We would like announce and invite you to take part in 2nd edition of the International Competition ArtSong OPUS. It is dedicated to singers and duos: singer and pianist under 32 years old. Recorded program should consist pieces like: opera, operetta, oratorium, song-cycle, songs from song-cycles or independent songs composed or arranged by composer for piano and singer (Art song / Lied / Chanson / Canzone / Cancion / Pieśń and similar).
Competition’s special feature among all the many other song competitions around the world is the tender for lied duos. In D category we will treat equal the singing voice and the piano part. Also, we would like to give young pianists opportunity to present them selfs in the field of Art Song with their favorite colleague singer, and singer with their favorite colleague pianist.

 

§ 1 General terms

 

1. The organiser of the 2^nd International Competition ArtSong Opus 2023 (further: “Competition”) is the Life and Art Foundation with its main office in Krakow, Poland.
2. The competition is held only online. Every necessary piece of information concerning the competition is posted on the website www.lifeandart.eu

 

§ 2 Organisation of the competition

 

1. The participants of the competition are divided into following categories: 

Singers with collaborative piano 

• Category A: born in 2004 – 2008 – program 8-10 minutes 
• Category B: born in 1999 – 2003 – program 13-15 minutes
• Category C: born in 1991 – 1998 – program 13-15 minutes

Chamber Duo – Singer with piano 

• Category D – program 13-15 minutes

2. Regulations:

• Compositions should be performed in original language.
• Could be opera, operetta, oratorium, song-cycle, songs from song-cycles or independent songs composed or arranged by composer for piano and singer (Art song / Lied / Chanson / Canzone / Cancion / Pieśń and similar) for Solo category
• Could be song-cycle, songs from song-cycles or independent songs composed or arranged by composer for piano and singer (Art song / Lied / Chanson / Canzone / Cancion and similar) for Chamber Duo category
• Singers should perform without sheet music

 

§ 3 The participants of the competition 

 

1. Singers and pianist of all nationalities can take part in the Competition, born from 1.01.1991, including: the students of music schools, students and graduates of higher education schools, performing classical music.
2. The competition is dedicated to the young singers with piano and to the Art song Duos (vocal and piano). There is prize for the best singer, the best duo and the best collaborative pianist of the competition.
3. The participation in the competition is voluntary.

 

§ 4 Terms of participation

 

1. In order to participate in the Competition it is mandatory to send a one link with an audio-video recording (YouTube). Participant who sends more than one link will be disqualified. The length of recording should be in accordance with the category a participant is assigned to. The title of the recording on YouTube must include the following: “International Competition ArtSong OPUS 2023, name and surname of the participant, category” and in the description program of the performance and name and surname of collaborative pianist. The audio-video recording must be set to public.
2. The recording should be high-quality and should contain the whole silhouette of the singer or the whole ensemble, from the distance that enables to identify participants. The recording cannot be edited, the registration should be made on one camera without any cuts during the performance. 
3. The participant of the competition pays a non-refundable application fee:
   1. 40 euro in solo categories
   2. 50 euro for a duo
4. Life and Art Foundation does not account or have any liability for any participants’ bank fees and charges that may be levied as a result of currency conversion, foreign exchange transaction, or non-sufficient funds (NSF) transaction. The fee should be completed to:
   Life and Art Foundation

Bank of beneficiary – Nest Bank

IBAN PL04253000082062104094900001

SWIFT/BIC NESBPLPW

Remittance information: “OPUS + name and surname”

PayPal payments are also available: competitionopus@lifeandart.eu

5. In order to participate in Competition, it is necessary to fill interactive application form available on competition’s website http://en.lifeandart.eu/artsongopus/, uploading there link to the video recording, age and payment confirmation. Submitting  application form is equivalent to agreement to process personal data and acceptance of regulations. Online application form will be active between 18^st September 2023 – 31^st January 2024.

 

§ 5 Awards and decisions of the jury

 

1. A panel of judges evaluates a submitted audio-video material. 
2. Jury will give points 0-100 evaluating the performances according to the following    criteria: vocal technique, interpretation, repertoire, language pronunciation, diction, , and in category D also cooperation between pianist and vocalist. Final score is the average of the scores given by individual members of jury. 

Grand Prix	100 points
First Prize	95 – 99 points
Second Prize	90 – 94 points
Third Prize	85 – 89 points
Honourable mention	80 – 84 points
Participation certificate	less than 80 points

3. The Grand Prix winners of each age category will receive the following prizes: 

Category A 400 PLN

Category B 500 PLN

Category C 600 PLN

Category D 800 PLN

4. Awards can be monetary or non-monetary (participation in music courses, participation in concerts, invitations for masterclasses, shopping vouchers, accessories, sheets).
5. The winners of the first three prizes as well as the honoured performers in every category are the laureates of the competition. The Jury has the right not to bestow the awards or to decide to share the awards ex aequo. The division of the awards and prizes is determined by the jury.
6. Participants’ performances will be evaluated by an international jury consisting of exceptional musicians:

Ivan Pernicki (Croatia)

Martina Zadro (Croatia)

Stanisław Duda (Poland)

Magda Niedbała-Solarz (Poland)

Mateusz Kurcab (Poland)

7. The names and surnames of the laureates of the Competition will be published on the website http://en.lifeandart.eu/artsongopus/ on the day 9^th February 2024. 
8. The diplomas of laureates and participants will be sent only by e-mail. 
9. The decisions of the jury are final.

 

Ivan Pernicki

Artistic director of the 2^nd International Competition ArtSong Opus 2023  

 

 

 

Results and poster of the first edition of competition: