JOHANN BAPTIST WANHAL INTERNATIONAL ORGAN COMPETITION
3RD ANNUAL COMPETITION
Held on: 2nd June 2025
Venue: Church of the Nativity, Kupkovo náměstí, 517 73 Opočno (Czech Republic)
Johann Baptist Wanhal is a renowned composer and a great figure of the second half of the 18th century. He worked as an organist in Opočno since he was 18 years old.
With the newly renovated organ at the Church of the Nativity in Opočno, Wanhal's organ work can be successfully interpreted, and the top-notch instrument can be used to attract young talented organists - students of music schools, conservatories, universities and colleges of music from all over the Czech Republic and abroad. There was previously no organ competition for an instrument with a short octave, and it is a suitable addition to major international competitions such as the Prague Spring Festival, the Leoš Janáček International Competition in Brno, the Petr Eben International Organ Competition in Opava, and Pro Bohemia Ostrava. The competition is held by the PROVARHANY association in cooperation with Opočno and the Roman Catholic Parish - Deanery of Opočno.
ORGAN CHARACTERISTICS – Organ manufactury in Králíky from 1748, restoration of the instrument was completed in 2021 by Ivan Bok
Tracker action
I/10, manual CDEFGA-c3
pedal CFDGEABH c Cis d Dis e f Fis g Gis a
Werckmeister IV
Flauta 8´
Quintadena 8´
Principal 4´
Fugara 4´
Octave 2´
Cymbal 2x
Mixtur 2x
Subbass 16´
Violonbass 8´
Octavbass 4´
COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
- There will be two competition categories:
- The first category is for organ pupils and students at elementary art schools (ZUŠ).
- The second category is for students of conservatories, universities or academies.
- Both categories are open to international participants.
Category I – for elementary art school (ZUŠ) organ pupils
- The maximum length of the programme is 10 minutes.
- At least one piece from the Czech Baroque and Classicism periods (J. Zach, J. Seger, B. M. Černohorský, J. K. Kuchař, K. B. Kopřiva).
- Free choice of music corresponding to the instrument's characteristics.
- Both of the above requirements must be met, the number of pieces is not limited.
Category II - for students of conservatories, universities or academies
- The maximum length of the programme is 20 minutes.
- Mandatory piece: Fugue No 6 in C major from the 12 fugues by J.B. Wanhal
- Partita or variation form (J. Pachelbel, G. Böhm, J. P. Sweelinck, ...).
- Free choice of music corresponding to the instrument's characteristics.
- All of the above requirements must be met, the number of pieces is not limited.
BASIC CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION:
- The single-round competition will be held in the Church of the Nativity in Opočno (Hradec Králové Region) on a newly restored one-manual organ with a short octave.
- The competition will be held on 2nd June 2025.
- The registration form will be published on 1st January 2025.
- Registration forms must be sent by 31st March 2025 to info@provarhany.cz.
- Registrations must include:
- a filled out and signed registration form
- proof of payment of the entry fee
- a photograph in jpeg format
- a brief artist CV (this only applies to category II)
- The entry fee of CZK 1,500 per competitor (bank transfer fees are paid by the competitor) must be paid by transfer to account no 4120503399/0800 at Česká spořitelna - write the following in the note: Competition_category_surname, e.g.: Competition_categoryII_Novák
- IBAN: CZ53 0800 0000 0041 2050 3399
- SWIFT: GIBACZPX
- The entry fee is non-refundable.
- The number of competitors is limited; in the event of great interest in the competition, the organizer reserves the right to select applicants according to the order in which the registration forms were received (if an applicant is not selected for the competition, the participation fee is refundable).
- By submitting the registration form, participants also give their consent to the possible publication of information about them in the press, and to the publication of audiovisual recordings of the show exclusively for documentation or non-commercial presentation on social networks or in the media. Competitors shall not be entitled to remuneration in these cases.
- Transport and accommodation costs are covered by competitors and their teachers.
- Each competitor must provide his own registrar.
- The organizer is not responsible for the sheet music of competitors; they must make sure they choose the appropriate edition.
- If the time limit is exceeded, the judges may cut a performance short.
- The order of competitors will be drawn at a meeting of the organizing committee after all registration forms have been received, and a record will be made of it.
- Competitors must be on the spot 20 minutes before the scheduled time of their performance.
- If a competitor does not arrive on time for the competition for serious reasons, he may be given a chance to play at the end of the competition if the judges agree.
- Competitors must follow the order of the repertoire they listed in the registration form - any changes must be reported to the master of ceremonies on the day of the competition.
- Winners of the 1st prize cannot participate in the same competition category.
- Students of any of the judges may not compete.
REGISTRATION AND ACOUSTIC TESTS:
- The schedule of online reservations for the registration tests (each competitor will be given 90 minutes) will be published after the registration deadline, but no later than 20th April 2025.
- The organizer undertakes to ensure sufficient time for the acoustic test on the day of the competition.
PRIZES:
- The winners will receive material prizes; the winner of category II will receive a financial reward (10 000 CZK) and the opportunity to perform at a concert for pay as part of Opočenské letní hudební večery (Opočno Summer Music Evenings) in 2025 (the exact date is still unknown).
- The judges will decide to award one or more prizes; they have the right to divide the prizes, or to not award them at all.
ORGANIZER:
PROVARHANY z.s.
Registered office of association: Radima Drejsla 619, 518 01 Dobruška
Chairman of the association: Mgr. Lukáš Koblása, tel. no +420 605 922 524
info@provarhany.cz
CRN: 04692896, Bank account: Česká spořitelna 4120503399 / 0800
IBAN: CZ53 0800 0000 0041 2050 3399
SWIFT: GIBACZPX
