WorldFestivalAssociation

                                                        I N V I T A T I O N

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:   15 February 2021
BROADCASTING OF FESTIVAL COMPETITION CONCERT BY NOMINATIONS:   15 - 31 March 2021
PUBLISHING OF ONLINE RESULTS:   31 March  2021
BROADCASTING OF AWARD CEREMONY:  31 March  2021
PLACE: Online Stage (Vienna, Austria)

The intention of our invitation  and the Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation trough dance and music.The idea of the Festival is to bring the music closer to the people and to present the music on the streets and the squares. 

Since the year 2021 International Competition and Festival of Arts, Music, Vocal, Dance and Folklore “VIENA STARS” is being newly launched in digital form as NEW ONLINE EDITION and invites participants from all over the world for distancing participation providing the chance to participate online without travelling abroad by sharing performances, by creating new alternative space and opportunities for participants to challenge their creativity, to show their skills and achievements to professional international Jury and to online audience, to come together on the new online platform, to establish new international friendly and creative contacts, to enrich the multinational culture on the basis of mutual respect for the cultural traditions of all the countries and nations of the world.

In the current difficult and unstable situation of social distancing, we realize how important is to show that we are still united and we are still believing in the power of Arts, Music, Dancing and Singing, with our desire to make contribution, whenever it is possible, to peace and arts, to promotion of different cultures, sharing experiences and creative achievements between the participants from different countries in any possible and available way.

We create a new way to bring all of our participants together - we create ONLINE FESTIVAL BRIDGES to re-connect all countries and nations. Art and culture knows no boundaries and restrictions. 

LET'S BE RE-CONNECTED!

Aims & goals:

• The main purpose of the online International Competition and Festival of Arts, Music, Vocal, Dance and Folklore "VIENNA MUSIC STARS 2021 // ONLINE EDITION " is to bring interesting young talents from all around the world together on the NEW digital platform without travelling abroad to present their skills and cultural traditions, to build collaboration among participating performers, to continue engaging with International festivals
• Possibility to get evaluation and Jury’s votes from the recognized members of the International Jury Committee and to win DIPLOMAS (in digital electronic form), gold, silver or bronze MEDALS AWARD CERTIFICATES (in digital electronic form) and LETTERS OF APPRECIATION (in digital electronic form)
• Popularization of performing arts and cultural traditions of all the countries and nations of the world
• Presentation of art groups and solo performers with an innovative and interactive way on the online platform
• Sharing experiences and creative achievements of participants from different countries
• Opportunity to bring together participants from all around the world

Members of the jury:

Famous Austrian and foreign professionals of culture and art are invited to the International Jury Committee.

General rules and regulations:

I. International Competition and Festival of Arts, Music, Vocal, Dance and Folklore “VIENNA MUSIC STARS-  ONLINE EDITION” is determined for soloists, ensembles and art groups of young performers from different countries of the world.

Procedure of participation:

• The competition and festival is held in the form of online competition and festival with distancing participation in one round. The competition takes place in form of video submission.
• Applications start being received from the Opening Date for Applications and will close at the Deadline Date for accepting application.
• Creative art groups, ensembles, teams, music and art schools, cultural centres and institutions, as well as soloists and small forms (duets, trios and groups up to 7 persons) who have timely and properly applied and paid the registration fee are allowed to participate in the online competition and festival.
• The competitive program of the participants is approved by the Organizing Committee on the basis of applications received and paid before the official deadline date. 
• Applications should be applied with filling in all compulsory details of performer(s) in REPERTOIRE LIST and being used for issuing the official Diplomas and Medals Award Certificates. Art leaders, art directors, conductors, teachers, accompanists will be granted by the Diplomas of Appreciation.  
• For distancing participation it is compulsory to send the link to the short video performance to Organizing Committee (see more information in TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS).
• All selected for competitive and festival program video performances are evaluated by the International Jury Committee, represented by internationally acknowledged cultural and art workers, according to the 10-points evaluation system (see more information in CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION AND JURY POINTS).
• The members of International Jury Committee review and evaluate the competitive performances in online form. The Jury evaluates proficiency and skills, mastery of technique, artistry, originality of interpretation and costumes, difficulty and choice of the repertoire and its compliance with the age and capabilities of the performer, stage presence and audience impact. No appeals may be lodged against the decisions of the jury.
• THE OFFICIAL RESULTS of the online competition and festival “VIENNA MUSIC STARS  2021 / ONLINE EDITION” with JURY OPEN VOTES will be published in 10 working days after the Deadline Date for Applications. The Jury members have no right to disclose the results of the online competition and festival before their official announcement.
• All participants should prepare and send the link to their short video recording of competitive and festival program with Repertoire of free choice within the time limits specified below:

