Competition Rules


■ Download

Competition Rules

Preliminary Screening Application Form

　Evaluation System


■ Category

Category I
Ages 12 - 15 (no younger than 12 and no older than 15 on the day of the competition)
(Junior high school students for Japan-based choirs)

Category II
Ages 15 - 18 (no younger than 15 and no older than 18 on the day of the competition)
(High school students for Japan-based choirs)

Category III
Other than Category I and II


■ Entry Qualification

・ For Japan-based choirs, choir members in Category I or II could be students of the same school or several different schools.

・ Category III could be any choirs other than Category I or II ; i.e. university, company, etc.

・ The number of singers should be 2-16(nofewer than 2 and no more than 16) and up to and including 16, and member changes for musical pieces will be approved only within the registered members.

・ A conductor and an accompanist will be included in the singers when they sing in the choir.

・ No singer shall compete as a member of more than one choir in the competition, regardless of the categories. A conductor and an accompanist will not be included in this regulation.

・ No qualification is required for a conductor or an accompanist. For Japan-based choirs, a principal shall approve a conductor or an accompanist for Category I or II.

・ The Gold titled choirs (5 choirs in each category) shall proceed to the Grand Champion Competition on the last day.


■ Performance

・ There is no compulsory work in any category. All music pieces performed will be determined by the competitors.

・ For each category, the overall duration of performance time from the beginning of the first piece until the end of the last piece (including time between songs) must not exceed 10 minutes.

・ For the Grand Champion Competition, the overall duration of performance time from the beginning of the first piece until the end of the last piece (including time between songs) must not exceed 15 minutes.

・ Failure to comply with the above rules will result in disqualification.


■Order of Performance

・ The order of performance in each category, including the performing day for Category II shall be determined by lot, drawn by representatives from each choir at the organizer’s office on a specified date. Choirs that cannot attend the sortition shall leave the selection to the organizer.

・ The order of performance in the competition for the Grand Champion Competition shall be determined by lot, drawn by the organizer.


■ Accompaniment

・ The instruments and style of accompaniment shall be up to each competing choir.

・ A piano (Steinway&Sons), a cembalo (J.C.Neupert), a positive organ and a pipe organ (Marcussen&Sons) will be provided by the organizer. The pitch of the piano will be A=442Hz.

・ If the contestants use musical instruments other than the above, they are expected to carry their own instruments, and will be responsible for the required expenses.

・ If the contestants require a person to turn the pages of notes, each choir shall prepare for it.


■ Judging and Evaluation

・The following judges will evaluate the competition.
　Bob Chilcott(Composer), Keishi Ito(Chorus Master)
　Kunio Imai(Chorus Master),Shinsuke Kishi(Chorus Master)
　Midori Takashima(Composer),Keizo Takahashi(Vocalist）
　Hiroki Fujii(Chorus Master)

・ Each competition is evaluated according to a round system specified separately.


■ Prizes and Awards

・ The competition will be evaluated in each category, and Gold (Top 5 choirs in each category), Silver, Bronze or Excellence prizes will be awarded to every participating choir in each category.

・ In the Grand Champion Competition, JPY 500,000 will be awarded to the best choir, JPY 300,000 to the 2nd winner, JPY 100,000 to the 3rd winner and JPY 30,000 to other finalists.

・ In addition, "Governor of Fukushima" Award will be awarded to the best choir, "Mayor of Fukushima" Award to the 2nd winner, "Superintendent of Education" Award to the 3rd winner.


■ Special Concert

・ All overseas choirs might be asked to perform at the friendship concert on the last day. We will announce detailed information after the preliminary screening.


■ Rehearsal

・ On the day of the performance, the participating choir will be able to do a rehearsal twice at the venue. For the further details, you will be separately informed after the preliminary screening.

・ The travel agency authorized by the organizer will be able to book a rehearsal room in the city for the day before the performance, upon request. Please see the information provided by the travel agency separately.

・ Up to 2 members of the participating choirs can look over the competition hall on the day before the performance at a time specified later.


■ Copyright

・ .If the competitors partially omit or arrange the piece, they have to gain an approval from the composer (the copyright holder) in advance

・ Copyright royalties for the pieces performed in the competition will be paid by the organizer.


■Information

・ The information provided by the participating choirs will be used for organizing the competition, such as posting on websites, printing in publications, recording to CDs or DVDs, and provided to the mass media and parties related to management of the competition.

・ The organizers or the companies authorized by the organizer may use pictures, sound recordings and video recordings on the Internet, in publications and broadcasting, and provide the information to the mass media. The companies authorized by the organizer will sell pictures and recordings in the form of photos, CDs or DVDs.