PROVISIONS OF THE 7th INTERNATIONAL BALTIC SEA CHOIR COMPETITION (IBSCC)
September 20-22, 2024 in Jūrmala, Latvia
1. PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION
- The International Baltic Sea Choir Competition invites mixed, female, male, and youth/children (age 7-17) amateur choirs (16-49 signers).
- Only amateur choirs may participate in the competition.
- After the evaluation of choir submissions, a maximum of 10 (ten) choirs will be accepted for the competition.
- Each country will be represented by no more than 3 (three) choirs.
- 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.
- Participants will be evaluated by an international jury comprising of 5 members -choir music professionals. There will be 1 Latvian and 4 foreign representatives.
- The Jury evaluates each choir's performance in 4 qualities.
- Technical performance;
- Musicality;
- Degree of complexity of the program;
- Overall impression.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- All choirs will receive comments from each of the Jury members for their performance of the competition programs.
IBSCC and EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX FOR CHOIR SINGING (EGP)
- All the choirs participating in the 7th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition (IBSCC), at the same time, to obtain the Grand Prix of the competition, will also be awarded the nomination to the European "Grand Prix" representing Jūrmala.
- The European "Grand Prix" for Choral Singing is a Contest organized by the International Choral Contests of Arezzo in Italy, Debrecen in Hungary, Jūrmala in Latvia, Maribor in Slovenia, Tours in France, Varna in Bulgaria and Tolosa.
- The choirs winning in any of these Contests will compete in 2025 in TOLOSA for the European "Grand Prix" for Choral Singing.
- The choir nominated by the IBSCC to represent Jūrmala for the EGP can not be nominated previously, in 2024 in any of the other contests of the European Grand Prix.
1.1. APPLICATION FOR THE COMPETITION
- By March 31, 2024, the choirs must send all application materials to the competition’s organizers electronically (Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.) and the materials must include:
- A fully filled-in application form;
- A record of at least 3 a cappella compositions of various styles sung by the choir (as a CD, DVD, or a link on YouTube. The records cannot be made before 2021);
- A short description of the choir in English (max. 250 words);
- A quality photo of the choir;
- Legal info of the payer for the participation fee (company name, registration number, legal address, bank name, bank account).
- The choirs selected for participation will be informed by May 2024.
- The choirs accepted for the competition must approve their participation by paying a participation fee in the amount of 300 EUR by May 15, 2024 and a fee in the amount of 25 EUR for each participating person by August 15, 2024 after receiving an invoice issued by the organisers.
- By September 1, 2024, the choirs accepted for participation in the competition, are obliged to send 6 (six) original copies of sheet music of all compositions for the 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 participants will be provided with meals during the competition days – on Friday (late lunch), on Saturday (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and on Sunday (breakfast, and lunch after the Award ceremony at the after party).
- All travel expenses are covered by each participating choir. Organizers of the competition will provide a transfer from the hotel to/from the Opening concert in Dubulti Church on Friday, September 20, 2024, according to a schedule made by the organizer.
- The competition’s organizers provide accommodation for the participating choirs from abroad and to Latvian choirs (if their place of residence is more than 50km away from Jūrmala) during the competition days September 20-22, 2024 for a maximum of 50 persons (including singers, conductor, and instrumentalists). If the participating choir prefers to stay in a higher-class hotel, the price difference will be at their own cost. Staying in the hotel for additional days and for additional persons are at choir's own cost.
- All rights to audio and video records and photos made during the competition are owned by the competition’s organizers. The choirs will not be remunerated for the recordings of their performance.
- Participants of the competition approve that they have are aware of the competition’s provisions when sending the application form.
2. COMPETITION PROGRAMMES
Within the 7th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition, there will be an Opening concert (the choirs will not be evaluated) and three competition stages.
All programs of the competition have to be performed following the indicated sequence in the application form.
2.1 OPENING CONCERT at Dubulti Church
Participation in the Opening concert is obligatory.
- For the opening concert, 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.
- Compositions of the opening concert may not be included in the competition’s stages.
- Piano and other musical instruments are not available at the Opening concert Venue.
2.2 COMPULSORY PROGRAM
- Compulsory composition of the competition. Sheet music of the composition will be available after May 15, 2024 (if the participation fee is received).
- A composition from the Romantic period of choir’s own choice.
- A composition, written after 2000, of choir’s own choice.
- A folk song of the participating choir’s country, in unison.
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), and the program should be performed a cappella.
2.3 FREE PROGRAM
The free program should include at least 2 (two) compositions.
- The choirs may not repeat the compositions from the compulsory program.
- 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.)
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).
2.4 GRAND PRIX
- The program of Grand Prix must include 3 compositions.
- Only one composition may be repeated from the compulsory or free program.
- 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.
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).
3. AWARDS
- Participants achieving 3 highest results at the Grand Prix category will be awarded with monetary prizes:
- 1stplace — winner of Grand Prix — 3500 EUR and a winners’ cup
- 2ndplace — 2000 EUR
- 3rdplace — 1000 EUR
All choirs will receive a diploma for their participation in the 5th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition.
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.
Latvian and English are the official languages at the competition.
The competition organizer retains the right to alter the rules of the competition in the case of unexpected major changes. In such a case, it must give written notice to all participating choirs.