[APPLICATION]

ELIGIBILITY

The Competition is open to pianists of any nationality born on or after April 15, 1977 and on or before April 14, 1991.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The application package with all required materials must be mailed to Seoul International Music Competition office no later than November 14, 2007. The official application form may be downloaded from our web site at www.seoulcompetition.com, or requested by sending us an e-mail(seoulcompetition@donga.com).
• Please Note: Applications must be typed or printed in English, or Korean.

The following documents are to be included in the application package:

a) Application form
b) Two recent color photographs of the applicant, taken within six months before the date of application(width 5.5cm x height 6.5cm).
c) An official confirmation of applicant’s age and nationality: A photo copy of the applicant’s birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, or other similar proof.
d) Two recommendation letters from musicians of acknowledged professional standing, including the applicant’s present or most recently attended teacher. Only Korean and English languages are accepted. A letter written in any other languages must be translated into one of the two accepted languages, and submitted along with a copy of the original letter.
e) An unedited DVD for pre-screening(video tape, CD and cassette tape may not be submitted). The recording must be a minimum of 40 minutes to a maximum of 50 minutes in duration, consisting of works selected freely by the competitor.
※ 1. No late application will be considered for processing.
※ 2. No documents will be returned.

APPLICATION ADDRESS

The completed application can be sent to:
The Secretariat of Seoul International Music Competition
The Dong-A Ilbo, 7Fl.
139 Sejongno, Jongno-gu
Seoul 110-715, South Korea
• Tel: 82-2-2020-0736, 0540
• Fax: 82-2-2020-1639
• e-mail: seoulcompetition@donga.com
• Web site: www.seoulcompetition.com

ENTRY FEE

All applicants who have been selected to participate in the 1st Stage of the competition must submit a non-refundable entry fee of US $100 to the bank account shown below by February 14, 2008.

• Bank Kookmin Bank
• Branch Dong-A Media Branch
• Account Number 870-01-0150-981
• Account Holder The Dong-A Ilbo
• Swift Code CZNBKRSE
※ The arrival of the entry fee will be considered as a formal agreement between the applicant and the Dong-A Ilbo on his/her participation in the competition under the rules and conditions of Seoul International Music Competition.

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

Travel expenses are the sole responsibility of the competitors. However, non-Korean competitors who do not reside in Korea will be provided with financial aid towards their international airfare of US $400 for those coming from Asia and US $800 for those coming from outside of Asia(Taxes will be deducted from the aid according to Korean tax laws). Non-Korean competitors who are not resident in Korea will also be provided with room and board at the specified lodgings from April 12 until the dates indicated below:

• 1st Stage competitors: until the morning after the 1st Stage
• 2nd Stage competitors: until the morning after the 2nd Stage
• Semifinalists: until the morning after the Semifinal
• Finalists: until the morning after the Final

※ All competitors are required to arrive in Seoul by April 14, 2008 to register with the Secretariat and to draw lots to decide the order of performance at the competition.

PRACTICE

Non-Korean competitors who are not resident in Korea will be provided with practice facilities, free of charge, for three hours everyday from two days before the 1st Stage until the conclusion of the competition. Each finalist will have two rehearsals with the orchestra(including a stage rehearsal) before the Final Stage.

PERFORMANCE RULES

The order of appearance will be determined by random drawing on April 14, 2008. On the day of appearance, each competitor must show up at the Secretariat office located in the concert hall by the specified time without any delay. Those who are unable to perform when called upon to do so may be disqualified. However, if any competitor should be late for his/her performance due to unavoidable circumstances, the Jury may allow the competitor to perform at a different time, depending on how the competition progresses in terms of time. Every stage of the competition is open to public.

PERFORMANCE RIGHTS

The competitors will be contracted exclusively to Seoul International Music Competition while they are in Korea. All approaches to and from the media must be made through and with the approval of the Secretariat. The competitors will be required to be available for any media-related arrangements made by the competition.
The Secretariat has the right, without payment of any fees to the competitors, to:

1. Broadcast, film, record, videotape or photograph all stages of the competition for media or for any other purpose.
2. Produce and distribute recordings of all the stages of the competition, either in whole or in part, including the prize winners’ concerts, recitals, and CD recordings offered by the Secretariat as a part of the prize.
3. Produce documentary, or featured films.

[JUDGEMENT]

PRELIMINARY ROUND

The Preliminary Jury will make a selection of candidates from the applications received. All applicants will be notified of acceptance, or rejection by January 14, 2008.

ADJUDICATION PREMISE

A point system will be used by the Jury for judgment. Each juror judges and marks the performances of all competitors, but abstains from judging/marking performances of the competitors who were his/her own students for more than three months in the past two years. The decisions of the Jury are final and will not be subjected to appeal.
Competitors may not communicate with any member of the Jury at any time of the competition, no exception. Any competitor who fails to comply with this rule will be disqualified and equally, any member of the Jury who fails to comply with the rule will jeopardize his/her own status in the competition.

[RRIZE]

There will be cash-prizes in total of US $122,000.

