2013 PHILIPPINE ELIMINATIONS FOR SING N JOY MANILA Contest Mechanics

Backgrounder Since 2007, Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) has held a choral competition as part of its Paskong Pinoy festivities. The first edition was a Childrens Choir Competition featuring school groups from Metro Manila In 2008, the contest expanded to include an Open Category for groups with members above the age of 14. And in 2009, we began drawing participants from various parts of the country in what has been premised as a nationwide choral contest. This year, MBC is partnering with Interkultur Germany (organizers of the World Choir Games) and the Philippine Choral Directors Association in mounting an international choral competition called Sing N Joy Manila, to be held at the Aliw Theater complex on December 11-15, 2013. The event is open to interested choirs from all over the world, and features competitive categories for non-professional ensembles in the classical, folkloric, pop-jazz, and sacred music genres. Friendship concerts and workshops under top choral directors Kirby Shaw (USA) and Jonathan Velasco (Philippines) are also included in the programme. Bronze, Silver, and Gold Certificates will be awarded in each category, with the choirs that earn the highest scores taking part in the Grand Prix, where the over-all winner will receive USD 5,000 and the championship trophy. Eligibility

The competition shall be according to the categories and mechanics set forth by Interkultur (see: http://www.interkultur.com/competitions-festivals/internationalcompetitions/singnjoy-manila/manila-2013/); A choir may represent a school, parish, district, company, agency, or interest group; A chorister can only participate in one choir; Choral conductors may only conduct one choir each in the childrens and open categories, that qualify for the competition proper; No child conductor is allowed.

How choirs based in the Philippines can participate Participation by Philippine choirs may either be through direct application with Interkultur, or upon invitation by Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC); MBC will invite grand champions of the MBC National Choral Competitions held in 20072012, and will conduct a qualifying audition round at the Aliw Theater, Star City Complex, Pasay, on August 10 and 11, 2013; Along with the official endorsement of the ensembles to Interkultur, MBC will subsidize each choirs participation fee of P1,000 per head, up to a maximum of 25 members per chorale. Should a choirs membership exceed this number, the additional fee per head shall be paid by the choir. MBC shall likewise subsidize the competition fee of USD 150 for each choir in its primary category of choice. Should the choir wish to take part in more than one (1) category, the group must shoulder the additional cost.

Requirements for the MBC audition Jury

Choirs that will audition for the available qualifier slots for subsidized participation should secure a registration form from www.mbcradio.net, and submit this via email to siouxstar@gmail.com before the day of the audition, Choirs who pre-register via email shall be given a scheduled time for their audition. Walkin auditionees may be accommodated on first-come, first-served basis, after the choirs previously scheduled have had their turn . Each choir is required to sing three songs within 12 minutes -- one liturgical or classical composition; one regional/folk number; and one novelty piece. There must be at least one work by a Filipino composer, one by a foreign composer, and one by a living composer. All choirs must bring three clear copies of each of their songs, duly filed in clear folders for the jurys use. These must be submitted at the registration desk upon arrival at the Aliw Theater lobby. The sheet music may be claimed at the end of the daily audition. Accompaniment, if any, is limited to one acoustic instrument either piano, guitar, or other instrument specified by the score. Use of any electronic instrument or recorded accompaniment is not allowed.

The jury for the qualifying audition will be composed of people of recognised repute in the music and artistic world (including education and music criticism). The judges decisions will be final and irrevocable.

Criteria for Judging Musicality 70% Presentation (including costumes and choreography) 20% Audience Impact 10% Penalties - Any choral group exceeding the time limit allotted for their performance will be penalized as follows: Less than one (1) minute over time allotted 1% subtracted from total cumulative score of all judges One (1) to two (2) minutes over time allotted 2% subtracted from total cumulative score of all judges More than two (2) minutes over time allotted 3% subtracted from total cumulative score of all judges Prizes at Stake As prize for each successful qualifier, MBC shall cover their participation fees for Sing N Joy Manila, amounting to P1,000 per chorister, for a maximum of 25 choristers, along with the competition fee of USDOLS 150 for their primary category of choice