Admission
We have both graduated, but less than one year ago. May we still participate?
No, you may not. At least one member of the duo must be registered as a student, and the other member graduated less than a year before the first day of the competition.
Who counts as a student?
To qualify as a student, a participant must be enrolled in any programme at any institution that will in the end award a Bachelor's degree ('music teacher's license') or Master's degree ('concert license'). In the Netherlands, such programmes are typically offered at Conservatories, but elsewhere typically at Schools of Music, Hochschulen, Universities, or Academies. (In many countries the name 'conservatory' is used for institutions of musical education below the Bachelor and Master level; students from these institutions are not eligible for registration. Also the typically Dutch phenomenon of 'vooropleiding' does not qualify for participation.)
Can one pianist (vocalist) participate with two vocalists (pianists)?
No, unfortunately. This would give one person more chances than others, and moreover you would in fact be competing with yourself.
Registration
Can we send a cd or dvd instead of mp3s?
No, please send mp3s through www.yousendit.com. Cds and dvds tend to get lost in the mail (reliable as the services may be with normal letters, we lost several disks last year). Dvds and video material must moreover be excluded anyway, as we want to judge all participants equally. Without video, that is.
Will the registration fee be refunded if we are not admitted?
No, unfortunately. The admission round is considered a full round of the competition, in which the jury already makes a considerable effort.
Do we have any chance, if our recording is not studio-quality?
Yes, you do! Most recordings we receive are low-profile with respect to the technologies used, and the assessment committee is committed to abstract from the technical quality. Nevertheless, it is in your own interest to try and get the best out of it, also from a technological perspective.
Repertoire
We have a beautiful song in Spanish/Russian/Swahili. May we include it in the repertoire list / admission recording and skip one of the required languages?
Yes, you may include any language, but no, it does not exempt you from the required languages. Your repertoire list must still include German, French, English and Italian, and the recording must still include German, English and French.
May we decide to perform songs that are not on our repertoire list?
No, you may not. Your own list and the compulsory repertoire are what you will have to live with.
May we decide in de second or third round to perform songs that are not on our repertoire list?
No, you may not. Your own list and the compulsory repertoire are what you will have to live with.
May we include multiple songs from multiple cycles?
Yes, you may perform multiple songs from multiple cycles, but not more than two songs per cycle.
