JSFest competition

REGULATION FOR HOLDING XII JEAN SIBELIUS INTERNATIONAL ON-LINE VOCAL CONTEST
November 8 - 11, 2024 TURKU, FINLAND
 

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Organizer: The International Cultural Association of Turku (Turun kansainväliset kulttuurimarkkinat yhdistys ry) in collaboration with the Finnish company SEM Consulting Oy.
 

Participation rights: The ХII International Jean Sibelius Vocal Contest is open for all performers from 10 years and older in the following categories: Solo vocal 10-11 years old, 12-14 years old, 15-17 years old, 18-20 years old, 20+ years old (* professionals and *amateurs), duos, trios and quartets, vocal ensembles from 5 to 12 people.
Please note that the age of participants must match the one specified as on the day of participation in the competition!
The competition will be held online.
 

Deadline for applications is October 30, 2024.
The application form can be found on the website www.jsfestcompetition.com Applications are to be sent by email to info@semconsulting.fi
After receiving an application org.commettee will send to the contestant a personal registration number and an invoice for payment.
Please, note: Separate application for each category!

For all participants the online competition shall be held only in one round.
The participants, who are going to take part in the competition, must send to the Organizing Committee via e-mail info@semconsulting.fi the following documents before October 30:

• a photo of the contestant
• a short creative biography (text about the participant, 8-10 sentences)

• a photocopy of passport or birth certificate
• competition videomaterials (YouTube links)
 

Video recording requirements:
• The video recording must be made no earlier than January 1, 2024. It is allowed to use both professional and amateur video recordings, incl. from various concert venues, subject to all other requirements.
• The competitor sends all materials under the registration number.

• Competitive video material can be presented:
1) in the form of one video recording, i.e. all works are performed in succession one after another and the recording should be made in one file without interruption and editing. Pauses in recording between compositions are allowed. The video recording must be signed as follows (for example, participant registration number - 15):

15_1_ Rusalka _2_Valse Triste _3_ Birds Song _4_ Northern Lights
 

2) or in the form of separate video recordings of competitive works, each file must be signed (registration number and title of a specific work in accordance with the sequence of performances), for example (participant registration number - 15):

15_1_Valse Triste_ Sibelius,   15_2_Song of the minstrel_ Glazunov
etc. by the number of works of the declared competition program.
• Each piece should be shot in one continuous take. It is forbidden to process and correct vocals using any effects and edit video during performance.
• The video must clearly show the competitor (full height), the accompanist and the instrument (piano or grand piano). In the group nomination, all members of the group / ensemble must be clearly visible.
• It is allowed to use the accompaniment recording (piano / grand piano) for the 2024 competition. The phonogram (backing track) should not contain anything but music. Orchestral accompaniment and backing tracks created in MIDI format are not allowed.
• Exceeding the time limit for the execution of the competition program by more than 60 seconds is not allowed. If the video recording does not comply with the technical requirements of the Competition, the organizing committee has the right to demand that the video material be provided in the required quality or to reject the application.
 

REPERTOIRE OF THE CONTEST

Solo vocal
The organizers shall determine the procedure of contestants’ performance at Jean Sibelius Solo Vocal Contest. In all categories, except for the contest category 20+ years *professionals, the competition shall be held in one round.
• 10-11 years old
The program for contest participants' performance:

1. A folk song (composer's adaptation)
2. A romance or a song.
The maximum program duration is 5 minutes.
 

• 12-14 years old
The program for contest participants' performance:

1. A folk song (composer's adaptation)
2. A romance or a song.
The maximum program duration is 5 minutes.
 

• 15-17 years old
The program for contest participants' performance:

1. A folk song (composer's adaptation)
2. A romance or a song.
The maximum program duration is 5 minutes.
 

• 18-20 years old
The program for contest participants' performance:

1. A composition by Jean Sibelius.
2. A composition of choice (an aria from opera or oratorio at the participant’s choice)

The maximum program duration is 8 minutes.
 

• 20+ years old:

* professionals
* amateurs
The program of performance for the contest participants in the first round is the same for both professionals and amateurs:
1. A composition by Jean Sibelius.
2. Two compositions of choice (an aria from opera or oratorio at the participant’s choice) The maximum program duration is 12 minutes.
 

In the categories Duo, Trio, Quartet, and Ensemble, the competition shall be held in the following age categories:
up to 10 years, 11-16 years, 17-20 years, 20+ years, and a mixed age group.
 

The performance program for duos, trios, quartets, and vocal ensembles shall be the following: 1. A folk song (composer's adaptation)
2. A romance or a song.
The contest repertoire must include two compositions with a maximum total duration of 8 minutes. The compositions must be diverse, and the repertoire must be consistent with the age of the performer.
 

REGISTRATION FEE AND PARTICIPATION PAYMENT:
Application registration: 30 €. Should the applicant cancel his participation, this amount is not refundable.
Cost of participation: €70 / soloist, € 110 / duo, € 130 / trio and € 140 / quartet, €160 quintet, ensembles starting from six peoples pay € 200. Payment is for one category. Participation in several categories is possible, while for each of them a separate application and the corresponding payment are provided.
 

The organizing committee will send an invoice for payment with bank details only after receiving an application for participation. Registration fee and payment for participation must be made before October 15th, 2024. A scanned copy of confirmation of payment for application registration and participation must be sent to e-mail address: info@semconsulting.fi

 

JURY
The jury of the competition Jan Sibelius is composed of internationally recognized professional singers, musicians and teachers. The decision made by the jury is not subject to revision.
 

PRIZES AWARDED AT THE CONTEST
Participants are evaluated in each nomination and age group separately. Those who took 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th places shall be awarded a diploma of I, II, III, IV, V and VI degrees in each age group. It may be possible that some special diplomas will be granted. No cups or cash prizes will be awarded in online edition.
 

The competition results will be published on the website www.jsfestcompetition.com on November 20th, 2024. The Organizing Committee send participants diplomas by e-mail from 20 to 27 of November 2024.
 

All questions should be directed to our email address: info@semconsulting.fi
All questions should be send to the org.commettee only by email and only from one email address.
 

RIGHTS OF ORGANIZERS
The Organizers of Jean Sibelius Vocal Contest hold exclusive rights to radio broadcasting, video and audio recording, television broadcasting, photographing the contest performances, as well as posting them on the website and in other information systems without paying any compensation to the contestants and their pianists. A contestant who does not comply with these regulations may be excluded from the contest.
 

CONTACTS
Email address: info@semconsulting.fi

Contact phone: +358505238257

Website: www.jsfestcompetition.com