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Announcement of the 29^th Heran Violoncello Competition

The town of Ústí nad Orlicí announces the 29th year of the Heran Cello Competition, which will take place from 25 to 27 April 2024 in Ústí nad Orlicí, Czech Republic.

Organization rules

1st category: year of birth 2013 and younger
2nd category: year of birth 2012 and 2011
3rd category: year of birth 2010 and 2009
4th category: year of birth 2008 and 2007

Competition programme

1st category:
Bohuslav Martinů: Suite Miniature No. 4
+ optional programme in minimum length of 3 minutes.
Maximum length of the entire performance is 8 minutes.

2nd category:
Round 1: Jan Křtitel Vaňhal: Variations in C Major + one etude by S. Lee No. 1, 2 or 3.
Round 2: optional programme 6 - 12 minutes.

3rd category:
Round 1: Josef Mysliveček: Sonate in G Major (State Music Publishing House Moscow 1960) + one etude by S. Lee No. 10, 18 or 28.
Round 2: optional programme 7 - 15 minutes.

4th category:
Round 1: Bohuslav Martinů: Variations on a Slovak Folk Song (Bärenreiter Prague) + one etude by S. Lee No. 20, 21 or 40.
Round 2: optional programme 8 - 18 minutes.

Sebastian Lee: op. 31, Forty Melodic and Progressive Etudes For Cello Book 1

All pieces must be played from memory.

The announcer does not provide piano accompaniment!

The competition programme of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th category is divided into two performances (1st performance = 1st round, 2nd performance = 2nd round). All contestants will perform in both rounds.

The points from both rounds are added together to make one score.

All competitors play in the order they draw before the start of the respective category and the order drawn applies to both rounds. The draw takes place half an hour before the start of the category. If a competitor fails to arrive on time, she/he will not be allowed to participate.

The length of a performance is pure playing time, not time on stage (excludes e.g. tuning between pieces). The order of the pieces is arbitrary.

The jury has the right to interrupt the competition performance if the time limit is exceeded. If the minimum limit is not met, the jury may not evaluate the performance.

The jury of the competition is appointed by the organiser on the basis of the jury statute. The jury is international. Competitors have no right to object to the composition of the jury.

The jury has the right to award 1st to 3rd prizes and Honourable Mentions of 1st to 3rd grade. The other competitors will receive a Certificate of Participation.

At the end of the competition, the jury will announce the overall winner of the year, who will be allowed to use the title "Laureate of the Heran Cello Competition". The jury also has the right to award some special recognitions.

All prizes and other awards will be presented to the contestants at the Final concert. If the contestant is not present to receive the prize, it will be forfeited to the organisers. The jury decides who will perform at the Final concert. This decision will be announced to the contestants at the announcement of the results and is binding for the contestants.

All comments, protests, or disputes will be decided by the Organising Committee with final authority.

Competitors must register by submitting a binding entry form and by paying the registration fee no later than 29 February 2024.

The entry fee for competitors from abroad is 90 EUR and it is part of the application form.

IBAN: CZ05 0800 0000 0013 2017 0329

BIC: GIBACZPX

Name of bank account: Klubcentrum v Ústí nad Orlicí

Name of contestant and category in which they compete should be filled in as a “message for the recipient”. Thank you.

All travel expenses, meals and accommodation for the duration of the competition are the responsibility of the participants and are at their own expense. The competition secretariat provides all competitors with free promotional materials, rehearsal facilities and help service.

28^th Heran Violoncello Competition Awards

The title laureate of Heran Violoncello Competition 2023 for absolute winner.

Kamila Šitinová, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec, 3rd category

The Award from Czech National Radio for the laureate of the competition: Radio

recording with Czech Radio.

Kamila Šitinová, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec, 3rd category

The Award from Bohuslav Martinů Foundation for the best interpretation of Bohuslav Martinů Variations on Slovakian folk song (contestant from any category): prize money 15 000 CZK.

Viktor Mráček, ČR – Pražská konzervatoř, 4th category

The Award of Czech Musical Instruments company for the laureate: instument accessory package.

Kamila Šitinová, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec, 3rd category

The Award from Master Jaroslav Kocian Foundation Fund for the laureate of the competition: prize money 5 000 CZK.

Kamila Šitinová, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec, 3rd category

The Award from Master Jaroslav Kocian Foundation Fund for the winner in each category: prize money 2 000 CZK.

