Hitmaker Global Academy Presents

International Solo & Ensemble Competition 2022

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The ISEC 2022 is a 2-stage competition; the video submission stage, and the finals. candidate has a choice to participate in the solo and the ensemble category or both.

The Finals - Venue Update

 About isec

Over many years of organising music competitions, Hitmaker has come to realise the growth of the need for more!  More competitions!

Musicians learn, practise and ultimately perform. What’s more, we want our learners to earn their place on a global stage. Here at Hitmaker, we provide you with a global stage to learn and perform in front of globally renowned judges. Our judges are some of the best performers and educators from major conservatories all around the world.

This year, the organising committee is happy to feature a short film, titled Resonance. The film is about a musician’s persistence, resilience and dedication to success. We wish to inspire and encourage all music learners to strive and be driven in your musical journey.

“The 4th International Solo & Ensemble Competition will start online selection from November 2021. The judges of the competition come from renowned music conservatories or professional orchestras in the Netherlands, the United States, China, Australia, Singapore, and Germany”

Often, it is through competitions that young artistic talents are discovered and cultivated. ISEC aims to promote and improve the level of youth arts education,  providing young music professionals and enthusiasts with an opportunity to showcase their talents. The ISEC is a platform for musical exchanges and learning, and experiencing the joy of competing on the global stage.

Make a Difference

Real People. Real Results

Our judges are renowned musicians and educators from major orchestras and music conservatories. Every one of them is an active practitioner and performs regularly in

major events internationally. Candidates of ISEC get to experience genuine assessment & feedbacks from the REAL PEOPLE who provides REAL RESULTS that would MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ISEC JUDGES

ISEC Chairman

Assoc Prof Zuo Jun

YST Conservatory of Music, NUS

ISEC Vice Chair

Prof Zhu Wen

Australian Institute of Music

Vice Chair

Dr Wojciech W Wisniewski

Australian Institute of Music

Artistic Director

Darrell Ang

Artistic Director of Sichuan Symphony Orchestra

ISEC Official Partner & Adjudicator

Duan Yuling

Melody Strings Head of Violin & Singapore Symphony Orchestra First Violin

Artistic Director

Dr Hardy Mertens

Tilburg Fontys University of the Arts

Adjudicator

Assoc Prof Zhang Jinmin

Head of Woodwinds of YST Conservatory of Music, NUS

Adjudicator

Prof Ian Bofinger

Executive Dean of Australian Academy of Music & Performing Arts

Adjudicator

Igor Budinstein

Viola Principal/Conductor of the German Symphony Orchestra

Adjudicator

Wu Yi

Piano Professor & Steinway artist

Adjudicator

Ng Yu Ying

Principal and founding member of T'ang Quartet, Singapore

Adjudicator

Ma Yue

Lecturer at YST Conservatory of Music, NUS

Adjudicator

Jin Ta

Flute professor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Jason Guo

Cello Professor at Sichuan Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Ning Fangliang

Lecturer at Central Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Yang Yichen

Lecturer at Central Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Qi Wang

Associate Professor of Central Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Lu Xi

Associate Professor of Xinghai Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Wang Peng

Associate Professor of Violin, Yunnan Academy of Arts

Adjudicator

Qian Yinbin

Violin Lecturer at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Xue Biao

Professor of violin in the Orchestra Department of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.

Adjudicator

Yang Xinan

Violinist at Hubei Symphony Orchestra

Adjudicator

Ding Duo

Second violin principal of Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra

Adjudicator

Gao Jiasi

Lecturer at Xinghai Conservatory of Music

Adjudicator

Shen Ye

San Diego Symphony Orchestra Conductor

Adjudicator

Wu Daidai

Melody Strings Head of Cello & Singapore Symphony Orchestra Cello

Information about the Finals

Singapore Finals: 29 May 2022

Estimated Timing: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Venue: Alliance Française Theatre

Address: 1 Sarkies Road Singapore 258130

The final is a live performance competition. Singapore finalist of the ISEC 2021 is encouraged to submit for your participation in the 2022 instalment. The Secretariat may hold the award ceremony and concert on a different day). The Secretariat will inform the masterclass schedule before the competition date. The venue of the finals for the Sydney and China centre will be announced at a later date depending on the recovery of the endemic situation and the specific regulations of the respective country.

