SUMI JO INTERNATIONAL SINGING COMPETITION

1st édition

From July 7 to 13, 2024

Regulations

Sumi Jo International Singing Competition is an international musical competition reserved for singers. This Competition is aimed at singers aged between 18 and 32, whose training is already confirmed and who are ready to launch an international career. Its purpose is to make known, support and promote young international opera artists at the start of their careers.

To do this, the association of Friends of the Château de La Ferté- Imbault is responsible for organizing the registration of candidates, validating the applications and organizing the selection at the end of which, during the final at the Ferté-Imbault , the candidates will be judged by the jury, in a concert program accompanied by an orchestra and set in space.

This document constitutes the rules of the competition for the 2024 edition. It is an integral part of the application form submitted by each of the candidates as an inseparable element of the candidate’s participation, who undertakes by signing this document to respect it.

Having said this, it is agreed and decided as follows:

SUMMARY

Article 1

Article 2 – REGISTRATIONS

2.1 – REGISTRATION AGE

2.2 – REGISTRATION PERIOD

2.3 – PARTS TO BE PROVIDED

2.4 – VALIDATION OF THE FILE

Article 3 – SELECTIONS

3.1 – EXAMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

3.2 – SEMI-FINAL

3.3 – SEMI-FINAL PROGRAM

3.4 – RECORDING OF AUDITIONS

3.5 – FINAL

3.6 – RIGHT OF ADDRESS

3.7 – OBLIGATION OF PRESENCE

Article 4 – COMPETITION AND FINAL

Article 5 – TRAVEL, EXPENSES

5.1 – TRAVEL

5.2 – ACCOMMODATION

Article 6 – COMPETITION FINAL JURY

Article 7 – PRIZES AWARDED TO WINNERS

Article 8 – EXCLUSIVITY

Article 9 – PROMOTION

Article 10 – ILLNESS, INABILITY

Article 11 – CANCELLATION

Article 12 – DISPUTES

Article 13 – COMMITMENT

Article 14 – IMAGE RIGHT

APPENDICES

Article 1

Participation in the Competition constitutes unreserved acceptance of these regulations.

Failure to comply with all or part of the commitments stipulated in these regulations will render any candidate liable to exclusion from the competition .

Article 2 – REGISTRATIONS

2.1 – REGISTRATION AGE

To be able to register, you must be at least 18 years old (with parental authorization depending on the country in case of minority of the candidate) and maximum 32 years at the end of the year of the final of the competition, it being specified that in the event that the competition was postponed under the conditions provided for in article 11 and the candidate had reached the maximum age on the date initially planned, the application may be accepted subject to an exemption.

It is possible to register several times for the competition with the exception of a previous participation as a finalist in the Competition except for exemption.

2.2 – REGISTRATION PERIOD

Application forms as well as annexes (videos and documents) must be submitted no earlier than  March 1, 2024 and no later than May 20, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. GMT. This deadline cannot under any circumstances be extended.

2.3 – PARTS TO BE PROVIDED

All applications must be submitted via videos with the form available on the Sumi Jo International Competition website ( www.sumijo-isc.com ). No other mode of transmission will be permitted. 

Once registered, every applicant can also have the opportunity, to attend live auditions at Shenzhen, Pingshan Grand Theater, China, on May 16th and May 17th. 2024 (details provided upon registrations).

The list of documents to be provided is indicated in Appendix 1 of this document.

2.4 – VALIDATION OF THE FILE

An application validation email is sent to candidates if and only if the file posted online by them is complete . Any incomplete application cannot be validated.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to take all the necessary steps so that his application can be validated on time and to keep a copy of his application file. The candidate is responsible for the proper validation of his file within the allotted time. . The registration fee of €50 is payable once the application is complete, and must be paid via the same online form. The candidate can, in the event of a blockage or technical impossibility of putting all or part of their file online on the sumijo-isc.com site, contact the validation service via the contact form on the site.

The Competition cannot be held responsible in the event of non-receipt of an application.

The registration fee of €50 will not be refunded under any circumstances..

Article 3 – SELECTIONS

3.1 – EXAMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

Online application files are examined by the Competition management. The program of the different events will be examined by an artistic committee specially designated for this purpose.

No comments relating to the elements of evaluation of applications will be issued. The artistic committee reserves the right to require the candidate to provide additional information.

The committee is sovereign in its decisions, including to call on a rejected candidate to replace a failing candidate.

Once their administrative file has been accepted by the Competition management, and their program adopted by the artistic committee, the candidate who has been selected before the pre-selection test will receive a notice of admission to the first test. Any candidate whose participation could create a conflict of interest of any nature whatsoever may be refused access to the Competition.

