Basel International Online Music Competition-Lieder/Song Vocal Competition

Basel International Lieder/Song Vocal Competition 2025

Purpose: To enhance the expertise of each country's song art and pass it on to future generations

Qualifications: any nationality and no educational background required

welcome professional and amateur, 18 years old and above ~

First round (entirely online):

Entry Period November 1st, 2024 ~ November 30th, 2024

Free song: 5 minutes or less

Evaluation period: December 5th, 2024 ~ December 12th, 2024

First round results: December 20th, 2024 ← click

Second round ( entirely online ):

Application period December 25th, 2024 ~ January 25th, 2025

Free song: 8 minutes or less

Evaluation period: January 30th, 2025 ~ February 5th, 2025

Second round results: February 13th, 2025 ← click

Final round ( entirely live performance ) Saturday, April 26th, 2025

Venue : Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall

Free song: 15 minutes or less

Concert by final performers, Announcement of results, award ceremony

Executive committee chiarperson:

Noriko Kawamura…Director of Basel International Online Music Competition

Jury of members

Prof. Vesselina Kasarova…world-renowned mezzo-soprano, Kammersängerin from Bulgaria (＊ only final round)

Prof. Zhou Zheng (bass baritone) … a vocal professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Professor of Voice at the Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg

Tatsuya Higuchi (tenor), He is a member of Tokyo Nikikai, and a lecturer at Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts and Musashino Academia Musicae

Miju Kim (soprano) … Adjunct professor at Kookmin University - CEO of World Art

Shoko Fukuda (dramatic soprano) …a member of the Tokyo Nikikai and Kansai Nikikai, the President of the General Incorporated Association Nihonbashi Opera

Asami Kurosawa(soprano) …a lecturer at the Tokyo College of Music and the Graduate School of Music. Presided over the Asami Kurosawa Russian Voice Music Study Group. a member of Tokyo Nikikai

Comments: the first, second rounds and the final round ( a detailed feedbacks from jury will be sent via email within one month after the end of competition.)

Certificate: Issued to final contestants

Prizes:

Grand Prix 500,000JPY

Professional Lieder/Song Award 200,000JPY (total amount)

Young Lieder/Song Award 100,000JPY (total amount)

Future Lieder/Song Award 100,000JPY (total amount)

Senior Lieder /Song Award 100,000JPY (total amount)

Accompanist Award 100,000JPY (Total amount)

How to enter

・Only online applications are accepted via the “formrun system”

・Proof of age verification (student ID, driver's license, passport, etc.) and a copy of the application form must be attached.

・First and second rounds are video screenings (only available on YouTube), and only videos recorded after January 2024 are accepted

・First and second rounds, sing facing forward with the upper body or whole body visible

・If your video is subject to copyright, please apply for it yourself. (As copyright laws differ from country to country, it is your own responsibility.)

・During all rounds, Lieder/Songs written for voice and piano must be submitted in the original language (transposition is acceptable), including songs in the participant's native language.

・Multiple songs are allowed in the first and second rounds, as long as they are within the time limit.

・In the finals, songs must be in multiple languages and one of the songs must be a German song( Deutsche Lieder). At least two songs must be performed.

・Note : In this competition, you cannot sing opera arias. You must sing Songs art in all rounds. For example, German songs, Italian songs, French songs, Russian songs, Japanese songs of arts… etc...

・The same song cannot be played in all rounds

・All the pieces must be performed from memory without looking at musicsheets.

・The state of the recording will also be taken into consideration in the screening process.

・If you exceed the time specified in the first and second rounds, your video will be judged up to the specified number of minutes.

・Videos cannot be re-uploaded or deleted after entry.

・If you are unable to submit your video via the formrun system due to an error or other reason, we will accept your entry by email.　

Entry fee: first round 15000JPY second round 15000JPY final round 22000JPY ( finalists over 60 years old 25,000JPY)

・Only paypal payments accepted

・PayPal payment for second round ← please click

・The entry fee will be based on the age of the participant as of the closing date of the application.

・No refunds will be accepted under any circumstances after entry.

Regarding travel and transportation coverage for final contestants

・Final contestants(foreigner) from overseas: 50,000JPY for Asia, 100,000JPY for non-Asia regions (＊Coverage amount is determined by nationality)

・Japanese contestants living overseas: 25,000JPY for Asia, 50,000JPY for non-Asia regions

・Applies to the relevant person only.

・In principle, travel and transporation coverage will be paid in Japanese JPY by the secretariat after the performance at the final round

For Japanese:Those living in Japan and far away (residents outside the Kanto region) : 2 nights and 3 days of subsidy will be provided at accommodations in Tokyo designated by our company only April 25-27, 2025

・Applies to the relevant person only.

Accompanists

・Final contestants(foreigner) from overseas will be provided with accompanists from our company.

・Official Accompanist Hiroko NAGAO Junichi TANAKA

・Dates for accompaniment rehearsal (April 25, 2025 at Salon Vela near Ikebukuro station in Tokyo or Piano Studio Meguro Fudo in Tokyo)

・Applies to the relevant person only.

・If an accompanist is brought along, our company will not cover the cost of accompaniment.

・For Japanese: If you are a resident of the Kanto region and would like an accompanist, we can introduce one to you (16,000 yen including the performance fee)

Terms

The copyright

・The copyright of all content regarding the competition published on the internet, newspapers, magazines and other media belongs to “Basel International Lieder/Song Vocal Competition 2025”.

Visa

・Finalists must obtain the necessary visa for their visit.

・If a letter of invitation or other documents are required for visa application, the contestant must contact the secretariat.

Results

・The results must be confirmed individually by the contestants on our website.

Prize money

・Prizes will only be awarded if the contestants strictly adhere to the rules of our competition.

・Prize money will not be awarded to winners who do not attend the award ceremony.

Videos

・Please change the settings of the winning videos selected by our company from private to public.

Force Majeure

・In the event of a force majeure such as a natural disaster occurring on the day of the final, the final judging may be switched to an online judging.

Rule changes

・The Judges may change due to their circumstances.

・If there are more entry applications than expected. The number of Feedback will be diffrent.

・If changes to the rules are unavoidable due to global circumstances, the Organizing Committee of the Basel International Lieder/Song Vocal Competition reserves the right to change the rules.

Violations of the rules

・No questions or objections regarding the judging methods will be entertained.

・If forged or false identification is discovered, prizes will be revoked, legal action will be taken, and prize money will be returned.

・If any words or actions that defame our company are discovered, prizes will be revoked, legal action will be taken, and prize money will be returned.

About Expenses

・All expenses for participation in the competition (communication, recording, accompaniment, transportation, accommodation, etc...) are to be borne by the contestant.

Insurance

・The organizing committee will not provide compensation for any illness, injury, or other incidents that occur during the competition period. If necessary, please arrange for insurance at your own responsibility.

Venue of Final round

Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall　Reharsal Rooms Stage Door

by Train Keio New Line Hatsudai Sta. East Exit

Keio New Line (South entrance of Shinjuku station. Not Keio Line.) from Shinjuku to Hatsudai (the first station from Shinjuku). Use the east exit. 5 minutes walk.

by Bus from JR Shibuya Station (Approx. 20 minutes)

Keio bus: (Shibu) 63/ (Shibu) 64/ (Shibu) 66

Toei bus: (Shibu) 66

by Car

On the corner of the intersection of Yamate Dori and Koshu Kaido Ave. Exit the Metropolitan Expressway (MEX) No.4 Line at the Shinjuku Ramp/ Hatsudai. Pay car parking is available in the Tokyo Opera City B2F car park. (300 yen / 30 min.)

download Guidance (Japanese, English)