1.  Principle

 This competition is held in order to contribute to culture through the popularization and promotion of choral music and to become a stage for international exchange.

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2.  Participants

 All participating choirs must be amateur. However, the conductor and accompanist is an exemption to this. Also, it is allowed for professional musicians or music teachers etc. to join in performance as a singer in an amateur choir.

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3.  Constitution of the Categories

 This competition is comprised from the categories below.

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(1) Category A-1 : Children’s Choir  (13-year-old or younger)

(2) Category A-2 : Children’s Choir  (18-year-old or younger)

(3) Category B : Senior Choir

(4) Category S : School-based Choir (Approx. 18-year-old or younger)

(5) Category C : Youth Choir (28-year-old or younger)

(6) Category D : Chamber Choir

(7) Category E : Equal Voice Choir

(8) Category F : Mixed Choir

(9) Category G : Contemporary Music

(10) Category H : Folklore Music

(11) Category V : Video Presentation

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4.  Number and age requirements

 The number of singers and age limits for each category is as below. This excludes the conductor and the accompanist.

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 (1)【Category A-1: Children’s Choir  (13-year-old or younger) 】

Choir size of 16 members or more. All members must be 13 years old or younger on the day of the competition. Must be treble equal voice choir.​​

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 (2)【Category A-2: Children’s Choir  (18-year-old or younger) 】

Choir size of 16 members or more. All members must be 18 years old or younger on the day of the competition. Must be treble equal voice choir.

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 (3)【Category B: Senior Choir】

Choir size of 16 members or more. All members must be 50 years or older on the day of the competition, and the average age of the members must be 60 years or older. No restriction on voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (4) 【Category S: School-based Choir (Approx. 18-year-old or younger)】

Choir size of 16 members or more. The choir must be a school-based choir, such as an elementary school, junior high school, compulsory education school, high school, or secondary education school.No restriction on voice parts, i.e. children（treble equal voice）mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (5)【Category C: Youth Choir (28-year-old or younger)】

Choir size of 16 members or more. All members must be 28 years old or younger on the day of the competition.  No restriction on voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (6)【Category D: Chamber Choir】

 Choir size of 12 to 24 members. No restriction on voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (7)【Category E: Equal Voice Choir】

Choir size of 12 members or more, female voices only or male voices only.

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 (8)【Category F: Mixed Choir】

 Choir size of 20 members or more.

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 (9)【Category G：Contemporary Music】

Choir size of 12 members or more. No restriction on voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (10)【Category H: Folklore Music】

Choir size of 12 members or more. No restriction on voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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 (11)【Category V : Video Presentation】

No restriction on choir size, voice parts, i.e. mixed, female, male can all participate.

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5.  The program and performance time

The program and performance time should be as below. One choir can participate in up to three categories.

 

 (1)【Category A-1: Children’s Choir (13-year-old or younger) 】

Set Piece: A new piece written by Ko Matsushita  

Program should include the set piece.

  The number of songs is free to choose. At least two song (one is the set piece) should be performed without accompaniment.  Other songs can use any accompaniment.

  The duration of performance must be shorter than or equal to 12’00” (including interval between songs).

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 (2)【Category A-2: Children’s Choir  (18-year-old or younger) 】

a, Set piece: A new piece written by Naoko Zukeran

b, Piece composed on or after 1945 by a composer from the choir’s origin.

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 Program should include both a and b. 

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs.

 Any accompaniment could be used for pieces other than a .

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

 

 (3)【Category B: Senior Choir】

 Each choir can freely perform a program of their selection. No set pieces.

 The number of songs is free to choose. Any accompaniment could be used.

 The duration of performance must be shorter than or equal to 10’00” (including interval between songs).

 

 (4)【Category S: School-based Choir (Approx. 18-years-old or younger)】

a, Set piece: A new piece written by Masahiro Yamauchi

b, Piece composed on or after 1945 by a composer from the choir’s origin.

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 Program should include both a and b.

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs.

 Any accompaniment could be used for pieces other than a.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

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 (5)【Category C: Youth Choir (28-year-old or younger)】

a, Set piece: A new piece written by Masahiro Yamauchi

b, Piece from the renaissance/baroque period. For female/male choirs, this could be a piece that was originally composed for a mixed choir and arranged for female/male choirs.

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 Program should include both a and b. Also, a and b must be performed without accompaniment.

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs.

 For pieces other than a and b, only one song may be performed with a tempered instrument such as piano. Free to use percussion instruments without pitch, and additional body percussion.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

 

  (6)【Category D: Chamber Choir】

a, Set piece: A new piece written by Rikuya Terashima

b, Piece from the renaissance/baroque period. For female/male choirs, this could be a piece that was originally composed for a mixed choir and arranged for female/male choirs.

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 Program should include both a and b. Also, a and b must be performed without accompaniment.

