J. C. ARRIAGA CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION

TREETOPS CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY

Greenwich-Stamford, Connecticut

Tel. 203-979-6051 / 6052

There is a new cultural organization in town!

J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition

Concert performance plays an irreplaceable role in the education of young artists, and chamber music performance is at the center of creative music education. For the young J. C. Arriaga playing the violin in various chamber music ensembles was the only school at the time he composed his first opera. He later would enter the illustrious Paris Conservatory. Although Arriaga was a classical composer deserving a prominent place in history, his music wasn’t played widely in international circles until fairly recently. It took the tenacious support of many institutions and music organizations to make Arriaga’s international appreciation possible. In a very similar way, today’s most deserving young chamber ensembles need the support of music organizations to jumpstart their careers. That is why “to complement the musical education of young artists” is part of the mission of the Treetops Chamber Music Society which, inspired by the example of Arriaga, is set to assist most deserving young chamber musicians through its J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition starting in the spring of 2008.

Oskar Espina Ruiz
Artistic Director
Treetops Chamber Music Society

2008 J. C. ARRIAGA CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION WINNERS:

1st Prize: CALLA QUARTET
(Ilana Setapen, violin; Arthur Moeller, violin; Clio Tilton, viola; Elizabeth Lara, cello)
This prize includes a cash award of $2,000 and an invitation to perform a remunerated concert at the Treetops Chamber Music Society during the 2008-2009 season.

2nd Prize: DUO STROMEAUX
(Ryu Cipris, flute; Max Zuckerman, guitar)
This prize includes a cash award of $1,000 and an invitation to perform a remunerated concert at the Treetops Chamber Music Society during the 2008-2009 season.

3rd Prize: Withheld.

APRIL 11, 2008
Friday, at 11:30 am

Schreiber Reading Room
University of Connecticut Stamford Campus
One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901

(directions at www.stamford.uconn.edu/maps.htm)

(parking: as guests, you may use the university parking lot, which is located on
Washington Blvd, on one side of the university building. There is parking on the 1st - 3rd floors. Please, pay attention to your designated areas)

FINALS OF THE J. C. ARRIAGA CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION

Competition Finalists, Program and Schedule

Competition winners to be announced at the competition hall, the Schreiber Reading Room, on Friday, April 11, at 1:30 pm and on this page in the evening that same day.

APRIL 12, 2008
Saturday at 6 pm

The Treetops Studio
359 Merriebrook Lane, Stamford, CT 06902
Directions

2008 COMPETITION WINNERS CONCERT AND AWARDS CEREMONY
Featuring the three top prize winners of the Treetops CMS
2008 J.C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition

2008 J. C. ARRIAGA CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION APPLICATION & INFORMATION

APRIL 11-12, 2008
STAMFORD, CT

In 2008 this competition is open to chamber music ensembles without piano. Each ensemble member may be of any nationality and must be 18-30 years old at the time of the competition.

APPLICATION

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Part 1-A:

Name and contact information of the participating ensemble (name of contact person, complete address, phone number, email address).

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Part 1-B:

Name, instrument, date of birth and contact information of each member of the participating ensemble (complete address, phone number, email address).

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Part 2:

A copy of the driver’s license, passport or birth certificate of each member of the participating ensemble as proof of age.

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Part 3-A:

Biography of the participating ensemble.

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Part 3-B:

Biography of each member of the participating ensemble.

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Part 4:

Program for the live audition (this is the program that the participating ensemble will be asked to perform at the live audition): two contrasting chamber music works (movements of separate works are acceptable when the entire work is longer than 15 minutes). The proposed program must include at least 20 minutes of music. Be sure to choose a program that features the ensemble’s strongest points.

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Part 5:

A CD of the ensemble performing the proposed program (Part 4) or other. This CD must include two contrasting chamber music works (or movements of separate works) with a total duration of at least 20 minutes. Each piece or movement should be on a separate track. If you choose to send a commercially packaged full CD be sure to clearly write on the CD case which tracks you are submitting to the competition.

