Criteria and application information for the IVC 2012
The IVC is open to singers of all nationalities who must have had conservatory training or have reached an equivalent level through practical experience.
Age limits
Female candidates must have been born after 1 January 1981.
Male candidates must have been born after 1 January 1978.
Applications
Candidates must apply by filling in the application form for the competition, preferably submitting it through our website.
Applications may also be submitted by post to P.O. Box 1225, 5200 BG, ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.
All applications must have been received by the IVC by 1 July 2012 at the latest.
Late applicants will be placed on a reserve list and may be considered for an audition subject to availability in the audition schedule.
The application form must be accompanied by the following:
– proof of identity: a clear and legible copy of the candidate’s passport or driving licence
– a portrait photo: at least 10×15cm in size and free of copyright
– a biography: 150 words maximum and in English for preference, containing information about the candidate’s training, diplomas, awards, concerts or operatic performances.
These three items may be either uploaded through the Competition’s website or sent by post. All applications will be judged by the IVC management and the Artistic Commission of the executive committee. Their decision is binding and is not open to further discussion or correspondence.
Acceptance and regulations
Once a candidate’s fully-completed application has been received, he or she will receive a confirmation of receipt, the regulations of the Competition and a copy of the IVC 2012 compulsory vocal work by Dutch composer Jeppe Moulijn (from June 2012). All singers who reach the Semi-Final round are obliged to include this song in their programme for the semi-final.
The competition regulations must be signed by the candidate and returned to the IVC; they are considered to be contractually binding. The Quit Claim Agreement must also be signed and returned to the IVC. These forms can also be downloaded.
Entry fee
Once a candidate has been accepted, an entry fee of € 130 must be paid into the bank account of the IVC by 15 August 2012 at the latest.
Bank information:
Van Lanschot Bankiers, account no. 22.52.00.228
IBAN: NL18FVLB0225200228
SWIFT/BIC: FVLBNL22
Please quote “Application IVC 2012″ + “name of candidate” in the memo/reference fields.
Accompanists
Candidates will be allotted one of the three professional piano accompanists provided by the IVC. A candidate in the Art Song/Oratorio category may bring his or her own accompanist when the accompanist is the candidate’s regular recital partner.
The IVC will try to provide accommodation with a host family for the accompanist, although this cannot be guaranteed. All eventual accommodation and travel costs are the responsibility of the accompanist.
Sheet music
Clear and legible copies of the candidate’s sheet music in conventional notation must be delivered to the IVC before 15 August 2012.
Programme changes
Changes to the candidate’s programme may be sent to the Competition secretariat until 1 September 2012 at the latest.
Application via DVD or YouTube
Candidates resident in a country outside Western Europe can submit their application for the Preliminary Rounds by sending a DVD of themselves to the IVC. This DVD must have reached the IVC by 15 June 2012 at the latest. A maximum of 40 DVDs will be accepted on a strictly first come, first served basis. Recordings will not be returned.
Each candidate’s DVD must contain three pieces with a total length of 15 minutes. Candidates may apply for one of the two categories of the competition: Opera or Art song & Oratorio. Please see our list of repertoire requirements for more information.
The recording should be a fair representation of the contestant’s abilities and be of high (professional) quality and must not be enhanced or edited. The audition material should be recorded within 6 months prior to the date of submission. Each piece or movement should be recorded on a separate track. The information of the applicant should be clearly marked on the cover of the disc. Furthermore, the repertoire must be listed, including composer, title and accurate timing of each piece.
Candidates resident in a country outside Western Europe can also submit their application for the Preliminary Rounds by YouTube. The same rules apply to an application by YouTube video as for an application by DVD.
Western Europa
Singers resident in the following countries are not eligible to participate in the Preliminary Rounds via YouTube or DVD.
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Vatican City.