SOLOISTS / DUETS – 1 short video performance up to 5 minutes long
SMALL FORMATIONS (up to 7 persons) – 1 short video performance up to 7 minutes long
ENSEMBLES AND ART GROUPS (up to 14 persons) – 1 short video performance up to 8 minutes long
ENSEMBLES AND ART GROUPS (15 and more persons) – 1 short video performance up to 10 minutes long
FINE ARTS & CRAFTS – 1-2 works (photos or scans / see more details in in TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS)

• OFFICIAL AWARD CEREMONY includes the publishing of the whole online competition by competitive disciplines on the official YouTube channel of organizers as well as the OFFICIAL RESULTS with OPEN JURY VOTES.

Age categories:

• Mini kids - from 6 to 8 years
• Children - from 9 to 12 years
• Juniors 1 - from 13 to 15 years
• Juniors 2 – from 16 to 18 years
• Adults 1 – from 19 years to 25 years
• Adults 2 – from 26 years and older
• Seniors – from 50 years and older
• Mixed grous 
• Profi (professionals)

Competitive and festival disciplines:

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC  / ALL KINDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (classical music, chamber music, folk, jazz, contemporary, modern, pop and other genres / piano, string instruments, woodwinds and brass instruments, percussions, folk and national instruments, electronic instruments, instrumental ensembles, orchestras, chamber ensembles, symphonic bands and other)

VOCAL ART (classical, opera, musical, choral, folk, jazz, pop, rock, show groups, others)

DANCE / CHOREOGRAPHY (ballet, folk, ethno, modern, jazz, pop, contemporary, free plastic, break dance, street dance, hip hop, children's dance, sport dance, ballroom dance, etc.)

THEATRE / DRAMATIC ART (drama, musicals, puppetry, theatrical miniatures, fragments from plays, recitation, etc.)

FOLKLORE (folk and ethnographic groups and soloists)

FASHION AND DESIGN (fashion designers, fashion houses, theatres of fashion)

ORIGINAL GENRE / CIRCUS / ACROBATIC PERFORMANCES

VISUAL ART AND CRAFTS (painting, graphics, drawing, etc.)

Evaluation criteria:

The jury evaluates the skills of the participants during the competitive performance in each competitive discipline and in each age category in accordance with the 10-points evaluation system:
up to 6.9 points – Diploma of Participation

7-7.9 points – Laureate of the 3rd degree

8-8.9 points – Laureate of the 2nd degree

9-9.9 points – Laureate of the 1st degree

10 points and more from all JURY MEMBERS – GRAND PRIX WINNER

According to the Results, duplication of prize places is allowed (two or more third places, two or more second ones, etc.). The JURY may divide the prize places and title of Laureate (1st / 2nd / 3rd Degree) among several participants, and also not award it to anyone in a particular competitive discipline. The JURY has the right not to award the title of GRAND PRIX in a particular competitive discipline, based on the number of performers and the level of performing skills.  The JURY has the right to award SPECIAL JURY PRIZE as well.

Participation fee:

• Soloists - 15 Euro / for 1 video performance in one discipline
• Duets - 20 Euro / for 1 video performance in one discipline
• Trio / quartets - 25 Euro / for 1 video performance in one discipline
• Small formations (up to 7 persons) - 30 Euro / for 1 video performance in one discipline
• Ensembles and art groups (8 persons and more) - 35 Euro / for 1 video performance in one discipline

*Every video performance will be awarded by 1 DIPLOMA and by 1 MEDAL AWARD CERTIFICATE.
FOR GROUPS, ENSEMBLES and SMALL FORMATIONS:
PERSONAL DIPLOMA for every member of art group or collective – extra 5 EURO / participant
PERSONAL MEDAL AWARD CERTIFICATE for every member of art group or collective – extra 5 EURO / participant.  

