APPROVED by
Director of
Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis Gymnasium of Arts
on 26 September 2023,
order no. VĮ-135/2023
- The 7th International Saulius Sondeckis Competition for Young Violinists and Cellists, masterclasses will be held on 10‒16 June 2024 in Šiauliai (Lithuania). It is dedicated to commemorate one of the most outstanding Lithuanian conductors, leaders of orchestra, Professor Saulius Sondeckis.
The competition is organised by Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis Gymnasium of Arts.
2. Performers aged to 22 years are eligible to participate in the competition.
The participants are classified into four categories according to their age:
A: under 10 years (inclusive)
B: 11–13 years old
C: 14–17 years old
D: 18–22 years old
3. The competition is open to violinists and cellists who are students of music and art schools, art schools, gymnasiums and conservatoires.
4. The competition will be held in two rounds in all age categories (A, B, C, D).
5. The order of performance of the contestants shall be arranged by the date of birth of the contestants.
6. The competition programme shall be performed by heart.
7. The selected by the jury contestants of the 2nd round shall perform a mandatory piece by a Lithuanian composer jointly with Šiauliai Chamber Orchestra “Camerata Solaris” (conductor and artistic director Vilhelmas Čepinskis) or solo under a grand piano accompaniment at the final concert.
8. All hearings of the contestants are public.
9. The competition programme performed by the contestants will be assessed by an international jury invited by the competitionorganisers.
10. The competition jury hold the right to terminate the playing if a performer exceeds the time limit. Decisions of the jury are final and inapelable.
11. Participation fee:
participants of the Category A – EUR 70;
participants of the Category B – EUR 75;
participants of the Category C – EUR 80;
participants of the Category D – EUR 100.
12. The participation fee must be paid and the filled out application forms must be sent by 19 April 2024. The filled out and signed application form must also be supplemented with: a copy of a document proving person’s identity (personal identity card or passport), colour photo of a participant (from 800×1200 pixels, from 0.5 MB), a document proving the payment of the fee.
13. The organiser of the competition holds the right to correct a maximum amount of contestants based on the date of filling out the submitted application form. Those participants who failed to enter the competition will be notified in person, the participation fee will be refunded.
14. An invitation to participate in the competition will be sent out to an indicated e-mail address.
15. Performances of the contestants are assessed in a 25-point system:
When a contestant gets:
• under 14.9 points – fails to enter the 2nd round, receives the Participation Certificate;
• 15–19.9 points – enters the 2nd round, is awarded the Diploma;
• 20 or more points in the 2nd round, becomes a laureate of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prizes, is awarded the Laureate Diploma (prize money is decided by the international jury).
Competition winners instant cash prizes are paid by bank transfer within 30 calendar days after the awards ceremony.
16. The anticipated prize fund is EUR 4,000.
Special prizes might be awarded as well.
17. The participants take part in the competition accompanied by their concertmaster. Other participants will be offered the service of a concertmaster. Those participants who will need the service of a concertmaster have to inform the organisers about it when filling out the participant’s application. Participants pay for this service themselves.
18. The participants and their pedagogues will be invited to participate in masterclasses held on 15‒16 June 2024 by prof. Zakhar Bron (violin) and prof. David Geringas (cello). All information and registration are available on-line at: www.sondeckis.lt/sondeckiokonkursas/meistriskumo-pamokos/
19. Participants shall cover the expenses of travel, accommodation and catering themselves. (Expenses for catering offered to participants may be an object of coverage by the organisers if they receive the required funding to cover the competition expenses.)
20. The organisers of the competition hold the right to exclusively exempt a participant from the participation fee, to cover accommodation and catering expenses.
21. The organisers of the competition hold all the rights to public dissemination of images of the participants in competition-related materials, records of competition rounds and the gala concert made in audio, video, digital or any other ways of recording; radio, on-line, TV broadcasting or any other public dissemination, also commercial use of these recordings without paying the competition participants.
22. All competition participants from foreign countries and their pedagogues must have a valid health insurance certificate.
23. The 1st and 2nd rounds of the 7th International Saulius Sondeckis competition for Young Violinists and Cellists will be held in the hall of Šiauliai singing school “Dagilėlis” (Vytauto str. 113, Šiauliai) on 10–13 June 2024.
The closing of the competition and the Gala Concert of the Laureates is planned to be held on 13 June 2024; winners of all categories selected by the jury will be invited to take part in it (at the State Šiauliai Drama Theatre, Tilžės str. 155, Šiauliai, Lithuania).