The 10th International Competition
Of The Blind And Partially Sighted Musicians 2003

1. The competition is open to any blind and partially sighted musician who, on the opening of the respective contest, will be between 16 and 35 years old and who will comply with all other conditions specified below.

2. The crucial eligibility condition is fulfilled when a candidate complies with the rating of partial sight and/or blindness as applies in his/her country of origin. The partial sight and /or blindness condition should be attested by an enclosed medical certificate.

3. First Prize Winners in previous Contests are not eligible.

4. Participants are required to cover travel costs related to their journey to the Competition venue and back home. SONS shall cover board and lodging costs of registered Contest participants up to the time of their elimination. Eliminated contestants shall leave the provided accommodation on the day the elimination verdict has been officially announced, or, they are welcome to stay on as long as they are willing to pay for further accommodation and cover all associated expenses. A participant can bring a guide whose board and lodging shall be fully covered by the SONS pending the elimination clause. If a contestant should bring and /or require his own accompanist, the SONS will book accommodation without paying for it; board and lodging will, however, be covered as long as that same person acts as the blind contestant's only guide.

5. There are two types of Registration Forms:
   1. a filled-in Preliminary Registration Form should be forwarded to the SONS no later than May 31, 2002
   2. a filled -in Obligatory Registration Form should be forwarded to the SONS no later than October 31,2002. The validity of registrations received after the deadline is judged by the postal stamp date. Besides the personal data the Registration Form will also includes the titles of compositions to be performed in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd round, piano accompaniment specifications (especially, whether the contestant requires the provision of an accompanist) etc.

      After the registration has been closed, all entrants will be notified about whether they have complied with the conditions and regulations of the Contest. Provided the entrant's Obligatory Registration Form has been accepted, he/she will be invited to take part in the Competition. The invitation pack contains: invitation letter, competition schedule, travel and accommodation instructions and other relevant materials.

      Together with the Obligatory Registration Form the contestant is kindly requested to pay a registration fee of 120 USD to a specified bank account mentioned in the Registration Form. Not paying the registration fee disqualify the contestant from the participation. The registration fee can not be reclaimed under any circumstances.

   3. At registration an entrant is required to submit an identification document as well as a registration fee payment document.

6. The competition is open for the following musical disciplines (instruments):

   flute	French horn	double-bass
   oboe	trombone	piano
   clarinet	violin	accordion
   bassoon	viola	guitar
   trumpet	violoncello	singing

   1st Round:
   time limit 10-15 min.
   1.1. A composition from the Baroque or Classical period
   1.2. A composition from any period with the exception of the period in which the previous composition was played.

   Example:
   1.1. A composition from the Classical period
   1.2. A composition from the Baroque, Romanticism or 20th century periods

   2nd Round:
   time limit 15-20 min.
   2.1. A composition from the Romanticism to the present period
   2.2. A composition from any period with the exception of the period in which the previous composition was played.

   Example:
   2.1. A composition from the Romanticism period
   2.2. A composition from the Baroque, Classical or 20th century period

   3rd Round:
   time limit 15-30 min.
   Any kind of composition. The choice depends on the musician.

   All contestants are required to play at least one composition from the 20th century period in some of the Composition Rounds. The participants are advised to present the virtuous composition in the first round and a long cyclic work in the 3rd round.

   Selections are valid for one round only; they cannot be transferred and/or repeated. No music reading is allowed. All contestants are required to perform by heart.

   The competing is exclusively limited to solo performances. Contestants playing guitar or accordion may play in one of the round accompanied by piano. All other instruments compete under piano accompaniment in all three rounds (no other instrument being allowed). Optional playing without piano accompaniment is permitted.

   The succession of individual contestants within their discipline (instrument) is determined by a draw - carried out at least 12 hours before the start of the round. Both first and second rounds are elimination rounds. The draw for the second round immediately follows the announcement of the first round results. And the draw for the third round follows the announcement of this second round results.

7. Players who need piano accompaniment are entitled to rehearsing hours with their respective accompanists:

   1st round   45 minutes
   2nd round   60 minutes
   3rd round   90 minutes

8. All instrumentalists (and singers) compete together. Three financial prizes are available for the winners:

   1st Prize   30 000 CZK
   2nd Prize   20 000 CZK
   3rd Prize   10 000 CZK
   (1 EUR is approximately 33 CZK)

9. The jury is appointed by the organizer in accordance with registered disciplines/musical instruments. One of the vice-chairpersons shall be from abroad. Similarly, a third of its members shall be visually impaired. The jury is presented at the opening ceremony of the Competition. The jury acts upon the internal Code of Conduct. Jury debates as well as performance ratings are confidential and, consequently, are not made public. Decisions of the jury are final with no provision for appeals.

10. Each performance is recorded for the need of jury.

11. The winners are required to perform at a Laureates' concert where they will be awarded their prizes and diplomas. There is no special remuneration for performing at the Laureates' Concert. Those Laureates who should not attend the Laureates' Concert without having submitted a substantiated excuse shall be divested of their prizes, diplomas and accompanying Laureate titles.

12. Should the number of interested applicants from one particular country exceed a reasonable proportion the organizer can resort to short-listing of the candidates from the country in question. The candidates concerned will be duly notified after Obligatory Registration Forms have been handled.

13. In cases of any doubt or misunderstanding, it is the Czech version of The Competition Regulations that applies.

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