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At the beginning of 2020, the fifth season of “Classical Stars” will be broadcast in co-operation between Estonian National Broadcasting and Eesti Kontsert. We will anxiously watch for the end of the competition of the Estonian-speaking classical music soloists aged 15-25 (singers up to 27 years). Six TV shows and concert rounds help reveal the most outstanding artists in the competition – Classical Star 2020!
The competition is organized in cooperation by Estonian National Broadcasting and Eesti Kontsert.
www.err.ee/klassikatahed
www.facebook.com/klassikatahed
The Classical Stars 2020 competition is open to Estonian-speaking classical music soloists who, on January 1, 2020 are aged 15-25 (singers up to 27) and have not yet won the Classical Stars competition.
The competition consists of:
the preliminary round
live television broadcasts (6)
the concert round
the gala concerts (2) of the finalists
By November 1, 2019, participants must submit the following in an electronic form (at www.err.ee/klassikatahed):
personal data
short biography in essay form
a photo:
a concert round program of up to 15 minutes, which is different than the program performed on television rounds
video footage of the participant’s performance of up to 15 minutes (Youtube link). The video must not be older than one year and must demonstrate the ability of the soloist to perform both a virtuoso piece and the melodic music.
Based on the video performances and questionnaires, 15 artists will be eligible for the preliminary round taking place on November 17, 2019; eight of them will be invited to the TV show. The names of the competitors selected for the preliminary round will be announced on November 8, 2019.
By January 1, 2020, the eight soloists selected for the TV competition will be required to submit their program for the gala concert of the finalists.
Each participant in the TV competition will choose their accompanist(s) and are responsible for them, except for the TV rounds 2, 3 and 4, where the accompanist(s) is selected by the TV competition working group.
Contact:
Helen Valkna, Producer ( helen.valkna@err.ee ) Phone 518 8660
Tuuli Metsoja, producer ( tuuli.metsoja@concert.ee ) tel. 511 6308
COMPETITION ROUNDS / TIME
TV round I/ February 21, 2020 “Virtuoso Fireworks”
The contestant must submit a virtuoso piece or excerpt of up to 3 minutes. All competitors will advance to the next round.
Concert Round / February 27, 2020, Estonia Concert Hall
The contestant must submit a freely chosen concert program of up to 15 minutes, different from the program performed in the TV rounds. During the concert round, it is possible to accumulate extra points for the scoring of the TV competition. All competitors will advance to the next round.
TV Round II/ March 6, 2020 “Unforgettable Melody”
The contestant must submit a virtuoso piece or excerpt of up to 3 minutes. Performances will be accompanied by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. If necessary, the TV competition working group will organize the creation of the orchestral arrangement. Seven competitors will advance to the next round.
TV Round III / March 13, 2020 “Together with a Superstar”
The competitor must submit a piece of up to four minutes together with a partner. The composition and the partner will be selected by the organizers. The score of the selection to be performed will be disclosed to the contestant immediately after the second TV Round, and the accompanist will be revealed during the third round. Six competitors will advance to the next round.
TV Round IV / March 20, 2020 “Out of the Frame” (synergy between art forms)
The contestant will perform two works. The choice of the first work depends on the art form chosen by the contestant in collaboration with whom the performance is created. The suitability of the chosen work and the performance and the interaction of the art forms will be evaluated. The second work is based on a snippet of film provided to the performer by the organizer, to which the contestant will choose and perform the music of a suitable mood for the snippet. The work will last up to 2.5 and 1.5 minutes respectively. Five competitors will advance to the next round.
TV Round / March 27, 2020 “Paraphrase” (processing)
The contestant must perform arrangements of two well-known works – one arrangement of classical music and another one of pop music. The lengths of the arrangements are up to 3 minutes and 2 minutes respectively. Three competitors will advance to the next round.
TV Round / April 3, 2020 Finale
The contestant will perform three different works of up to 3 minutes: a dance work, a program work, and a work that best highlights the contestant’s talents. The winner of the competition will then be revealed.
Gala concerts of the finalists will take place on April 9 at Vanemuine Concert Hall and on April 10, 2020, in the Estonia Concert Hall
The concerts will feature all the finalists together with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Risto Joost.
EVALUATIONS
The jury of the competition will consist of three members. The jury will evaluate artistic personality, musical self-expression, program selection, technical execution, and the contestant’s improvisation skills on the stage.
In addition to the jury, the participants are also evaluated by the TV viewer. At the end of each TV round there is a telephone vote, and the final ranking is determined by adding the results of the jury and the telephone vote.
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MustonenFest is one of the longest-standing music festivals in Estonia, which is held every year. The festival reflects the current musical beliefs and activities of its artistic director Andres Mustonen. The festival involves the leading professional music groups in Estonia, and it is also important that every year Andres Mustonen skillfully takes advantage of our high-quality choir collectives and thus gives them a worthwhile output and a chance to raise their level.
The opening concert of the festival carries with it the main ideology of the program of recent years: along with the new and high-quality music to perform well-known and timeless classics, gratefully embraced by the audience. The winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition, Barry Douglas will perform Penderecki’s Piano Concerto “Resurrection” and the Estonian National Male Choir together with the ERSO will perform Requiem by Cherubini. As has been the practice in recent years, one concert of the festival is always dedicated to a solo instrument and Bach. This time, cellist Amit Peled will perform a fascinating combination of solo works by Bach and Bloch for cello.
The National Male Choir also participates in another program – together with the cantor Israel Nachman, they will perform authentic synagogue music, offering a very exciting and rare view for our cultural entertainment. The Venice Multi-Choir Music Program, together with Jerusalem Baroque Soloists, Hortus Musicus, and the Chamber Choir Collegium Musicale, will present the motets by Monteverdi and Gabrieli, written to be performed on the balconies of St. Marcus Church. We will also try to play with the spatial layout of Niguliste Church.
One of the highlights of the festival is likely to be the concert of the Novosibirsk Chamber Orchestra directed by the violinist Vadim Repin, where in addition to Russian music, Triple Concerto by Beethoven will be performed by our classical stars-soloists Katariina Maria Kits, Marcel Johannes Kits, and Sten Heinoja. It is also an excellent opportunity to showcase the classical stars just before the start of the marathon competition of the new classical starts, which will begin in the last days of February.
A very exciting nuance will be added to the festival program by the concert of the Ludovice Ensemble, an early music ensemble that has never been to Estonia, featuring the singer Iris Oja, with intriguing music from all shores of the Renaissance era Mediterranean. Estonian musicians Gambakontsert väikerinG and soprano Arete Kerge will also perform period music at the festival.
