22nd INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS

“Ohrid Pearls” 2023Ohrid, N. Macedonia

The International Competition for young musicians “Ohrid Pearls” will take place in in Ohrid from 15 – 19 June 2023.

APPLICATION DEADLINE 20th April 2023

The International Competition for young musicians “Ohrid Pearls” 2023 is open to the following instruments and ensembles:

Solo:

Flute

Oboe

Clarinet

Saxophone

Trumpet

French Horn

Chamber Music for wind instruments:

Wind instruments DUO– Two wind instrument without piano accompaniment
Piano trio – Piano and two wind instruments
Wind Quartet
Wind Quintet

Contestants can participate in the following categories according to their age group:

Categories for all instruments:

Pre-category – born in year 2010 or younger

Category “A” – born in year 2008  or younger       

Category “B” – born in year 2004  or younger       

Category “C” – born in year 1998  or younger   

Categories for Chamber Music for wind instruments :

Category “A” – born in year 2008  or younger       

Category “B” – born in year 2004  or younger       

Category “C” – born in year 1998  or younger   

RULES and REGULATIONS:

  • The competition is open to musicians of all nationalities.
  • The winners of the grand prix “Ohrid Pearls” from the previous editions of the competition are not allowed to participate again in the competition.
  • The competition is public without any compensation for radio and TV broadcasting, including internet streaming. The recordings are in permanent ownership of the competition organizers which shall use them according to their needs.
  • The mandatory compositions in the solo disciplines must be performed by memory.
  • The prizes are non-divisible and will be awarded to one competitor only (with the exception of pre-category where the number of prizes is not limited).
  • The rounds of the competition are of eliminatory character.
  • Repetition of any composition from one round to the next is not allowed. The competitor is obligated to present the full score of the composition which he/she is performing at the request of the competition organizers.
  • Every competitor will have scheduled rehearsal time at the competition venue prior to their performance.
  • The organizers will provide practice rooms for the competitors from the time of their arrival in Ohrid till the time of their performance.
  • The competitors are required to register in the competition office at least one day prior to their performance.
  • All the competitors are obligated to present a confirmation of paid entrance fee before their performance at the request of the competition organizers.
  • The rules and regulations of this competition are published in two languages – Macedonian and English. The Macedonian text takes precedence in any dispute concerning the interpretation of the Competition rules and regulations.

PRESELECTION

  • Our competition features an online preselection round for solo categories A, B, C.
  • Solo pre-categories and all chamber music categories do not have an online preselection round and applicants in those categories are admitted directly to the competition.
  • The requirements for the preselection program are stated in the competition program for each discipline and category.
  • The preselection program should be recorded in video format (all kinds of quality, even phone recordings are acceptable) and uploaded to YouTube and the link or links to the videos should be pasted into the corresponding field of the online registration form.
  • Participants which pass the preselection round will be notified by e-mail.

INTERNATIONAL JURY

  • The competitors will be judged by an international jury composed of no less than 5 renowned music pedagogues – ohridskibiseri.org.mk
  • The Jury work is regulated by the jury rules containing guidelines which encompass all the segments of the competition.
  • Communication between the competitors and the jury members is prohibited until the end of the competition.
  • The Jury members are required to sign a statement declaring competitors with whom they are related or have had any professional connections in the 12 months prior to the beginning of the competition.
  • The Jury members are forbidden to grade the competitors with whom they are related or have had any professional connections in the 12 months prior to the beginning of the competition.
  • Once stated the jury decisions are final.
  • The jury reserves the right not to award all the prizes.
  • After the end of the competition, every competitor has the right to a discussion with the Jury members about their further development.

PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT

  • The competitors should provide their own piano accompaniment.
  • If the competitor cannot provide their own accompaniment, a professional one will be provided, for a fee of:

30 € for Pre-category

40 € for A – category

65 € for B – category

90 € for C – category

  • The competitors that would require accompaniment to be provided by the organizer must send PDF copies of all of their scores through the online application form.

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION EXPENSES

  • The competitors will cover their own travel and accommodation expenses in Ohrid.
  • The German saxophone union ArDeSa will support their participating members.
  • For the competitors that require a visa for entrance in Macedonia, the organizers will provide a letter of invitation.

APPLICATIONS, FEES and DOCUMENTS

  • Application deadline is April 20th  

Required documents:

  • A filled out application form with an attached short biography of the applicant;
  • A Youtube link or links to a preselection video recording (does not apply to solo Pre-categories as well as all chamber music categories);
  • Copy of an ID document (passport, personal ID card or birth certificate);
  • Complete performance repertoire;
  • One photo obligatory;
  • Address;
  • Phone and e-mail address (if applicable)
  • Paid entrance fee in the amount of:

30 € for Pre-category
40 € for A – category
50 € for B – category
60 € for C – category
30 € per person for all Chamber music categories

  • Payment of the participation fee will be conducted online via banking card. The payment link is available on our website.
  • Solo categories A, B and C which have a preselection round will pay only 50% of the entrance fee upon registration. Only those participants that pass the preselection round will be required to pay the other 50% of the participants fee (also online via banking card).
  • Pre category and chamber music categories pay the full amount at the time of registration.
  • Competitors which have not paid the entrance fee will be excluded from participating in the competition.
  • In cases of cancellations by the competitors the entrance fee is nonrefundable.
  • The application process will be done completely online through a Google registration form available on our website ohridskibiseri.org.mk

DIPLOMAS

The following diplomas will be awarded in all categories and disciplines:

First prize diploma

Second prize diploma

Third prize diploma

Acknowledgement diploma

The prizes in the solo disciplines in categories A, B and C are non-divisible and will be awarded to one competitor only.

