25 minutes (see 5.4 and further); the project should contain the names of the composers with their birth/death years, full names of the pieces (with English translation) and approximate duration of each piece; comments on the concept of the program and choice of pieces are optional;
• recommendation from applicant’s organ teacher or world-known concert organist;
• a photo (color photo preferably) – if the Application is submitted by electronic means the file with the photo should be not less than 800*600 pix; in case of hard-copy Application the size of the printed photo should be not less than 15*10 cm;
• contact details (address, home and mobile telephone numbers, e-mail).
5.4.Concert program requirements
5.4.1. The required final element of the program will be the winning composition of “work for organ” category of the Composers competition (see 4.4 and other). The duration of the piece will be 4-5 minutes. It will be based (both melodically and aesthetically) on the 1st Gregorian mode. The score of the composition will be available at the Festival Website beginning with May 1, 2009.
5.4.2. The remaining 20-21 minutes of the program should be a retrospective set of works – from earlier ones (J.S.Bach or earlier) to the contemporary works – leading to the abovementioned required composition.
5.4.3. For a more evident continuity in the program the Organizing Committee recommends to include in the program at least one piece connected with Gregorian modes (explicitly or not), eg G. Gabrieli – Toccata del secondo tono, G. Gabrieli – Ricercar VII et VIII toni, L. Dupre – 4 fugues modales op.63, L.N. Clerambault – Suite du deuxieme ton, J. Alain – Litanies, D. Buxtehude – Magnificat primi toni, etc.
5.4.4.The consistency and integrity of the program will definitely be taken into consideration by the members of the Jury as one of the criteria for evaluating the participant’s performance.
5.5.Participant must prepare for performance in the “organ accompaniment” category the organ part of the winning composition of “work for choir and organ” category of the Composers competition (see 4.4 and other). The duration of the piece will be 5-7 minutes. The score of the composition will be available at the Festival Website beginning with May 1, 2009.
5.6.By applying and taking part in the competition the participants entirely accept the present rules and regulations.
Competition regulations
5.7.Received applications will be checked by the Organizing Committee for compliance with the regulations of the Competition. Once the application is approved, the applicant becomes a participant of the Competition (contestant) and is sent a notification by the Organizing Committee.
5.8.List of participants of the Competition will be available at the Festival Website and will be updated as the new applications will be approved.
5.9.Official opening of the Competition will take place on July 1, 2009. Organists – members of the Jury will perform at the second part of the opening.
5.10.Competition auditions will run as three public concerts (July 2, 3 and 4, 2009) in the Roman-Catholic Cathedral on Kuhn organ (specification available at the Festival Website)
5.11. The distribution of participants over the three competition concerts and their performance order at each concert will be decided by the Organizing Committee. Participants will be informed of the order in due time.
5.12. Participants not from Moscow will be provided with free accommodation at the Parish house of the Cathedral between July 1 and 6, 2009.
5.13. Every participant will have three rehearsals sessions on the Kuhn organ. The first one will be 2 hour long night rehearsal not later than 2 nights before the performance (for participants from Moscow – within 3 days prior to the Competition). The second – 30 minutes long – at the competition day. The third – not more than 15 minutes long – together with the Chamber choir of the Cathedral to prepare the second required piece (“organ accompaniment” category). Exact schedule of rehearsals will be proposed to participants in due time.
5.14.Participants may invite one person to assist as a page-turner or they will be provided with an assistant for the rehearsals and concert performances by the Organizing Committee (for free). Either choice must be mentioned in the Application. Travel and accommodation expenses of the assistants invited by the participants (as well as any other accompanying persons) will have to be covered by participants themselves or the organization sending and sponsoring the participant.
5.15.Besides the competition concerts the program of the Festival will include lectures and master-classes for the participants and all comers on the liturgical aspect of organ playing and improvisation given by the members of the Jury and other specialists and teachers.
5.16.Besides the evening competition concerts during one or two afternoons there will be an audition for the “organ accompaniment” category. Each participant will perform the second required piece with the Chamber choir of the Cathedral. Exact time and order of this audition will be announced at the Festival Website.
5.17.Laureates of the Competition will be given time for rehearsal for the closing concert of Festival during the night of July 4/5, 2009.
Evaluation and Work of the Jury
5.18.Each contestant’s performance is evaluated by every member of the Jury separately.
5.19.In case the participant is or was a student of one of the members of the Jury, this member of the Jury doesn’t take part in the evaluation of the mentioned participant.
5.20.Exact criteria for the evaluation will be agreed by the members of the Jury.
5.21. Until the end of the work of the Jury (the last discussion of the Jury after the 3rd competition concert) the scores given by members of the Jury cannot be disclosed to anybody except for the Secretary of the Jury – neither to other members of the Jury, nor to the contestants or anybody else.
5.22. The general scores of the contestant in the main competition and in the “organ accompaniment” category are calculated as arithmetic average of all the scores given to this contestant by members of the Jury (for the performance in the main competition or in the “organ accompaniment” category respectively).
5.23. After the 3rd competition concert (July 4, 2009) the general scores will be calculated by the Secretary of the Jury and discussed by the members of the Jury. For any matter in dispute (eg concurrent score of several contestants) the final decision will be made by the Head of the Jury.
5.24.The contestants who got three best general scores in the main competition will be announced as Laureates of the Competition. Each winning place is given to one contestant only.
5.25.In the “organ accompaniment” category there will be just one prize-winning place. The contestant getting the best score in this category will be entitled “Winner of the special prize for best organ accompaniment at Organists Competition “Soli Deo Gloria” 2009”.
5.26.Results of the Competition will be announced to the participants late in the evening of July 4, 2009.
5.27.The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be appealed against.
Prizes and awarding
5.28.The closing of the Festival will take place on July 5, 2009 and will include performances by the laureates of the Competition and members of the Jury as well as prize and diploma awarding ceremony.
5.29.Each of the three main prizes awarded at the Organists competition is a recital given by the laureate in the coming season in Europe or Russia – depending on the place won (exact locations will be announced later).
5.30.The party providing the prize covers the travel and accommodation expenses of the laureate, and agrees with him upon the date of the recital, its program and possible fee.
5.31. Detailed information about the special prize for the best organ accompaniment will also be announced later at the Festival Website.
5.32. Contestants who do not become laureates will be given participants’ certificates (not authorizing to be called “Competition diploma winner”).
5.33. Additional prizes may be awarded if approved by the Organizing Committee.
Additional conditions
5.34.The Organizing Committee retains the rights for radio and TV broadcasting as well as audio and video recording (for CD/DVD production) of the competition and closing concerts of the Festival without any fee or compensation to the contestants. The Organizing Committee has also an exclusive right of contracting with other parties for the sales of the mentioned materials.
6.Other regulations
6.1. Should one person decide to apply for participation in both competitions (composers and organists) two separate Applications (with full set of documents – see 4.1 and 5.1) must be submitted.

Competitions Jury

Names of the members of Jury of both competitions will be announced later at the Festival Website.


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© Charitable Foundation "De Boni Arte / The Art of Goodness", 2009