The Centre of Initiatives of Tolosa organizes for the 53nd time this event according to following Rules:

This competition is open to all amateur choirs, except in the category of Vocal groups which can be professional. The amateur qualification does not concern the conductors of the choirs

DATES

31^st of October: Arrival of the groups

1^st – 4^th of November: Competition

5^th of November: Closing Act, with the obligatory participation of the awarded choirs in each modality.

CATEGORIES AND MODALITIES

The competition is developed according to the following categories:

Category 1 – Chamber Choirs

Category 2 –Vocal Groups

CATEGORY 1 – CHAMBER CHOIRS

• In this Category Choirs of Mixed Voices and Equal Voices made up of a minimum of 17 singers and a maximum of 40 can participate. The choir breaking these number limits will be penalized, as it is explained in point 11.
• The programmes to be performed at the contest in this Category must be finally approved by the Artistic Committee of the Contest.
• The participants have the obligation to participate in the following modalities:

1. Modality I: BASQUE SONG AND POPULAR MUSIC
2. Modality II: POLYPHONY

MODALITY I: BASQUE SONG AND POPULAR MUSIC

•  Mixed Choirs: ZAHAR ETA BERRI, by Rafael Castro (1935)
• Female Voices Choirs: KAMELIA HOSTOEN DIZDIRA, by Eva Ugalde (1973).
• Male Voices Choirs: ITSASOA ARI ZAIT, by Idoia Azurmendi (1971).

1. A popular Basque composition or an Original composition with text in Basque language.
2. A Folklore work from the choir’s country of POPULAR CHARACTER.
3. Works of popular character (Folklore, Jazz, Pop, Show-choir…)

• It is allowed the use of a small instrumental accompaniment. The organization will only provide a piano.
• The programme to be performed (including the obligatory score) will last, at least, 15 minutes and, at most, 18 minutes of real singing time (applauses and pauses are not included). The choir breaking these time limits will be penalized as it is explained in point 10.

MODALITY II: POLYPHONY

• Mixed Choirs: LUX AETERNA, by Jon Saenz Rubio (1996).
• Female Voices Choirs: AVE REGINA CAELORUM II, by Rihards Dubra (1964)
• Male Voices Choirs: NUNC DIMITTIS, by Rihards Dubra (1964)

 

• b) A piece of a composer born before 1700.
• c) A piece composed between 1801 and 1980
• d) A piece composed after 1980.

 

• The programme to be performed (including the obligatory score) will last, at least, 15 minutes and, at most, 18 minutes of real singing time (applauses and pauses are not included). The choir breaking these time limits will be penalized as it is explained in point 10.
• If the maximum 18 minutes time of performance is not reached, other supplementary songs may be chosen.
• The choirs must present a repertoire for 4 or more voices.
• It is recommended that one unique song, either from section “c” or “d” has a small instrumental accompaniment. The organization will only provide a piano. The rest of the programme must be performed exclusively “a cappella”.
• None of the songs will last more than half of the total performance time.
• At least one of the presented songs has to be from the choir’s native country.
• It is recommended that the songs belong to different and varied styles and characters.

CATEGORY 2 – VOCAL GROUPS

• Vocal groups made up of a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 16 singers may take part and could be male, female or mixed groups. The choir breaking these number limits will be penalized, as it is explained in point 11.
• The groups may be amateur as well as professional, with no age limit.
• During your performance the Vocal Group might change some of its components up to a maximum of four singers. In case this rule would not be fulfilled, the group would be eliminated.
• The programmes to be performed at the contest in this Category must be finally approved by the Artistic Committee of the Contest.
• All the participating groups must take part in two modalities:

1. a) Modality I: RELIGIOUS MUSIC
2. b) Modality II: SECULAR MUSIC

MODALITY I: RELIGIOUS MUSIC

The groups will have to perform a free selection programme with religious text. In this programme, they must include at least:

1. a) One work composed before 1800;
2. b) One work composed between 1801 and 1980;
3. c) One work composed after 1980.

MODALITY II – SECULAR MUSIC

The groups will have to perform a free selection programme with non religious text. In this programme, they must include at least:

1. a) One work composed before 1800
2. b) One work composed between 1801 and 1980
3. c) One work composed after 1980

The programme to be performed in each one of these Modalities will last, at least, 15 minutes and, at most, 18 minutes of real singing time (applauses and pauses are not included). The choir that breaking these time limits will be penalized as it is said in point 10.

• If the maximum of 18 minutes time of performance is not reached, other supplementary songs may be chosen.
• The songs must be performed “a cappella”, and the use of any melodic or percussion instrument is completely forbidden.
• None of the songs will last more than half of the total performance time.
• At least one of these compositions must be from the native country of the group.
• It is recommended that the songs belong to different and varied styles and characters.