Awards:

According to the average score of the collected evaluation points from ALL JURY MEMBERS, all participants will be awarded DIPLOMAS OF PARTICIPATION with DIPLOMANT DEGREE, DIPLOMAS OF LAUREATE of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd DEGREE, DIPLOMA OF GRAND PRIX WINNER as well as gold, silver and bronze MEDAL AWARD CERTIFICATES.

IMPORTANT: All Diplomas and Medal Award Certificates for distance participation are issued and sent to participants in DIGITAL ELECTRONIC form only.  

Main technical requirements:

• All video performances should be recorded as live performance in one space (at home, on stage, in class, auditorium or other proper place).
• Video recordings from other festivals or competitions dated for years 2019/2020 are permitted only on condition if video is uploaded exclusively by the performer(s) and on condition that the creative property of the video remains on the performer(s).
• Participants are responsible for compliance with the copyrights and related rights as well as for the settlement of ownership on all sound tracks / phonograms they use in their video for the competitive program. By submitting their video performances at the online competition and festival VIENNA MUSIC STARS 2021 / ONLINE EDITION, participants agree to their free publication, public display, broadcast or other transmission, unless otherwise agreed with the organizers on an individual basis at the time of application.
• All video recordings must be of horizontal filming with high quality and high resolution of at least 720 pixels, without any acoustic interference.  
• All video recordings are recommended be taken on a static camera using tripod to eliminate the effect of “shaking hands”. Videos taken on mobile phone are allowed only in high quality.
• All videos must have homogenous background if possible and sufficient lighting.      
• All videos must be without signs of editing and stitching of frames.
• Each video must contain only one separate competitive performance.
• All video performances registered for competitive program of online competition and festival “VIENNA  STARS 2021 / ONLINE EDITION” must be published on any of the file hosting sites (YouTube, Google Drive, etc.), MUST HAVE OPEN ACCESS without viewing restrictions and with storage period of AT LEAST 30 DAYS FROM THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS.

Special requirements for competitive disciplines:

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC / ALL KINDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS:

During the video performance face and hands of performer as well as instrument must be clearly seen. Formal black-white dress code or concert costume is obligatory.

Performance must be recorded “live” or if necessary, the accompaniment could be launched on some sound device (for example, on portable speaker, laptop, etc).

The use of sound amplifiers is allowed on condition of performing competitive program on electronic instruments.

VOCALS:
The participants in the competitive discipline "VOCAL ART" must perform “live” or use only the "minus" soundtrack. It is forbidden to use the "plus" soundtrack.

The use of microphones is allowed only without using of mixers and amplifiers.

DANCE / CHOREOGRAPHY:

Video performance must catch general plan with visible entire choreographic layout.

VISUAL ART & CRAFTS:

The participants must submit photographs or scans of one-two pieces in JPEG format. The total file size should not exceed 10 MB. Competitive materials in this discipline must be placed in any file or cloud storage or could be sent by email to Organizing Committee after submitting the Application. Photos of both competitive works must be located at the same link or must be sent to email in one file with indicated NAME of participant.

Important conditions and obligations:

1. Once all payments of Participation Fees have been made, no refund will be given for any reason.
2. All materials (audio, video and printed materials) created in the frames of online competition, the Organizers consider their property, have the right to use and distribute information at their discretion without paying fees to the participants.
3. The responsibility for settling copyright issues for the sound tracks / music used for performances rests with the participants of the competition. Please note that the music used must be allowed for free use in all countries of the world (or the participant must be transferred the rights to use it).
4. In the case of performing technically complex elements, working with electrical appliances, etc. responsibility for life and health, safety assurance rests with the parents of the minor participant. The safety of adult participants is ensured by them independently.

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Reviews from the groups: 

This festival has review of 7 groups and average estimation is VERY GOOD - 8,6/10