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs.

 For pieces other than a and b, only one song may be performed with a tempered instrument such as a piano. Free to use percussion instruments without pitch, and additional body percussion.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

  

  (7)【Category E: Equal Voice Choir】

a, Set piece: A new piece written by Naoto Aizawa

b, Piece from the renaissance/baroque period (This could be a piece that was originally composed for a mixed choir and arranged for equal voices) or piece from the romantic period.

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 Program should include a and b. Also, a and the piece from the renaissance / baroque period of b must be performed without accompaniment. For piece from the romantic period, this can be accompanied by piano. 

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs. 

 For pieces other than a and b, only one song may be performed with a tempered instrument such as a piano.

 Free to use percussion instruments without pitch, and additional body percussion.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

 

  (8)【Category F: Mixed Choir】

 a, Set piece: A new piece written by Naoto Aizawa

 b, Piece from the renaissance/baroque period or piece from the romantic period.

 

 Program should include a and b. Also, a and b must be performed without accompaniment.

 Total number of pieces must be more than or equal to three songs. 

 For pieces other than a and b, only one song may be performed with a tempered instrument such as a piano. Free to use percussion instruments without pitch, and additional body percussion.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

 

  (9)【Category G：Contemporary Music】

Set piece : The Tyger music by Tatsuya Tanaka (approx. 2'50")

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 Program should include the set piece.

 Other pieces must all be composed on or after 1960. No restriction upon the total number of pieces.

 For pieces other than the set piece, only one song may be performed with a tempered instrument such as a piano. Free to use percussion instruments without pitch, and additional body percussion.

 The duration of performance must be between 9’00” and 12’00” (including interval between songs).

 

(10)【Category H: Folklore Music】

 Folklore music or music composed / arranged using motifs from folklore, of the country / region / culture region of the choir’s origin. No restriction upon the total number of pieces or accompaniment.

 The duration of performance must be between 7’00” and 10’00” (including interval between songs).

 Choirs from this category will not be selected for the Grand Prix competition, however there is an audience award for outstanding choir(s).

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(11)【Category V: Video Presentation】

A video presentation on the subject of choral music. The duration of video presentation must be shorter than or equal to 8’00”.

The chorus may be filmed as it is and submitted as an entry, or it may be completed as a video work. You can submit as a virtual choir. The video must have been shot or edited in 2023 or later.

Choirs from this category will not be selected for the Grand Prix competition, however there is an audience award for outstanding choir(s).

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  【General rules】

a, In case of performance time shortage or excess, 3 points per 10 seconds will be deducted from the choir’s overall score.

b, The set piece could be performed at any timing within the program.

c, The organizer will prepare a grand piano(A=442Hz). Extended techniques such as prepared piano are prohibited.

d, Applause will be done only before and after the performance of each choir. Time of entry and leave from the stage will not be included in the performance time.

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  【Definition of the year of composition for the pieces】

1.    Piece from the renaissance / baroque period

 The renaissance: The year of birth of the composer is approx. from 1400 AD to 1600  AD.

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Example of the composers:

 Guillaume Dufay, Johannes Ockeghem, Josquin Des Prés, Heinrich Isaac, Jacob Obrecht, Antoine Brumel, Adrian Willaert, Clemens non Papa, Orlando di Lasso, Clément Janequin, Jacques Arcadelt, John Dunstable, John Taverner, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, Thomas Morley, John Dowland, John Wilbye, Thomas Weelkes, Orlando Gibbons, Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Costanzo Festa, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Giulio Caccini, Luca Marenzio, Giovanni Gabrieli, Carlo Gesualdo, Claudio Monteverdi, Adriano Banchieri, Jacobus Gallus, Hans Leo Hassler, Michael Praetorius, etc.

 

 The baroque: The year of birth of the composer is approx. from the end of 16th century to the early 18th century.

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Example of the composers:

 Giulio Caccini, Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Monteverdi, Adriano Banchieri, Michael Praetorius, Gregorio Allegri, Orlando Gibbons, Heinrich Schütz, Henry Purcell, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, etc

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2.     Piece from the romantic period

 The year of birth of the composer is approx. from the end of 18th century to the end  of 19th century.

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6.  Grand prix competition

 According to the nomination from the jury, the choir that achieved the best score in each category or the choir of the 1st place (except folklore category and video presentation category) will participate in the “Grand Prix competition” that will be held on the final day of the competition, and one Grand Prix Choir will be selected.

 

 Each choir must submit the program for the Grand Prix competition along with the program for each category. Two songs should be performed in the Grand prix competition. The program for the Grand Prix competition has no restrictions upon period or accompaniment. One piece performed in each category can be performed in the Grand Prix competition.

 

 The duration of performance must be 10’00”or less (excluding interval between songs). For the Grand Prix competition, applause between songs are allowed, and the clock will stop between songs. If the pure performance time is longer than 10'00'', the choir will be disqualified.

