I. GENERAL TERMS

1. The 1^st International Choral Conducting Competition ROMANO GANDOLFI (the ‘Competition’) is being held with the aims to spread the passion for choral music, to help talented and rising conductors of the next generation to establish an international conducting career, bridging the gap between professional training and professional life.
2. The Competition is organized by AERCO, Emilia-Romagna Choirs Association, in collaboration with the Conservatoire of Parma, with the patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Parma Town Council, the Medesano Town Council and the Associazione Favorita del Re-Centro Studi Romano Gandolfi.
3. The Competition will take place from 29 November to 1 December 2019 at the Conservatoire of Music, str. del Conservatorio 27/a, Parma and at the Auditorium del Carmine, Via Duse, Parma.
4. The Competition official language is English.

II. PARTICIPANTS 

 The Competition is open to choir conductors, students or graduates from Italy and abroad, born after January 1^st, 1984. 

III. ENTRY

1. An entry is submitted by filling in a Competition online form, available at https://bit.ly/2EMoqbl 
2. The following should be appended to the completed Competition entry form:
1. A current portrait photo, in digital format.
2. A scan of an ID document with the entrant’s date of birth.
3. Entrant’s curriculum vitae (biography) with his/her musical activity and studies achieved.
3. A reference from the Rector of the institution of higher education represented by the entrant, if any, would be welcome.
4. The submission of a completed Competition entry form is regarded as acceptance of these Competition Rules.
5. The deadline for submission of Competition entry forms is 30 August 2019.

IV. QUALIFICATION OF ENTRANTS

1. Entrants will be qualified by a committee composed of members of the Artistic Commission of AERCO, on the basis of completed Competition entry forms including all the documents required under the Competition Rules.
2. A maximum of 16 entrants will be admitted to the first stage of the Competition.
3. The committee may set up a list of stand-by entrants.
4. The list of the entrants admitted to the first stage of the Competition will be posted on the websites www.choralconductorcompetition.eu and www.aerco.it by 15 September 2019. Additionally, the successful entrants will receive a written notification from the Organisers by 20 September 2019.

V. FEES

1. The entrants admitted to the Competition are required to pay a Competition fee amounting to EUR 50.00 by 30 September 2019.

Payment to be made by: 

a) Bank Transfer
 Bank Account: Intesa Sanpaolo Bank
IBAN: IT27N0306902480074000010812
SWIFT/BIC: BCITITMM
Associazione Emiliano Romagnola Cori
Via Barberia 9
40123 Bologna
Italy
Reason of the payment: Application to the Conductor Competition Romano Gandolfi – your name 

b) PayPal
AERCO PayPal account: ufficio@aerco.emr.it
Reason of the payment: Application to the Conductor Competition Romano Gandolfi – your name

2. A failure to pay the Competition fee by the 30 September 2019 will be regarded as the entrant’s decision not to participate in the Competition.
3. The Competition fee will not be refunded if the entrant decides, after 15 October 2019, not to participate in the Competition.
4. The Organisers will provide accommodation and breakfast, (4 days from the evening of 28 November to the morning of 2 December) to the competitors participating at the Competition.
5. The Organisers will not refund the participants’ travelling expenses.
6. All accompanying people will pay the costs of their stay in Parma on their own.
   

VI. COMPETITION PROCEDURE

1. The Competition will be composed of three stages, during which the participants will be evaluated on the basis of their work.

STAGE I. – 29 November 2019 - EARLY CHORAL MUSIC

• A: Madrigal
  First Piano: Sopranos and Tenors – Second Piano: Altos and Basses
• B: Motet of Sacred Music
  First Piano: Sopranos and Tenors – Second Piano: Altos and Basses

The candidate will work on four pieces of music chosen by lot drawn from the 10 (4 + 6) works given in the Stage I Programme. For the purposes of the draw, the pieces have been divided into two groups (A ‒ Madrigals, B ‒ Motets of Sacred Music). Total time limit for the two pieces: 20 minutes. The two pianos will stand instead of the choir. Each participant will choose by lot two pieces from each group. The draw will take place on 28 November 2019. 

STAGE II. – 30 November 2019 - MUSIC FOR SOLOISTS/CHOIR AND ORGAN/ORCHESTRA

• A: Baroque and Classic Music
  First Piano: Soloists/Choir – Second Piano: Organ/Orchestra
• B: XIX, XX, XXI Centuries Music
  First Piano: Soloists/Choir – Second Piano: Organ/Orchestra

The candidate will work on two pieces of music chosen by lot drawn from the eight (4 + 4) works given in the Stage II Programme. For the purposes of the draw, the pieces have been divided into two groups (A ‒ Baroque and Classic Music, B ‒ XIX, XX, XXI Century Music). Total time limit for the two pieces: 30 minutes. The two pianos will stand instead of the choir/soloists and organ/orchestra. Each participant will choose by lot one piece from each group. The draw will take place on 29 November 2019.

