51st Annual Sorantin International Competition
For Piano and Strings
November 19-20, 2010

RULES AND PROCEDURES

Eligibility

1.      The Sorantin Competition is open to any pianists and string players (violin, viola, cello, or bass) who have not reached their 28^th birthday by November 18, 2010.

2.      Anyone who is a student of a competition judge is ineligible to compete.

3.      Previous overall winners of the Sorantin Competition are ineligible to compete.

4.      Questions regarding eligibility will be resolved by the Sorantin Competition Committee whose decision(s) will be final.

Rules

This year's competition will differ from those of prior years in that the preliminary round will not be held in San Angelo.   Instead, entrants will submit DVD recordings for the preliminaries.

The DVDs:  Each applicant will submit three (3) DVD copies of a recorded performance of the first movement with cadenza of any major concerto for the applicant's instrument and orchestra, with the applicant performing the solo part.  The DVD must comply with the following:

1.      Piano accompaniment is required.

2.      No editing or manipulation of the recording is permitted.  Observing this rule is a matter of personal honor and professional integrity.

3.      The DVD must be playable on a standard U.S. DVD player connected to a television.

4.      No verbal announcement should occur on the recording.

5.      The DVDs must be labeled with your name, name and composer of concerto, and instrument.

Entry Requirements

To enter the competition, an eligible applicant must submit all of the following, which must be received by the San Angelo Symphony on or before October 8, 2010. The date of actual receipt controls, not the postmark date.

1.      A completed and signed application form (available at  http://www.sanangelosymphony.org/)

2.      A legible photocopy of birth certificate, driver's license, or passport as proof of age.

3.  Proof of residency status if not a U.S. citizen.

4.      A brief biography.

5.      Two (2) glossy colored photographs, size 13 x 18 cm, of the applicant.

6.      A non-refundable entry fee of USD $75.00

7.      Three (3) DVDs meeting the requirements stated above.

Competition Schedule and Procedures

The judges of the preliminary round will select 5-7 contestants in the piano division and 5-7 in strings to proceed to the semifinals.  The results of the preliminaries will be announced by Monday, October 18, 2010.

Semifinalists will be required to travel to San Angelo, Texas, arriving on Thursday, November 18, 2010.  On Friday, November 19th, each semifinalist will rehearse with the staff accompanist provided by the San Angelo Symphony, or with the contestant's own accompanist if desired. Contestants using the Symphony accompanist must pay a $75.00 accompanist fee before performing in the semifinals. 

The semifinal round will be held live on Saturday morning, November 20, 2010, before a panel of distinguished judges.  Each contestant in the semifinal round must play the same concerto submitted on his or her DVD for the preliminaries, and must be prepared to play all movements of the concerto by memory.  There will be a time limitation of 20 minutes per contestant.  The semifinals will be open to the public. Judges will be asked to provide written comments for the benefit of the contestants.

Four contestants will be selected to proceed to the finals.  They will perform before a Symphony audience on Saturday evening, November 20, 2010, with piano accompaniment.  At the conclusion of the finals, the judges will be asked to place the finalists according to the table below.  Judges' decisions are final.

Cash prizes will be awarded in each division.  The judges may select an overall winner who will receive an additional cash award and a solo performance with the San Angelo Symphony Orchestra at its February 2011 subscription concert.

*The judges will also designate an alternate overall winner.  If the overall winner cannot fulfill the performance date, the alternate will be invited to perform and receive the $1,000 performance fee, but not the Mayer Anderson Award title.

All awards are discretionary with the judges, and are not guaranteed.  The judges reserve the right not to place any finalist in one or more of the above places, if the requisite artistic merit is lacking in their opinion.  It is unlikely but possible that this would occur.

Accommodations:  Contestants will be housed at the Rodeway Inn at their expense, but at a special rate negotiated with the inn.  There will be free shuttle service to and from the rehearsal and contest locations.  Contestants may instead be offered optional housing in private homes of Symphony board members or supporters.  This optional housing is still being developed and is not guaranteed.

Contact information:  The Symphony staff will be glad to answer questions and provide additional information.  Please call the Symphony office at (325) 658-5877, or email assistant@sanangelosymphony.org.