Competition Rules

“5th Liviu Borlan International Choir Festival and Competition”

Baia Mare, Romania, 3-6 September 2015

RULES

1. Enrolments for selection

Enrolments for the choirs selection for the “Liviu Borlan International Choir Festival and Competition”, Romania, must be postmarked by registered mail before the 30 April 2015 at the latest. Enrolments and the other requested documents may be sent by e-mail too.

The choirs will have to:

  • Pay a deposit of 25 Euros towards the registration fees to the following account: RO60 WBAN 2511 0220 2550 6553, Banca Comerciala INTESA SANPAOLO BANK, Romania, Baia Mare;
  • Send no later than the 30 April 2015 the Repertoire Form and only one representative piece – mp3 recorded by the choir;

Enrolments for selection can be sent by one of the following ways:

a) Online using the Selection Form

b) By e-mail: mail@festivalborlan.ro

c) By fax: +40 262227 723

d) By regular post: Bd. Unirii nr.14 A, Ap. 46, Baia Mare, 430272, jud. Maramures, Romania to “Asociatia Prietenii Armoniei”

Download Selection Application Form here

2. Selection

Enrolments will be registered in the order of arrival. They will be subject to approval by the Artistic Committee, whose decision will be announced to both selected and non-selected choirs, by e-mail or fax, no later than 20 May 2015.

The Artistic Committee will select a maximum of ten choirs for the Competition. If a choire decides not to participate after the selection phase, the choirs from the 11th and the 12th position can be included in the competition (with their permission), but no later than August 1, 2015.

3. Enrolments for the Competition

The selected choirs will have to confirm their participation by e-mail to mail@festivalborlan.ro or by fax to +40 262227 723 no later than the 30 May 2015.

The participation confirmation of the selected choirs must be accompanied by the Competition Enrolment Application Form and by chosen repertoire (piece n. 1 has to be chosen among those in the list of the “compulsory repertoire” composed by Liviu Borlan), a short bio (max. 800 characters with spaces,spaces included) and a high quality digital picture of the Choir and a short bio (max. 500 characters with spaces) and photo of the conductor (the Organiser reserves the right to use that picture in promotin gand later advertising the festival).

The selected choirs will have to pay a 75 Euros non-refundable fee by 10 June 2015. The Competition Enrolment Application Form can be submitted by one of the following ways:

a) Online using the Signup Form

b) By e-mail: mail@festivalborlan.ro

c) By fax: +40 262 227 723

d) By regular post: Bd.Unirii nr 14A, Ap.46, Baia Mare,430272, jud. Maramures, Romania to“ Asociatia Prietenii Armoniei”

Download Signup Form for The Competition here

4. Classes

“Liviu Borlan International Choir Festival and Competition” is open to all mixed voice and equal voices amateur choirs. Ninety per cent of all members of a choir, except the conductor, must be amateurs (i.e. people who do not earn their main livelihood as singers).

5. Competition Repertoire

Each selected choir will present four (4) pieces as follow:

a) A compulsory piece by Liviu Borlan which has to be chosen from a list of pieces selected by the Festival Committee.

b) One piece, sacred or secular, by a composer of the Renaissance, Baroque or Classical period, performed a cappella. The Jury will evaluate especially the fidelity to style.

c) One piece, sacred or secular, written after 1900, performed a cappella.

d) Afolk or traditional song from the choir’s native Country. Accompaniment may be provided by specific traditional instruments if required for authenticity. Recorded accompaniment is not allowed. An English translation of the lyrics or a summary of each score must be sent.

* All scores must be sent together with the order of interpretation in the contest.

The total presenting time is 11-17 minutes of pure singing time (that is, the duration of the performed pieces excluding applause and going on to or leaving the stage).

Choirs will be penalized two points for not respecting the time limits set out in the above rules.

Subsequent to repertoire entry a choir may not change its repertoire nor the order in which it will be sung.

6. Assessment Criteria

Choirs will be judged according the following criteria:

INTONATION (weight 40% of the total)
FIDELITY TO THE SCORE (weight 15% of the total)
SOUND QUALITY (weight 20% of the total)
PROGRAMME CHOICE (weight 15% of the total)
OVERALL ARTISTIC IMPRESSION (weight 10% of the total)

The jury may award a maximum of 100 points for each choir, as follows:
95,01-100,00: Outstanding
85,01-95,00: Excellent
80,01-85,00: Very Good
75,01-80,00: Good
65,01-75,00: Moderate

