March 27th – April 2nd, 2023

To participate in the International Online Piano and Organ Competition, 2nd Edition, fill in Annex 1 online: https://forms.gle/dxoitMEt6GFdcFqh7

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ORGANIZERS :

Best Bridge Services SRL in partnership with Câmpina City Hall, Municipal House of Culture “Geo Bogza”, Câmpina Philharmonic Society, Câmpina National Center for Tourist Information and Promotion

AGE GROUPS for THE INTERNATIONAL ONLINE PIANO & ORGAN COMPETITION:

The International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition, 3rd Edition of the Festival 4 Arts is addressed to children, youngsters, and adults, as follows:

Group I – children under 9 years of age

Group II – children aged between 9 and 11 years

Group III – children aged between 12 and 14 years

Group IV – youth aged 15 to 17 years

Group V – youth aged between 18 and 20 years

Group VI – adults older than 20 years (No age limitation is imposed)

The age must be reached by the start date of the competition. Each competitor will participate in a single age group, but can participate in several categories, paying the fee for each.      

CATEGORIES AND SECTIONS:

The International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition of the Festival 4 Arts includes 5 categories, each with the 6 age groups that represent the sections of each category.

The categories are:

1. Professional piano (those in vocational education or music schools)
2. Amateur Piano (those who study the piano as a secondary instrument or in a private system)
3. Accompaniment (piano may accompany any instrument or voice)
4. Pipe Organ
5. Ensembles (piano 4 or 6 hands)

MUSICAL PIECES REQUIRED:

a) Groups I – V will record a video that includes two contrasting pieces from two different music eras;

b) Group VI will record a video that includes three pieces – one baroque, the second classic or romantic, the third modern, Romanian or contemporary

c) Amateurs and ensembles (regardless of age) will perform two pieces of your choice, from different eras, and the interpretation may be done on notes.

d) For accompaniment (regardless of age) , the competitors will perform only one piece of their choice, on notes.

The professional soloists will perform all the pieces from memory.

The recordings will be submitted as a link to YouTube, where it was previously published as unlisted, or as a file via WeTransfer (or a similar platform) to the e-mail address: festivaluldearte@gmail.com.

TIME LIMITATION REQUIREMENTS:

a) Groups I and II will send a recording of maximum 10 minutes (comprising the 2 contrasting pieces);

b) Groups III and IV will send a recording of maximum 20 minutes (comprising the 2 contrasting pieces);

c) Groups V and VI will send a recording of maximum 30 minutes (comprising the 2 contrasting musical pieces for Group V and the 3 pieces for Group VI, respectively).

By the maximum timing we do not impose a lower limit, but only an upper one. Therefore, competitors must not exceed the maximum timing, but may perform pieces shorter than the required maximum time of performance.

PARTICIPATION RULES:

1. General conditions

The participants in this contest are obliged to comply with the terms written in the Contest Rules & Regulations of The International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition of the Festival 4 Arts, March 27 – April 2, 2023, registration deadline March 25, 2023;

2. Specific conditions for the International Online Piano & Organ Competition

2.1 The videos sent in the conditions of the present Rules & Regulation of The International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition of the Festival 4 Arts, will be accompanied, compulsory by Annex 1 – Registration slip completed, dated and signed. By signing it, the competitor / guardian acknowledges and agrees with Annex 2 – PUBLICATION RIGHT AGREEMENT and Annex 3 – Parental agreement to participate in the contest for minor participants;

2.2 Annex 1 will be sent together with the link to YouTube or with the recordings, in the same email or transfer via WeTransfer (or similar platforms), to the email address: festivaluldearte@gmail.com. The message must have as subject the name, surname, category and age group in which it participates (example: Smith John – Piano Professionals, Group I). Failure to meet this mandatory requirement, as well as some omissions in the forms will lead to automatic disqualification.

2.3 Competitors will send the video-recordings having read the “PUBLICATION RIGHT AGREEMENT”;

2.4 Competitors must pay the fee of:

For soloists:

• 29 euros if the application is made until February 20, 2023;
• 36 euros if the application is made between February 21 – March 20, 2023;
• 48 euros  if the application is made between March 21 – 25, 2023

For ensembles:

• 17 euro / member x number of members of the ensemble, if the application is made until March 20, 2023 – the amount will be paid for all members;
• 24 euro / member x number of members of the ensemble, if the application is made between March 21 – 25, 2022 – the amount will be paid for all members;

The participation fee will be paid by bank transfer to the account of Best Bridge Services SRL opened at ING Bank, Bucharest, IBAN: RO22INGB0000999903782351, CUI: 7524371, RO22INGB0000999903782351 (SWIFT Code: INGBROBU). The payment order must include: Participant’s Name, Category and Age Group.

