For Participants

The Contest for Vocal Ensembles will be held by the City of Tampere on 11–12 June 2025.

All accompanied and a cappella vocal ensembles with 3 to 8 singers, both professional and non-professional, are invited to participate in the Contest. Ensembles should perform one singer per part and must perform without a conductor. The accompanying group, if any, must not have more than five (5) members.

The Contest is divided into two rounds: the qualifying round based on recordings submitted by the ensembles and the final round held at the Tampere Vocal Music Festival. The Contest is divided into two categories: 1) ensembles performing acoustically; and 2) ensembles performing with electronic amplification. The organiser of the Contest will decide on the number of ensembles accepted for the final round in each category.

To enter the qualifying round, fill in the online entry form that will be available on the Tampere Vocal Music Festival website tamperevocal.fi from 7 to 31 January 2025. The recordings submitted for the qualifying round must be attached to the entry form as audio files. Entrants are free to choose their repertoire but must submit exactly three (3) pieces of music, at least one of which must be performed a cappella. Contest entries must be received no later than 31 January 2025. Entries received after the deadline will be disqualified.

The following must be attached to the online entry form:

● Recordings for the qualifying round in three (3) audio files (one piece per file), format: MP3 or WAV, maximum size of each file 5 MB
● CV or presentation of the ensemble
● Photo of the ensemble (resolution minimum 300 dpi, a horizontal photo: image width minimum 2000 px) and name of the photographer. The organiser shall have the right to use the photo submitted with the entry form in the printed matter and marketing materials of the Festival and on the Festival website.

All ensembles participating in the qualifying round will be informed of which ensembles have been accepted for the final round by 21 February 2025. The ensembles accepted do not have to perform the same programme in the final round as in the qualifying round. However, the programme for the final round must also include at least one piece performed a cappella. The programme must be no longer than 15 minutes from entrance to exit. The jury will pay special attention to the overall programme of each ensemble.

The concert hall will have a grand piano available, but any other accompanying instruments will have to be brought by the ensembles themselves. Background recordings must not be used in the final round. In the electronically amplified ensemble category, effect devices and loopers may be used, but only sounds produced by the singers live on stage may be processed. Pre-recorded samples are prohibited. Ensembles may bring their own technical equipment to the competition, and they may use their own sound engineer, but all instructions given by the organiser’s technical personnel must be complied with.

The ensembles accepted for the final round must submit the following material to the Tampere Vocal Music Festival office by 21 March 2025 as instructed separately:
● Programme for the final round in the order of performance: title, composer, lyricist, arranger
● Scores of the repertoire (5 copies of each piece)
Only legal sheet music may be used for the Contest – either published scores or copies of unpublished scores authorised by the composer and/or arranger.
If a piece forms part of a larger piece or published collection, authorised copies may be submitted.
The organiser reserves the right to inspect an ensemble’s sheet music during the event.
Scores sent will only be returned to the ensemble if requested during the Festival. Unclaimed scores will not be returned by mail after the Festival.
● If the ensemble has learned a song by ear or if for any other reason there is no written score, include a brief explanation of this in English on one A4 sheet (5 copies)
● Brief summary in English of any songs whose lyrics are not in English (5 copies of each)

The concluding concert of the Contest for Vocal Ensembles will be held on 12 June 2025 at 18:00. The jury will select the ensembles and pieces for this concert from among the final round performances. The jury is entitled to take performances at the concluding concert into account when deciding on how to distribute the prizes.

The participation fee for ensembles accepted for the final round will be EUR 200, to be paid as instructed separately. In case of cancellation, if notification is received by the Tampere Vocal Music Festival office after the due date for the participation fee, the fee will not be refunded. The participation fee includes a workshop led by the jury on 12 June 2025 from 10:00 to 13:00.

A total of EUR 10,000 will be given out as prizes and awards in the final round. Each ensemble will receive a diploma and a written assessment from the jury by mail after the festival.

The Contest will have an international five-member jury chaired by Jussi Chydenius (FI). Other members of the jury: Kim Nazarian (US), Susanna Lukkarinen (FI), Morten Vinther Sørensen (DK), John Potter (GB).

● By submitting an entry form, ensembles undertake to comply with and respect copyright.
● Participating ensembles are responsible for all their costs (including but not limited to travel, accommodation and meals).
● The organiser reserves the right to all radio and television broadcasts, audio and video recordings and photographing of all performances and the right to publish images, recordings and live streamed video online, in social media and in the Festival’s marketing materials, all without reimbursement to the participants.
● The official languages of the Contest are Finnish and English.