V. International Violin Competition
“PRIME VIOLIN”
6. – 10. February, 2025
(Banská Bystrica, Slovakia)
RULES OF THE COMPETITION
The organizer of the competition:
Civil society organization Prime Violin
I. The aim of the competition
The aim of the competition is:
- to reveal the talent, individuality and creative potential of children and youth,
- to develop the professional artistic expression of art school pupils, conservatory students, and university students,
- to support professional concert and creative activities of young musicians,
- to develop the teachers´ professionalism at elementary art schools and in professional specialized art institutions,
- to recognize the level of mastery, abilities and skills of young talents,
- to create a competitive environment for pupils, students and teachers in order to compare their abilities, skills, knowledge, and the quality of the educational process.
II. Organizing Committee
The organizing committee of the competition is responsible for the organization and course of the competition. It coordinates the interactions of all structures responsible for quality and timely preparation of the competition. It has the following rights and obligations:
- to create and approve promotional and informational material for participants and the necessary rules of the competition, to create and manage the website,
- to ensure the organizational and technical process of the competition,
- to cooperate in approving the competition awards (Grand Prix, diplomas, etc.), their level, and the total award amount.
III. Participants and age categories
3.1. To participate in the competition, elementary art school pupils, conservatory students and students from universities of the I. – III. degree levels are invited. The nomination is: Playing the violin
3.2. Competitors will compete in three divisions:
Division I. (young)
Category „A”
Elementary art school pupils – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 7-9 years
Category „B”
Elementary art school pupils – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 10-12 years
Category „C”
Elementary art school pupils – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 13-15 years
Division II. (middle)
Category „A”
Conservatory students – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 14-16 years
Category „B”
conservatory students – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 17-19 years
Division III. (older)
Category „A” music students – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 20-21 years
Category „B” music students – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 22-24 years
Category „C” professionals – performers´ ages at the time of the competition: 25 years and older
IV. Competition requirements and regulations
The competition will be held ONLINE.
4.1. Participants in Division I must film own video containing
two contrasting compositions for solo violin.
Performance duration is maximum 10 minutes.
4.2. A. Participants in Division II, Category„A” must film own video containing
1) two contrasting parts of any composition for solo violin from the Baroque period
2) concert composition of adequate technical difficulty.
The performance duration in the Category „A” is unlimited.
4.2. B. Participants in Division II, Category „B” must film own video containing
1) J. S. BACH: Sonatas and partitas BWV 1001-1006 – two contrasting parts,
2) one virtuoso composition – any choice.
The performance duration in the Category „B” is unlimited.
4.3. Participants in all categories in Division III must film own video.
Category „A”
1) J. S. BACH: Sonatas and partitas BWV 1001-1006 – two contrasting parts,
2) one of the mentioned concerts – 1st part including cadences:
W. A. MOZART: Concerto for violin and orchestra no. 3 in G major KV 216
W. A. MOZART: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra no. 4 in D major KV 218
W. A .MOZART: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra no. 5 in A major KV 219
3) one virtuoso composition – any choice.
The performance duration in the Category „A” is unlimite
Category „B”
1) J. S. BACH: Sonatas and partitas BWV 1001-1006 – two contrasting parts,
2) one of the mentioned concerts – 1st part including cadences:
W. A. MOZART: Concerto for violin and orchestra no. 3 in G major KV 216
W. A. MOZART: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra no. 4 in D major KV 218
W. A .MOZART: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra no. 5 in A major KV 219
3) the first part of the concert from the Romantic period or the Twentieth Century.
The performance duration in the Category „B” is unlimited.
Category „C”
Program consisting of serious compositions – own choice.
The performance duration in the Category „C” is maximum of 50 minutes.
4.4. All pieces must be performed from memory.
4.5. All videos of the contestants are judged remotely by a jury.
4.6. The decision of the expert jury is final and cannot be appealed against.
4.7. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to publish photos and videos of participants in any media and social networks related only to the competition.
4.8. Participation of competitors in the higher category is allowed.
V. Video requirements
5.1. The video must be recorded in 2025 exclusively for the competition.
5.2. The recording must not be stopped or interrupted from the beginning to the end each piece, there must be no cuts in the recording. Pieces can be recorded separately.
5.3. The recording is recorded by one camera.
5.4. During recording, the actual acoustics of the hall, classroom or other room are used.
5.5. The video must be filmed with both the performer’s face and hands in the frame at all times.
5.6. A video that has not been recorded according to the rules will not be judged.
5.7. Recordings are accepted through the link on YouTube, which you must include in the application form.
VI. Evaluation rules
6.1. The competition program is judged by the members of the jury.
6.2. Each of the 3 jury members evaluates the contestant’s program with the score up to 20 points.
6.3. The maximum number of points is 60.
6.4. The members of the jury score independently of each other.
6.5. All decisions of the jury are final.
6.6. The members of the jury evaluate only records meeting the competition requirements.
6.7. The results of the competition will be published on the website www.primeviolin.sk
VII. Evaluation criteria
Evaluation criteria:
- selection of the repertoire appropriate to the age of the performer,
- technical skills,
- style,
- musical dramaturgy,
- interpretive thinking,
- stage presence,
- personal contribution.
VIII. Members of the expert jury
The members of the competition jury are leading artists, prominent figures, professors and specialists in the field of performing arts in playing the violin
The chairman of the jury: Mag. Dalibor Karvay, ArtD.
The director of the competition: Mgr.art. Kateryna Popovych
IX. Rewarding participants and winners
9.1. Winners: DIPLOMA I., II., III. degrees and medals.
9.2. Teachers who prepared the winners: CERTIFICATE of RECOGNITION.
9.3. All participants will be awarded a CERTIFICATE of participation.
9.4. The “BEST INTERPRETATION” award may be given.
Note: Prices can be doubled when participants receive the same number of points, and if the difference in the average points between participants will be less than 0.5 points.
9.5. The winners of the individual categories of the competition will have the opportunity to perform at a gala concert in Banská Bystrica on May, 21 2025 and also participate in masterclasses on May 20, 2025.
X. Application procedure and results
10.1. The deadline for the applications: January 24, 2025.
10.2. The electronic application is submitted through the website www.primeviolin.sk
10.3. After the application deadline, the following documents have to be sent to the competition e-mail address info@primeviolin.sk by February 5, 2025:
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the copy of the confirmation about the participation fee payment,
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the participant´ photo (in case of victory, it will be published on the website),
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link to video.
10.4. The results of the competition will be published on the website www.primeviolin.sk on February 10, 2025.
XI. Financial conditions
The competition is not a commercial event. The Organizing Committee will create a fund from the competition participants´ registration contributions and funds coming as charitable and sponsorship contributions in accordance with applicable legislation. Participant registration fee is 30 €.
Account: Prime Violin
Account number in the IBAN form: SK28 0900 0000 0051 9506 2449;
BIC/SWIFT: GIBASKBX
Please write the payment note: Fee for Prime Violin 2025, the name and surname of the participant.
The director of the competition, based on the written request of the participant or his legal representative, may provide a discount on the participation fee in special cases.
Contact:
+421902510643
Kateryna Popovych