Competition Rules

5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent
Flanders/Belgium
January 22, 2022–January 29, 2022

Registration Conditions

The International Clarinet Competition Ghent is an organization of INTERNATIONAL MUSIC PROMOTION (IMP). International Music Promotion is a Belgian legal non profit organization.
The 5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent is open to all clarinetists from any nationality who were born after 1 January 1986. No exceptions will be considered for the age requirement.

The competition will take place from 22 to 29 January 2022. Candidates register on 21January 2022 (in the morning). A pre-selection will be organized in advance.

Inscription

The closing date to enter for the preselection is June 30, 2020. Applications can only be made on the website.
The following documents needs to be uploaded into the registration form:

• an official document confirming the age of the candidate (Birth certificate or copy of passport or identity card)
• a short biography: max. 1400 characters in continuous English text (studies, schools, teachers, professional activities)
• 1 recent photo (max 10MB)
• proof of payment of registration fees for the pre-selection (100€ net, cost shall be borne by the candidate.)
• videorecording of chosen program via hidden YouTube link.

The Official postal address of the competition is:
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC PROMOTION vzw
Mrs. Martine Van Loo
Tennislaan 32
B-9930 ZOMERGEM

No registered mail will be accepted.

Registration fee

The registration fee for the ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’ (edition 2021) is set at 100€ (one hundred euro) for the elimination round (dossier costs).

After the elimination round, the selected candidates pay an registration fee of 200€ (two hundred euros) for the actual competition.

This amount must be deposited in:

BELFIUS N.V.
Grote Markt 21
B-8870 IZEGEM (Belgium)

IBAN BE 48 0688 8909 2327
BIC GKCCBEBB
Account number 068-8890923-27

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC PROMOTION vzw
E-3 Plein 79
9050 Gent
(text : Registration Fee ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’)

Cheques will not be accepted. The registration fee is not refundable in case of non-participation in the competition.
 

Arrival, accommodation and transport

Candidates must report at the information desk of the competition (Koninklijk Conservatorium Hoogpoort 64, 9000 Gent) on 21 January 2022 (in the morning).

Because of Corona of course it is impossible to organize lodging in guest families. IMP will help you to find cheap hotels/hostels/B&B, …This list can be obtained from the secretary upon request. Candidates are RESPONSIBLE for their OWN booking and payment of these rooms.

The participants must take out their OWN health and personal insurance for the duration of their participation in the competition and their stay in Ghent/Belgium.

The organization of the competition shall under no circumstances be held responsible for injury, harm or illness of the candidate or his/her belongings during his/her stay in Ghent/Belgium.

The competition

The ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’ includes a preliminary selection round. From this round there will be chosen

• a maximum of 65 successful candidates will be selected to participate in the competition
• maximum 15 reserve candidates who will be selected to participate if candidates withdraw from participating in the competition.

By participating in the pre-selection, the first 25 non-selected candidates will be invited for free masterclasses with the jury members during the competition (22-29January 2022). This is an offer to which only they will be invited. The 15 reserve candidates (see above) will be the first to be considered for these master classes. These 25 individuals will also receive free admission to attend the selection rounds, semi-final and final concerts of the competition. These candidates are responsible for their own travel- and accommodation costs.

The results of the preselection round will be announced on the website of IMP by 31 July 2020 at the latest and all inscribed participants receive an email with the feedback of the jury.

The selected candidates must register for the actual competition by the 15th of September 2020 at the latest. Only after payment of the registration fee will he/she be accepted as a candidate in the competition. Reserve candidates will be informed by the 20th of September 2020 at the latest if they are still able to register for the competition. They then have the opportunity until the 30th of September 2020 to register themselves in the competition.

After payment of the registration fee of the actual competition the candidate can request an invitation from the organization (for their visa). This invitation will always include the duration of the competition. Exceptions can be discussed with the organization.

Candidates that pass one round are obliged to participate in the next round. Should the candidate, for one reason or another, fail to do so then his/her place will NOT be taken by the candidate with the next highest score or vote.

If a candidate admitted to the next round, withdraws participation in that round, the offered accommodation with the host family expires unconditionally on the same day.

The actual competition consists of 4 rounds:

• First round (online)
• Second round
• Semi Final (with choir and string quartet)
• Final (with Symphony Orchestra Flanders / conductor Dirk Brossé )

All rounds are open to the public.
The results will be announced after every round. The decisions of the jury are final and irrevocable.