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Part 6:

Two different full-concert programs in the repertoire of the participating ensemble, which the participating ensemble does not need to perform at the competition. These programs should be well balanced. We welcome innovation, in terms of rediscovering lesser-known quality works for example, and encourage the performance of quality contemporary works. However, each program should be diverse and appealing to a general audience, for which including a well-known masterpiece is wise. Each program should be logistically efficient, especially in the case of mixed chamber ensembles, with all members involved in at least one third of the program.

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Part 7:

A non-refundable application fee of $20 per ensemble member. We accept money orders and personal checks only. Please, make checks payable to: Treetops CMS. International contestants should contact us by email (info@treetopscms.org) for additional payment methods, if necessary.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND DEADLINE

All the above parts of your application must be postmarked by March 15, 2008. It is recommended that you mail all parts of your application in one package.

Mail to:

J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition
c/o Treetops CMS
PO Box 735
New York, NY 10033
USA

Please, note that you may not use a carrier or overnight service when mailing to this address, since it is a PO Box.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

The participating ensemble must be available to perform the proposed program (Part 4) at the Winners’ Concert on April 12, Saturday at 6 pm, at The Treetops Studio, home of the Treetops Chamber Music Society, in Stamford, CT. The Awards Ceremony will follow this concert.

The participating ensemble must be exempt from management contracts and commissions for their performance at Treetops CMS in 2008-09, if invited as a prizewinner or other.

The participating ensemble, or any of its members or representatives, must not make any attempt to be in contact with any juror during the competition.

Ensembles who are not ready to perform when called by the jury at the competition may be disqualified.

LOCATION OF THE COMPETITION

The live round of the competition will take place on Friday, April 11, 2008, at the University of Connecticut Stamford Campus. The Winners’ Concert and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2008, at 6 pm, at The Treetops Studio, home of the Treetops Chamber Music Society, in Stamford, CT.

Stamford is located 45 minutes away from midtown Manhattan. Metro North offers an express train service from Grand Central Station to Stamford Station (www.mta.info). The University of Connecticut Stamford Campus is at: One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901 (directions at www.stamford.uconn.edu/maps.htm).

PRIZES

1st Prize: Cash award of $2,000 and an invitation to perform a remunerated concert at the Treetops Chamber Music Society.

2nd Prize: Cash award of $1,000 and an invitation to perform a remunerated concert at the Treetops Chamber Music Society.

3rd Prize: Cash award of $500 and an invitation to perform a remunerated concert at the Treetops Chamber Music Society.

The judges reserve the right to withhold any or all awards. The judges’ decision is final.

ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS

The CD audition is the first round of this competition.

Those competitors allowed to advance from the CD audition to the live audition taking place on April 11, 2008, will be notified as soon as possible.

The J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition, or Treetops CMS, is not responsible for the competitors’ travel, lodging, food or other expenses.

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION

Upon request, the J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition will do its best to provide lodging for the competitors at homes of Treetops Chamber Music Society subscribers and other local supporters of this competition.

Treetops CMS will provide transportation from downtown Stamford to The Treetops Studio for the prizewinning ensembles for the April 12 Winners’ Concert and Awards Ceremony.

All competitors are invited to attend the April 12 Winners’ Concert and Awards Ceremony. Upon request, the J. C. Arriaga Chamber Music Competition will do its best to provide transportation from downtown Stamford to The Treetops Studio for all contestants. Reservations are required.

JURY

David Geber:
Dean of Performance, Cello and Chamber Music Faculties, Manhattan School of Music; Founding Member, American String Quartet.

Charles Neidich:
Clarinet Faculty, Juilliard School; Mannes College of Music; Manhattan School of Music; Queens College, CUNY; Founding Member, Mozzafiato; Artist Member, New York Woodwind Quintet.

Oskar Espina Ruiz:
Artistic Director, Treetops Chamber Music Society.

Other jury members to be announced.

INQUIRIES

Please, feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Address your questions to Oskar Espina Ruiz (“Espina Ruiz” is the last name) at:

info@treetopscms.org
Tel. (203) 979-6051

Published on January 7, 2008