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XVIII THE HENRYK MIKOŁAJ GÓRECKI

INTERNATIONAL RYBNIK CHORAL AUTUMN FESTIVAL

REGULATIONS:

ORGANIZER: Teatr Ziemi Rybnickiej

DATE: November 08, 2025. 

LOCATION: 

Sala Koncertowa
Państwowej Szkoły Muzycznej I i II stopnia
im. Karola i Antoniego Szafranków w Rybniku
ul. Powstańców Śląskich 27

PURPOSES OF THE FESTIVAL:

-        Propagation of the best exemplars of choral singing

-        Choral art promotion

-        Presentation of current trends in choral music performance

-        Cultivation of rich Silesian choral traditions, including Rybnik area

-        The choral music festivity

CATEGORIES :

1.  The Festival is addressed to non-professional choirs in the following categories:

   −        School choirs (primary and secondary school students)

   −        Homogenous choirs

   −        Vocal groups (4 to 12 persons)

   −        Chamber choirs ( 13 to24 persons )

   −        Mixed choirs

2. One choir can participate only in one performance category.
3. Jury reserves the right to combine categories in case of small number of applications.
4. Jury reserves the right to move a choir to another performance category

THE FRAMEWORK AGENDA OF THE CONTEST:

09.30 - 14:30 - Contest Auditions

14.30 - 16.30 - Jury session

17.30 - 18:30 - Laureates' concert (announcement of results, granting awards)

RULES OF PARTICIPATION:

1. The choir will be admitted to the Festival by the Artistic Council appointed by the organizer on the basis of the submitted ensemble recording (MP3, film) and the submitted contest programme.
2. Grand Prix winner from the previous edition of the festival cannot take part in the current edition.
3. Choirs qualified for the festival are obliged to prepare a competition program consisting of up to 15 minutes of pure singing and up to 5 pieces a cappella.
4. Works submitted to the contest program are valid and not subject to change.
5. In the contest part of the evaluation will be made by a jury appointed by the organizer.
6. The decisions of the jury are final and irrevocable.

DATES:

1.  A duly completed Application Form with the following attachments :
   - a current musical recording or film
   - A biographical note about the choir's activities
   - good quality digital photos of the choir should be sent to the e-mail address of the International Rybnik Choral Autumn Festival, Organization Office by September 15, 2025

2. Choirs will be notified of admission to the festival by September30, 2025.
3. Choirs qualified to the contest are obliged to send confirmation of participation fees (by mail or e-mail) by 10 October 2025.
4. Qualified choirs are obliged to bring and deposit in the Organizing Office during the Registration on the day of the festival 4 sets of scores (notes) of the submitted repertoire - printed and bound.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

1.        Level of performance
2.        Degree of difficulty of the program
3.        Choice of repertoire - the repertoire should be varied in terms of genre and style
4.        Interpretation, style of performance
5.        Sound qualities
6.        General artistic expression

COSTS OF PARTICIPATION :

All choirs qualified by the Artistic Council to participate in the Festival auditions come to Rybnik at their own expense and are obliged to pay an accreditation fee in the amount of 20 PLN per participant (the fee does not include the conductor).

Participation fees should be paid to the bank account of the Teatr Ziemi Rybnickiej:

PKO BP  36 1020 2528 0000 0102 0434 8454,

IBAN PL 36 1020 2528 0000 0102 0434 8454,

not later than 10.10.2025

In the title of the transfer please write: RJCH 2025 [choir name].

In case of failure to pay the fee the choir will not be admitted to the competition auditions.

In case of choir resignation from participation in the Festival, the accreditation fee will not be returned.

AWARDS:

Grand Prix minimum 95 points.

Gold Diploma: 90 - 100 points.

Silver Diploma: 75 - 89 points.

Bronze Diploma: 60 - 74 points.

Grand Prix is awarded to the best choir of the festival. The Grand Prix winner will receive a cash prize and a gold-plated festival statuette.

The winners of the first places with the highest absolute scores in each category will receive cash awards

Special Awards:

Award of Prof. Czesław Freund for the Best Conductor of the Festival

Award for the best performance of a work by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki

Award for the best performance of a contemporary work by a Silesian composer (born after 1950) 

Award for the best performance of a work of sacral music

-        Each of the invited choirs will receive a diploma for participation and a set of festival materials.

-        The organizer reserves the right to different award distribution.

-        Awards shall be taxed in accordance with applicable regulations.

-        Participation in the Laureate Concert is a prerequisite for receiving the award.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1. The organizer provides mineral water and refreshments during the auditions.

2. The organizer does not provide meals, however may arrange dinner reservations on the day of the competition.

3. In case of need for accommodation the organizer can provide assistance in arranging accommodation. A list of hotels and accommodation can be found at: www.rybnickajesienchoralna.pl

4. At the end of the final concert all the choirs perform together the hymn Gaude Mater Polonia arranged by Teofil Klonowski.

FINAL PROVISIONS:

1.        The organizer reserves the right to change the rules.
2.        The organizer is not responsible for the copyrights to the works performed.

Address for festival correspondence:

RYBNIK CHORAL AUTUMN FESTIVAL ORGANIZATION OFFICE

Teatr Ziemi Rybnickiej

Plac Teatralny im. Kazimierza Kutza 1

44-200 Rybnik

e-mail:izabarska.tzr@gmail.com

tel. 32 433 27 24 (Izabela Barska-Kaczmarczyk – festival coordinator)

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