Competition Rules

JEAN-LOUIS FLORENTZ INTERNATIONAL ORGAN GREAT PRICE

FRENCH ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS / 2023

The Organ Great Price J-Louis FLORENTZ of French Academy of Fine Arts – 2023 will be presided by Mr Thomas Ospital, Organiste de l’église Saint-Eustache à Paris, professeur du Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris.

The jury is composed of organists, one member of Academy of Fine Arts, a representative from the Ministery of Culture and personalities from the musical world.

Jury 2023

• Thomas Ospital, Président du Jury, organiste de l’Église St Eustache à Paris, professeur du Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris.
• Thierry Escaich, Compositeur, Membre de l’Académie des beaux-arts
• Christophe Millet, Directeur du Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional d’Angers, Expert mandaté par Madame la Directrice Régionale des Affaires Culturelles
• Jean-Baptiste Urbain, Présentateur producteur de la Matinale de France Musique
• Pascal Marsault, Professeur au Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Toulon-Provence-Méditerranée
• Monica Melcova, Professeur d’orgue à la Royal Danish Academy à Copenhagen
• Pascale Rouet, Professeur au Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental de Charleville-Mézières
• Yoann Tardivel, Professeur au Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Toulouse
• Jean-François Vaucher, Professeur Honoraire des Classes Supérieures au Conservatoire de Lausanne

1- General Conditions

Candidates must be under the age of thirty on 22 October 2023.

French candidates must have studied at either a Regional or Department Conservatoire, or the Paris National Academy of Music. They are also expected to provide proof that they have gained a DEM (Diploma of Musical Studies).

Foreign candidates must hold the equivalent of a DEM (the highest diploma awarded by an officially recognised Academy of Music from one of the French regions or departments).

The following documents must be sent to the CSPO before 31 July 2023 :

• The application form correctly filled in
• An audio CD or digital file recording of Scherzo extrait de la quatrième symphonie de Charles-Marie Widor and Trio en ré mineur BWV 583 de Johann Sebastian Bach  (compulsory piece) with a signed attestation that the recording is the candidate’s own playing. Any editing will invalidate the candidate’s application.
• A full description of the instrument used
• An official certificate or diploma delivered by the Director of the candidate’s Music School or College
• A curriculum vitae, including the names of the candidate and organ teachers

> Sending of the registration form by post in:  CSPO 34 avenue Jean Lurçat 49240 AVRILLE – FRANCE
> Sending of the registration form by email in: bmcspo@orange.fr

2- The Competition

Mid August 2023 the title of finale test piece will be published on our internet site www.printempsdesorgues.fr

Early August 2023, eight semi-finalists will be selected by the Festival Committee supervised by Jury members.

Mid August 2023, all candidates will receive the results.

Each of the selected and present candidates for the semi-final will receive a 500-€ lump sum in compensation of its traveling costs and accommodation.

Successful candidates must inform the CSPO of their individual programme (10 minutes for the Semi-Final and 20 minutes for the Final) before the end of August.

For the semi-finale, the free program of each candidate must have a total playing time of 10mn maximum, and choose in the following list:

• Dietrich Buxtehude : Praeludium en ré mineur Bux 140
• Johann Sebastian Bach : Fugue a la Gigue BWV 577
• Pierre Du Mage : Tierce en taille extrait du livre d’orgue
• Louis Vierne : Romance extrait de la quatrième symphonie
• Camille Saint-Saëns : Première Fantaisie
• Robert Schumann : Fugue n°3 sur B.A.C.H.
• Jehan Alain : Litanies

For the finale, the free program of each candidate must have a total playing time of 20mn maximum, and choose in the following list, to obtain a program with various aesthetic and styles works:

• Max Reger : Benedictus
• Nicolas de Grigny : Pange Lingua
• Johann Sebastian Bach : Prélude et fugue en ré mineur BWV 539
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Fantaisie KW 608
• Charles-Marie Widor : Final de la sixième symphonie
• Augustin Barié : Intermezzo extrait de la symphonie op. 5
• Maurice Duruflé : Scherzo
• Marcel Dupré : Prélude et fugue en Si Majeur

The candidates have a day of rehearsal, without any assistant,  on the organ of the Saint-Julien Cathedral in Le Mans (72).

A general rehearsal takes place before each competition with the assistants approved by the Festival :

• Friday, October 20, 2023 at the Saint-Julien Cathedral in Le Mans (72)

3 – Competition dates

Semi-final: Saturday 21 October 2023

• 3:00 PM – Saint-Julien Cathedral in Le Mans (72)

8 The semi-finalists must play a ten-minute individual program chosen in a list proposed by the Jury (see §2) and followed by the compulsory pieces, Scherzo extrait de la quatrième symphonie de Charles-Marie Widor et du Trio en ré mineur BWV 583 de Johann Sebastian Bach.

After deliberation the members of the jury will name the four finalists who are expected to play at Le Mans Cathedral the next day.

The announcement will be made in the Le Mans Cathedral at 7:00 PM.

Final: Sunday 22 October 2023

• 3:00 PM – Saint-Julien Cathedral in Le Mans (72)

Each of the four finalists must play a twenty-minute program chosen in a list proposed by the Jury (see §2) , and the compulsory piece that will be announced in mid-August 2023, specially composed by Thomas OSPITAL.

The announcement will be made in the Le Mans Cathedral at 7:00 PM.

4- Prizes

Grand Prix d’Orgue Jean-Louis Florentz – Académie des Beaux-Arts – 2023:
On the third Wednesday of November, the winning finalist of the Jean-Louis Florentz – French Academy of Fine Arts – 2023 Organ Grand Prix will be awarded a prize worth 6,500€ (six thousand, five hundred euros) in the prestigious setting of the Institut de France in Paris, on the 3rd Wednesday of November. They will also be offered several performance opportunities, including the church of la Madeleine in Paris, Evian Organ Festival… and in Angers at the Printemps des Orgues Festival: for the Nuit de l’Orgue (Organ night) and the Journées du patrimoine (Heritage days).

Prix d’interprétation de la création contemporaine: (Prize for interpretation of contemporary creation)
The candidate in the Jury’s choice who best interpreted the contemporary work created during the final receives a reward of 1,500€ (one thousand, five hundred euros) under the Dome of the Institut de France, on the 3rd Wednesday of November.

Prix de la Ville d’Angers:
The city of Angers will award a prize worth 1,000€ (one thousand euros) to the runner-up.

Prize Pierre Pincemaille awarded by the general public:
Members of the public who have attended the finals will be entitled to vote for a special prize for the organist of their choice. The city of Angers has agreed to provide 500€ (five hundred euros) worth of prize money for the occasion.

5 – Contacts

For questions about musical aspects of the competition, please contact:

François-Henri Houbart, Titular of the Great Organ of La Madeleine in Paris, emeritus professor of Rueil-Malmaison Conservatoire: frhh.org@gmail.com

For administrative questions:

Maryvonne Fleury: +33 (0)6 34 24 19 80 or maryvonnefleury-lourson@hotmail.fr