Regulations for the Golden Steps

Music school ‘Živorad Grbić’ – Valjevo

22 – 26 May 2024

7th International Competition of String Players ‘Golden Steps’

Organizational team

MMus Suzana Radovanović Perić – MS „Živorad Grbić” Headteacher

MMus Snežana Stevanović- Art director of the festival, the violin teacher and String Department Head

Slaviša Jezdimirović –MS „Živorad Grbić” Assistant headteacher

Tijana Čitaković –MS „Živorad Grbić” Assistant headteacher

Milica Stepanović Baba-Milkić –MS „Živorad Grbić” Teacher; Music Theory Department Head

Under the patronage of City of Valjevo

REGULATIONS

You can participate if:

you are violinist, violist or cellist attending primary, secondary music school or music academy.

Disciplines:

Pupils and students will be competing in these disciplines: VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, CLASSICAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE, NONCLASSICAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE, STRING ORCHESTRA

SOLOISTS:

Categories for violin, viola and cello:

Junior category (born in 2015 and younger)

Two compositions of your own choice, up to 5 minutes.

First category (born in 2013 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 7 minutes for both compositions.

Second category (born in 2011 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 10 minutes for both compositions.

Third category (born in 2009 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 12 minutes for both compositions.

Fourth category (born in 2007 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 15 minutes for both compositions.

Fifth category (born in 2005 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 18 minutes for both compositions.

Sixth category (born in 2003 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 20 minutes for both compositions.

Seventh category (born in 2001 and younger)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 20 minutes for both compositions.

Eighth category (born in 2000)

Cyclic form: concerto, sonata, sonatina (choice of movements must be in accordance with given minutes), variations
One composition of your own choice.

Up to 25 minutes for both compositions.

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES:

Annotation for ensembles:

An ensemble can have from 2 to 9 performers.

The category is determined by the grade which the oldest member of the ensemble attends.

Classical chamber ensemble:

- String quartet (2 violins, viola and cello)

- Piano trio (piano, violin and cello)

- Piano quintet (piano, 2 violins, viola and cello)

Non-classical chamber ensemble:

- chamber ensembles which consist of at least one string instrument.

Categories for chamber ensembles:

First category (from 1^st to 3^rd grade of primary school)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 7 minutes)

Second category (from 4^th to 6^th grade of primary school)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 10 minutes)

Third category (secondary music school students)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 15 minutes)

Fourth category (university students)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 20 minutes)

STRING ORCHESTRA:

Annotation for orchestras:

- an orchestra has to consist of at least 10 members;

- an orchestra performs with a conductor;

- piano accompaniment is allowed;

- if the school does not have viola and double bass students, violists or double bass players do not have to be members of an orchestra;

- orchestra can be made of primary and secondary school students (if you do not have enough members in either primary or secondary school). This mixed orchestra will compete in the second category (category for orchestras from secondary schools).

Categories for string orchestras:

First category (orchestras from primary schools)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 15 minutes)

Second category (orchestras from secondary schools)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 15 minutes)

Third category (orchestras consisting of university students)

Two compositions of your own choice (up to 20 minutes)

Annotation:

PERFORMERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO EXCEED THE TIME LIMITS.

IF PERFORMERS EXCEED THE TIME LIMIT, THE JURY HAS THE RIGHT TO STOP THE PERFORMANCE.

MEMBERS OF THE JURY:

Violin / Viola

Prof. Maja Jokanović -Faculty of Music, Belgade (Serbia)

Prof. Orfej Simić- Chamber Orchestra „Gustav Mahler“ Concertmaster, Kărntner Sinfonieorchester Concertmaster– Klagenfurt (Austria)

Prof. Ivan Otašević- Academy of Arts, Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Prof. Tim Skalar Demšar -RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Prof. Milan Čizmić - Music school ‘Josip Slavenski’, Novi Sad (Serbia)

Prof. Vladimir Vasiljević- Music school ‘Mokranjac, Belgrade (Serbia)

Prof. Erhan Šukri -DMBUC ‘Ilija Nikolovski – Luj’, Skopje (North Macedonia)

Prof. Ivana Topalović – Music school ‘Josip Slavenski’– Belgrade (Serbia)

Cello

Prof. Srđan Sretenović -Faculty of Music, Belgade (Serbia)

prof. Smiljan Mrčela – Academy of Music – Zagreb (Croatia)

prof. Božidar Pejić - DMBUC ‘Ilija Nikolovski – Luj’, Skopje ( North Macedonia)

Prof. Danijela Milutinović -Music school ‘Dr Vojislav Vučković’, Belgrade (Serbia)

