The next competition will take place in Vilnius, 2028

1.  ABOUT THE COMPETITION

First two rounds of The International Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Pianists and Violinists will be held at the Music Academy of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, from the 13 to 18 April, 2024. Group C final orchestral round is scheduled on 19-20 April, at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society in Vilnius, conductor Martynas Staškus.

The Competition is open to pianists and violinists of all nationalities, who provide they align with the values presented in the EMCY statement and are born on or after 19 June, 2004.

The Jury of the XXIII National Balys Dvarionas Competition for Piano and Strings will assess and select candidates based on the videos submitted for the pre-selection round.

2. AGE GROUPS

The International Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Pianists and Violinists is open to participants up to the age of 20 (are born on or after June 19, 2004), who provide they align with the values outlined in the EMCY statement.

The competition is categorized into three age groups:
Group A: Competitors born on or after June 19, 2012.
Group B: Competitors born on or after June 19, 2008.
Group C: Competitors born on or after June 19, 2004.

For age groups A and B, the competition will consist of two rounds, while for age group C it will include the third final round featuring orchestral accompaniment.

To clarify, the date of June 19 is selected to comemorate the day of birth of the composer Balys Dvarionas. In 2024, we will be celebrating the 120th anniversary of his birth.

3. REGISTRATION

• The registration for the competition will be open from the 1 December, 2023. It will be executed through the professional music competition administration platform ArtistDB only.
• Participants should register online through their existing or new artistDB accounts by the 25 February, 2024.
• You will be able to change and update all of the information you will upload during the registration process until the end of the registration term.

PRE-SELECTION ROUND VIDEO: 

1.  Applicants are required to submit a 10-15 minute video recording featuring a program of their choice (it may consist of 3 seperate Youtube videos (links) maximum).
2. The works performed in the application video can be repeated in the competition programme.
3. Your performance link will be evaluated during the selection round and the organisers assure that the videos would not be published anywhere without your permission.
4. Candidates may record individual tracks separately, but each piece must be recorded in its entirety, providing coherency without any editing or cutting.
5. Lithuanian applicants may enter the The International Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Pianists and Violinists if they meet one of these two conditions: either they will succeed in the video pre-selection process or will be achieved a successful live performance at the XXIII National Balys Dvarionas Competition and will provide their personal invitation received from the Jury.
6. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance or otherwise not later than 1 March, 2024.

4. APPLICATION FEE

For participation in Group A:   60 Eur
For participation in Group B:   80 Eur
For participation in Group C: 100 Eur

• Those who will register before January 15, 2024, will be granted with a 50% reduced price of the competition application fee presented above.
  The application fee must be paid until February 25, 2024.
• This fee is non-refundable. You will be able to pay by credit card, via bank transfer or PayPal, and will be provided with more detailed information during the registration process.
• It is not necessary to pay the application fee before you start the registration, but if you would like to do so in advance, information on payment methods and bank details can be found by clicking at this link.

5. SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS AND EVALUATION 

• Received applications will be forwarded to the Pre-selection Committee.
• Candidates will be notified of their acceptance or otherwise no later than 1 March, 2024.
• 3 pianists and 3 violinists (at maximum) will qualify in the final round of the competition.
• The results of the I and II rounds will be announced at the end of them, and the results of the final will be announced during the laureates' award ceremony.
• After the announcement of the results, those who did not qualify to the next round are welcome to ask the opinion of the Jury.
• The decisions of the Jury are final and non-appealable. In the event of conflict, they take precedence over the rules presented before the competition.
• Jury members have the right to suspend the performance if it is not sufficiently professional, or those performers whose performance exceeds the set programme time.

6. OBLIGATIONS OF PARTICIPANTS

• Each of the competitor who is under the age of 18 has to be be accompanied by an adult who will carry full responsibility over the minor at all the time during the competition.
• It is forbidden to have contact with any of the Jury members during the competition (unless the participant is a student of a Jury member).
• During the solo rounds of the competition, participants will perform in the order according to their age, starting from the youngest.
• Chosen diploma holders and winners of the special prizes of the competition are obliged and agree to take part in the final concerts of the competition without remuneration.
• All rounds and final concerts of the competition may be broadcast on radio and television, recorded on audio, video or film tapes, CDs, and the video and audio recordings may be uploaded to the organisers' media platforms (Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, dvarionas.link etc.) at no additional cost to the participants. The competition live streams will be available online.

• The organisers of the competition reserve a right to: publicise the participant's image in materials related to the contest (including articles and reviews in the social media); the recordings of the competition performances and the closing concerts made by any audio, video, digital or other means of recording; radio, online, TV broadcasts or other publicity of the participant's image, including commercial usage of such recordings, without any paymet to the participants.