According to the mark achieved, Bronze, Silver and Gold Diplomas will be awarded. If the choir does not achieve a Diploma (mark under 65,01) it will receive a certificate of participation. Each member of the Jury will write a report containing reviews and impressions about the performed repertoire of the choirs. The reports, in English or in Romanian language, will be sent to the choirs by email after the end of the Competition.
Diploma Level Points
Bronze Diploma 1 65,01 – 70,00
2 70,01 – 75,00
Silver Diploma 1 75,01 – 80,00
2 80,01 – 85,00
Gold Diploma 1 85,01 – 90,00
2 90,01 – 95,00
3 95,01 – 100,00

7. Prizes

The awarded prizes are as follows:

– First Prize (the choir with the highest score, with minimum 85,01 points): 3.000 Euros

– Second Prize (the choir with the second highest score, with minimum 75,01 points): 2.000Euros

– Third Prize: (the choir with the third highest score, with minimum 70,01 points): 1.000Euros

– Liviu BorlanTrophy: 1.000Euros – The Liviu Borlan Trophy will be given for the best performance of the Liviu Borlan compulsory piece

Other awards will be given by the competition sponsors and by the media.

All participant choir groups will be awarded Diplomas and Certificates of Participation in accordance with their results.

8. The competition Jury

The assessment will be made by a jury made up of 7 members, nationally and internationally acknowledged as follows:

– three members from the music academies in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Iasi (specialists in conducting academic choirs);

– three international specialists;

– one specialists from Baia-Mare (the Art High School representative)

A written adjudication (with artistic and technical impression) will be given to every choir by each member of the Jury.

The members of the jury will lead shorts workshop regarding various aspects of the choral conducting, history of choral music, interpretation of a style according with the timetable that will be published within the 15 July 2015.

9. General information

– The detailed programme of the “Liviu Borlan International Choir Festival and Competition”, Romania will be posted on the site 30 days prior to the competition;

– Read the Regulations carefully because they contain all the details concerning the choice of the programme and assessment criteria as well as the enrolment procedures;

– All the choir groups must be familiarised with these rules;

– Please specify the number of required music stands;

– During the competition each choir group will profit by suitable spaces for changing or for depositing personal effects and warm up (the rooms will be made available 30 min prior to the beginning of the competition);

– The order of appearance in the two assessment series will be the one chosen by the draw made by the Artistic Director of the festival;

– 5 choir group swill take part in one assessment series while the other five will have reserved seats in the concert hall;

– The Artistic Director of the festival reserves the right to add or alter the present regulations;

– The Jury’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding any aspect of its decision;

– In no circumstances will any person (other than authorised officials) be allowed on the stage or backstage during the competition;

– It is contrary to law to perform music if the score has been reproduced illegally. Should a choir do so the Festival accepts no responsibility for any action taken by publishers;

– The Festival Organisers and the Musical Director accept no legal responsibility what so ever in respecto anything pertaining to a choir’s participation in theFestival;

– Submission of an entry form and participation in the Festival implies acceptance of all the Competition Rules and Regulations;

– The participants (through their representative) may be asked to take part in press conferences, round tables and interviews;

– During the Festival, each choir will give a 30 minutes recital in Baia Mare according to the programme and locations agreed upon by the organisers with a free-choice repertoire;

10. Broadcasting and Recording Rights

It is a condition of participation that any choir must agree:

that any performance it gives during the Festival may be broadcast live and/ or recorded for subsequent broadcast on radio and/or television without payment to the choir. All broadcasting rights to any performance at the Festival shall belong to the Festival which will be free to dispose of them as it sees fit.
that any performance it gives during the Festival may, without payment, be recorded and the Festival shall be entitled to possession of any such recording and shall further be entitled to reproduce any such recording and to sell, hire, offer or display for sale or hire, distribute or otherwise dispose of any recording or reproduction of recording of any such performance in any manner that it sees fit.

11. Festival Fees

The selected choirs, soon after the acceptance of their admission by the Organisation, must pay a deposit of 75 Euros (non-refundable) towards the registration fees by 10 June 2015.

Choirs which have confirmed participation will be requested to pay by the 10 July 2015, as a balance, 20.00 Euros for each member of the choir, including the director and the pianist/musicians. The individual fee of 20 Euros includes 2 nights full board accommodation (Friday and Saturday – breakfast, lunch and dinner) in a 3 stars hotel. For additional staff (drivers, others of delegation) or additional accommodation days 30 euro / day / person will be paid.

If a Choir decides not to participate after sending the balance, the Organisation will keep 50% of that amount paid. If the cancellation by the choir will come after the 1 August 2015 the Organisation will keep 70% of the amount paid. Cancellation: in the unlikely event of cancellation of the Competition, fees will be refunded in full (deposit of 100 Euros and balance).

12. Optional Programmes outside the Festival

Pre-festivaltrips
Post-festivaltrips

For details go to the touristic direction page www.advisio.ro . For final reservations a 30% down-payment by 15 August 2015 should be made.

Prof. Andrea Angelini

Artistic Director of the Festival