Applications are open for the Dutch Harp Festival’s new World Harp Competition, and the deadline is on September 15th, 2017. The DHF World Harp Competition is a new format of international harp competition, set to accompany the Dutch Harp Festival’s upcoming fifth anniversary edition in May, 2018. Unlike previous competitions, the DHF World Harp Competition is open to all types of harps and styles of music and allows participates complete freedom to design their own programs.
The competition will consist of three rounds and is centered around a single, free-choice “original program.” For the quarterfinals, instead of preparing a list of set competition pieces, competitors are asked to pitch their program idea to a jury of talent scouts. These program pitches will take place at three regional locations in January, 2018: New York, Hong Kong, and Utrecht. Candidates who are selected for the semifinals will then be invited to perform their complete program as part of the Dutch Harp Festival in May, 2018, all expenses included. Three finalists will be featured in a final gala concert, before the grand prize winner is announced.
Previous winners of the Dutch Harp Competition include Noël Wan, USA; Amandine Carbuccia, France; Juliana Myslov, UK; and Emmanuel Padilla Holguín, Mexico.
DHF World Harp Competition Requirements
Application
- Deadline 23:59 (CET) on 15 September 2017
- Visit the competition website for the full list of application materials.
- Submitted audio recordings will be reviewed during a preliminary round.
Quarterfinals
- Present a 15-minute pitch of an original program.
- The pitch must be presented in English and must include at least 10 minutes of performance on a harp.
- The purpose of the original program pitch is to give the scouting jury a clear idea of what may be expected from the contestant if they are admitted to the semifinals, and to select the most compelling all-around artists for inclusion in the festival program. Contestants are therefore encouraged to design a program which best characterizes them as a musician and depicts their artistic vision.
- Contestants are permitted to distribute supporting material as part of their pitch, if they choose, but are limited to one item per contestant. Examples of supporting material are program notes or flyers.
Semifinals
- Present a 45-minute original program as part of the Dutch Harp Festival program, in May 2018.
- The original program must feature the contestant playing the harp. Otherwise, the entire design of the program—repertoire, style, theme, staging, instrumentation, etc.—is free for the contestant to create.
- The original program can include collaboration with other musicians/artists.
Finals
- The finals will take place in the form of a gala concert, as part of the festival. During this concert, the three finalists will each be given a turn to present the highlights of their original program.
- The purpose of the finals is to showcase the three most outstanding contestants and for the competition jury to assign 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes.
For more information visit harpfestival.nl.
