COMPETITION
20TH – 24TH AUGUST

In addition to the educational program, the festival also includes an international violin competition followed by a gala concert. In addition to the generous prize money from our sponsors, the prizes include integration into concert series in the Saarland and a production on Saarländischer Rundfunk.

The competition will begin on 20 August 2023 with the arrival, registration of the participants and the drawing of the order. The young talents will compete against each other in several public rounds from 20 - 23 August 2023. The gala concert, with the artistic participation of the prize-winners and the Chamber Orchestra of the Greater Region, will conclude the competition on 24 August 2023. The certificates and prizes will also be presented at this event.

Violinists of any nationality up to the age of 32 (deadline 20.8.2023) are eligible to participate. Registration must be completed by 15 July 2023 at the latest. All aspiring violin virtuosos can register for the competition via the following link. Participation in the academy is not necessary for registration.

PRIZES
1st prize: 4,000 euros
+ concerts 2024 in concert series of the Saarland
+ a production on Saarländischer Rundfunk
2nd prize: 2,000 euros
3rd prize: 1.000 Euro
+ 6 premium string sets from Thomastik-Infeld for each of the prize winners (sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld)
+ 250 Euro special prize for the best interpretation of the classical concerto set (sponsored by bowmaker Wohlleber)
+ 200 Euro audience prize (sponsored by Geigenbau Degen)

JURY
Christoph Schickedanz, Chair
Daniel Franke, Deputy
Lihay Bendayan
Kevork Mardirossian
Jun Zuo
Gordan Nikolic (HfM)

COSTS COMPETITION 20 - 24.08.2023

100,00 € Participation in competition
60,00 € Participation in the competition for academy participants
150,00 € Meal package [breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee, dinner] incl. 4 nights' accommodation

Registration deadline is 15 July 2023.

REPERTOIRE

1st round 20 - 25 minutes
I: J.S. Bach 1st and 2nd movement from BWV 1001, 1003, 1005 or Ciaccona
II: a concert caprice by Paganini or at the same level of difficulty
III: the first movement of a classical violin concerto by Mozart (KV 207, 216, 218 or 219), Joseph Martin Kraus C major, Josef Myslivecek C, F or D major

2nd round 35 - 40 minutes, with 6 - 9 candidates
I: one of the following works: Claude Debussy Sonata, Howard Ferguson Sonata No.1 op.2, Paul Hindemith Sonata in E flat, Leos Janacek Sonata, Maurice Ravel Sonata (1924-27) or Sonata posthume , Alexandre Tansman 1st Sonatine or Jean Francaix Sonatine
II: a work for solo violin of the 20th or 21st century (individual movements permitted, clearly new tonal language!)
III: the first movement of one of the violin concertos by
Bartok 2, Beethoven, Paganini (1-4), Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Strauss or Korngold

Final with 3 - 4 candidates

Part 1: A recital programme with piano accompaniment of 35 - 50 minutes.
The programme can be chosen freely, but it must include
- one of the sonatas by Beethoven or a romantic sonata and
- include a virtuoso work for violin and piano or violin solo

Part 2: Presentation of the following works for violin solo with the Chamber Orchestra of the Greater Region (KOG)
I one of the concertos by: Joseph Haydn C major, Johann Friedrich Reichardt E flat major, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy D minor, Franz Schubert Rondo A major or Ludwig Spohr No.8 A minor op.47.
II Wieniawski Legend

IMPLEMENTATION

1. The competition will take place in three rounds from 20 - 23 August 2020 in the premises of the Landesmusikakademie des Saarlandes in Ottweiler and in the Saarländischer Rundfunk in Saarbrücken.
2. The order of the competition entries will be decided by the competition management.
3. The entire repertoire except for the contemporary works (2nd round II) as well as sonatas or duo works with piano must be performed from memory.
4. The participants undertake to observe the stated playing times of the respective rounds. In case of a timeout, the jury chairman may stop the performance at any time. Both this action and a time underrun will result in a point deduction.
5. Up to three main prizes and additional special prizes may be awarded.
6. The jury has the right not to award or divide prizes.

COMPETITION CONDITIONS

1. The competition will begin on August 20 2023 with the arrival, registration of the participants andthe drawing of lots for the order of the 1st round. If circumstances require it, the 1st round can already be started on the same evening.
2. It is planned to hold the competition in 3 rounds: the 1st round on August 20th/21st, the 2nd round on August 22nd and the final on August 23rd. A gala concert, which the prize winners are obliged to perform at the request of the competition management, will conclude the competition on August 24th. The certificates and prizes will be presented at this event. Any refusal to participate in the concert or to accept the prizes and certificates in person will result in the withdrawal of the award.
3. Violinists of any nationality up to the age of 32 (deadline 08-20-2023) are eligible to participate.
4. Registration must be completed by June 31st at the latest (online application).
   Complete registration includes:
   - the completed application form,
   - complete details of the programme
   - the uploading of all piano parts as well as the contemporary work via an online link provided by the competition organisation,
   - a copy of the passport, identity card or birth certificate,
   - an artistic curriculum vitae with a list of all previous violin teachers,
   - proof of payment of the registration, accompanist, board and lodging fees.
5. The number of participants can be limited by the competition management without giving reasons, confirmation of admission will be given in writing.
6. Travel to and from the competition will be organised and paid for by the participants themselves.
7. The competition fee will be paid together with the course fees in case of participation in the Academy of the International Violin Festival Saar 2023. It amounts to 60,00 €.
8. For external candidates the registration fee is 100,00 €. This includes one rehearsal with the official accompanist of the competition for each round. In addition, there are accommodation costs of 150,00€, if taken up by the candidates.
9. Candidates may bring their own pianists at their own expense.
10. The competition will provide candidates with a practicing room for the duration of their participation.
11. The competition organiser may record acoustically and optically all artistic performances of the participants taking place within the framework of the competition events and has the right to use these recordings live or also at a later point in time without the competition participant accruing any claims for remuneration from this. Private recordings, even in the name of participants, are not permitted.
12. All participants will receive a certificate, the prize winners a certificate.
13. The jury decides on the awarding of prizes according to its own jury rules.
14. The results will be announced publicly after each round. Each participant will receive an individual written comment on his/her performance from each jury member.
15. The jury members will abstain from judging
    - current pupils or students,
    - participants with whom they have had a teaching relationship as a pupil or student in the last 5 years,
    - participants with whom they have had an intensive teaching relationship (more than 15 teaching hours) in the last two years.
16. The jury members may be immediately released from their obligation to participate if they do not comply with these rules.
17. The decisions of the jury are irrevocable.
18. Legal recourse is excluded.
19. The German text is legally binding.