Dora Trifu, 2nd category, Serbia, MŠ „Mokranjanc“

Kamila Šitinová, 3rd category, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec

Seoyeon Lim, 4th category, ČR Gymnázium a Hudební škola hl. m. Prahy

The Award from Bärenreiter Prague music publisher for the laureate: music sheet purchase in Bärenreiter Prague publisher and Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel worth 4 000 CZK.

Kamila Šitinová, ČR - ZUŠ Frýdlantská, Liberec, 3rd category

The Award from Bärenreiter Prague music publisher for the laureate´s teacher: music sheet purchase in Bärenreiter Prague publisher and Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel worth 2 000 CZK.

Věra Kolafová

The Award of František Kinský, the New Chateau owner in Kostelec nad Orlicí and of the KINSKÝ Art Media Agency, for the best competitor of each category from the Czech Republic: an invitation to perform in the Mirror Hall of the New Chateau.

Jáchym Probošt, 1st category, 3rd prize

Martin Bernášek, 2nd category, 2nd prize

Kamila Šitinová, 3rd category, 1st prize

Seoyeon Lim, 4th category, 1st prize

Znojmo Music Festival Award for competitor from the 1st or 2nd category for an extraordinary music performance: Invitation for the Little Prodigies Concert at Znojmo Music Festival 2023.

Rebeka Dostálová, ZUŠ Jana Hanuše, Praha 6, 2nd category, 3rd prize

The Award for the youngest participant.

Jáchym Probošt

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After application deadline

Dear supporters of the cello and the Heran Violoncello Competition,
For the 28th edition, we have accepted 20 participants who want to pay tribute to Bohuš Heran with their competitive performances. Besides 11 domestic talents, we will also welcome cellists from Austria, Great Britain, Serbia, and Mongolia.

The competition will take place only on Friday, April 21. On Saturday, there will be a ceremonial reception by the mayor of the city and a winners' concert followed by an award ceremony.

We wish all participants good luck in their preparation and look forward to meeting everyone in Ústí nad Orlicí.

We cordially invite you to watch and participate in the 28^th Heran Violoncello Competition.

Preparations are in full swing so that we can gather again in April in the birthplace of Bohuš Heran for a musical festival and celebration of young talented violincellists. We look forward to seeing you there.

The deadline for applications is February 28, 2023. For more information see the Organization Rules.

Announcement of the 28^th Heran Violoncello Competition

The town of Ústí nad Orlicí announces that 28th Heran Violoncello Competition will take place in person from 19th to 22rd of April 2023 in Ústí nad Orlicí, Czech Republic. More information in here.

27^th Heran Violoncello Competition Awards

The title laureate of Heran Violoncello Competition 2022 for the absolute winner.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Czech National Radio for the laureate of the competition: Radio recording with Czech Radio.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Bohuslav Martinů Foundation for the best interpretation of Bohuslav Martinů Variations on a Slovakian folk song (contestant from any category): prize money 15 000 CZK.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award of Czech Musical Instruments company for the laureate: instrument accessory package.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Master Jaroslav Kocian Foundation Fund for the laureate of the competition: prize money 5 000 CZK.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Master Jaroslav Kocian Foundation Fund for the winner in each category: prize money 2 000 CZK.

Aleksandra Maria Tralla / Estonsko

Tobiáš Balkovský - ČR / ZUŠ Řevnice

Kamila Šitinová - ČR / ZUŠ Liberec

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK / Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Bärenreiter Prague music publisher for the laureate: music sheet purchase in Bärenreiter Prague publisher and Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel worth 4 000 CZK.

Júlia Sofia Nagyová - SVK/ Pražská konzervatoř

The Award from Bärenreiter Prague music publisher for the laureate´s teacher: music sheet purchase in Bärenreiter Prague publisher and Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel worth 2 000 CZK.

Prof. Miroslav Petráš

Adina Weissová - ČR / Gymnázium a Hud. škola hl. m. Prahy
Tobiáš Balkovský - ČR / ZUŠ Řevnice
Kamila Šitinová - ČR / ZUŠ Liberec
Jan Petrov - ČR / Pražská konzervatoř

Znojmo Music Festival Award for a competitor from the 1st or 2nd category for extraordinary music performance: Invitation for the Little Prodigies Concert at Znojmo Music Festival 2022.