STAGE III. – 1 December 2019 - WORKING WITH THE LABORATORY CHOIRS

• A: Preparing to a performance an adult’s mixed choir
  Time limit: 25 minutes (morning rehearsal)
  Ensemble: Coro Ildebrando Pizzetti dell’Università di Parma, Ilaria Poldi, director
• B: Preparing to a performance a children’s choir
  Time limit: 25 minutes (afternoon rehearsal)
  Ensemble: Coro Le Allegre Note, Fabio Pecci, director

Work with the choirs on two pieces (one for each of the two choirs) chosen by lot out of the six for each group listed in the Stage III programme. Each participant will draw one piece from each group. Each participant will work in two stages: 25 minutes with the adult’s choir and – after the lunch break – 25 minutes with the children’s choir. The draw will take place on 30 November 2019.

2. A maximum of 16 entrants will be admitted to STAGE I, on the basis of the entries submitted by them.

The eight participants with the highest STAGE I scores will be admitted to STAGE II. 

The five participants with the highest STAGE II scores will be admitted to STAGE III. 

VII. PRIZES

1. The Competition’s International Jury may award the following prizes:

1^st PRIZE A cash award of EUR 3,000 A place as member of the Jury at the second edition of the Romano Gandolfi International Choral Conducting Competition, November 2021 A concert in Italy with the Orchestra of the Fondazione ‘Arturo Toscanini’. Travelling cost at competitor own. A diploma.

2^nd PRIZE A cash award of EUR 1,500 A diploma 

3^rd PRIZE A cash award of EUR 500 A diploma 

DISTINCTIONS A diploma

2. Under the Competition Rules, other, special prizes may also be awarded.
3. All Competition participants will receive certificates of participation.
4. Decisions of the Jury are final.

VIII. COMPETITION SCHEDULE  
THURSDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2019
By 4.00 pm Arrival of jurors and participants   
Conservatoire of Music, Parma: 6.00 pm Meeting of the participants with the jurors, draws to establish the order of performance and the pieces for Stage I  

FRIDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2019
Conservatoire of Music, Parma:
9.00 am Official inauguration of the Competition. Presentation of the jurors and the participants
9.30 am-11.05 am Stage I auditions (4 participants)
11.35 am-1.10 pm Stage I auditions (4 participants)
3.00 pm-4.35 pm Stage I auditions (4 participants)
5.05 pm-6.40 pm Stage I auditions (4 participants)
Around 7.15 pm Announcement of Stage I results
Draws to establish the order of performance and the pieces of music for Stage II 

SATURDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2019
Conservatoire of Music, Parma:
10.00 am-11.15 am Stage II auditions (2 participants)
11.30 am-12.45 pm Stage II auditions (2 participants)
3.00 pm-4.15 pm Stage II auditions (2 participants)
4.30 pm-5.45 pm Stage II auditions (2 participants)
Around 7.00 pm Announcement of Stage II results
Draws to establish the order of performance and the pieces of music for Stage III 

SUNDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2019
Auditorium del Carmine, Parma:
Stage III auditions – Working with the Adult Mixed Choir (5 participants)
9.15 am-9.40 am
9.50 am-10.15 am
10.35 am-11.00 am
11.10 am-11.35 am
11.45 am-12.10 pm
Stage III auditions – Working with the Children Choir (5 participants)
2.25 pm-2.50 pm
3.00 pm-3.25 pm
3.45 pm-4.10 pm
4.20 pm-4.45 pm
4.55 pm-5.20 pm
6.30 pm: Announcement of Results
9.00 pm: The Award Ceremony, the Finalists’ Concert, the official closing of the Competition 

IX. COMPETITION REPERTOIRE 

STAGE I 

A: MADRIGALS:

• Luca Marenzio: Ahi, Dispietata Morte
• John Bennet: Weep O Mine Eyes
• Jacob Arcadelt: Il Bianco e Dolce Cigno
• Luca Marenzio: Dissi all’Amata Mia Lucida Stella

B: MOTETS OF SACRED MUSIC:

• Francisco Guerrero: O Domine Jesu Christe
• Thomas Tallis: If Ye Love Me
• William Byrd: Ave Verum
• Alonso Lobo: Credo Quod Redemptor
• Luca Marenzio: Estote Fortes
• Giovanni P. Da Palestrina: Super Flumina Babylonis

