Organized by the public enterprise, ARS&SONORIS, in partnership with the LITHUANIAN COMPOSERS ASSOCIATION, the LITHUANIAN NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, the LITHUANIAN ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND THEATRE, and others, the aim of the competition is to encourage the accessibility to contemporary music, promote works by young composers and the international cooperation of creators, and to acknowledge and award the best pieces of music. The competition is international in scope and open to composers up to the age of 35.
The competition is organised in commemoration of one of the most prominent 20th century composers of Lithuania, Professor Eduardas Balsys (1919–1984). The 1st competition was held to commemorate the centenary of Eduardas Balsys’ birth and has become a traditional one.
Eduardas Balsys is a highly significant figure in the history of Lithuanian professional music; a composer, whose artistic value earned him the title of the 20th century classic. The musician made his debut during the most dramatic time for the state, i.e. after the II World War. His talent and diligence contributed immensely to the healing of the wounds caused by the war and Stalinism within the community of musicians. Having acquired substantial education in the conservatories of Lithuania and Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Balsys soon became an authoritative professor of composition and one of the most productive composers of Lithuania, whose monumental stage and concert works have already been promoted by several generations of performers. It would be impossible to overestimate his merits as a pedagogue as he educated several generations of composers and musicologists.
Strong dramatism, emotionality, as well as the synthesis of neoclassical, modern and avant-garde tools of music are typical of the works by Balsys. His symphonic compositions stand out for their expressive, rich and effective orchestration. Balsys was the first to start using the rhythms of the popular music in his concert music and he also paid great attention to the composition of stage songs and film music; he encouraged other composers – especially his students – to contribute professionally to the development of the culture of popular music.
The competition is organised by public enterprise Ars&Sonoris. The partners of the competition are Lithuanian Composers’ Union, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Klaipeda Concert Hall, Klaipeda City Municipality, Lithuanian National Radio and Television, JSC “Tubinas International”.
1. PARTICIPANTS:
1.1. Composers from all countries and of all nationalities can participate in the competition.
1.2. The participants of the Junior Group should be born after Nov. 20, 1999.
1.3. The participants of the Main Group should be born after Nov. 20, 1985. Participants under the age of 21 can also take part in the Main Group having paid the entrance fee set for the Main Group
2. REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKS:
2.1. Only new, original works of music that have not been published or presented in any other competition or performed in public before Nov. 20, 2021 can be submitted.
2.2. Works of music have to be intended for an instrumental ensemble, a choir or an orchestra according to the compositions indicated by the organisers in Clause 3 herein.
2.3. Works for film and theatre, at the request of an author, can be accompanied by video material. An author of a related piece is held liable for the right to demonstrate such video content during the competition and the related events. The competition organisers bear no responsibility for the permission of a copyright holder to demonstrate video material in public.
2.4. Total duration of a piece of music cannot exceed: 5–10 minutesin the Junior Group; 7–12 minutes in the Main Group;
2.5. One author can submit only one application for the competition.
2.6. The competition is anonymous. When submitting a score, recordings of a piece of music and other related material, an author must indicate only the name of the piece and their pseudonym.
3. INSTRUMENT COMPOSITION:
3.1. String quartet (violin, violin, viola, cello);
3.2. Piano trio (violin, cello, piano);
3.3. Piano quintet (piano, violin, violin, viola, cello);
3.4. String orchestra only for the Main Group (7,6,4,4,2);
3.5. Mixed choir SATB (40 choristers);
3.6. An electronic soundtrack can be used in a piece of music. It has to be prepared for demonstration and has to be submitted together with the piece of music.
4. ENTRANCE FEE:
4.1. The entrance fee for the participants of the Junior Group is 20 EUR.
4.2. The entrance fee for the participants of the Main Group is 50 EUR.
4.3. The entrance fee can be transferred to the competition bank account or paid via PayPal.
5. APPLICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS:
5.1. A filled–in online competition application form and an attached copy of the paid entrance fee has to be submitted by the deadline indicated in Clause 6.1.
5.2. By the deadline indicated in Clause 6.2., the following material has to be submitted to the email address info@balsyscompetition.eu:
- 5.2.1. A filled–in, signed and scanned competition application form;
- 5.2.2. A copy of a participant’s ID card or any other document enabling the identification of the participant’s age;
- 5.2.3. A short biography or CV of a participant (up to 1 page);
- 5.2.4. A high–quality photo for information material (of at least 800 pixels, in JPG or TIF format; please do not send your ID photos);
- 5.2.5. A score of a piece of music in PDF format;
- 5.2.6. All instrument parts in one PDF file;
- 5.2.7. A demo recording of apiece in mp3, wav or AIFF format;
5.3. A score of a piece of music, instrument parts and recordings must bear a pseudonym of a participant (identical to the one indicated in the competition application form) and the intended competition group.
6. DEADLINES:
6.1. 26. September 2021, 23:59 (GMT+2) for the submission of online competition application form and an attached copy of the paid entrance fee.
6.2. 3. October 2021, for the submission of the other requested material indicated in Clause 5.2.
7. Competition procedure:
7.1. Evaluation of the compliance of submitted applications and works with the competition conditions –10. October 2021.
7.2. 1st round –24. October 2021.
7.3. 3 pieces from the Junior Group and up to 10 pieces from the Main Group are selected for the final round of the competition.
7.4. The final round–in Klaipėda Concert Hall, 20. November 2021.
7.5. The final round is in the form of a finale concert, performing all pieces live. Live streaming of the final round is available on the competition website www.balsyscompetition.eu.
7.6. Competition laureates are announced on the competition website on November 21.
8. PRIZES AND AWARDS:
8.1.The laureates of the Main Group of the competition will be awarded the following prizes:
- 8.1.1. 1st Prize – 2,000 Euros
- 8.1.2. 2nd Prize – 1,000 Euros
- 8.1.3. 3rdPrize – 500 Euros
8.2. The laureates of the Junior Group of the Competition will be awarded the Junior Group laureate diplomas and presents.
9. OTHER PROVISIONS
9.1. The works that do not fulfil the competition conditions do not participate in the competition.
9.2. The Jury has the right not to award the First Prize.
9.3. The decision of the competition jury is final and indisputable.
9.4. While submitting their works for the competition, authors agree to the competition regulations.
9.5. The competition organisers and partners reserve the right to perform the submitted works, to publish the scores submitted for the competition, to reproduce the recordings of the works, to perform the works in concerts as well as to announce the authors of the submitted works and their biographies.
9.6. The material submitted for the competition is not returned to authors
Links:
International Eduardas Balsys Young Composers Competition – website
International Eduardas Balsys Young Composers Competition – FB