Martin Bernášek - ČR / ZUŠ Jana Hanuše, Praha

What did not fit in the newsletter

Prof. Miroslav Petráš, chairman of the jury, evaluates the 1st category:

In this category, we witnessed the first concert steps of very young competitors who are a promise for the future. And the promise is great, their talent is already beginning to show.

The winners of the first three awards showed wonderful performances, the winner Aleksandra Maria Tralla was even better. The decisive differences are so slight that the listener does not even have to register them in the concert hall, but a professional expert jury will recognize them. The winner's performance was technically pure with a well-guided phrase.

The performances were slightly different in the second two places, but the differences were so slight that we did not want to rank such young competitors.

I am satisfied with the overall level of the first category. These young cellists can play songs that are technically intended for much older. And some of them, the awarded players, are capable of playing them well in their 10 years.

Prof. Miroslav Petráš, chairman of the jury, evaluates the 2nd category:

The number of only four competitors in the under-12 category was probably caused by the fact that we came into conflict with the admissions to eight-year grammar schools, which is understandably more important for young Czech cellists.

However, the overall quality did not suffer from a lower number. It was interesting. From the second category, the specialty of the competition begins, to make it harder, there is the obligation to study the selection only from three etudes. These are short songs with a technical focus, the player plays them alone without a piano.

The best performances were balanced, the jury must then decide what value of the game it would prefer. Something little different can affect everyone. I would say the victorious Tobiáš Balkovský was the best in all respects. He made no memorable mistake, had good intonation, and showed the greatest maturity in his art.

Prof. Miroslav Petráš, chairman of the jury, evaluates the 3rd category:

The sovereign performance of the winner surprised me, I already knew her a little, and she has made great progress. Her play was the most convincing for the entire jury. Everything worked out for her, it was enriching to listen to the young artist and the unanimous agreement of the jury.

Of the nine participants, only one was from Germany, and she won the second prize, again excellent level. For divided second and third prizes, performances are always evaluated as comparable.

The third category against the first shows a significant leap that young artists will make between the age of 10 and 14. This is admirable, the performances of candidates from the third category are generally more mature, tonally more filled with beauty and meaning. Overall, I have to say that the competition is developing beautifully after the first day.

Prof. Miroslav Petráš, chairman of the jury, evaluates the 4th category:

The level of the oldest category was excellent, as it usually is. For us, these competitors are already adults in the context of the competition. For a concert artist, of course, it's still a young age.

The jury in this category perceives not only professional play but also thinking. And when this comes together, the contestant is convenient manually, has a beautiful tone, intonation, there is usually a musical sense, then it's beautiful. That applies to prize winners.

As for the third ones, the concept of the Korean contestant was softer, sometimes more vocal in the mandatory composition, Variace na slovenskou píseň by Bohuslav Martinů. On the other hand, it seemed more forceful by Jan Petrov.

Among other things, the chosen repertoire played a role in the second prize. Nadia Boulanger and her songs rarely appear in similar competitions, but the Mongolian cellist Enerel Lkhaasuren came with her. It was a wonderful experience, it is a very technically demanding song, and she managed it brilliantly.

For the winning competitor, who also won the laureate title, I would like to warn in advance that I am her teacher. In accordance with the rules of the jury, I would not evaluate in such a case, the other jurors would submit their evaluation, after adding up the points, an arithmetic average will be created, which is included in the evaluation. Once the scoring of all competitors is completed, then I chair the discussion from the position of the chairman of the jury. According to colleagues, Júlia Sofia Nagyová convinced by her beautiful sound color and wonderful intonation. From the teacher's point of view, I state that her performance was excellent, she played her maximum.

Prof. Miroslav Petráš, chairman of the jury, evaluates the whole competition

In the case of competitions for beginners and young artists, it is fairer, in my opinion, for them to be held in person. There are many factors to deal with, including stage-fright. With regard to time possibilities, the number of participants around forty is optimal. This year's thirty-three was a good number from the point of view of us jurors. And most importantly, the success of the performances was excellent overall. I experienced in each competition that one or two competitors had a bad day, and this year it did not happen to us! After about two years of "homeoffice", they all were looking forward to the public performance and the beautiful hall. Heran's competition has an experienced organizational system that works, and that's a great feeling. The expert jury found an agreement, and the debates dealt mainly with the division of some prizes, which I personally favor.