REGULATION

1.1. The 8th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition will take place in September 19-21, 2025 in Jūrmala, Latvia.

1.2. Mixed, female, male, and youth/children (age 7-17) amateur choirs (16-40 singers) are expected in the competition.

1.3. Only amateur choirs may participate in the competition.

1.4. After the evaluation of choir submissions, a maximum of 10 (ten) choirs will be accepted for the competition.

1.5. Each country will be represented by no more than 3 (three) choirs.

1.6. Choirs are obliged to participate in the competition’s Opening concert and both competition programs, as well as they should be ready to perform at Grand Prix final.

1.7. Participants will be evaluated by an international jury comprising of 5 members -choir music professionals. There will be 1 Latvian and 4 foreign representatives.

1.8. The Jury evaluates each choir’s performance in 4 qualities.

• 1.8.1. Technical performance;
• 1.8.2. Musicality;
• 1.8.3. Degree of complexity of the program;
• 1.8.4. Overall impression.

1.9. Each quality is evaluated giving points from 1- 25, summing up a maximum 100 points. The final number of points is calculated as the average of all Jury evaluations, excluding the highest and lowest points.

1.10. After performances of compositions at the compulsory and free program categories, the Jury will establish 5 choirs to compete for Grand Prix. The choirs for Grand Prix will be evaluated independently of the results of the previous stages.

1.11. All results, including those of Grand Prix, will be announced during the Closing ceremony on Sunday. The decision of the jury is final and cannot be contested.

1.12. All choirs will receive comments from each of the jury members for their performance of the competition programs.

2.1. All the choirs participating at the 8th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition (IBSCC), at the same time, to obtain the Grand Prix of the competition, will also be awarded with the nomination to the European “Grand Prix” representing Jurmala in 2026.

2.2. The European “Grand Prix” for Choral Singing is a contest organised by the international choral contests of Arezzo in Italy, Debrecen in Hungary, Jūrmala in Latvia, Maribor in Slovenia, Varna in Bulgaria and Tolosa in Spain.

2.3. The choirs winning in any of these contests will compete in Maribor, Slovenia for the European “Grand Prix” for Choral Singing on April 2026.

2.4. The choir nominated by the IBSCC for the EGP can not be nominated previously, on that same year, in any of the other contests of the European Grand Prix. In this case, the 2nd place winner of IBSCC gets nominated for the EGP final.

3.1. By March 31, 2025, the choirs must fill in an application form on the competition’s website www.balticchoir.com, adding the required materials that must include:

• 3.1.1. A fully filled-in online application;
• 3.1.2. Recordings of at least 3 a cappella compositions of various styles sung by the choir as a link for file download or on YouTube. Recordings must be made no earlier than 2022;
• 3.1.3. A short description of the choir in English (max. 250 words);
• 3.1.4. A quality photo of the choir;
• 3.1.5. Legal info of the payer for the participation fee (company name, registration number, legal address, bank name, bank account).

3.2. The choirs selected for participation will be informed by May 2025.

3.3. The choirs accepted for the competition must approve their participation by paying a participation fee in the amount of 300 EUR by May 15, 2025 after receiving an invoice issued by the organisers.

3.4. A fee in the amount of 25 EUR for each participating person by August 15, 2025 after receiving an invoice issued by the organisers.

3.5. By June 15, 2025 the choirs selected for the participation in the competition are obliged to send digital copies of the sheet music of all compositions performed at the competition to info@balticchoir.com.

3.6. By September 1, 2025, the choirs selected for participation in the competition, are obliged to send 6 (six) original copies of sheet music of all compositions for needs of the jury and for the competition’s archive (5 copies of each sheet music will be returned after the competition). The duplicates of the sheet music may be used only with the written permission of a publisher or composer.

The address for sending sheet music:

Liga Štrausa | Baltic Choir Association SIA

Jūrmalas 31, Piņķi, Babītes pagasts, Mārupes novads

LV-2107, LATVIA

3.7. The participants will be provided with meals during the competition days – on Friday (late lunch), on Saturday (lunch and dinner), and on Sunday (lunch after the Award ceremony at the after party).

