In the latest sign that the countertenor voice type has achieved widespread acceptance, I am happy to pass along that a Swiss organization has created a competition for… countertenors! Someone ponied up a significant number of euros to fund the first ever Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award 2011: Countertenor Competition. Full information and an application can be found here.
The competition’s organizers were generous enough to answer my biggest question, “Why countertenors, why now?”
They responded that their competition was organized to give space to special instruments, compositions, and performers. The vocal competition was dedicated to countertenors this year specifically because the voice type is less frequent and well known. They are all about raising awareness.
From their website
The GIANNI BERGAMO CLASSIC MUSIC AWARD was created with the aim of discovering and encouraging new young talent in the different sectors of classical music. Maestro Gianni Bergamo wished to start this prize hoping that it will become a reference point and a solid support for talented young musicians from all over the world. The competition is open cyclically to the following fields: composition, instrument/voice and chamber music.
Prize money: Euro 25,000
The jury will decide autonomously how to distribute the prize money, though a division of Euro 12,000/8,000/5,000 for 1st-3rd prize is suggested.
The work awarded with the first prize will be performed by the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano.
Requirements
Musicians of any nationality born in or after 1976 are eligible, and the application is due no later than April 30th, 2011 (due, not postmarked). The first round is by DVD (yes, you need to go borrow a video camera and make friends with someone who owns a Mac), and subsequent rounds take place in Lugano (Switzerland) from the 7th-11th of September, 2011. There does not appear to be an application fee, although the airfare may knock you back a bit. The complete list of requirements can be found here.
The Judges
Read their bios here
Maestro Gianni Bergamo
Daniel Gloger
Gudrun Hartmann
Kai Wessel
Although I have to wonder if having two German countertenors on the panel will result in a favoring of the German sound, I hope that this meeting of countertenors from all over the world will give us a snapshot of our evolving national styles.
If you apply, let us know! We’ll let you liveblog here.
Good luck.
