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Presentation

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the “Association pour le rayonnement des orgues Aristide Cavaillé-Coll de l’église Saint-Sulpice, à Paris” organizes an international composition competition, entitled #SaintSulpice2021, which will promote musical creation, youth and the instrumental heritage of the Saint-Sulpice church.

Organs & Creation

  • The Saint-Sulpice organs, exceptional instrumental heritage entered into history of musical creation
  • A composition contest organized by AROSS, with the participation of Sequenza 9.3
  • Involving the young generation of future professional musicians
  • Make the musical creation live after the competition

→ Read the full description of the project

https://www.ulysses-network.eu/competitions/saintsulpice-voices/

Description of the competition

Calls for applications

In September 2020, a call for applications will be made internationally, inviting composers to compose a work for great organ.
In January 2021, and subject to the funding obtained by that date, a call for applications may be made internationally, inviting composers to compose a work for organ and voices.

Category #1: work for great organ
The work will be a new creation composed by taking into account the specificities of the great organ of Saint-Sulpice: instrument’s composition, sonorities, balance, registration system.
Duration: 5 to 7 minutes.

Category #2: work for choir organ & voices
The work will be a new creation composed by taking into account the specificities of choir organ of Saint-Sulpice: instrument’s composition, sonorities, balance.
The composer will use a sacred text of his/her choice, in French or Latin, or one of the two texts proposed by AROSS in Exhibit 1.
Vocal ensemble: professional choir of 8 singers (2S, 2A, 2T, 2B). Writing: 1 to 8 solo voices, range of the choir: from e1 to c5.
Duration: 5 to 7 minutes.

Preselections

After registration and submission of the works, after a period of analysis and deliberation, the jury will select 4 works in each of the two categories.
Each member of the jury receives anonymized scores. The list of finalist composers is publicly announced to allow performers to work with composers.

Public final at Saint-Sulpice on November 21, 2021

The final will take place on November 21, 2021 at Saint-Sulpice.

At the great organ, Shin-Young Lee and Yoann Tardivel will perform two pieces each.
At the choir organ, Loriane Llorca, Constance Taillard, Ronan Chouinard and Louis Jullien will each perform a piece with the choir “Ensemble Sequenza 9.3” directed by Catherine Simonpietri.

Schedule
  Category 1
« Work for great organ »		 Category 2
« Work for choir organ & voices »
Call for applications
 September 10, 2020 January 27, 2021
Deadline for registration and submission of works May 15, 2021 August 1st, 2021
Eligibility confirmation May 22, 2021 August 8, 2021
Announcement of the pre-selected candidates whose works will be performed at the Final July 12,  2021 September 15, 2021
Public Final in Saint-Sulpice
& announcement of the results		 November 21, 2021

Prizes

For each of the two categories, the following prizes will be awarded:

First Prize: €4,000
Second Prize: €2,000
Audience Prize: €1,000
Internet users Prize: according to the donations made by Internet users during the Final

The First Prize, Category 2, will be named Prix de la Fondation Francis et Mica Salabert.

Broadcast of preselected works

Like our concerts, the performer’s performance will be broadcast on a large screen in the nave and live on the Internet on a 8,500 subscribers’ channel, allowing a large diffusion of the works.

Concert performances of winning works

Sequenza 9.3, Shin-Young Lee and Yoann Tardivel may perform the winning works in future concerts.

Jury

A prestigious international jury

The jury will be composed of:

  • Philippe Hersant, President of the jury, composer (France)
  • Martina Batič, Music Director of the Radio France Choir (Slovenia/France)
  • Estelle Lowry, Director of the Maison de la musique contemporaine (France)
  • Kaija Saariaho, composer (Finland)
  • Yves Castagnet, organist and composer (France)
  • Bernard Foccroulle, organist and composer (Belgium)
  • Thomas Lacôte, organist and composer (France)

Performers of the works during the final

Confirmed artists & emerging talents

Category 1: work for great organ

  • Shin-Young Lee
  • Yoann Tardivel

Category 2: work for choir organ & voices

  • Sequenza 9.3 vocal ensemble, directed by Catherine Simonpietri

At the choir organ:

  • Alma Bettencourt
  • Mélodie Michel
  • Alexis Grizard
  • Louis Jullien

Partners

Contact

Association pour le rayonnement des orgues Aristide Cavaillé-Coll de l’église Saint-Sulpice à Paris (AROSS)
Email: composition@aross.fr

Please note: The French version of the Rules shall have sole legal and official value.