Competition

The 4th International Lieksa Brass Week Euphonium Competition

RULES OF THE COMPETITION

1. Lieksa Brass Week organizes the 4th International Euphonium Competition July 24­–31. The competition is open to competitors of all nationalities born in 1990 or later.

2. The Competition will consist of the following rounds: 

First Round (July 25–26)

Second Round (July 28)

Final Round (July 31)

3. The registration form on the Lieksa Brass Week website shall be filled online. The application form must be submitted no later than March 31, 2025, 23:59 UTC +3 if the maximum number of participants of 35 has not been reached by then.

The online application form must be accompanied by:

• Copy of passport or national identity card

• Photo (submitted electronically)

• Short curriculum vitae for the competition brochure (maximum 700 characters in English)

A competitor’s participation in the competition can be denied if the necessary attachments or the participation fee have not been delivered by the deadline.

4. The participation fee is 100 euros paid by 31 December 2024, after that it is 120 euros. The payment is primarily made at the time of registration by credit card or online payment. If card or online payment is not possible, please contact info@lieksabrass.com for further instructions. The bank service fees or possible other costs arising from the payment may not be deducted from the participation fee. The participation fee is non-refundable. 

5. In Lieksa, the competitors have at their disposal pianists organized and drawn by the competition. The use of one’s own pianist is allowed at the competitor’s own expense. One’s own pianist cannot be any of the pianists organized by the competition. Before the first round, the competitor has 30 minutes of rehearsal time with the pianist, and 60 minutes before the second round. Accompaniment rehearsals will start on July 24, 2025 after the briefing.  The Jury selects a maximum of ten (10) competitors for the second round. Those accepted to the final round will rehearse with the orchestra. 

6. The briefing and the draw for the order of competition will be held in Lieksa on Thursday July 24, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time (UTC +3, Finnish summer time). The drawn order remains the same throughout the competition. Every competitor must be present in person at the draw.

7. Program: The editions (if) indicated in the rules are used in the competition. The competitor must perform the works in the order of the competition program. The competitor can choose whether to play by heart or from sheet music.

First Round (with piano)

Juha Pisto: Skin in the Game

Unaccompanied, new work commissioned by Lieksa Brass Week.

https://core.musicfinland.fi/works/skin-in-the-game

NOTE: During the competition, a metal Denis Wick mute will be provided by Lieksa Brass Week for the competitors' use. It is also allowed to use your own mute.

AND

Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Fantasy (arr. Robert Childs and Philip Wilby)

https://www.euphoniumstore.net/product=fantasy-piano-hummel-arr-wilby-childs

Second Round (with piano)

C.D. Wiggins: Soliloquy IX for Solo Euphonium

https://www.euphoniumstore.net/product=soliloquy-ix-chris-wiggins-euphonium-solo

AND

David R. Gillingham: Vintage

https://c-alanpublications.com/vintage-piano-reduction-digital/

NOTE: Play the optional long cadenza of 44 bars. Please be sure to use the right cadenza!

AND

Mili Balakireff: Georgian Song (edited by Rolf T. Smedvik)

https://www.blasmusik-shop.de/Georgian-Song-Smedvig

Final Round (with professional Wind Orchestra)

Jukka Linkola: Euphonium Concerto II (Nordic Reflections)

https://core.musicfinland.fi/works/euphonium-concerto-ii

Play the following movements:

 2. Viking Funk

 4. Norska Polska

 5. Halti

 6. Finale

8. After each round, the Jury decides the number of competitors who will advance. 

9. The Competition Jury: Jukka Myllys (FI, chair), Nicolas Indermühle (CH), Mizuho Kojima (JP), Brian Bowman (US), Glenn van Looy (BE).

10. The Prizes

I prize eur 5 000

II prize eur 3 000

III prize eur 2 000

There may also be other prizes in the competition.

The prizes of the competition will be awarded after the announcement of the results. The jury can, if it wishes, distribute the prizes differently from what is presented above. If the prize place is shared between two or more competitors, the prize amount will also be shared in a similar way, unless the jury decides otherwise. The jury's decision is final and cannot be appealed.

11. The competition is public and the organizers have the right to grant permission to record, broadcast, stream, tape and televise the competition without paying separate compensation to the competitors.

12. The original language of these rules is Finnish. Any disputes will be resolved based on Finnish rules. 

For further questions, please contact:

Lieksa Brass Week
competition@lieksabrass.com
Tel. +358 (0)45 132 4000
Pielisentie 26, FI-81700 LIEKSA, FINLAND