Competition Regulations
1. APPLICATION PROCEDURES
1.1. The competition is organized by the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.
1.2. The competition organizers hold the rights to publish information and photos included in the applications and its appendices (excluding passport data) and to publish the competition results. The competition organizers hold the rights to broadcast the competition proceedings on the Internet.
1.3. Singers, born no earlier than October 14, 1993 (female) and October 14, 1990 (male), are eligible for participation in the competition.
1.4. The application must be submitted by August 1, 2025, completing the application form HERE and e-mailing the attachments to vocal.competition@jvlma.lv
1.5. The application must include:
- creative biography (1000-1300 symbols);
- high resolution photo of the applicant in jpeg format ( ~ 0.5 MB);
- a scan or a copy of a bank document, confirming the registration fee transfer in the amount of EUR 130.00;
- musical scores for Rounds I and II in the appropriate tonalities.
1.6. The application form must be completed in its entirety and all attachments must be e-mailed. If the application package is incomplete, the organizer has the right to exclude the applicant from the list of competitors.
1.7. The organizer has the right to request addition information from the applicants. The list of applicants will be published on the webpage of the competition www.vitolakonkurss.lv and the webpage of Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music www.jvlma.lv
1.8. Upon arrival, the competitors will be required to produce their passports or identification cards, proving their dates of birth.
1.9. The competition organizers hold the rights to broadcast the competition proceedings on the Internet. The candidates agree without remuneration to the recording of the competition for any uses on radio, television and the Internet, live, recorded or in streaming with the exception of commercial exploitation.
1.10. Citizens of the Russian Federation are eligible to participate in the competition, if they can confirm and prove that they have not resided in the Russian Federation since August 2020. The Republic of Latvia condemns the war of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
2. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
2.1. The registration fee in the amount of EUR 130.00 must be transferred to the bank account indicated below. The proof of bank transfer must be included in the application document package. If the participation fee is covered by another individual or legal entity, the proof of bank transfer must include the applicant's name and surname.
2.2. If the participation fee is not received until August 1, 2025, the application is forfeit.
2.3. In the case of applicant's non-participation, the participation fee is not reimbursed.
2.4. Banking details:
Jazepa Vitola Latvijas Muzikas akademija
Address: K. Barona Street 1, Riga, LV-1050
Reg. No. LV90000028796
Bank: State Treasury
SWIFT: TRELLV22
Account number: LV97 TREL 9154 3910 0000 0
2.5. The competition organizers do not cover travel and accommodation costs for the participants,
3. COMPETITION REPERTOIRE
3.1. The selected repertoire must be indicated in the application form.
3.2. All competitors must participate in all events of the competition that they qualify for.
3.3. The order of performance will be established by drawing of lots on October 7, 14.00 at the Jāzeps Mediņš Riga 1st Music School. The order will remain valid in all rounds of the competition. If the participant or his dedicated representative fails to appear at the drawing of lots and does not forewarn the organizers, the participant is excluded from the competition.
3.4. Upon arrival, the competitors will be required to produce passports or identification cards, proving their dates of birth.
3.5. Competition repertoire:
Round I (6 – 10 minutes)*
- Two arias of participant's choice. If the indicated duration is exceeded, the jury has the right to interrupt the performance. The jury has the right to limit the performance to one of the two arias.
Round II (15 - 20 minutes)*
- One of the following songs by Jāzeps Vītols (transposition of songs is allowed):
Aizver actiņas un smaidi (lyrics by J. Poruks), Bakhanteņu dziesma (lyrics by Aspazija), Biķeris miroņu salā (lyrics by J. Poruks), Jūras meita un saules vainadziņš (lyrics by E. Stērste), Klausies, spulgacīt! (lyrics by E. Zeibots), Laimīte (lyrics by K. Jēkabsons), Laimīte zaļumos (lyrics by F. Bārda), Man prātā stāv vēl klusa nakts (lyrics by Valdis), Mana kokle (lyrics by M. Johansons), Maria (lyrics by A. Brigadere), Mirdzas dziesma (lyrics by Aspazija), Orhidejas sapnis (lyrics by F. Bārda), Piano (lyrics by K. Skalbe), Pie tava augstā baltā loga (lyrics by J. Poruks), Sapņu tālumā (lyrics by Aspazija), Satumsa nakts (lyrics by A. Saulietis), Smejošie ūdeņi (lyrics by A. Frīdenbergs), Tevi mīlēju (lyrics by J. Purkalītis), Vējš (lyrics by K. Skalbe), Zvaigznes (lyrics by J. Jaunsudrabiņš), Zvejnieces dziesma (lyrics by F. Bārda), Karalis un bērzlapīte (lyrics by F. Bārda).
