Regulations

42nd International Choir Competition Prof. Georgi Dimitrov will be held from 12 /Thursday/ to 15 /Sunday/ September 2024 in the city of Varna, Bulgaria.

  1. Only choirs of amateur singers may take part in the competition (it does not concern the choral conductors).
  2. The choirs shall compete in four categories:

1st CATEGORY – MIXED CHOIRS (up to 45 singers)
2nd CATEGORY – Men’s and Women’s choirs (up to 40 singers)
3rd CATEGORY – Chamber choirs – mixed and men’s and women’s ones (from 12 up to 24 singers)
4th CATEGORY – Children’s and Youth choirs (up to 40 singers)

Note: In the 4th category only singers aged up to 17 years may take part. They should be born after September 12, 2007. Up to 10% of the singers are allowed to go beyond that age.

  1. The choirs may compete in more than one category if they wish.
  2. The competition shall be held in one round.
  3. The programme in all categories is freely chosen. It should include works at least from two styles chosen among the following:
    a) Renaissance and Baroque (from 14th century – mid 18th century);
          b) Classicism (18th century);
          c) Romanticism (19th century);
          d) Contemporary music (20th – 21st c.)

Note: For the 1st, 2nd and 3rd categories one of the pieces could be with an instrumental accompaniment.

  1. The programme of each choir should obligatory include:
    a) One choral piece written by a composer of the nationality of the participating choir (freely chosen).
          b) One obligatory song by a Bulgarian composer, submitted by the Organizing Committee of the Competition;
          Note: Rules, mentioned in art. 5, do not concern the participants in the 4th category. The children’s choirs shall present a programme which is freely chosen by the conductor. The choirs in this category should observe the rules in art. 6. Only for the 4th category is allowed two of the pieces to be with instrumental accompaniment.

The total duration of the choir’s performance on the stage should be:
       a) not shorter than 15 min.
       b) not longer than 25 min. ( this concerns all categories)
The duration of the real choir’s performance (net music) shall be counted out and shall not include the time necessary for entering and leaving the stage. 2 points will be withdrawn from the total result of each choir who does not comply with this rule.

  1. The order of the performed songs is up to the conductor’s choice.
    Note: The order of the performed songs should be submitted in advance to the Organizing Committee up to 10 July 2024 and it is not subject to change.
  2. All competition performances shall take place before of an audience.
    The order of the choirs’ performance in each category shall be chosen by lot, drawn by a Commission appointed by the Organising Committee.
    The choirs, wishing to take part in more than one category, should prepare a different programme for each category. 2 points will be withdrawn from the total result of each choir who does not comply with this rule.
  3. The performances of the choirs shall be evaluated by an International Jury on the following criteria: intonation, precise reading of the score, style and ensemble, selection of repertoire, stage behavior.

Note: When changing the tonality of a piece, the conductor must officially inform the Jury on the day of choir’s stage performance.

The Jury’s decisions are final and irrevocable.

  1. Prizes of the 42nd International Choir Competition „Prof. Georgi Dimitrov“ – Varna 2024:

 

GRAND PRIX VARNA 2024 – 1 000 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque

FIRST CATEGORY – MIXED CHOIRS

FIRST PRIZE – 600 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
SECOND PRIZE – 400 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
THIRD PRIZE – 300 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FOURTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FIFTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque


SECOND CATEGORY – MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CHOIRS

FIRST PRIZE – 550 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
SECOND PRIZE – 350 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
THIRD PRIZE – 250 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FOURTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FIFTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque

 

THIRD CATEGORY – CHAMBER CHOIRS

FIRST PRIZE – 550 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
SECOND PRIZE – 350 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
THIRD PRIZE – 250 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FOURTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FIFTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque

FOURTH CATEGORY – CHILDREN’S CHOIRS

FIRST PRIZE – 550 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
SECOND PRIZE – 350 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
THIRD PRIZE – 250 EURO, Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FOURTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque
FIFTH PRIZE – Honorary Diploma and Memorial Plaque

  1. The Jury will also grant the following special prizes awarded by other institutions and organizations:
    a) Special prize for conductor performance „Prof. Marin Chonev“ – awarded by the conductor’s family
    b) Special prize for the best performance of Bulgarian song by a foreign choir – awarded by „Petko Gruev Staynov“ Foundation;
    c) Special Prize for performance of a song by the Bulgarian composer Georgi Dimitrov – awarded by Raychin Dimitrov, son of the composer;
    d) Special Prize for performance of a song by the Bulgarian composer Ivan Spasov – awarded by „Ivan Spasov“ Foundation;
    e) Special prize for young conductor with the bright presence at the Competition – this prize is awarded by the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers;
    f) Special prize for a choir with the bright stage presence at the Competition – this prize is awarded by the Bulgarian Choral Union

Notice: All awards shall be paid in BGN at the current bank rate.