The participation fee is not refundable for any reason.

or

By PayPal:

Participation fee for soloists

For participants abroad, it is easier to pay the participation fee through PayPal. The fee is not refundable.

36,00 EUR

Participation fee for ensembles / member

The contesting ensembles must consist of 2 or more competing members. The payment must include all members of the ensembles. The fee is not refundable.

17,00 EUR

Proof of payment of the participation fee and the link / videos will be sent by email or WeTransfer (or similar platforms), at the same time as the completed Annex 1.

2.5 Competitors can participate in the solo and ensemble categories, with the fee paid for each category.

3. Competition Period

3.1 The 3rd Edition of The International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition of the Festival 4 Arts takes place according to the following calendar:

a) January 28 – March 25, 2023 – Registration of competitors, receiving and evaluation of videos, upload them on the YouTube channel of Festival 4 Arts / Festivalul de arte – https://youtube.com/c/Festivaluldearte, as „unlisted”. The videos will be sent only during the registration period for the competition, namely starting with January 29, 2023 and no later than March 25, 2023, at 23:59 h;

b) March 26 – 27, 2023 – uploading the videos on the YouTube channel of Festival 4 Arts / Festivalul de arte – https://youtube.com/c/Festivaluldearte

b) March 27 – 30, 2023 – Publication of all videos on the festival’s website https://festivaluldearte.com/, using YouTube links , for obtaining the public vote, and the videos’ judging by the Jury, for each category and age group (which is separate from the public vote);

c) March 31st, 2023 – Winners announcement;

d) April 1st, 2023 – Laureates Gala (premiere on YouTube)

e) April 2nd, 2023 – Announcement of the Festival 4 Arts Trophy winner.

3.2 The competition period, respectively all the dates mentioned above, may be modified, the organizers of the competition having the obligation to announce in advance on the aforementioned web page any possible changes in the competition regulations.

4. Technical Details

The recordings sent via WeTransfer (or similar platforms) must be in .avi, .wmv .mov or .mp4 format, be clear in both image and sound, made without disturbances, background noise etc. The device must be positioned so that the whole body of the performer and the instrument are visible, and the footage is landscape.

Audio processing is not allowed.

The video recording must contain all the contest pieces.

Please dress in a neat and proper manner. Use of professional cameras or equipment is not a must. Videos taken with simple equipment, such as mobile phones, are enough.

5. The Jury of the International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition

The jury will consist of the following members: Prof. Univ. Dr. Corina Ibănescu – Faculty of Music – „Transylvania” University of Brașov (President of the Jury – Piano), Jackie Jaekyung Yoo – Concert pianist, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media (Germany), Adrian Suciu – Concert Pianist and Organist (Austria), Heghine Rapyan – Concert Pianist (Austria), Remus Henning – Concert Organist.

The biographies of the jury members can be found on the festival website – click on the professor’s name.

The Jury will determine, based on a score, the winners of the prizes for each section and category. 

The decisions of the Jury are unique and final, no appeals are allowed. 

6. Prizez of the the Jury of the International Online Piano & Pipe Organ Competition

6.1 All participants in the contest will receive participation diplomas submitted online upon request. Depending on the number and value of pupils/students in the contest, their mentors will be awarded a Diploma of Excellence upon request.

6.2 Each category may obtain a „Grand Prize”, depending on the appreciation of the Jury, and each section of each category will be awarded the First Prize, the Second Prize, the Third Prize and Mentions. After announcing the winners, we will publish the Laureates Gala. The prizes will consist of money (Grand Prize and Festival 4 Arts Trophy), promotion on the festival’s YouTube channel and on Facebook and inviting the winners to give recitals at the „Geo Bogza” House of Culture in Câmpina, Romania. Expenses for transport, accommodation and meals for participation in recitals are not reimbursed. Depending on the interest and availability of the winners, the prizes may also include discounts on the participation fee for the Masterclasses organized in the summer of 2023. All winners are invited to register for a Zoom interview in which they can make public their future achievements and projects. The interview will be broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Festival (https://youtube.com/c/Festivaluldearte).

The number of prizes will be decided by the Jury, depending on the artistic value of the competitors.

6.3 All the data mentioned above can be modified, the contest organizers having the obligation to announce in advance on the festival website any possible changes in the contest rules.

6.4 The decisions of the Jury are unique and final, no appeals are allowed.

7. Judging Criteria

The jury will pay special attention to the quality of interpretation, respect for the musical text in the stylistic context of the compositional period, expressiveness, and interpretive personality in approaching the musical-artistic discourse.