Prof. Dejan Mitrović -Music school ‘Stanković’, Belgrade (Serbia)

Chamber ensembles and String Orchestras

Prof. Maja Jokanović -Faculty of Music, Belgade ( Serbia)

Prof. Orfej Simić- Chamber Orchestra „Gustav Mahler“ Concertmaster, Kărntner Sinfonieorchester Concertmaster– Klagenfurt (Austria)

Prof. Ivan Otašević- Academy of Arts, Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Prof. Tim Skalar Demšar -RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana ( Slovenia)

Prof. Erhan Šukri -DMBUC ‘Ilija Nikolovski – Luj’, Skopje (North Macedonia)

prof. Smiljan Mrčela- Academy of Music – Zagreb (Croatia)

AWARDING:

TEACHERS/PROFESSORS, WHOSE PUPILS/STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPETITION, CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION AFTER THE AWARDS ARE GIVEN.

The jury will mark candidates in the following way:

First Prize from 95.00 to 100.00 points

Second Prize from 85.00 to 94.99 points

Third Prize from 75.00 to 84.99 points

Honorable Mention from 65.00 to 74.99 points.

If two participants have the same number of points, advantage will be given to the younger one.

For every category the jury awards Special First Prize (The winner of the category)

The jury can announce an absolute winner of the Competition: Laureate among all primary schools, Laureate among all secondary schools and Laureate among all academies.

LAUREATE OF THE ENTIRE COMPETITION – AWARD OF PROF. DEJAN MIHAILOVIĆ

The competition of string players ‘Golden steps’, whose aim is first of all to recognize, systematically monitor and improve young talented string players, is a realization of a wish of Dejan Mihailović. During many decades of outstanding professional engagement Prof. Dejan Mihailović insisted on the importance of creativity, performing individuality, uniqueness and expressive interpretation as essential values of a musician. ‘Golden steps’, the name for a collection of miniatures for young violinists, whose author was professor Živorad Grbić, inspired professor Mihailović to give the competition this symbolic name as it suggests a road of dedication, love and determination that every artist must take during his creative development and a road which is fully recognizable in the form of this competition.

As a person who has dedicated his whole life to research and to stimulating creativity, Prof. Mihailović is certainly the brains behind the idea that was growing in the minds of Valjevo’s string players and which came to life through the first ‘Golden Steps’ in May 2016 . For that reason the award, Laureate of the Entire Competition, will bear his name.

Other awards:

The jury will announce:

-THE BEST PEDAGOGUE

-THE BEST PIANO ACCOMPANIST

SUPPORTING PROGRAMME OF THE COMPETITION:

Master class - violin: Prof. Marko Josifovski (Belgrade, Serbia)

Master class - cello: Prof. Smiljan Mrčela (Zagreb, Croatia)

Exhibition of instruments: Artistic workshop “Tarisio”

The concert of Laureate of the entire competition and announcing the ablosute winner of the competition

THE COMPETITION TAKES PLACE IN:

Music school ‘Živorad Grbić’ – Valjevo, 122 Karadjordjeva Street, Valjevo (Google maps, OpenStreet maps)

Valjevo Grammar school, 3 Vuka Karadžića Street, Valjevo (Google maps, OpenStreet maps)

APPLYING:

Deadline

1^st May 2024

This competition is in the Calendar of competitions for primary schools in Serbia in the school year 2023/ 2024.

Application links:

Soloist

Chamber Ensembles

String orchestras

Important note for registering the Orchestra:
after filling out the online Application, it is necessary to send a list of district members by e-mail!
The template for the list (in .XLS format) can be downloaded from: List of orchestra members

You can check the list of registered participants at THIS LINK.

DONATION:

Donation for soloist:

Junior, First, Second and Third category: 40 €.

Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth category: 45 €.

Donation for chamber ensemble:

First and Second category: 45 €.

Third and Fourth category: 50 €.

Donation for orchestra:

First and Second category: 45 €.

Third category: 50 €.

For participants from abroad: additional information about payment can be requested via e-mail ___

Additional annotation:

There will be no refunds in case of cancellations.

How to pay the donation if more than one member of a family (brothers or sisters) are applying:

1^st child - full sum of the donation

2^nd child - 50% of the donation

3^rd child - free of charge

Participants, their teachers and piano accompanists bear the cost of their travel and stay during the competition.

Deadline for payment: 15 May 2024.

ENGAGING PIANO ACCOMPANIST:

Participants can engage our professional accompanist. That must be noted in the application form. In that case, the music sheets partituras have to be sent to our music school by post or by email to the accompanist no later than 1^st May 2024.

Additional information about fees and rehearsals:

Darјa Samofalova (e-mail: ___)