RULES FOR 2019 RUSSIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL/COMPETITION
Open to piano, brass, winds, strings, and instrumental ensemble
APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS PASSED
SCHEDULE OF THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN EMAILED TO ALL OUR APPLICANTS. IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED A SCHEDULE, PLEASE CONTACT MICHAEL CLARK (clarkmichaelryan@gmail.com) IMMEDIATELY.
We are so excited for this year’s competition, and to hear your wonderful talent and discipline come alive through music! Please consider our rules for entry carefully before submitting your application. All questions may be directed to Michael Clark at Clarkmichaelryan@gmail.com.
LOCATION:
Applicants will compete at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church (3605 84th Ave. SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040), on Saturday, December 14th, 2019.
The competition will last all day. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your assigned performance time. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate special scheduling requests; please do not enter the competition if you will not be available for the entirety of the day.
You may observe other contestants as you wish, but please be courteous and only enter or leave a room between performances.
The Winners’ Concert will be held at the same venue, on December 15th at 12:30pm.
ELIGIBILITY:
Residents of the U.S. and all other countries are welcome to compete. Contestants must compete in their own age group. Contestants from the Concerto group, or one of the Chamber Music groups, may also compete in their respective soloist age group. Performers above age 18 –and chamber music groups — are not required to be currently studying with a teacher.
Music must be composed by Russian composers.
Application processing fees are non-refundable. Categories are listed below. We have made alterations to our age bracketing this year, so take extra note when applying:
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Solo Piano:
Piano A – up to 8 years (up to 5 minutes) – Fee $60
Piano B – 9-10 years (up to 6 minutes) – Fee $65
Piano C – 11-12 years (up to 6 minutes) – Fee $70
Piano D – 13-14 years (up to 7 minutes) – Fee $75
Piano E – 15-16 years (up to 8 minutes) – Fee $80
Piano F – 17-18 years (up to 10 minutes) – Fee $85
Piano G – 19 years and older (up to 13 minutes) – Fee $90
Russian Etudes:
(Up to 7 minutes for all brackets, any etude or two by any Russian composer, fee $75)
Etudes A- 10-13 years
Etudes B – 14-18 years
Etudes C – 19 years and older
Ensemble:
Concerto A – Concerto, up to 13 years (one movement, up to 13 minutes) – Fee $85
Concerto B – Concerto, 14-18 years (one movement, up to 19 minutes) – Fee $90
Ensemble A – Chamber Music, majority of group age 13 years and under (up to 13 minutes) – Fees $85 per member
Ensemble B – Chamber Music, majority of group age 14 years and older (up to 13 minutes) – Fees $90 per member
Solo Strings:
Strings A – 11-14 years (up to 7 minutes) – Fee $80
Strings B – 15-18 years (up to 10 minutes) – Fee $85
Strings C – 19 years and older (up to 13 minutes) – Fee $90
Solo Winds/Brass/Voice/Miscellaneous:
W/B/V/M – A – 11-14 years (up to 7 minutes) – Fee $80
W/B/V/M – B – 15-18 years (up to 10 minutes) – Fee $85
W/B/V/M – C – 19 years and older (up to 13 minutes) – Fee $90
PRIZES:
First place winners will receive a trophy, second and third places will receive a medal, and players who receive honorable mention awards will receive a certificate. Up to four performers will be selected to receive $250 Scholarship awards. These winners will be announced during our 2020 King FM Northwest Focus broadcast (date TBA).
If there are fewer than three competitors registered for a category, the judge may elect not to award a prize. In any category, the judges have the right to withhold any prize or award additional prizes for any reason. All judgements are final and may not be contested. If there are a high number of entrants in a category, the competition coordinators may choose to divide the category into smaller groups that will be judged individually.
PRIZE PERFORMANCES:
Winners Concert at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church: first and second place winners from each category will perform. Date TBA.
Concerto Grand Prize winner (one winner to be selected from both combined groups): our grand prize concerto winner, selected from the totality of concerto players, will be eligible to perform his/her repertoire with the Federal Way Symphony. Date TBA.
Chamber Music winners may be selected to play at our 2020 Concert in the Park. Date TBA.
King FM Northwest Focus: performers will be selected by members of the RCMFS Artistic Advisory Board from among the first prize winners at the December 2rd Winners Concert. Date TBA.
Benefit events during the 2019-2020 season: selected first prize winners. Dates TBA.
Winners with pieces requiring two pianos are not eligible for performances at King FM, but concerto performers will receive a recommendation letter for Seattle Symphony Young Artists Auditions.
Prizes and adjudications sheets will be available at the registration desk shortly after completion of judging for each category. All prizes and adjudication sheets must be picked up at the competition; no materials will be mailed to participants.
*Please note that there are admission fees for audience members, including teachers and parents, at the December 2nd winners’ concert. Tickets will be available at the door. Price TBA.
REPERTOIRE:
All music will be performed by memory, except chamber works. All selections will be works by Russian or Soviet composers, in their original form. Selections for solo piano groups must be solo pieces, but non-piano groups may use concertos if they wish. Transcriptions are allowed but must be approved by RCMFS prior to submission of entry form (example of non-acceptable piece – “Theme from Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto” for solo trumpet). Pieces must not be edited (shortened) for any reason without prior approval of RCMFS. Non-piano participants may choose accompanied or unaccompanied pieces, and, in the case of the former, must provide their own accompanist.
No warm-up instruments will be available on the day of the competition. Please plan accordingly.
Please time and report your selection(s) carefully – this will determine how much time you are allotted on the schedule.
Teachers and/or students are responsible for presenting the judge with an original music score (no photocopies) with measures marked in the margin (competitors who forget their music or only have a photocopied version may play if they wish but will not receive a judge’s evaluation or be eligible for any prize).
No changes will be possible in the program once the application is received.
COMPETITION ETIQUETTE:
Dress Code: Please dress professionally – no athletic shoes, cargo pants, or jeans.
Hand-held video cameras are permitted; no tripods, please. No flash photography. Recordings are only permitted of your own child; please do not record other parents’ children’s performances.
Chamber performers must provide their own music stands.
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION:
Application forms should be filled out and submitted online and payment made via ClickandPledge using the “Pay Application Fee” button on the application page under Competition. Chamber groups may pay the entirety of the entry fee from one group member’s application or divide the entry equally between all members and pay individual portions with each member’s application form. Once you have submitted payment, there are no refunds for withdrawn entries. Mailed entries will not be accepted.
The schedule and additional information will be posted at www.russianchambermusic.org approximately one week before the competition.
Please submit applications online as early as possible. Applications will only be accepted Until December 1st, 2019.
The application is available here, at www.russianchambermusic.org.
Thank you for your careful consideration of these rules. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Michael Clark, our competition director, at Clarkmichaelryan@gmail.com.