JSFest competition

REGULATION FOR HOLDING JEAN SIBELIUS ON-LINE CHOIR CONTEST

November 10 to 13, 2023

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.
 

Rights of participation: The ХI International Jean Sibelius Choir Competition 2023 is open for
participation of choral groups in all genres and ages (adults, youth, juniors, and children). The
choirs participating in the contest are divided into the following categories:
1. Adults (female, male, mixed choirs over 25 years old)
2. Youth choirs (youth female up to 25, youth male up to 25, mixed youth up to 25), and
children's choirs up to 16 years old.
Please note that the age of choral group participants must match the one specified as on the
day of participation in the contest!
The competition shall be held remotely, in the absence of contestants.
 

Deadline for applications is October 1, 2023.
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
Please, note: Separate application for each nomination!
 

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 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, 2022. 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 2023
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.
 

PROGRAMME
Adult choral groups (over 25 years old) are divided into the following categories:
Category A: with a compulsory composition
A1 Mixed choirs, A2 Male choirs, A3 Female choirs
Programme: four compositions are performed:
1. Compulsory composition by J. Sibelius
2. Three compositions at own choice
The performance time is 15 minutes. Maximum one composition with accompaniment.
 

Category B: Without compulsory compositions
B1 Mixed choirs, B2 Male choirs, B3 Female choirs
Programme: four compositions are performed:
1. Three compositions at own choice
2. A folk song adaptation
The performance time is 15 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category C: Sacred Music
C1 Mixed choirs, C2 Male choirs, C3 Female choirs
Programme: three compositions of sacred music are performed:
1. A composition by the 18th- / 19th-century composers.
2. Two compositions 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
Programme: three folk compositions are performed:
1. A composition from the participants' country
2. Two compositions at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions 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
Programme: three compositions are performed:
Three compositions at own choice
(Adaptation of a folk composition from the participants’ country shall be allowed).
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category F: Seniors (age category 50+ years)
Programme: three compositions are performed:
Three compositions at own choice
(Adaptation of a folk composition from the participants’ country shall be allowed).
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category G: Virtual Choir
G1 Mixed Choirs, G2 Male Choirs, G3 Female Choirs
Programme: three compositions are performed:
1. A composition from the participants' country
2. Two compositions at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Children's and youth choral groups are divided into the following categories:
Category A: Children and Youth Choirs
A1 Children choirs up to 16,
A2 Homogeneous youth choirs (youth female up to 25, youth male up to 25),
A3 Mixed youth choirs (from 16 to 25 years old)
Programme: four compositions are performed:
1. Three compositions at own choice
2. A folk song adaptation
The performance time is 15 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category B: Sacred Music
B1 Children choirs up to 16,
B2 Homogeneous youth choirs (youth female up to 25, youth male up to 25),
B3 Mixed youth choirs (from 16 to 25 years old)
Programme: three compositions are performed:
1. A composition by the 18th- / 19th-century composers.
2. Two compositions at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. All compositions are performed a cappella.
 

Category С: Folk music
С1 Children choirs up to 16,
С2 Homogeneous youth choirs (youth female up to 25, youth male up to 25),
С3 Mixed youth choirs (from 16 to 25 years old)
Programme: three folk compositions are performed:
1. A composition from the participants' country.
2. Two compositions at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category D: Vocal and Choral Ensembles
D1 Homogeneous vocal and choral ensembles up to 12 people (under 16 years),
D2 Homogeneous vocal and choral ensembles up to 12 people (16 to 25 years),
D3 Mixed vocal and choral ensembles up to 16 people (up to 16 years),
D4 Mixed vocal and choral ensembles up to 16 people (16 - 25 years)
Programme: three compositions are performed:
Three compositions at own choice
(Adaptation of a folk composition from the participants’ country shall be allowed).
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

Category E: Virtual Choir
E1 Mixed Choirs, E2 Male Choirs, E3 Female Choirs
Programme: three compositions are performed:
1. A composition from the participants' country
2. Two compositions at own choice
The performance time is 12 minutes. Maximum two compositions with accompaniment.
 

REGISTRATION FEE AND PARTICIPATION PAYMENT:
Application registration: 30 €. Should the applicant cancel his participation, this amount is not
refundable.
Cost of participation: 200 € per choir for one nomination.
Participation in several nominations 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 7, 2023. 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
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.
 

The competition results will be published on the website www.jsfestcompetition.com on
November 16th, 2023.
The Organizing Committee send participants diplomas by e-mail from 20 to 27 of November
2023.
 

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 Choral 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