3.2 – SEMI-FINAL

Candidates who are preselected receive an email from the artistic committee and are invited to the semi-final at La Ferté-Imbault on the dates indicated in the email. It is compulsory for all the preselected candidates to follow the event calendar and to stay at La Ferte-Imbault until 14 July 2024.  It is the responsibility of preselected candidates to deal with their visa applications (if any) to make sure they can travel to France between July 6th and 14th, 2024. The Competition cannot be held responsible in the event of any visas not being granted.

The list of semi-finalists as well as the audition dates are indicated in the email and on the website www.sumijo-isc.com

3.3 – SEMI-FINAL PROGRAM

Selected candidates must present a program of 4 opera arias of their choice to the artistic committee.

Of these 4 tunes only 2 will be performed, and exceptionally a 3rd tune may be requested in the event of a tiebreaker.

3.4 – RECORDING OF AUDITIONS 

On this occasion the candidates authorize the management of the Competition to film and record all performances, all rights to the image and sound being transferred to the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault as organizer of the Competition.

3.5 – FINAL

At the end of the semi-final, 9 finalist candidates are selected, all vocal ranges combined.

2 additional candidates per range are simultaneously selected who may be called in the event of cancellation of one of the finalist candidates.

The selection results for the Competition final are communicated by email to all registrants and published online at www.sumijo-isc.com

The musical program for the finale will be composed of operatic arias from different eras and styles: classical (1750-1830), romantic (1830-1900), 20th century music and contemporary music.

As with the semi-final, the arias for the final must be sung from memory, in the original language and tonality of the work’s creation.

The choice of tunes for the finale, including any cuts, will be decided by the artistic committee in consultation with the artist and based on their repertoire.

3.6 – RIGHT OF ADDRESS

Semi-finalist candidates not selected for the final can request reasoned feedback from the artistic direction.

Article 4 – COMPETITION AND FINAL

An event calendar is given to each of the finalist candidates.

The musical program is set by the artistic direction in partnership with each of the finalists and the order of rehearsals is set by the artistic direction according to the program. The final is organized by the Friends of the Château de la Ferté- Imbault association and the terms of this performance will also be indicated to the finalists.

The musical and stage rehearsals will take place according to a precise schedule which will be given upon arrival that the candidates must respect  without exception . The association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault provides candidates with an accompanying pianist.

The association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault reserves the right, depending on the staging, to choose the candidates’ stage outfit from among the gala clothes proposed by the candidate.

Accommodation and catering conditions are handled directly by the organizers and each of the finalists.

Article 5 – TRAVEL, EXPENSES

5.1 – TRAVEL

Semi-finalists are in charge of their travel organization and expenses to arrive on Paris in  July 5th, 2024, and to leave Paris on July 14th,, 2024. Transfers from Paris to La Ferté-Imbaut will be organized by the Competition, both ways..

5.2 – ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation of candidates during their stay at La Ferté-Imbault as part of the semi-final and preparation for the final is entirely organized and supported by the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté -Imbault .

Article 6 – COMPETITION FINAL JURY

The association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault constitutes an international jury: casting directors, conductors, producers, opera artists or any other person designated by the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté- Imbault , their number is not limited. The composition of the jury may vary from one event to another.

Any member of the jury having a close relationship (parent, teacher, agent, colleague, etc.) with one of the finalist candidates will refrain from voting for the candidate.

The jury deliberates behind closed doors.

At the end of the jury’s deliberations, the President of the jury will announce the results and present the Prizes on stage.

Article 7 – PRIZES AWARDs

The Friends of the Château de la Ferté- Imbault association awards four Prizes in front of the public and after deliberation by the jury:

  • First Jury Prize €50,000
  • Second Jury Prize €20,000
  • Third Jury Prize: €10,000
  • Special Jury Prize 

All other candidates will be given a certificate of participation, signed and dated.

Finalists may feature as special guests of Sumi Jo, performing with her at international concerts.

Article 8 – EXCLUSIVITY

Finalist candidates are prohibited from appearing in concerts or any other cultural events for the entire duration of the Competition.

Rehearsals are not open to the public. The association of Friends of Château de la Ferté – Imbault reserves the exclusive right to authorize the presence of third parties during these rehearsals.

All finalist candidates are required to follow the agenda of the Competition week, and attending any dinners , events, communication opportunities from  their arrival at La Ferté-Imbault until the Gala concert.

Article 9 – PROMOTION

The finalist candidates agree to lend their free assistance to interviews as well as partial broadcasts of the show or rehearsals necessary to promote the show.