 

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7.  Qualifications

 Qualifications will be done by the artistic committee based on the submitted audio recording. Submitted recordings must be two songs performed in 2023 or later. No restriction upon the selection of songs. Choirs that pass the qualification can participate in the Main competition that will be held in Tokyo. The Qualification judgment will take place once, in the first half of January 2024. The results will be e-mailed to each choir by the end of January. Official invitation and consent form for participation will be sent along with this announcement.

 

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8.  Jury

 The artistic committee determined and commissioned six international juries and one domestic juries. The decision of the juries is final and will not be changed by any means.

  

 The juries for the 6th Tokyo International Choir Competition 2024 is as below.

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Ivo ANTOGNINI（Composer, Switzerland）

Jeffery AMES（Conductor, United States）

Mark Anthony A. CARPIO（Conductor, Philippines）

Tove RAMLO-YSTAD（Conductor, Norway）

Morna EDMUNDSON（Conductor, Canada）

Naoto AIZAWA (Conductor/Composer, Japan)

Fujio FURUHASHI (Conductor, Japan)

 

 

9.  Method of judgment

【Category A-1, A-2, B, S, C, D, E, F, G】

  During the Category competition, the juries will score each choir by the below 100-point rule, and the mean average of both elements will be the final score for each jury.

 

<Technical Elements (TES):  max. 100 points>

An average of the 4 elements below.

1. Intonation (100 points)

2. Rhythm sense (100 points)

3. Interpretation / Fidelity to score (Including difficulty level of the pieces) (100 points)

4. Sound quality / Blending of the voices (100 points)

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<Artistic Impression (AIS):  max. 100 points>

This will be scored for the overall performance including the quality of their program building.

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  The overall final score will be the mean average of the 5 jury scores (excluding the best and the worst score).

 

【Category H, V】

  The Juries will score each choir by 100-point rule of ONLY ARTISTIC IMPRESSION (Technical elements are not evaluated).

 

  The overall final score will be the mean average of the 5 jury scores (excluding the best and the worst score).

 

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10.  Prizes

  According to the points scored by each choir, the choir will be prized as below:

Gold prize: higher or equal to 85 points

Silver prize: higher or equal to 75 points

Bronze prize: higher or equal to 65 points

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 Other than the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes, the 1st to 3rd place will be announced for each category. Additionally, there will be prizes:

Best Conductor
Best Interpretation Prize [Best Interpretation of a piece from Renaissance and Baroque era (or romantic period) ]

Best Interpretation Prize for Contemporary Music 

Big Wave Award [Most Prospective Choir]

 

 The final score for each jury and brief comments（for 5 Juries） will be sent to the choir after the Grand Prix  competition.

 The choir that achieved the best score in each category will proceed to the Grand Prix competition. One Grand Prix choir will be selected by voting within the juries.

 The choir awarded 1st prize in the Grand Prix competition will be the Overall Grand Prix winner and will get the rights to participate in the 3rd World Choral Championship 2025, held in Krakow.

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11.  Prize and prize money

1st place of each category: JPY 50,000

Grand Prix Choir: JPY 500,000

Diploma of participation for all choirs qualified for the Main competition.

Awarded choirs will receive a diploma.

Gold prize choirs will receive a trophy and a diploma.

Grand Prix winner will receive a special trophy and a diploma.

 

 

12.  Performing chances outside of competition

Participating choirs may perform if they wish, in several concerts that will be held around or near the Main venue.

 

 

13.  Participation fees

<Fee for qualification>  JPY 5,000 per choir

 

<Fee for Main competition>  This will be a total of the per choir and per member fee.

- Per choir fee: JPY 50,000 per category

 One choir can participate in up to three categories.

No category change will be allowed after passing the Qualifications.

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- Per member fee For members in a choir: JPY 5,000

 This fee includes the admission to the competition venue except Grand Prix Competition.

 

 The participating choir will pay all fees for the competition including travel and accommodation. However, when the artistic committee decides that a certain choir is especially outstanding, there can be financial support to travel, with an amount of ca. 100,000 to 200,000 JPY.

 

 

14.  Thou shalt nots

• Choir which have any connection or relationship cannot apply for this competition.

• Qualifiers cannot contact with jury member(s) from the announcement of the finalists until the end of all events of 6th Tokyo International Choir Competition 2024.

• Performance of the compulsory pieces which setting on Category A-1, A-2, S, C, D, E, F before the competition are prohibited.

• Choirs competing in more than one category must not duplicate the songs to be performed. However, the program for the Grand Prix Competition of a choir competing in the Grand Prix Competition in more than one category can be the same.

 

 

15.  Method of application

Application will be open from 1 November 2023.

The Deadline will be 31 December 2023.

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