7. APPLICATION PERIOD

Registration for the competition is open from December 1, 2023, and closes on February 25, 2024.
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance otherwise no later than 1 March, 2024.

8. JURY MEMBERS

Jury evaluation

• The performances will be judged by an international Jury of 7 distinguished musicians (pianists and violinists) in each instrument category.
• All 14 members of the jury will take part in the evaluation of the final third round, which will include performances by the selected group C participants with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.
• The decisions of the Jury members (or Prize Founders) are final and non-appealable. In the event of conflict, they take precedence over the rules presented before the competition.
• Jury members may not vote for competitors who are related to them by consanguinity, adoption or affinity, or who have regularly studied with them during the 36-month period preceding the competition, or who have had more than one masterclasses with them in the 12-month period preceding the competition.
• Jury members have the right to suspend the performance of a performer who is not sufficiently professional, or those performers whose performance exceeds the set programme time.

9. PRIZES AND AWARDS

Age group A
1st prize       1000  Eur
2nd prize       600   Eur
3rd prize     400   Eur
Final Round Participant’s Diploma

Age group B
1st prize       2000  Eur
2nd prize      1200  Eur
3rd prize     800   Eur
Final Round Participant’s Diploma

Age group C
1st prize       3000  Eur
2nd prize      1800  Eur
3rd prize    1200  Eur
Final Round Participant’s Diploma
Final Round Participant’s Diploma

SPECIAL PRIZES

– For the best performance of a piece by B. Dvarionas (for violinist and pianist, 500 Eur for each);
– For the best performance of a piece by Lithuanian contemporary composer (for violinist and pianist, 250 Eur for each);
– The youngest participants of the II Round will be awarded with a tangible prize (pianist and violinist);
– For the best performance with orchestra of a concerto by B. Dvarionas (for violinist and pianist, 500 Eur for each);
– For the best performance of a piece by Baroque composer, by Classical composer and by a contemporary composer (for pianist and violinist).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The main prize fund of the competition is 27.500 EUR.
Other concert prizes and awards may be set up, which have not be mentioned yet.
According to the voting results and evaluation rules, the Jury (or founder of the prize) will decide who and which prize will get.
The prizes will be given during the award ceremony of the competition.
The prize money will be paid by bank transfer within 30 calendar days after the award ceremony.

10. ACCOMPANIST SERVICES

• Organizing committee will provide professional accompanists for the competition participants. Rehearsal in the class (up to 45 min), acoustic rehearsal and performance on the stage will cost 100 Eur, additional rehearsal (up to 45 min) - 50 Eur.
• In the first and second rounds of the competition participants can work and perform with their own accompanists, in which case they will negotiate their fees and payment for their services in between.
• Please note that these services are not included in the application fee and should be covered by the competitors individualy. Participants must indicate their preference for a concertmaster on the application form.

11. TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

• Neither travel nor accommodation expenses will be covered by the organisers.
• The organisers are not liable for any injuries, accidents or losses sustained by participants during the competition. Participants are advised to take out travel insurance in advance to cover possible medical expenses.
• The organisers will offer special hotel reservation prices and flexible cancellation conditions for all of the participants.
• The competition partner travel agency "Menų Turas" will appoint manager to help you with the travel, visa, accommodation, and other technical issues or special requests. Contacts (e-mail): menuturas@lektuvu.lt
• The organisers act as an intermediary for participants who need a visa to enter the Republic of Lithuania, but do not assume any financial obligations or responsibilities.
• All the performances are open to the public, but in the event of a global emergency due to a COVID-19 pandemic or other extreme force majeure situation, the rounds of the competition (with the exception of the final round) may be held remotely.

• IMPORTANT: The organisers of the competition do not accept any responsibility for the decisions of officials and authorities of Lithuania and/or outbound countries regarding travel and visa restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other reasons. The Organisers will mediate and assist contestants in obtaining visas and permitions to enter the Republic of Lithuania, but the final decision on entry (and/or quarantine, isolation) will be made by government authorities individually.

12. COMPETITION SCHEDULE

The schedules below are preliminary and may be modified and refined.

Registration to the competition will be available until February 25, 2024.
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance otherwise no later than 1 March, 2024.
Participants will be provided with rehearsal facilities and the rehearsal schedules will be announced at the beggining of the competition.

In case of any ambiguity regarding competition terms and conditions, the Lithuanian text of these rules shall prevail.
In the event of conflict, Jury decisions have primacy and take precedence over the rules and regulations presented on the competition page.
The next International Balys Dvarionas Competition is planned in 2028.