The 39th TICC Conditions of Participation (July, 2024)

The 39th Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest
-July 20-21, 2024-

The unique choral competition specially for small sized choirs!
Please join TICC and make your beautiful harmony echo in the City of Music, Takarazuka, Japan!

Outline

Dates:
Saturday, July 20, 2024
10:00-Competition / Awarding ceremony
Sunday, July 21, 2024
13:00-Special Concert

Venue:
Takarazuka Vega Hall
1-2-18 Kiyoshikojin, Takarazuka City, Hyogo
665-0836 JAPAN

Organizers:
City of Takarazuka,
Takarazuka Foundation for Culture Promotion,
Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest Committee

Sponsorship:
Hyogo prefecture, Takarazuka Board of Education, Takarazuka International Friendship Association,
Japan Choral Association, JCA Hyogo, Takarazuka Choral Association,
The Asahi Shimbun Company, NHK Kobe

Cooperation:
Vocal Festival in Taoyuan (Taiwan)

CONTEST CATEGORIES:
CHILDREN’S & YOUTH CHOIR
SENIOR CHOIR
EQUAL VOICE CHOIR
MIXED VOICE CHOIR
OPEN

Judges (alphabetical order)

Mr. FUKUNAGA, Kazuhiro, Mr. GYÖNGYÖSI, Levente, Ms. HASEGAWA, Saeko, Mr. MOTOYAMA, Hideki, and Mr. YANAGISHIMA, Kota

Conditions of Participation

CHILDREN’S & YOUTH CHOIR CATEGORY
Size of Choir: between 8 and 24 singers, both inclusive, excluding conductors and accompanists.
Age: All singers must be not more than 19 years old (born on and after April 1, 2005)
Voices: Mixed, Female, or Male voices can participate.
Performance Time: between 8 and 12 minutes, both inclusive, including intervals between songs
Repertoire requirements:
a. Choirs must sing at least one song from Renaissance and Baroque, Classical or Romantic pieces (written on or before 1900), and
b. Choirs must sing at least one “a cappella” piece (without any instrumental accompaniment).
Participation fee:
Registration fee JPY20,000 per choir
Individual Registration fee JPY1,000 per person (including conductors and accompanists)
Participation fee does not include admission fee to the competition.

SENIOR CHOIR CATEGORY
Size of Choir: between 8 and 24 singers, both inclusive, excluding conductors and accompanists.
Age: All singers must be at least 50 years old (born on or before March 31, 1974), not including conductors and accompanists.
Voices: Mixed, Female, or Male voices can participate.
Performance Time: between 8 and 12 minutes, both inclusive, including intervals between songs
Repertoire requirements:
Choirs must sing at least one song from either a. or b.
a. Renaissance and Baroque, Classical or Romantic pieces (written on or before 1900).
b. “A cappella” piece (without any instrumental accompaniment).
Participation fee: Registration fee JPY30,000 per choir
Individual Registration fee JPY3,000 per person (including conductors and accompanists)
Participation fee does not include admission fee to the competition.

EQUAL VOICE CHOIR CATEGORY
Size of choir: between 8 and 20 singers, both inclusive, excluding conductors and accompanists.
Age: No age restrictions
Voice: Female voice or Male voice can participate
Performance Time: between 8 and 12 minutes, both inclusive, including intervals between songs
Repertoire requirements:
a. Choirs must sing at least one song from Renaissance and Baroque, Classical or Romantic pieces (written on or before 1900), and
b. Choirs must sing at least one “a cappella” piece (without any instrumental accompaniment).
Participation fee: Registration fee JPY30,000 per choir
Individual Registration fee JPY3,000 per person (including conductors and accompanists)
Participation fee does not include admission fee to the competition.

MIXED VOICE CHOIR CATEGORY
Size of Choir: between 8 and 20 singers, both inclusive, excluding conductors and accompanists.
Age: No age restrictions
Voice: Mixed voice
Performance Time: between 8 and 12 minutes, both inclusive, including intervals between songs
Repertoire requirements:
a. Choirs must sing at least one song from Renaissance and Baroque, Classical or Romantic pieces (written on or before 1900), and
b. Choirs must sing at least one “a cappella” piece (without any instrumental accompaniment).
Participation fee: Registration fee JPY30,000 per choir
Individual Registration fee JPY3,000 per person (including conductors and accompanists)
Participation fee does not include admission fee to the competition.