STAGE II 

A. BAROQUE AND CLASSIC MUSIC

• Franz Josef Haydn: Kyrie from Missa n. 6 in Sol ‘Sancti Nicolai’
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Agnus Dei from ‘Missa Brevis’ K 192
• Franz Schubert: Sanctus from Mass n. 1 D106 in Fa Major
• Antonio Salieri: Introitus and Kyrie from ‘Requiem’

B. XIX, XX, XXI CENTURIES MUSIC

• Bob Chilcott: Agnus Dei from Nidaros Jazz Mass (Female Choir)
• Charles V. Standford: Evening Service in Do Major, op. 115
• Gabriel Fauré: Introitus and Kyrie from Requiem in Re minor
• Gioachino Rossini: Stabat Mater Dolorosa (from 'Stabat Mater')

STAGE III 

A. PIECES FOR WORKING WITH THE ADULT MIXED CHOIR

• Bruno Bettinelli: Ave Maria
• Piero Caraba: Stabat Mater
• Cecilia Mc Dowell: Now May We Singen
• Manolo Da Rold: Jubilate Deo
• Anton Bruckner: Salvum fac Populum Tuum
• Ivo Antognini: O Filii et Filiae

B. PIECES FOR WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN CHOIR

• Sergio Pasteris: Tamburello
• Manolo Da Rold: Angel Fly
• Maurizio Santoiemma: Aria
• Ivo Antognini: This Song
• Vytautas Miskinis: Agnus Dei
• Greg Glipin: Confitemini Domino

X. OBSERVERS

1. Any person may attend Competition auditions in the capacity of an observer. A person interested in being an observer is required to fill in an Observer application form, which is posted on the Competition’s website at: www.choralconductorcompetition.eu and www.aerco.it.
2. Observers are required to pay a fee amounting to EUR 25.00 by 26 November 2019.

Payment to be made by: 

a) Bank Transfer
Bank Account: Intesa Sanpaolo Bank
IBAN: IT27N0306902480074000010812
SWIFT/BIC: BCITITMM
Associazione Emiliano Romagnola Cori
Via Barberia 9
40123 Bologna
Italy
Reason of the payment: Observer to the Conductor Competition Romano Gandolfi – your name 

b) PayPal
AERCO PayPal account: ufficio@aerco.emr.it
Reason of the payment: Observer to the Conductor Competition Romano Gandolfi – your name

3. Payment of the fee is required for the registration of a person as an observer. Should a person registered as an observer decide not to participate in the event after 10 November 2019, the fee will not be returned.
4. The Organisers will not provide observers with board or accommodation and will not cover their travelling expenses.
5. The fee covers:
1. An ID card and promotional materials.
2. The right to participate in the auditions of the stages and meetings with the jurors.
3. Visual materials with the Competition’s repertoire.
4. A standing ticket to the gala concert.
5. A certificate of participation in the Competition in the capacity of an observer.

XI. COPYRIGHT AND PERSONAL DATA 

 Upon the submission of a completed Competition entry forms, the entrant:

1. Agrees to photos being taken with their image during the Competition, their fixation, multiple use, processing and reproduction, by any means for AERCO promotional and archival purposes, without the need for an approval each time.
2. Grants the Competition Organisers free of charge the right to use the audiovisual artistic recordings made during the Competition or the Finalists’ Concert exclusively for non-commercial purposes, including promotional and archival ones, in the following fields of use:
1. as regards fixation and reproduction – recording by means of digital technology of sound and picture, making and releasing them on a CD and/or DVD or on other carriers;
2. as regards trade in copies on which an artistic performance has been fixed – placing such copies on the market, lending or leasing them;
3. as regards dissemination of performances in a manner other than that specified in Subsec. b) above – broadcasting, rebroadcasting and performing, and making the performance available to the public on selected web pages.
3. Agrees to the processing of their personal data for purposes related to the Competition, in accordance with the declaration made in the entry form. Personal data are provided by an entrant on a voluntary basis, but their submission is required for participation in the Competition.

FINAL PROVISIONS

1. The Organisers reserve the right to amend these Rules.
2. The Organisers may cancel the Competition for important reasons.

The Artistic Committee of the Competition: 

Andrea Angelini – Artistic Director
Silvia Biasini – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Gianluigi Giacomoni – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Elide Melchioni – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Giacomo Monica – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Niccolò Paganini – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Fabio Pecci – Preliminary Evaluation Commission
Matteo Salvemini – Preliminary Evaluation Commission