Procedure of a competition

The competition takes place every two years and consists of a pre-selection as well as the main and final rounds.

1. Preselection

Together with the registration forms, personally recorded sound and image material (not a pure audio recording) must be submitted up to about 6 weeks before the main round. The repertoire required is a recitative and an aria of free choice by Johann Sebastian Bach. Only the mandatory repertoire of the main round and the final is excluded.

The pre-selection committee selects the participants of the main round from all applicants. You will be notified by mid-May and invited to Greifswald.

2. Main round

In June, on the weekend immediately before the Greifswald Bach Week, the main round of the competition takes place. The venue is usually the Cathedral of St. Nikolai.

The accreditation of the participants takes place on Friday morning. On this day, rehearsals with the répétiteurs are planned. The répétiteurs are provided by the organizer, but can also be brought by the participants (no remuneration claim by the organizer).

The competition rounds are open to the public. All participants have the opportunity to practice and sing in on site.

On Friday evening there is a small city tour and a meal together.

Saturday is determined by the competition entries of the participants. After vocal groups, the evaluation singing takes place from the morning to the evening.

The jury will announce the finalists on this evening and will then be available for consultations.

3. Final

The final will take place on Sunday evening in Greifswald Cathedral St. Nikolai. In this round, the participants will be accompanied by the orchestra of the Greifswald Bach Week.  The programme includes an aria from the opening concert of the Greifswald Bach Week. The finalists have the opportunity to rehearse with the orchestra in the afternoon.

The award ceremony will take place immediately after the concert on site.

4. Concert with the award winners

On Monday, rehearsals will take place in the afternoon and the prize winners will take part in the opening concert of the Greifswald Bach Week in the evening.