Program

 The 5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent is part of the ‘Van Eyck year’ in the City of Ghent. For the selection round , the semi-final and final round there are works included that are inspired by ‘het LAM GODS’ by Jan Van Eyck.

Preselection

Selection Round
The candidate is required to send a YouTube link with his/her registration with a recording of the following:

Because of the problems around COVID-19, the board of the International Clarinet Competition Ghent, took a few decisions :
1. The piece of Alain Crepin will be canceled from the pre-selection. We cannot guarantee that every candidate gets the music on time to prepare in the best way. 'Lam Gods Impressions' will be added to the second round of the competition.
2. It is allowed to send in recordings of the Mozart Concerto (1° movement, exposition) also without piano. This will have no influence on the judgment.
3. 3 Pieces - Igor Stravinsky (recording as 1 continuous video)
4. The closing date for the inscriptions will be postponed to June 30, 2020.
  

Actual Competition

1°round online:

1. C. Debussy / Première Rhapsodie (obligated and by memory)
2. Make your choice:
   • E. Carter / Gra
   • E. Denissow / Sonata
   • F. Donatoni / Clair
   • A. Laporte / Reflections
   • B. Mantovani / Bug
   • W. Westerlinck / Talisman

2°round:

1. G. Rossini / Introduction, Theme and Variations (obligated and by memory)
2. A. Crepin / Lam Gods Impressions (obligated)
3. Make your choice:
   • E. Carter / Concerto
   • C. Nielsen / Concerto
   • A. Tansman / Concerto
   • A. Copland / Concerto

Semi-Final (with string quartet and mixed choir)

1. J. Duijck / L'homme Désarmé (with mixed choir)
2. Make your choice (with string quartet):
   • W.A. Mozart / Quintet
   • C.M. von Weber / Quintet
   • J. Brahms / Quintet
3. A solo piece (without electronics, without tape... only clarinet) that is not in the program of the competition

Final (with Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen)

1. D. Brossé / The Secret of the Mistry Lamb
2. Make your choice:
   • C.M. von Weber / Concerto N°1
   • C.M. von Weber / Concerto N°2
   • L. Spohr / Concerto N°1
   • L. Spohr / Concerto N°2

Prizes

Official prizes

The ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’ awards the following prizes:

First Prize - Prize of the Flemish Community

• A set of Buffet Crampon clarinets. Type determined by the candidate (Bb and A)
• 15000 € (this can include 2 years of international concert management)
• Solo concert(s) and recital(s)

Second Prize - Prize of the National Lottery 

•  Buffet Crampon Bb or A clarinet (type determined by choice of the candidate)
• 4000 €

Third Prize - SWUK Prize

• 2000 €

The total of the prizes may be updated.

Special prizes

There may be awarded special prizes.

Special offers and recordings

The laureates can - for a period of 2 years after the closing of the competition - be offered concerts.
The candidates renounces all recording rights for any recordings that will possibly be made during the ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’. 

Jury

The jury will consist of a number of international soloist and pedagogues.
The decisions made by the jury are incontestable and cannot be disputed.

Masterclasses

During the competition IMP will organize masterclasses for maximum of 25 non selected candidates from the pre-selection with the members of the jury (see ‘The Competition’). The chosen musicians will be notified by 15 October 2020 at the latest. They need to notify the organization before the 31st of October 2020 whether or not they will take part. The travel- and hotel costs are to be borne by the candidate. 
These masterclasses are both active and passive. Participants can follow the lessons of others and will also receive individual lessons.

Pianists /Accompanists

The organization of the ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’ will provide the necessary official pianists/accompanists for the competition. Every candidate will receive ONE rehearsal per round (with the exception of the first round). Additional rehearsals can be negotiated by the candidate with pianists, taking into account the availability of the accompanist. The costs of these additional rehearsals are to be borne by the candidate. 
Candidates may bring their own accompanists at their own expense. 

Dispute

In the event of a dispute, only the Dutch-language regulations shall apply. No dispute is possible against this.

Participation in the competition

Participation in the competition means complete acceptance of the rules and regulations.

Privacy

The personal data of the candidate is only provided to the secretariat of International Music Promotion / IMP and is only used for its organizations. Personal data is protected against irregular processing and is never passed on to parties with whom IMP has no processing agreement. The candidate can always request the personal data from IMP, view it and if necessary, correct it. The uploaded biography and photo of the selected candidates will be published in the program book of the ‘5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent’.