Competition Rules

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Regulation of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition

20th Edition, Composition Section. Cluj-Napoca, 2024

  1. The competition is open to all composers who have not turned 36 by the 25th of August 2024.
  2. The competition consists in the composition of a piece for mixed choir a capella, arranged for 4-8 voices (vocal works with soloists are excluded), with a duration of 3-4 minutes, leaving the choice of the lyrics to the candidate, in one of the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Latin or Romanian.
  3. Electronic music is not accepted (tape, live electronics, etc) in order to accompany the choir.
  4. Each applicant may participate in the competition with just one work.
  5. The choral piece has to be original and written in occasion of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Composition Section. Its exclusive character regards other aspects as well: the choral piece registered in the current competition has not been registered in any other competition, has not been published / publicly performed nor is it scheduled to be publicly performed prior to the 29th of October 2024.
  6. The piece winning the 1st Prize will therefore become the requested piece in the semi-final of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section, that will take place in Cluj-Napoca in the period unfolding between 24-28 October 2024 (semi-final and final are to be live-streamed on the competition website / on the official Facebook page of the competition).
  7. The winning pieces of the composition competition will be publicly performed by the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2025-2026 having the winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section 2024, as conductor.
  8. The applicants have to provide written proof of all copyrights regarding the performance, recording and broadcast of the literary text employed (as stipulated under points 6 and 7)*.
  9. ONLINE registration only. Papers required for registration:

a. The score of the piece unsigned, accompanied by the title and a motto (.pdf format);

b. An audio version of the piece, computer simulated, mp3 format (optional, but recommended);

c. An English translation of the literary text employed if it is in a language other than English.

d. Application form (available on the competition website);

e. Declaration on honour regarding the originality of the piece and providing the copyrights related to its performance and broadcast including the ones related to the literary text employed (form available on the competition website);

f. One copy of the birth certificate;

g. One recent photo (3 megapixels or 300 dpi);

h. Brief presentation max. 800 characters in English;

i. Copy of the receipt/payment order of the registration fee.

  1. The deadline for submitting the registration form is the 25th of August 2024, time 23:59, local time (GMT+2).
  1. The registration fee is EUR 25 net and will be paid by bank transfer to the “Gheorghe Dima” Music Academy Association, str. Ion I. C. Brătianu, nr. 25, Cluj-Napoca, CIF 36923210, IBAN: RO19 BTRL RONC RT03 7427 7501, opened at Banca Transilvania (Bdul Eroilor, nr. 36, 400027, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Swift/BIC: BTRLRO22.
  1. The fee is not refundable under any circumstances.
  2. The jury is made of:

Adrian Pop, composer, Professor PhD, National Music Academy “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-Napoca, Chairman;

Lasse Thoresen, composer, professor emeritus of composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo – Norway;

László Tihanyi, composer, conductor, director of the composer department of the Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Art, Budapest – Hungary;

Dan Dediu, composer, Professor, PhD, D.H.C., President of the Senate within the National University of Music Bucharest, President of the Union of Composers and Musicologists from Romania;

Cornel Groza, conductor, Professor PhD, “Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music in Cluj-Napoca, conductor of the “Transilvania” State Philharmonic Choir in Cluj-Napoca;

Cristian Bence-Muk, composer, Professor, PhD, President of the Senate of the National Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-Napoca, Vice-President of the Union of Composers and Musicologists from Romania.

14. The results of the competition will be announced on the competition website on the 23rd of September 2024. 

15. The decision of the jury is final and cannot be appealed. 

16. The jury will award the following prizes which cannot be divided:

1st Prize: 7500 RON (~1500 EURO) and turning the winning piece into the compulsory piece in the semi-final of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section, 24-28 October 2024, as well as performing the piece in a concert given by the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2025-2026 having the winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section 2024, as conductor.

2nd Prize: 6000 RON (~1200 EURO) and performing the piece in a concert of the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2025-2026 having the winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section 2024, as conductor.

3rd Prize: 5000 RON (~1000 EURO) and performing the piece in a concert of the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2025-2026 having the winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section 2024, as conductor.

17. In case of winning a prize in occasion of every ulterior public performance of the piece or in case of radio / TV / online broadcast or publication the author is bound to mention publicly the following: Piece composed specifically for the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Composition Section and awarded 1st, 2nd or 3rd Prize (according to the case).

18. The winners of the awards agree to give away their copyrights related to the performance, audio-video recording and broadcast of their piece in the concert given by the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca in the season 2025-2026 with no financial claim*.

19. The winner of the 1st Prize agrees to give away his/her copyrights related to the performance, audio-video recording and broadcast (radio/TV/online) of his/her piece in the final of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 20th Edition, Choral Conducting Section, 24-28 October 2024, with no financial claim.  

20. The National Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-Napoca reserves the right to make audio and video recordings, photos, radio and TV broadcasts included, by means of third parties during the conducting competition mentioned under point 19, without being bound to provide remuneration to the authors of the pieces or of the literary texts*.

21. By registering, contenders accept the regulations of the competition as well as all the aforementioned clauses; noncompliance with the requirements stated leads to disqualification / annulment of the prize.  

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* In accordance with the provisions related to copyrights and any other associated rights.

For further assistance and information you can contact us at: composition@dimacompetition.ro