Closing date for confirmation of participation: 10 May 2022

Please confirm your candidate by sending your particulars below to festivals@hitmaker.sg

1. ISEC Candidate Number
2. Candidate Full Name
3. Instrument
4. The Title and Composer/Arranger for the TWO pieces that will be performed including the duration of the pieces
5. Attach proof of payment to confirm your candidacy

 

Proceed to Pay Online

About the Competition

U

GROUP

Candidate has a choice to compete in the Amateur Group or the Advanced Group

STAGES

ISEC is divided into two stages;

  • The Preliminaries:

By video Submission between 1st November 2021 – 1st March 2022

  • Singapore Finals: 29 May 2022

The final is a live performance competition. The Secretariat may hold the award ceremony and concert on a different day). The Secretariat will inform the masterclass schedule before the competition date. The venue of the finals for Sydney and China centre will be announced at a later date depending on the recovery of the endemic situation and the specific regulations of the respective country.

CATEGORIES

Solo Category

Instruments:

piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass (bass), flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon (basson), trumpet, trombone, French horn

Note:

If an accompanist is required, registration of the accompanist is compulsory (the accompaniment instrument can be piano, accordion or guitar, excluding recording). If the original work is a cappella, it is not required.

Ensemble Category

Note:

The advanced group refers to students in full-time professional music colleges, including art colleges and art departments of all universities, with a number of 2-8 people. Grand unison (same part) cannot be counted as an ensemble. 

Double piano or piano four-hand or six-hand combination, can be played on one piano or double piano. The average age cannot exceed 23 years old.

Chamber Music: Any combination of musical instruments other than the ensemble set up in the above competition can be registered as a special ensemble event, with a number of 9-18 people. (No conductor, no vocal is allowed in the chamber music group and no more than 4 folks instrument) Grand unison (univocal part) cannot be counted as an ensemble. There must be 6 advanced students in the ensemble group.

COMPETITION RULES & REGULATIONS

AGE GROUPS (BOTH AMATEUR & ADVANCED)

According to the requirements of the competition, contestants will be divided into seven groups A-F according to their ages as follows:

  1. Group A1: Born after 2016 | 6 years old or younger
  2. Group A2: Born in 2013-2015 |  7-9 years old
  3. Group B: Born in 2010-2012 | 10-12 years old
  4. Group C: Born in 2008-2009 | 13-14 years old
  5. Group D: Born in 2006-2007 | 15-16 years old
  6. Group E: Born in 2004-2005 | 17-18 years old
  7. Group F: Born between 1999-2003 | 19-23 years old    
Repertoire Period

According to the composition period, the repertoire is classified as follows:

  1. Renaissance and Early Baroque (before 1650) – Example, Cooperland, Mouton

  2. Baroque period (until 1750) – Example, Handel, Bach, Vivaldi

  3. Classical period (1750-1820) – Example, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn

  4. Romantic period (1820-1910) – Example, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Debussy, Brahms, Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Rachmani Nov et al.

  5. 20/21 century modernism (post-1910 works) – Example, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Bartok, Kodai, Martinu, Shostakovich, Britton, Khachaturian, Kabarevsky, Proko Fiev, Rigetti, Copland, Planck, Krenek, Francais, Schnittke, Simanovsky, Lutoslawski, Koengold, Ai Nimes, Schoenberg, Cage, Kurtag, Berrio, Blaze, Krem, Riem, Yin Yisan, Pendersky, BA Zimmerman, etc.

Note:

Except for saxophone, all applicants for solo and ensemble (chamber music) category must perform at least two songs from different periods (complete works or movements), or one Chinese work and one foreign work according to the classification of the composition period. 

Registration Period

  1. Preliminary registration, payment & video submission: November 2021 to  March 1, 2022. 

  2. The preliminary stage is an online selection mode, requiring candidates to record a performance, and select a song within the scope of the competition repertoire of the corresponding category of the competition. 