- Two arias of competitor's choice:
- aria of the baroque or classical periods;
- aria composed from the romantic epoch to modern days.
- Original song by a composer from the participant's home country.
Round III
- Two arias of participant's choice from operas of two different composers – one of the arias must be extensive and include a recitative.
*The indicated duration relates to the actual performance time and does not include the participant's coming to and going from the stage.
3.6. All arias and songs must be performed in their original languages.
3.7. The pieces may not be repeated.
3.8. All arias and songs must be performed from memory.
3.9. All arias must be performed in their original tonalities. The songs may be transposed.
3.10. The musical scores (orchestra score and parts) must be approved with the organizers until August 15, 2025. The competitor is responsible for providing the scores to the orchestra, if the scores prove to be unavailable at the libraries of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and/or the Latvian National Opera and Ballet.
4. COMPETITION SCHEDULE
4.1. The competition takes place in three rounds:
- Round I at the J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School (Kronvalda Boulevard 8, Riga);
- Round II at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (Kr. Barona Street 1, Riga);
- Round III at the Latvian National Opera (Aspazijas Boulevard 3, Riga) with the Latvian Festival Orchestra conducted by Kaspars Ādamsons.
4.2. No more than 25 participants advance to Round II.
4.3. No more than 6 participants advance to Round III.
4.4. The decisions of the jury are beyond dispute. The jury has the right not to award some of the prizes and to award prizes ex aequo.
4.5. The performance order determined by the drawing of lots will remain valid in all rounds of the competition.
4.6. A 20-minute rehearsal with an accompanist and a 7-minute acoustic rehearsal at the Great Hall of the J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School will be provided to each participant on October 7, 2025. The schedule of rehearsals will be distributed to the participants after the registration of all applications and until August 10, 2025.
4.7. A 30-minute rehearsal with an accompanist and a 10-minute acoustic rehearsal at the Great Hall of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music will be provided to each participant of Round II on October 10, 2025. The rehearsals will take place in the order of performance.
4.8. A 30-minute rehearsal with the Festival Orchestra on October 12, 2025 and a 15-minute acoustic rehearsal at the Latvian National Opera on October 13, 2025 will be provided to each participant of Round III. The rehearsals will take place in the order of performance.
4.9. If the participant has requested an accompanist for Round I in the application form, a 20-minute rehearsal with an accompanist, a 7-minute acoustic rehearsal at the Great Hall of the J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School and a 10-minute rehearsal on the day of performance at a rehearsal space is provided. If the participant advances to Round II, a 30-minute rehearsal with an accompanist at a rehearsal space, a 10-minute acoustic rehearsal at the Great Hall of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, and a 15-minute rehearsal on the day of performance at a rehearsal space is provided. The same number of rehearsals is provided to the participants who employ their own accompanists.
October 7
J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School
13.00-14.30 – Registration of participants and drawing of lots
15.00-21.00 – Rehearsals for Round I
October 8
J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School
10.00 – Round I
October 9
J. Mediņš Riga 1st Music School
10.00 – Round I
October 10
Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music
9.00 – 13.30 – Rehearsals for Round II
October 11
Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music
10.00 – Round II
October 12
Spīķeri Concert Hall
10.00 – Rehearsals with orchestra for Round III
October 13
Latvian National Opera and Ballet
10.00 – Acoustic rehearsals for Round III
13.00 – Round III
17.30 – Awards Ceremony
Prizes and Awards
- Grand prix EUR 4500 and the title of laureate
- First Prize EUR 3500 and the title of laureate
- Second Prize EUR 2500 and the title of laureate
- Third Prize EUR 2000 and the title of laureate
- The jury has the right to award a prize for the best performance of a composition by J. Vītols
- The jury has the right to bestow other special prizes and awards
- Best Accompanist Award – EUR 500
- Special Award – A finalist, selected by the artistic management of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, will be offered the opportunity to participate in one of the events of the Latvian National Opera season.
Round I Jury Members
Aira Rūrāne – JVLMA, associated professor, Head of Vocal Department
Andžella Goba – JVLMA, associated professor, Vocal Department
Zigrīda Krīgere – JVLMA, docent, Vocal Department
Viesturs Gailis – JVLMA, professor, Artistic Director of the Opera Studio "Figaro"
Roberts Hansons – JVLMA, guest lecturer, Vocal Department
Krišjānis Norvelis – JVLMA, guest lecturer, Vocal Department, soloist of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet
Round II and III Jury Members
Marina Rebeka – Jury Chairwoman
Jury members:
Aira Rūrāne – JVLMA, associated professor, Head of Vocal Department
Ilze Sprancmane - LNOB Casting Director
Axel Kohler – Artistic Director of the Halle Opera House, countertenor
Christophe Ghristi – Artistic Director of Opéra national du Capitole de Toulouse