3.8. All travel expenses are covered by each participating choir. Organisers of the competition will provide a transfer from hotel to/from the Opening concert in Dubulti Church on Friday, September 19, 2025, according to a schedule made by the organisers.

3.9. The competition’s organisers will provide the participating choirs with a subsidy of EUR 15 per night per person, incl. VAT (maximum 2 nights, up to 40 persons) to cover hotel expenses, during the competition days September 19-21, 2025. The subsidy will be provided as a payment to the hotel after receiving an invoice issued by the hotel to the competition organisers. Any other expenses related to living expenses are covered by each participating choir itself.

3.10. Within the limits of possibility, the competition’s organisers will provide special hotel offers made for participants. The choirs may search for accommodation by themselves, however, it is mandatory that the place of accommodation is in Jurmala. For more convenient mobility options during the competition, we recommend accommodation in a walking distance from the venue of the competition, Dzintari Concert Hall.

3.11. All rights to audio and video records and photos made during the competition are owned by the competition’s organisers. The choirs will not be remunerated for the recordings of their performance.

3.12. Participants of the competition approve that they are aware of the competition’s provisions when filling and sending the application form.

4.1. Within the 8^th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition, there will be an Opening concert (the choirs will not be evaluated) and three competition stages.

4.2. All programs of the competition should be performed following the indicated sequence in the application form.

4.3. OPENING CONCERT at Dubulti Church

• 4.3.1. Participation in the Opening concert is obligatory.
• 4.3.2. Each choir should present their country-specific program not exceeding 5 minutes. When choosing repertoire, it should be noted that the Opening concert will take place at church.
• 4.3.3. Compositions of the Opening concert may not be included in the competition’s stages.
• 4.3.4. Piano and other musical instruments are not available at the Opening concert venue.
• 4.3.5. There is no sound-check time provided at the Opening concert venue.

4.4. COMPULSORY PROGRAM

• 4.4.1. Compulsory composition of the competition. Sheet music of the composition will be available after May 15, 2025 (if the participation fee is received).
• 4.4.2. A composition from the Romantic period of choir’s own choice.
• 4.4.3. A composition, written after 2000, of choir’s own choice.
• 4.4.4. A folk song of the participating choir’s country, in unison.
• 4.4.5. Length of the compulsory program: 12-15 minutes of pure music. In case of not observing the time limit, the jury may grant penalty points. The program should be performed a cappella.

4.5. FREE PROGRAM

• 4.5.1. The free program should include at least 2 (two) compositions.
• 4.5.2. The choirs may not repeat the compositions from the compulsory program.
• 4.5.3. There may be an instrumental accompaniment to one composition of the free program. A piano will be available at the venue. Other musical instruments will not be provided.
• 4.5.4. Length of the free program: 8-10 minutes of pure music. In case of not observing the time limit, the jury may grant penalty points.

4.6. GRAND PRIX

• 4.6.1 The program of Grand Prix must include 3 compositions.
• 4.6.2. Only one composition may be repeated from the compulsory or free program.
• 4.6.3. In one composition of the Grand Prix program, both pitched and unpitched musical instruments may be used, while piano in this category may not be used.
• 4.6.4. Length of Grand Prix competition: 10-12 minutes of pure music. In case of not observing the time limit, the jury may grant penalty points.

5.1. Participants achieving 3 highest results at the Grand Prix category will be awarded  with monetary prizes:

• 1^stplace — winner of Grand Prix — 3500 EUR and a winners’ cup
• 2^ndplace — 2000 EUR
• 3^rdplace — 1000 EUR

5.2. All choirs will receive a diploma for their participation in the 8^th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition.

5.3. ADDITIONAL AWARDS:

• Best conductor’s prize — 500 EUR
• Best performance of the compulsory composition — 250 EUR
• Audience Award
• The Jury may decide on their special prizes:
  • The most attractive performance;
  • The best performance of the folk song in unison.