  3. Only shortlisted candidates are selected to enter the final stage. A candidate who does not make it into the final will be awarded the Certificate of Participation. Tutors of winners in the ISEC competition shall be awarded an honourary certification. 

Preliminary registration and payment method
  1. Fill in the registration form online at www.hitmaker.sg/isec2022 and attach the recording link at the specific column

  2. Preliminary Stage:

    • Solo Category: S$70/person

    • Ensemble Category: S$70/group

  3. Final Stage (Without masterclass)

    • Solo Category: S$180/person

    • Ensemble Category:

      • S$200 for an ensemble o 2 people;

      • S$250 for 3 people;

      • S$300 for 4 people;

      • S$350 for 5 people;

      • S$400 for 6-10 people

      • S$500 for 11 people or more.

  4. Finals with Masterclass fee:

    • For both categories: S$350/person

    • (Duration for masterclass is 45 minutes per person)

REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS
  1. Contestants are required to perform two songs (complete works or movements) of different periods or choose a foreign work or a Chinese work, all of which are allowed. Please use the original score for the competition; record one complete track to participate in the preliminary round, and choose two songs to participate in the final in accordance with the requirements of the competition.

  2. Participating repertoires are pop music or repertoire of the same period, 5 points will be deducted from the preliminaries and no points for the finals. Movie music is not allowed to participate in the competition.

  3. Composers spanning the two periods are classified according to their composition style.

  4. Classical music works that have been adapted will be classified according to the period of the original author. Folk songs used for classical music performances have been adapted by the composer, and the period of the work can be divided according to the period of the adaptor.

  5. When registering for a repertoire, you need to fill in the name of the composer, the name of the repertoire, key signature, work number, and full name of the movement. Try to fill in the original track name.

  6. After the registration deadline of each competition stage, the repertoire and entry information will not be allowed to change. The competition does not accept excerpted performances. If the selected repertoire or movement is too long, the judges will randomly ask the contestants to perform a certain part of the work on the spot. If the competitor’s repertoire does not meet the requirements of the competition, the jury will deduct 5 points in accordance with the regulations.

  7. Participants can repeat the repertoire of the preliminaries in the finals if the candidate qualifies for the progression.

Performance Timing

Solo (Advanced and Amateur Group)

 

Performance requirements

Playing time (Minutes)

A-C

Two complete works from different periods

2-8

D-F

Two complete works from different periods

6-10

Ensemble (Advanced and Amateur Group)

A-F

Two complete works from different periods

2-15
Recording Requirements for the Preliminary Stage
  1. When recording, the camera must be placed at a fixed angle, the performance recording must be horizontal and with sufficient lighting; the screen must reflect the face and hands of the performer at the same time, and the recording must be continuous and uninterrupted. No zoom, pause, editing or other functions that would alter the originality of the video

  2. Dress neatly when recording the video. There must not be any display of the name of the candidate or any information or signs that may affect the fairness of judgment in the video recording;

  3. Candidate is required to play by memory for the recording. Only one movement can be played for minor sonatas and sonatas. Candidate is required to perform and record the song that is registered. No changes is allowed without notifying the secretariat. 

  4. Recording video format: MP4. Video  naming format: Candidate Name/Ensemble Group name_Song Title_Age Group;

  5. The video recording comes with the opening remarks. A simple introduction such as “Greetings (Good Morning/Afternoon/Hello)  judges, I am **. I am a candidate of the ISEC competition. The repertoire that I am playing is ***. Thank you”

Payment

“PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY PAYMENT UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE UPON CONFIRMING YOUR ENTRY FOR THE ISEC 2022”

  1. Bank Transfer
    • Bank Name: OCBC Bank
    • Account Name: Hitmaker Global Academy
    • Account Number: 713-098333-001
    • SWIFT: OCBCSGSG
  2. PAYNOW (Singapore only): 201838250K
  3. WeChat & Alipay (Use the QR Code Below)

 

WeChat & Alipay QR Code

For Credit Card payment, please proceed to contact:

Work

PERSISTENT.RESILIENT.PROGRESS

ISEC REGISTRATION

Age Group (Select one only)

Declaration (Tick all to proceed)

Co-organiser & Event Partners