Llíria will celebrate its more than two centuries of musical training with the I Llíria “City of Music” International Orchestra Conducting Competition. It will be held on 12-17 July 2021, and will be the first major musical competition, open to participants from all over the world, that the Edetan city hosts as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities of Music Network; it will further feature the participation of several cities of said network. The aim of the Competition is to discover and promote young conductors from all over the world, while at the same time positioning Llíria internationally as a leading centre in musical training. Through cooperation with different Creative Cities, it is intended to foster collaboration and the exchange of knowledge between different countries, mainly in the field of musical training. The fourth of the Sustainable Development Goals is thus favoured: Quality Education. The Competition is supported by the Spanish Association of Orchestra Conductors.
The competition is open to participants of any nationality, whose age does not exceed 35 years on April 27, 2021.
FIRST PRIZE
€ 5,000 and accrediting diploma awarded by the Llíria City Council.
Likewise, the person awarded the first prize may be invited to conduct the collaborating orchestras of the competition throughout the two seasons following that of the announcement of each edition.
In addition, this person will be able to receive a consultancy for one year from a prestigious manager.
SECOND PRIZE
€ 1,500 and accrediting diploma awarded by the Spanish Association of Orchestra Conductors (AESDO).
THIRD PRIZE
€ 1,000 and accrediting diploma awarded by the Spanish Association of Orchestra Conductors (AESDO).
SPECIAL AWARD AESDO
€ 1,000 awarded by the Spanish Association of Orchestra Conductors (AESDO).
Likewise, the AESDO member who obtains the best overall classification of the contest may collaborate with the orchestras established in each call for entries throughout the two seasons following those of each edition.
The AESDO award is compatible with any of the above awards
SPECIAL POPULAR PRIZE
A prize will also be awarded for determining the audience’s favourite conductor, selected by popular vote.
The jury will be made up of great batons of recognized trajectory and international prestige, such as Manuel Galduf, conductor of the Orquesta de Valencia; John Carewe, Professor at the Royal Academy London; Virginia Martínez, conductor of the Orquesta de Múrcia, Francisco Coll, composer; Carlos Razuelo, Professor at the Universities of Florida and Louisiana; José Maria Moreno, conductor of the Orquesta de Málaga and Andrés Salado, conductor of the Orquesta de Extremadura. The composition of the jury is still open and will be completed in the coming weeks.
The Competition will consist of four phases. The 25 candidates selected in the first phase will have to conduct the ‘Ensemble Llíria City of Music’. As the young conductors pass tests, they will have to conduct a work for a string orchestra, a work accompanying a soloist, a contemporary work and a symphonic repertoire. The final phase, scheduled for July 16 and 17, will consist of an individually qualified rehearsal and concert.
The repertoire includes works by Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Coll, and Beethoven. As a great incentive, the Competition will commission a premiere play.
The competition can be followed via streaming from all over the planet in its final stages and will have the largest public presence allowed by health regulations when the contest is held.
Among the orchestras that have already confirmed their collaboration in the I Llíria City of Music International Competition are: Spanish National Orchestra, RTVE Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta de Valencia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Región de Murcia, Oviedo Filarmonía and the Orquesta de Extremadura.
Within the Special Prize AESDO are included as collaborators the Joven Orquesta Sinfónica de la FSMCV, Harmonie Ensemble, Orquesta ESMAR, Orquesta Joven de Extremadura and Orquesta de Jóvenes de la Región de Murcia.
The contest rules will be published at www.lliriacityofmusic.es as well as at www.aesdo.com.
