8/13/2019 The Central European Music Festival

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The Central European Music Festivalhttp://www.hc.sk/sfku/fest_zilina.php?lg=en

The Central European Music Festival is an internationally recognised festival of classical

music, being held annually in April in cultural and industrial centre of North Slovakia, in Žilina.The topmost young artists representing their countries (from Central uropean as !ell as otheruropean countries" !ith considerable achievements and a!ards received in various musiccompetitions are invited to play solo recitals or to be accompanied by reno!ned orchestral bodies particularly from Slovakia.

The Statute of the #estival determinates conditions for participating young artists in thisinternational event, !hich is a combination of traditional music festival and competition. The performances of young musicians (playing various instruments including singers, conductors andsmall chamber ensembles" are carefully !atched and evaluated by international $ury, !hosemembers are professionals % musicologists, music critics, or !riters on music % particularly fromCentral uropean countries. Their task is to make decision on the Music Critics´ Prize holder

for the most distinguished performance at the Festival. Its holder is offered an opportunity

to give a concert performance at the net edition of the festival.

&uring one !eek (from Sunday to Saturday", there are si' evenings concerts, at least three ofthem should be orchestral, one afternoons concert at !hich laureates of the SlovakConservatoires Competitions are presented and possibly some fringe events such as meetings!ith the artists, seminars or !orkshops. )esides e'cellent performances of outstanding youngmusicians, the festival is also a place for meetings of music pedagogues, musicologists, !riterson music, representatives of agencies, cultural institutions, embassies etc.

The main organiser of the Festival is the Music Centre !lova"ia, !hich is an organisationgoverned and financed by the *inistry of Culture of the Slovak +epublic. t collaborates veryclosely !ith the home orchestra % the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina as the #estival takes place on thestage of the #atra -ouse of Arts. The Slovak +adio also contributes to its !ide promotion bymaking radio recordings from the performances. The #estival Committee, !hich is composed ofrepresentatives of the #estivals organisers and members of the Association of Slovak ConcertArtists, is responsble for the programme of the #estival.

The #estival provides a significant space for mutual inuiring of cultural values and forconfronting rendition skills of the first%class young performers from urope. t enables to getmore familiar !ith the music and performing arts of our neighbours and some other uropeancountries as !ell as facilitating many form of contact. The idea of a fruitful international co%operation is here strengthen by support of our partners, especially Cultural institutes ormbassies of the countries seated in Slovakia.

This uniue international event of the highest artistic level has become of great interest in publicand press in many countries of urope. The #estival has become a traditional event in thecultural life of Slovakia. The #estival proved to be beneficial not only to the young artists but itconsiderably contributes to promotion of classical music and performing art.

8/13/2019 The Central European Music Festival

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The Music Critics´ Prize

Selection of /articipants

The selection of young musicians participating in the #estival is determined by the !tatute ofthe Central European Music Festival. As the festival is a sho!case of remarkable giftedartists, a pri0e from a reno!ned international music competition has become an eligibilitycondition for performers participating in it. There is also a five%year limitation for last successful performance at a competition of invited artists.

The organisers of the #estival endeavour to present as broad range of the instruments as possible,including vocalists, conductors and small chamber ensembles. They also try to inviterepresentatives of various uropean countries, particularly from Central urope.

The age of a soloist and average age of members of a small chamber ensemble should not

e'ceed 12 years at the time of holding the #estival. n case of vocalists and conductors, the agelimit is 13 years.

As to the repertoire is concerned, young artists present themselves in solo half recitals or beingaccompanied by orchestral bodies from Slovakia or neighbouring countries. n case of giving ahalf recital, the programme of their performances should not e'ceed 43 minutes in its duration.Soloists accompanied by orchestras play one concerto or e'ceptionally t!o short5er pieces (ifrepertoire is someho! limited". As regards concert repertoire, the rarities, national composersand contemporary authors are presented here, too.

Selected young participants and their programme should be approved by the Festival

Committee composed of organisers representatives and leading Slovak artists.The young artists performances are carefully !atched and evaluated by international 6ury panel!ho decides on the holder of the *usic Critics /ri0e for the most distinguished performance ofthe #estival. The holder of the /ri0e is offered the opportunity to give a concert at the ne'tedition of the #estival and is announced at the final concert of the #estival.

7aunching these strict criteria proved to be the best !ay ho! to increase an artistic level and anattractiveness of this event for the audience.