JSFest competition

REGULATION FOR HOLDING INTERNATIONAL EDVARD GRIEG ONLINE CHOIR COMPETITION
December 12–14, 2025 Turku, Finland/Oslo, Norway 

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Rights of participation: The International Edvard Grieg Online Choir Competition 2025 is open for participation of choral groups in all genres and ages (adults, youth, juniors, and children).

 

Deadline for applications is December 1, 2025.
The application form can be found on the website www.jsfestcompetition.com
Applications should 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. Then the contestant should send the competition materials after the reg.number to the org.commettee via email info@semconsulting.fi

 

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 December 5:
• a photo of the contestant (choir)
• a short creative biography (text about the choir about 8-10 sentences)
• competition videomaterials (YouTube links)

 

Video recording requirements:
• The video recording must be made no earlier than January 1, 2025. 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 choir / ensemble must be clearly visible.
• It is allowed to use the accompaniment recording (piano / grand piano) for the 2025 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.
 
PROGRAM
Category A: with a compulsory composition of Nordic composer
A1 Mixed choirs, A2 Male choirs, A3 Female choirs
Program: two compositions are performed:
1. Compulsory composition by Nordic composer
2. One composition at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
Category B: Without compulsory composition of Nordic composer
B1 Mixed choirs, B2 Male choirs, B3 Female choirs
Program: two compositions are performed:
1. A folk song adaptation
2. One composition at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
Category C: Sacred Music
C1 Mixed choirs, C2 Male choirs, C3 Female choirs
Program: two compositions of sacred music are performed:
1. A composition by the 18th- / 19th-century composers.
2. One composition at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. All compositions are performed a cappella.
 
Category D: Folk music
D1 Mixed Choirs, D2 Male Choirs, D3 Female Choirs
Program: two folk compositions are performed:
1. A composition from the participants' country
2. One composition at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
Category E: Vocal and Choral Ensembles
E1 homogeneous vocal and choral ensembles up to 12 people,
E2 mixed vocal and choral ensembles up to 16 people
Program: two compositions at own choice are performed. Adaptation of a folk composition from the participants’ country shall be allowed.
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
Category F: Seniors (age category 50+ years)
Program: two compositions at own choice are performed. Adaptation of a folk composition from the participants’ country shall be allowed.
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
Category G: Children and Youth Choirs
G1 Children choirs up to 16
G2 Homogeneous youth choirs (youth female up to 25, youth male up to 25)
G3 Mixed youth choirs (from 16 to 25 years old)
Program: two compositions are performed:
1.  A folk song adaptation
2. One composition at own choice
The performance time is 10 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 
PARTICIPATION PAYMENT:
Cost of participation: 250 € per choir 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. The payment for participation must be made before December 5th, 2025. A scanned copy of confirmation of payment must be sent to e-mail address info@semconsulting.fi
 
JURY
The jury of the competition is composed of internationally recognized professional musicians and teachers. The decision made by the jury is not subject to revision.
 
PRIZES AWARDED AT THE CONTEST
Participants are evaluated in each category 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. 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 December 17th, 2025.
The Organizing Committee send participants diplomas by e-mail from 20 to 23 of December 2025.
 
All questions should be directed to our email address: info@semconsulting.fi . All questions should be sent to the org.commettee only by email and only from one and the same email address.
 

CONTACTS
Email address: info@semconsulting.fi
Contact phone: +358505238257
website: www.jsfestcompetition.com
In Collaboration with Norwegian partners