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Competition Rules
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WHO CAN COMPETE
The 2025 competition is open to instrumental musicians
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under the age of 23 years on December 1st 2024
and
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who are either New Zealand citizens, residents, or overseas students studying in Otago or Southland for the 2024 or 2025 academic year
and
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currently reside in Otago or Southland region and have done so for at least one year prior to the preliminary round of the competition. Musicians who have moved away from Dunedin over the summer, however, are still eligible to enter if they have resided for the complete 2024 school or university academic year. *Competitors who intend to be residents in Dunedin or Southland in 2025 must provide evidence of their enrolment in a tertiary or secondary institution before the preliminary rounds in March 2025.
and
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who have not previously won the competition.
Previous finalists who have not won the competition may apply but must play a different work.
If an applicant wishes to compete in more than one instrument, separate applications should be made. If two people wish to apply as a duo they should do so as a single application.
Applications open on 2 September 2024 and must be received by 2 December 2024.
An entry fee of $100 is payable when an application is lodged. Late entries will only be accepted if there is space.
2. WHAT CAN BE PLAYED
Competitors may nominate
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a complete concerto or a work for soloist and orchestra not necessarily containing the word ‘concerto’ in its title
or
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a complete movement, or complete movements from a concerto or work for soloist and orchestra.
with the proviso that the total length should not normally exceed 23 minutes.
The Dunedin Concerto Committee reserves the right to decline any work if for any reason it is considered to be unsuitable. This may be due to the length of the composition or the nature of the orchestral accompaniment (if the orchestral accompaniment is particularly complex or requires an unusual or large orchestra or exceptional amount of rehearsal) or if the cost to obtain the parts or to pay performance royalties is prohibitive. If a work is declined, the competitor will have the choice either to choose another work or withdraw the application and receive a refund. Competitors may not change their nominated concerto once their entry has been accepted but may change movements selected for the preliminary round up to 10 January.
A scanned PDF copy of the work in piano reduction must be emailed to the Competition Administrator at the time the entry is submitted.
Applicants should contact the Competition Administrator if they have any query about these rules or about the suitability of a work.
3. PRELIMINARY ROUND
The preliminary sessions will be held from Thursday 6 March to Sunday 9 March 2025 at the Marama Hall, University of Otago, or a venue to be confirmed. The number of sessions will depend on the number of entries received.
Competitors will be required to play, with piano accompaniment, their work of choice. This performance may include cuts to the orchestral tutti sections at the discretion of the accompanist. The time limit of 23 minutes applies to the original version of the work in its uncut form.
If the work to be performed is in copyright (including an edition), one original (not photocopied or computer-printed) copy must be shown to the Administrator before the work is performed. In the case of purchased digital editions, a receipt documenting the purchase should be supplied.
At least four weeks before the preliminary round, competitors will be notified of the day and time allotted to them. No alteration will be permitted to the order of performance except for unexpected or exceptional circumstances. However, in the event of late withdrawals, minor alterations to the time of performance may be altered within the same day. Competitors must report to the Reception area at least half an hour prior to their time of performance. Depending on the number of entries, a semifinal recall session may be arranged for the Sunday evening. At the conclusion of the preliminary round, and at the discretion of the adjudicators, 3 finalists will be selected to perform in the final with an orchestra in a public concert.
4. ACCOMPANIST
Competitors may bring their own accompanist. Otherwise they will be allocated one of the official Competition accompanists. A half-hour rehearsal with your accompanist will be arranged at Marama Hall, University of Otago, or a venue to be confirmed, earlier in the week of the preliminary round. Payment to the accompanist is the responsibility of the soloist. Please ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes before your allotted rehearsal time in order to begin punctually. The list of official accompanists is to be confirmed later.
5. MEDIA AND MARKETING
For promotional purposes all competitors are required to submit a photograph of at least 1 megabyte and up to 300 words of biographical information, and to consent to be interviewed. Photographic images as well as audio and video will be recorded throughout the competition for archival and publicity purposes. Rights to any competition performance whether broadcast, televised, or recorded belong to the competition and no fee is payable for any transmissions, recordings or broadcasts of them.
6. THE FINAL AND PRIZES
The Finalists' Concert will be held on Friday 16 May 2025 at the Dunedin Town Hall. Finalists should be available for rehearsals on the two preceding nights and will be informed of arrangements closer to the time. The order of performance in the final stage will be at the discretion of the Concerto Competition Committee and conductor. At the conclusion of the concert, the following prizes will be awarded: 1st Prize $7 000; 2nd Prize $5 000; 3rd Prize $3 000.
Other prizes for the best instrument not in the final will be awarded to selected competitors based on artistic merit at the adjudicators' discretion. The prize money for the different categories will be announced in due course.
7. ADJUDICATORS
The selection and number of adjudicators for all stages of the competition shall be entirely at the discretion of the Dunedin Concerto Competition Committee. Competitors shall not communicate with the adjudicators. The decision of the adjudicators shall be final and subject to no appeal.
8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Dunedin Concerto Competition will not accept any responsibility for any accident, loss or injury, which may occur to any competitor or to his/her property whether arising out of negligence or otherwise at any time in relation to the competition. Nor shall anything contained or implied in these rules be deemed to create a relationship of employer and employee between the Dunedin Concerto Competition and the competitor, and it is a condition of entry that all competitors release the Dunedin Concerto Competition from any and all liability.
In the event of fewer than 10 entries being received, the Dunedin Concerto Competition Committee reserves the right to cancel the competition.