OPEN CATEGORY
Size of Choir: between 4 and 24 singers, both inclusive, excluding conductors and accompanists.
Age: No age restrictions
Voice: Mixed, Female, or Male voices can participate.
Performance Time: 6 minutes or shorter, including intervals between songs
Repertoire requirements: None
Participation fee: Registration fee JPY10,000 per choir
Individual Registration fee JPY3,000 per person (including conductors and accompanists)
Participation fee does not include admission fee to the competition.
In the Open Category, choirs will be judged by the audience.
Singers are not allowed to participate in more than one choir in the same category. However, this case is not applied for conductors and accompanists.

INSTRUMENTS FOR ACCOMPANIMENT:
The organizer will provide a grand piano.
*Special method of playing the piano, for example, ‘prepared piano’ is prohibited.
In case choirs would like to use other instruments, prior permission from the Contest Committee is necessary.

PRIZES:
At the outcome of each category, Gold prize, Silver prize, and Bronze prize will be awarded.
The 1st to 3rd choirs of the competition will be selected from the overall choirs. (Except the Open Category）
Prize money will be awarded as follows.
The 1st place: JPY300,000
The 2nd place: JPY200,000
The 3rd place: JPY100,000
*There is no duplication from 1st place to 3rd place.
The Hyogo Governor’s Award will be awarded to the best Japanese choir.
The Takarazuka Mayor’s Award will be awarded to the best choir of the Senior Choir Category.
The Education Superintendent of Takarazuka City Board of Education Award will be awarded to the best choir of the Children’s & Youth Choir Category.
In the Open Category, the Audience Award will be awarded to the choir who earned the highest votes.

＊ There may be the case no choirs to award each prize.
＊ The top winning choirs of each category, including the Open Category, and choirs recommended by the Contest Committee have the honor of the performing at the Special Concert on July 21.

PRELIMINARY AUDITION:
Based on the audio recordings, choirs are selected by the Contest Committee and qualified for the competition as a participant. The order of performance is also decided by the Contest Committee.

MUSIC COPY RIGHT FEE:
All the participating choirs are responsible for the cost of copyright use of the musical works used in the competition, including consumption tax. The total amount of copyright fee will be divided by the number of choirs.

OTHERS:
1. The Contest Committee have an entry slot for local choirs whose activities are based in Takarazuka.
2. Piano pitch is 442Hz.

THE COST FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPETITION:
All the cost for travel, accommodation and meals in order to participate in the competition should be borne by the choirs.

Preliminary Audition

1. The audio recording for entry must basically be made by the singers participating in the competition. (Recordings must have been made on and after March 1, 2023.)
2. Songs must be recorded in stereo. Use CD in case you send by post. Track mark must be added to each song. (Each song must be divided by track.)
3. Length of Performance must be 6 and 12 minutes, both inclusive (between 3 and 6 minutes, both inclusive, for the Open Category). There is no restriction on selection of music and number of songs. They do not need to be the same songs that will be performed at the competition.
4. Any method of recoding is acceptable, but you must clearly state the condition (when and where it was recorded) in the application form.
5. Do not edit the recorded audio. (Do not use sound effects, or do not record individually and synthesize
them later.)
6. You may enter more than one category with the same recording.
7. If the number of singers, performance time do not conform to the regulations, the entry will not be subject to the Preliminary Audition. The submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted for any reason.

How to apply for the audition:
a. Application by post
1. The name of choir must be clearly written on the surface of CD and CD case.
2. The submitted CD will not be returned.
3. Please fill in the application form and send to the Contest Committee with CD by post.

b. Online application
1. Please enter from the website below.
https://takarazuka-c.jp/ticc_en/
2. Upload the audio file and the repertoire list (excel file). Or send CD with repertoire list by post.

Application fee: Free

The Deadline of Application: Tuesday, January 30, 2024 (Japan Standard Time)

All the application and submissions should be sent to the following address.

Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest Committee
c/o Takarazuka Vega Hall
1-2-18 Kiyoshikojin, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0836 JAPAN
Tel.: +81-797-84-6192 Fax: +81-797-84-9772
E-mail: ticc@takarazuka-c.jp

Application form

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Online application

Please click here

Inquiry

If you have any questions, please make inquiry to the following e-mail address in English.

Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest Committee
c/o Takarazuka Vega Hall
1-2-18 Kiyoshikojin, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0836 JAPAN
Tel.: +81-797-84-6192 Fax: +81-797-84-9772
E-mail: ticc@takarazuka-c.jp
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Website: https://takarazuka-c.jp/ticc_en/

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