Every competitor will receive a diploma for participation.

FINAL ROUND

  • The final concert (as stated in following text) represents the final round of the competition where the competitors shall compete for cash prizes.
Solo disciplines:
  • All of the first prize winners from  A, B and C category are required to participate in the final concert by performing one piece by choice from their competition repertoire.
Chamber music disciplines:
  • All of the first prize winners from A, B and C category are required to participate in the final concert by performing one piece by choice from their competition repertoire.

All of the above mentioned first prize winners are required to participate in the final concert, failure to do so will result in disqualification and those participants shall forfeit their prizes.

CASH PRIZES

The following cash prizes will be awarded to the competitors that participate in the final concert:

First prize:       Grand Prix “Ohrid Pearls”

                          Gilded plaque + 1500 €

Second prize: Silver plaque        + 1000 €

Third prize:     Bronze plaque     + 500 €

SPECIAL PRIZES

“Ohrid Summer” festival

The “Ohrid Summer” festival will award a special prize to the winner of the Grand Prix of the competition – a chance to perform on the “Youth podium” program within the festival.

“Tomislav Zografski” foundation

The “Tomislav Zografski” foundation will award a special prize for the best performance of a piece by the Macedonian composer Tomislav Zografski (as a free integrated part of the program).

The award is consisted of a Diploma and a replica of a traditional Macedonian ornament.

“Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Foundation”

The “Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Foundation” will award the Ohrid Pearls “Ursula Mamlok Special Award” for the best interpretation of a composition by Ursula Mamlok in the amount of:

  • 300 € for a single recipient of the prize,
  • or 200 € per participant if the jury would decide to share the prize between 3 participants (one flutist, one oboist, one clarinetist or one saxophonist)
  • or 150 € per participant if the jury would decide to share the prize between 4 participants (one flutist, one oboist, one clarinetist and one saxophonist)
REPERTOIRE:

for Saxophone:

Rückblick: In Erinnerungan die Reichspogromnachtvom 9. November 1938, 2002, fürSaxophon und Klavier (5‘30“)
Auftragswerk der Temple University für Marshall Taylor
UA: New York 2002, Marshall Taylor (Saxophon), Samuel Hsu (Klavier)
Verlag: Boosey& Hawkes • Bote& Bock
Aufnahme: EDA 901 und Bridge Records 9457

for Oboe:

Five Capriccios, 1968, für Oboe und Klavier (ca. 6‘)
UA: New York 1968, Judith Martin (Oboe), Joan Tower (Klavier)
Verlag: C. F. Peters
Aufnahme: Bridge Records 9360

Polyphony No. 2, 1972, für Oboe oder Englisch Horn (8‘)
Verlag: Boosey& Hawkes • Bote& Bock

for Flute:

Variations, 1961, für Flöte (8‘)
UA: New York 1962, Harvey Sollberger
Verlag: McGinnis & Marx
Aufnahmen: CRI 212, CRI CD 891, Opus One 72

for Clarinet:

Polyphony No. 1, 1968, für B-Klarinette (8‘)
UA: New York 1969, Jack Kreiselman
Verlag: Boosey& Hawkes • Bote& Bock Aufnahme: Bridge Records 9293 und Naxos 8.559771

THE FAMILY OF WOLFGANG JACOBI

The family of Wolfgang Jacobi will award a special prize in the amount of 300 € for the best interpretation of the Sonata for Altosaxophon and Piano by Wolfgang Jacobi. (Bourne Co. Music Publishers  https://www.bournemusic.com/)

“RIES & ERLER”

The music publisher “Ries & Erler” from Berlin will award two coupons of 100 € each (for purchasing sheet music from their publishing house) for the best performance of:

Gustav Bumcke: Sonata op. 68 for alto saxophone and piano

Martina Eisenreich: “Du tratst aus meinem Traume” for flute and piano

GEBR. ALEXANDER

The Gebr. Alexander music instrument makers will award special prizes in the amount of 500€, 300€ and 200€ for the best performances of pieces by W. A. Mozart in the following disciplines:

  • French Horn all categories
  • Chamber music all categories for ensembles featuring a French Horn
SOCOM

The Composers Association of Macedonia awards a prize of 100 € for the best performance of a piece by a Macedonian composer (as a free integrated part of the program) for the performance of any the following compositions:

SMUM

The Association of Music Artists of Macedonia awards a prize to the best ranking  Macedonian performers . The prize consist of a concert at the GOLDEN LIRA music festival.

EMCY

The European Music Competitions for Youth awards a special prize for an exceptional performance. This prize is an art work of the German artist Gottfried Jäger as well as promotion on the EMCY website.

For all additional information, you can contact us through the following options:

Phone:

++ 389 77914974 – Gjorge Ulishev
++ 389 70 217726 – Boris Svetiev (for English speaking enquiries)

Fax:      ++ 389 46 269 139

Email:                  ohridskibiseri@yahoo.com
Website:              www.ohridskibiseri.org.mk