  1. After the conclusion of the competition programme, the first prize-winning choirs from the four categories will compete in a separate competition for the GRAND PRIX – Varna 2024. Each choir should present a freely-chosen programme lasting up to 20 min. The programme for the GRAND PRIX – Varna 2024 should be different from the competition one and it could include maximum 2 pieces performed in the previous rounds. One of the songs could be with instrumental accompaniment.
    The Jury has the right to decide that a second prize-winner could also take part in the competition for the GRAND PRIX – Varna 2024.
  2. The Grand Prix winner at the 42nd International May Choir Competition – Varna 2024 will be nominated for participation in the International Competition of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing 2025.
  3. The choirs willing to participate in the 42nd ICC „Prof. Georgi Dimitrov“ should send a filled-in application form, identical with the one enclosed with these Regulations by March 31, 2024 to е-mail: office@choircomp.org or the following address:

International Choir Competition Prof. Georgi Dimitrov

Varna Municipality – Culture Department
43, Osmi Primorski Polk Blvd.
9000 Varna, Bulgaria
tel: ++ 359 52 820 026; ++359 884 919 426 – Artistic Secretary

Web: www.choircomp.org

15. The following papers should be enclosed with the application forms:
a) Short CV of the choir (not more than 1000 characters in Word format);
b) Short CV of the conductor (not more than 1000 characters in Word format);
c) Declaration that the choir consists of amateur singers and that the singers in the fourth category are born after September 12, 2007;
d) Quality colour photographs of the choir and a portrait photo of the conductor (minimum 300 pixels);
e) Recording of the choir on audio, video tape, CD or in video or audio format by e-mail, not shorter than 15 min, recorded last 2 years. Recordings must contain works of different styles and be of good quality.

16. International Choir Competition “Prof. Georgi Dimitrov” covers the expenses of the choirs for their stay in Varna during the competition period from 12:00 p.m. on September 12, 2024 till 09:00 a.m. on September 15, 2024. Transportation charges to Varna and back should be at the participants’ expenses.

17. Besides the two artistic directors for each participating choir it is acceptable not more than two accompanying persons (it includes also the drivers of the groups arriving by their own bus). The additional accompanying persons over the above mentioned persons shall be at their own expenses – accommodation and food.

18. Up to 16th of April, 2024, the Organizing Committee will send an answer in writing to the applicant choirs approved for participation in the competition and will forward them the scores of the obligatory Bulgarian songs.

19. Up to 26th of April, 2024, the choirs approved for participation should send:
a) Titles of the pieces (no abbreviations);
b) Names of the composers and the authors of the lyrics (no abbreviations);
c) Duration of the separate pieces and the order of their performance;
d) 8 clear copies of the scores of each chosen song, necessary for the Jury members, including the songs for participation in the competition Grand Prix – Varna 2024;
e) 3 copies of the name list including the birthdates of all people from the group arriving in Varna;

Note: Titles of songs and authors’ names should be clearly written in their original language in print letters in Latin alphabet 

20. Each choir should deposit a participation fee to:

Central Cooperative Bank; BIC: CECBBGSF , IBAN: BG36 CECB 9790 3124 1896 00

Varna Municipality, Gulture Dapartment:
– a sum of 300 (three hundred) EURO per each choir of 3rd category;
– a sum of 400 (four hundred) EURO per each choir of 1st, 2nd and 4th

Choirs wishing to participate in more than one category shall pay 100 EURO extra for each additional category.
The fee could be paid also in cash at the box office of the Competition but not later than 18:00 on September 12 2024.

Each choir approved to take part in the 42nd  ICC is obliged to pay a „participation“ deposit amounting to 100 EURO to the above mentioned bank account  not later than April 26, 2024 and to send by e-mail a copy of the document proving the payment. The deposit is deducted from the total participation fee in the ICC. If the choir does not appear at the Competition, the deposit shall not be refunded.

  1. Any choir which did not submit the required documentation and did not pay the deposit and the participation fee in due time forfeits a right to take part in the Competition. It should be replaced by the next choir approved through the selection.
  2. The Organizing Committee has the right to organize concerts in Varna and neighboring towns during the period of the Competition without remuneration for the performers. All participating choirs are obliged to observe the programme schedule exactly and to take part in all concerts, parallel to the Competition.
  3. The participating choirs should give free of charge their copy rights for broadcasting their live and recorded performances (including for radio and TV), presented during the competition. The scores submitted by the participating choirs shall not be given back and shall remain for the archive of the Competition.
  4. The performers are not paid for any of the recordings, made during the competition.
  5. In case of misunderstandings on the interpretation of these Regulations, the Bulgarian text is the only valid one to be considered.