First Prize: US $50,000
Second Prize : US $30,000
Third Prize: US $20,000
Fourth Prize: US $10,000
Fifth Prize: US $ 7,000
Sixth Prize: US $ 5,000
1. The Jury reserves a right to withhold an award.
2. In the case of a tie, the prize money of the prize won and that of the next prize in the ranking will be added up and distributed equally.
3. Taxes will be deducted from the prize money according to Korean tax laws.

※ Professional engagements will be arranged for the prize winners. These may include concerts, recitals, and recordings for CDs or DVDs. The first prize winner and other selected prize winners will be required to be available to perform for these engagements. For such engagements, the round-trip airfare as well as the room and board for a maximum of 7 days will be provided by the Secretariat. No performance-related fees shall be paid to the performer.

INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES AND CONDITIONS

Should any dispute arise regarding the interpretation of any part of the regulations and conditions of Seoul International Music Competition 2008, the regulations and conditions written in the language of Korean in this body of information and the related laws and codes of the Republic of Korea will be the only legal basis. All decisions made by the Secretariat, Management Committee, and Jury will be final and are not subjected to appeal. No negotiations will be considered.

[REPERTOIRE]

FIRST STAGE

Performances must be a minimum of 20 minutes to a maximum of 25 minutes in duration, consisting of works selected freely by the contestant.

SECOND STAGE

Performances must be a minimum of 35 minutes to a maximum of 40 minutes in duration, consisting of works selected freely by the contestant. However, selection must include a piece by Mozart or Haydn(Sonatas must be performed in their entirety). No works from the 1st Stage may be repeated.

SEMIFINAL

Performances must be a minimum of 55 minutes to a maximum of 60 minutes in duration, consisting of works selected freely by the contestant. However, selection must include a complete sonata by Beethoven and your choice of one of the commissioned pieces written for the competition by Korean composers: Sungki Kim, Uzong Choe and Jiesun Lim. Each piece will be 5~6 minutes in duration and will be sent to competitors who are accepted into the Preliminary Round by January 14, 2008. No works from the previous stages may be included in the recital.

FINAL

Competitors must perform one of the following concertos with the orchestra.
Mozart Concerto No.9 in E flat Major KV271
〃 No.20 in d minor KV466
〃 No.21 in C Major KV467
〃 No.24 in c minor KV491
〃 No.25 in C Major KV503
Beethoven 〃 No.1 in C Major Op.15
〃 No.2 in B flat Major Op.19
〃 No.3 in c minor Op.37
〃 No.4 in G Major Op.58
〃 No.5 in E flat Major Op.73
Chopin 〃 No.1 in e minor Op.11
〃 No.2 in f minor Op.21
Schumann 〃 in a minor Op.54
Liszt 〃 No.1 in E flat Major
〃 No.2 in A Major
Brahms 〃 No.1 in d minor Op.15
〃 No.2 in B flat Major Op.83
Saint-Saëns 〃 No.2 in g minor Op.22
〃 No.4 in c minor Op.44
Tchaikovsky 〃 No.1 in b flat minor Op.23
Rachmaninov 〃 No.1 in f sharp minor Op.1
〃 No.2 in c minor Op.18
〃 No.3 in d minor Op.30
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op.43
Ravel Concerto in G Major
Bartók 〃 No.3
Prokofiev 〃 No.2 in g minor Op.16
〃 No.3 in C Major Op.26
Mozart Concerto No.9 in E flat Major KV271
〃 No.20 in d minor KV466
〃 No.21 in C Major KV467
〃 No.24 in c minor KV491
〃 No.25 in C Major KV503
Beethoven 〃 No.1 in C Major Op.15
〃 No.2 in B flat Major Op.19
〃 No.3 in c minor Op.37
〃 No.4 in G Major Op.58
〃 No.5 in E flat Major Op.73
Chopin 〃 No.1 in e minor Op.11
〃 No.2 in f minor Op.21
Schumann 〃 in a minor Op.54
Liszt 〃 No.1 in E flat Major
〃 No.2 in A Major
Brahms 〃 No.1 in d minor Op.15
〃 No.2 in B flat Major Op.83
Saint-Saëns 〃 No.2 in g minor Op.22
〃 No.4 in c minor Op.44
Tchaikovsky 〃 No.1 in b flat minor Op.23
Rachmaninov 〃 No.1 in f sharp minor Op.1
〃 No.2 in c minor Op.18
〃 No.3 in d minor Op.30
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op.43
Ravel Concerto in G Major
Bartók 〃 No.3
Prokofiev 〃 No.2 in g minor Op.16
〃 No.3 in C Major Op.26

NOTICE

1. All works must be performed by memory, with the exception of the specially commissioned pieces by Korean composers, which is to be performed in the Semifinal.
2. Repeats will be left to the discretion of the candidate.
3. Changes in the submitted repertoire of all stages will be permitted only by the approval of the Secretariat. Competitors must notify the Secretariat of the change in writing no later than February 14, 2008.
4. For all stages, the order of the works being performed will be decided by the competitor.
5. Performances exceeding the specified time limit may be interrupted by the Jury.

*updated April 2008