Menuhin Competition Beijing 2012
FAQ
http://www.menuhincompetition.org/faq.html

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Application Tips

Being well prepared is an important aspect of a musician's life and it's more than just preparing your repertoire well. Here are some tips on how to prepare well for a music competition:

Book your recording slot early

Don't leave it to the last minute and allow time for things to go wrong. If you book your recording slot for the application DVD early enough, you have the time to iron out any glitches. Sometimes recording equipment is faulty or you can't get the last minute slot you were hoping for. Your DVD is the most important part of your application. Make sure it's ready to get to us in time!

Request your references in good time

You need two letters of reference with your application. Often teachers and musicians are busy or travelling and they can't write something the moment you ask them for it. So ask your referees as early as possible and remember that we are not going to chase them for you. You need to send them with your application documents!

Avoid customs problems

Even though your application is of great value to you, it has zero trade value. If you enter a value for your application on the customs document when sending it, it might be held at customs and the Menuhin Competition may be asked to pay tax for it. To ensure your application gets to us without delay and customs problems, you must enter zero value for both documents and the DVD.

Read!

We receive an awful lot of questions because some of you don't pay attention to what is written in the application information. Make sure you read the information carefully before asking us. If you don't find the answer in the application information document or on our website, you are of course welcome to ask.

Send a complete application

We get a lot of applications and if they are sent incomplete with bits and bobs arriving separately, there is a great chance that we can't put it together. Sometimes candidates have similar names or their passport names vary from the name they use. We don’t have the time to solve these puzzles so please send your complete documents in one envelope and remember everything has to be with us by 31 October!

Frequently asked questions

If you have questions regarding the competition and your application, read the following Questions and answers first before emailing us. You might already find what you are looking for.

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My passport is out of date OR I don't have a passport. Can I send another document?

Your application needs to conatin an official document in English language that certifies your name, nationality and date of birth. If your passport has expired, you can still send us a copy of it whilst applying for a new one. Alternatively you can send an English language birth certificate. 

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What region and format does my DVD need to be?

The pre-selection jury uses a multi region DVD player, so you DVD can have any region coding and be either PAL or NTSC format. However don't send a mini DVD; just a regular size one.

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My birthday is a few days outside of the age limit. Do you make any exceptions?

As a matter of principal and fairness, we don't make any exceptions. Junior competitors must be under 16 years of age and senior competitors under 22 years of age on the 15 of April 2012 (everybody born after 15 April 1990). Violinists aged 15 may also enter the Senior Section.

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Can I record 3 separate DVDs for the application?

As we are getting so many DVDs you need to put all your works on one DVD even if the pieces are recorded separately. The pre-selection jury needs to be able to flick back and forth between your works without having to change disks.

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Where do I find the sheet music for the Piazzolla piece?

The Piazzolla piece was originally composed for flute and guitar but has often been played with violin and guitar. The flute part is identical with the violin part.

You should be able to buy the “Histoire du Tango" for flute and guitar from most good sheet music shops. Alternatively please find following two links to websites who sell it:
http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0293383/details.html

http://www.di-arezzo.co.uk/sheet+music/classical+score/sheet+music-for-flute-for-violin/LEMOI03913.html?PHPSESSID=85369fa2677549d1ad3ab4729d734742

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What do you mean by 'virtuoso piece' and does it have to be 12 minutes long?

A virtuoso work is a standalone piece for violin (with or without accompaniment) that shows the virtuosity of the player. It is not a movement of a concerto or an entire concerto. Virtuoso pieces are for example: P. SARASATE Zigeunerweisen, C. SAINT-SÆNS Rondo Capriccioso, and it does not have to be one of those, there is a vast repertoire to choose from.

The piece may be shorter than 12 minutes but it can't be longer.

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Which cadenza would you like me to play?

You can choose any cadenza or even compose your own.

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Where do I find the newly commissioned Chinese work?

The works are still being composed and will be chosen by our Artistic Director later this year. Selected competitors will receive the work early in the New Year.

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Do I have to record the works for my application DVD without stopping, like in a recital?

You can but you don't have to. You may record the works separately, stopping the camera between the works.

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Do I have to play the works for my application DVD with or without repeats?

We leave this to your artistic judgement. You can play the works without repeats or with repeats if the repeats are short. In the competition rounds, should you be chosen, you should play without repeats unless they are very short and add to the artistic performance. It is important, that the work does not exceed the given time limit.

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The Glazunov Violin Concerto is one big piece without clear boundary between movements, where should I stop?

You should play the first movement until the end of the cadenza.

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I have problems getting all required application documents together by the deadline. Can some of it be sent later?

No. Your complete application has to reach us by 31 October. The Menuhin Competition has a six months application period and it is your responsibility to plan and put together your application to reach us in time. The pre-selection jury meets very shortly after the deadline and they will look at each DVD and application. Therefore incomplete or late applications can not be accepted.

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When will I know if I am accepted to take part in the competition?

Entrants will be advised of their acceptance or otherwise during December 2011.

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How do I know which works can be played with music?

The competition repertoire on pages 5 and 6 of the application information document indicate which works can be played with music.

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