 

PRIZES

The following prizes will be given for each Modality:

1st. Prize: Trophy and 1.000 EURO

2nd. Prize: Trophy and 750 EURO

3rd. Prize: Trophy and 500 EURO

The prizes will be paid on the same day of the Closing Act.

TOLOSA CHORAL CONTEST GRAND PRIZE

All the choirs participating in any of the several Contests within this 54^th Tolosa Choral Contest compete, at the same time, to obtain this Tolosa Choral Contest Grand Prize awarding the nomination to the European “Grand Prix” representing Tolosa. The prize is 2.000 EURO which will be given at the moment of his participation in the European “Grand Prix” for which has been nominated.

The European “Grand Prix” for Choral Singing is a Contest organized by the International Choral Contests of Arezzo in Italy, Debrecen in Hungary, Maribor in Slovenia, Tours in France, Varna in Bulgaria and Tolosa.

The choirs winning in any of these Contests will compete in 2024 in VARNA (Bulgaria), for the European “Grand Prix” for Choral Singing

The conditions to obtain the aforesaid nomination are the following:

• To have obtained the maximum scoring of the Contest in any of the various Categories.
• It must be made up of a minimum of 12 singers.
• It must be a choir made up of non-professional singers exclusively.
• Not to be nominated previously, on that same year, in any of the other contests of the Grand Prix.

HELP FROM THE ORGANIZATION

For distances over 250km, the Organization will cover the lodging expenses (bed and meals), from the dinner of 31^st October to lunch of the 5^th November.

The travelling expenses to Tolosa will be at charge of the participating group.

INSCRIPTIONS

1. Applications to take part in this Competition are now open. The deadline will be the 15th of May, 2023. Applications can be made through our web page at: https://www.cittolosa.com/en/choral-contest/sign-up/

The application should include the following documents and be sent to xabi@cittolosa.com :

1. Short CV of the choir and its activities and conductor (20 typewritten lines max.)
2. Two good (sharp) and interesting photos of the choir
3. A recent recording
4. One PDF copy of each selected pieces for the competition

Once the choir is selected, the choir will send 8 copies of the chosen compositions – 7 copies for the jury members and 1 copy for the archive of the competition (photocopies allowed only with publisher’s written approval – or composer’s written approval for manuscripts). All eight copies should be sent by post to the official address of the organiser. The scores submitted by the participating choirs should not be given back and should remain for the archive of the Competition.

Note: Titles of songs and the names of authors should be clearly typed or marked down in their original language.

2. Application will not be considered valid until the aforesaid Application Form has been duly fulfilled.
   The acceptance or exclusion of the Contest will be communicated to the choir within the 40 days after the deadline.
   The scores to be performed will not be returned and will remain in the files of the Contest.

3. The conductor decides the order in which the works are to be performed. The Organization has to be informed of this order before September 10th, 2023. No changes will be admitted after this date.
4. Prized choirs must stay for the Closing Act and take part in it. The approximated duration of this Act is until 14:00 on the 5^th of November.
5. The participants have the obligation to be present during the entire period of the Contest and they must be ready to cooperate in the concerts that will take place in the villages around. The participants will have to prepare a concert programme of 75 minutes length.

JURY AND RESULT

6. The Jury will be made up of seven musical personalities from different countries. One month before the Competition is due to take place the members of the Jury will be published.
7. The Jury bases their decissions on the following characteristics:

• Expressive and timbre richness.
• Observance of the musical notation.
• Variety and quality of the presented programme.

8. Each member of the Jury will give up to 100 points for the global performance of each group. Maximum and minimum scoring obtained by the choirs will be cancelled and the veredict of the Jury will be made adding the scoring of the rest of its members (of the Jury).
9. The Jury, unanimously, has the power not to attribute prizes to the choirs that have not reached, at least, the following percentages:

• 85% of the total of points for the first prize.
• 80% of the total of points for the second prize.
• 75% of the total of points for the third prize.

10. The penalty for each minute out of the fixed time limit will be of 5 points.
11. The penalty for each singer out of the fixed limit in each category will be of 5 points.
12. The Closing Act is not valid for the classification.
13. The decision of the Jury will not be subject to appeal and will be made public during the Closing Act.
14. The classification and scorings obtained will be given to all participating choirs.

FINAL DISPOSITIONS

15. The Organization may record and videotape the performance in the Competition and the choirs are not allowed to claim any right of performance or image for distribution.
16. The Centre of Iniciatives of Tolosa will be pleased to send any additional information regarding the interpretation of these rules and reserves the right to modify them if it would be advisible.
17. It is understood that each choir participating in this 54^th TOLOSA CHORAL CONTEST fully accepts and adheres to the rules and regulations of the Competition.