The finalist candidates agree to participate, at the request of the Friends of the Château de la Ferté- Imbault association , to other events (radio broadcasts and television news, public rehearsals, etc.) which fall within the framework of the competition activities.

The finalist candidates authorize the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté – Imbault to compose and publish the posters and programs for the final and certify that the photos and photographs submitted by them are free from all rights and servitudes.

Article 10 – ILLNESS, INABILITY

In the event of illness, the finalist candidate who is unable to be present at rehearsals must inform the competition administration as soon as possible and provide a medical certificate.

Article 11 – CANCELLATION

If health conditions (pandemic, etc.) or force majeure (strikes, riots) so require, the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault reserves the right either to cancel the competition or to cancel it. postpone, candidates being notified either directly or on the site www.sumijo-isc.com .

The reasons for the cancellation as well as the circumstances of the cancellation are not contestable by the candidates who therefore refrain from any recourse against the management of the Competition and/or the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté- Imbault.

Article 12 – DISPUTES

In the event of a dispute, only the Paris Judicial Court has jurisdiction, it being specified that in the case of an interpretation of the clauses of the contracts or of the regulations or of any written instruction, only the French version will prevail over any other language.

Article 13 – COMMITMENT

Participation in the Competition constitutes unreserved acceptance of these regulations.

Failure to comply with all or part of the commitments stipulated in these regulations will render any candidate liable to exclusion from the competition.

Article 14 – IMAGE RIGHT

Candidates registered in the Competition authorize the association of Friends of the Château de la Ferté-Imbault – or any other agent named by them – to use their image and their vocal performance within the framework of the Competition for commercial or advertising purposes, for all operations related to the Competition.

For a period of 70 years and for the entire world from acceptance of these General Regulations, candidates authorize:

  • The use of their image and their vocal performance in the context of photographs and the reproduction of their image thus fixed by all technical processes on all media, on all formats, for an unlimited number of uses in whole or in part, together or separately, and in particular for the purposes of producing any advertising or promotional document.
  • The communication to the public of their image and their vocal performance thus fixed and reproduced under the conditions referred to in the paragraph above, in full or in part and this goes through any means of dissemination, in any place open to the public (cinema, video transmission network, etc.), television broadcasting in analog or digital mode whatever the vector and number and in particular by radio and/or terrestrial television broadcasting, as well as by electronic communication (site Internet, Extranet, Intranet etc…) whatever the format and whatever the vector and reception device.

The captions accompanying, where applicable, the use of the image and/or the total or partial voice of the candidates under the conditions referred to above will not harm their reputation or their private life. Candidates will represent the association during all performances or activities within the framework of the Competition.

ANNEX 1

Parts of the pre-selection file

  • Copy of valid passport
  • 1 HD color artist photo, royalty free
  • 1 complete and up-to-date CV (training, professional experience, directory) written in English or French.
  • 1 updated biography – 10 lines maximum
  • MANDATORY : 2 VIDEO recordings of opera arias in the original language, original key, in different styles and languages.

OPTION : For any candidate wishing to present a 3rd video recording, it must belong to the French lyrical repertoire.

Parts of the live auditions pre-selection file

  • Copy of valid passport
  • 1 HD color artist photo, royalty free
  • 1 complete and up-to-date CV (training, professional experience, directory) written in English or French.
  • 1 updated biography – 10 lines maximum
  • MANDATORY : Preparing two opera arias in the original language, in different styles and languages.

OPTION : For any candidate wishing to present a 3rd aria, it must belong to the French lyrical repertoire.

ATTENTION ! The videos must be of excellent sound and video quality (high image definition of 720P minimum with clear visibility of the singer who must be filmed in full length).

Video recordings must have been made during the year 2023 at the latest. The videos must be uploaded beforehand by the candidate on a YouTube -type hosting platform . Only videos accessible via the links indicated in the registration form will be viewed.

  • Payment of €50 registration fee ( Paypal or credit card).
  • List of 4 tunes to be presented during the semi-final, distinct from the tunes presented in the pre-selection videos.

ANNEX 2

Calendar

  • Registration : March 1, 2024 to May 20, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. GMT
  • Announcement of semi-finalists : May 23, 2024
  • Arrival at Paris on  July 6, 2024 and transfer to La Ferte-Imbault
  • Rehearsals : July 7, 2024
  • Semi-final  : July 8 and July 9, 2024
  • Announcement of the 8 finalists : July 10, 2024
  • Recital of the 16 non finalists: July 11, 2024 
  • General Rehearsal and Finale : July 12, 2024
  • Gala concert of the winners and Sumi Jo : July 13, 2024