Concours internationaux de la Ville de Paris

Olivier Messiaen competition
contemporary piano

from November 2nd to 9th, 2003

Article 1

The Olivier Messiaen Contest, devoted to contemporary music performance and open to pianists only, is to be held in Paris from 2 to 9 November 2003, as part of the “Concours internationaux de la Ville de Paris”. The contest is being organised by “Association pour la Création et la Diffusion Artistique” (ACDA), in collaboration with the “Fondation Olivier Messiaen” (under the aegis of the Fondation de France).

Article 2

The contest is open to pianists of all nationalities born after 2 November 1970. After due consideration of candidates' applications, the Contest organisers shall be sole judges of their eligibility to compete. Admitted contestants shall receive personal notification.

Article 3. Programme

First eliminatory round (maximum 25 minutes)

1. Olivier Messiaen: either Regard de l’Esprit de joie, n°10
or Regard de l’onction terrible, n°18, extracts from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus - Durand
or Le Courlis cendré, extract from Catalogue d’Oiseaux, 7th Book - Leduc
or Le Rouge-gorge and L’Alouette des champs, extracts from Petites esquisses d’oiseaux, n°5 and n°6 - Leduc

2. either:

Maurice Ravel: Forlane and Toccata - extracts from Tombeau de Couperin, without repeats
or Scarbo, extract from Gaspard de la nuit
or Noctuelles and Alborada del Gracioso, extracts from Miroirs
or Claude Debussy: Masques and D’un cahier d’esquisses
or L’Isle joyeuse and Bruyères extract from Préludes pour piano, 2nd Book, n°V

3. György Ligeti: Etudes for piano - Schott to be chosen among the following:

either Fanfares, 1st Book, n°4
or Automne à Varsovie, 1st Book, n°6
or L’escalier du diable, 2nd Book, n°13
or Touches bloquées, 1st Book, n°3 and Der Zauberlehrling, 2nd Book, n°10

Second eliminatory round (maximum 40 minutes)

1. Ivan Fedele: Work for solo piano, commissioned by “Musique nouvelle en liberté” for the contest (approx. 8 minutes)

The score will be sent to contestants from 15 September 2003.

2. Olivier Messiaen: Le Merle bleu, extract from Catalogue d’Oiseaux, 1st Book - Leduc

3. either:

Isaac Albéniz: Lavapies and Triana
or Malaga and Jerez, extracts from Iberia
or Béla Bartók: Sonata for piano, Sz 80 (1926)
or Suite for piano op.14, Sz 62 and Allegro barbaro, Sz 49
or Alexander Skriabin: one of the sonatas among the following:
n°5 in F sharp Major op. 53, n°7 op. 64 “Messe blanche”, n°9 op. 68 “Messe noire”, n°10 op. 70
or Sergey Prokofiev: 8th Sonata in B flat Major, op. 84 (2nd and 3rd movements)
or Paul Hindemith: 2nd Sonata in G Major

Final round

1. either:
Pierre Boulez: 3rd Sonata (Formant 2 or Formant 3) - Universal
or Karlheinz Stockhausen: Klavierstück XI - Universal
or André Boucourechliev: Archipel 4 - Leduc

2. Olivier Messiaen: Cantéyodjâya - Universal

3. Olivier Messiaen: Réveil des oiseaux, for piano and orchestra - Durand

The final round will take place on 8 November 2003, at the Opéra Comique.

The Orchestre Philharmonique from Radio France, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, will accompany the finalists for Réveil des oiseaux.

Article 4.

Lots shall be drawn on 1st November 2003 to determine the order of play. Contestants are required to be present at this occasion. A second drawing of lots shall be held to determine order of play in the final round. All rounds shall be open to the public.

Article 5. Prizes

Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris: 11 000 €

Performance engagements will be proposed to the Grand Prix winner later on.

Second Grand Prize: 7 500 €
The Second Grand Prize is donated by the Acacémie des Beaux-Arts de l'Institut de France.

Third Prize: 4 500 €

Fourth Prize: 3 000 €

The Yvonne Loriod Prize awarded to the contestant whose performance is the most faithful to the spirit of Olivier Messiaen's music: 3 000 €

Prize donated by Editions Durand for the best performance of Réveil des oiseaux: 1 500 €

Prize donated by Editions Leduc for the best performance of one or several pieces from Catalogue d'Oiseaux and from Petites esquisses d’oiseaux: 1 500 €

Fondation Olivier Messiaen Prize for the best performance of Ivan Fedele’s work commissioned for the contest: 1 500 €

Prize donated by Editions Universal for the best performance of Cantéyodjâya: 1 500 €

Prize for the most promising contestant donated by SACEM: 1 500 €

Article 6. Jury

• The Jury shall deliberate at the end of each round and the final round. In the event of a tie, the Jury Chairman’s decision shall carry the vote.

• The Jury reserves the right not to award all prizes.

• The “Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris” may not be shared.

• The Jury may issue special distinctions.

• The Jury shall not award a prize to any contestant who fails to attain the second round.

• The Jury’s decision is final.

Article 7.

On 9 November 2003 a concert will take place at the prize-giving ceremony. Several prize-winners selected by the Jury shall perform at this concert.

Article 8. Entry Application

Deadline for registration: 29 August 2003 (date on postmark)

A full entry application must be sent to the Contest organizers and must comprise the following:

- duly completed, signed entry form,

- photocopy of identity document or passport,

- curriculum vitae in French or English (length one typed page), indicating institutions where musical studies were undertaken, most important teachers, any prizes obtained, and working status,

- two references in the original from recognised musicians, written for the purposes of the Contest,

- one recent passport-format photograph,

- entry fee or proof of payment in compliance with Article 10.

Article 9. Admission

From 8th September 2003 candidates shall be informed whether they have been admitted to or turned down for the Contest.

Article 10. Entry Fee

The entry fee is 65 € and must be sent at the same time as the application.

The Contest organisers must receive the sum netto. No costs whatsoever (such as change costs) are to be charged to the Contest organisers.

Means of payment:

- French cheque made out to “ACDA”;

- cheque to be established by a foreign bank, drawn on a French bank, made out to “ACDA” and written out in euros;

- international money order sent from a post-office, made out to “ACDA”.

The entry fee shall be refunded only if the candidate is not admitted to the Contest.

Article 11. Travelling and accommodation

The Contest organisers can provide accommodation in university residences for contestants living outside of Greater Paris. Such accommodation must be requested on the application form. The contestants who successfully pass the first round will have their accommodation expenses paid for during the rounds in which they will have competed. In this case, the contestants will receive a daily allowance of 30 €.

Article 12.

Contest rounds and the prize-giving ceremony may be recorded, broadcasted by radio or television without remuneration of the contestants.

Article 13.

The very fact of competing implies on the part of the contestants the acceptation of all the rules of the contest. Only the French version of these rules will take precedence. Disputes will be settled by the Paris authorities alone.