REGULATIONS OF THE 15TH MICHAŁ SPISAK INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION (file)

The Michał Spisak International Music Competition is held every two years, in variable instrumental specialities that form the core of a symphony orchestra.

1. ORGANISER

Zagłębie Palace of Culture, with its registered office in Dąbrowa Górnicza (41-300), Plac Wolności 1, NIP no. 629-001-58-16, entered into the register of cultural institutions kept by the Municipality of Dąbrowa Górnicza under No. 3/2008, hereinafter referred to as the Organiser.

2. CO-ORGANISERS

• Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice

• Municipality of Dąbrowa Górnicza

3. FORM OF THE COMPETITION

1. The Competition is carried out in the field of culture and art.

2. The competition will be held from 1-10 October 2025 in the following instrumental specialities: 

• violin
• viola
• cello

3. The Competition may be cancelled for reasons beyond control of the Organiser. In case when the Competition is cancelled, paid application fee will be returned to the participants.

4. The competition may be cancelled due to force majeure and/or events and/or other circumstances beyond the control of the Organiser, which could not have been prevented. Force majeure and/or unforeseeable events are considered to be extraordinary phenomena that could not have been predicted and whose consequences could not have been avoided even with the utmost care, particularly such as: fire, flood, strike, warfare, civil unrest, terrorist attack, acts of public authority, national mourning, epidemic.

4. CANDIDATES

1. The condition for a Candidate to participate in the Competition is the fulfilment of all conditions specified in these regulations.

2. The Competition is aimed at musicians of all nationalities born after 1 October 1995.

3. Any natural person with full or limited legal capacity may participate in the Competition. Persons of limited legal capacity, including those under 18 years of age, may participate in the Competition with the written consent of their legal representative.

5. REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION FOR THE COMPETITION

1. Registration for the Competition is equivalent to consent to participate in the Competition and acknowledgment and acceptance of all the provisions of these regulations.

2. The registration deadline for the Competition is 15 July 2025. Applications submitted after the above deadline, failing to meet all registration requirements, or incomplete, will be rejected by the Organiser.

3. In the event that the number of applications exceeds 40 in a particular speciality, the Organiser allows for preliminaries to be held. The basis for the assessment in the preliminaries shall be audio-video material containing a recording (without cutting and editing) of the candidate performing the specified repertoire. Repertoire of the audio-video recording for the preliminaries:

a) for the violin speciality: 

two contrasting parts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s dances selected for Stage I

b) for the viola speciality: 

two contrasting parts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s dances selected for Stage I

c) for the cello speciality: 

two contrasting parts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s dances selected for Stage I.

The final decision on whether to conduct preliminaries rests with the Organiser.

4. Candidates will be notified of their successful registration and qualification for Stage I of the Competition via electronic means (email) by 31 July 2025.

5. The Organiser does not return any documents submitted by candidates.

6. Registration shall be carried out by means of the application form available on the official website of the Competition spisakfestiwal.palac.art.pl / spisakfestival.palac.art.pl. The following attachments are required to be included with the application form:

1. A short biographical note for use in publications relating to the Competition. Proper nouns should be given in their correct and complete form e.g. first names, last names, names of institutions. The length of the note must not exceed 1800 characters including spaces. The note should be attached in .doc or .docx format, in two possible language versions: Polish or English. The note should contain the following information in keywords:

• Full name of the candidate
• If the candidate is currently a school or university student – the full name of the school and stage of study.
• If the candidate is a graduate – the full name of the school and year of graduation
• Artistic achievements (stage performances, awards and distinctions in competitions, studio recordings)

The Organiser reserves the right to shorten, edit, and revise the biographical notes.

2. Two recent photographs (including at least one portrait photograph), to be used in competition publications. Photographs should be attached in .jpg or .tiff format, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
3. In the case of minors, a consent to participate in the Competition signed by their legal representative (to be downloaded from the Competition website).
4. The audio/video recording, in at least HD quality, should be made uncut and unedited, with sufficient visual and audio quality to be received without distortion, blurring, fluctuations in volume. The recording should show the full profile of the candidate, en face. The candidate uploads the recording with his/her name and speciality on a non-public YouTube channel. He/she then makes it available to the Organiser by including a link in the application form, for the sole purpose of preliminaries. Failure to comply with the above requirements will result in the material not being admitted to the preliminaries.

6. FEES

1. The application fee is EUR 100 or its equivalent in PLN, converted at the average exchange rate of the National Bank of Poland applicable on the day preceding the day of payment. The application fee shall be paid to the following bank account of the Organiser:

Zagłębie Palace of Culture

Bank PeKaO SA

bank account number: 85 1240 4272 1111 0000 4835 1254

IBAN PL 85 1240 4272 1111 0000 4835 1254

SWIFT code: PKOPPLPW

Bank transfer title: Candidate’s first and last name + (please enter Candidate’s instrumental speciality here) 15th Michał Spisak International Music Competition.

2. In the case of withdrawal from the Competition, the fees are non-refundable.

3. As part of the fee, the Participant is entitled to use the services of an accompanist provided by the Organiser for one rehearsal and one competition performance in stages I and II. The Candidate is entitled to declare their own accompanist in the application form and the Organiser shall not bear the costs of the accompanist’s remuneration, accommodation and stay. 

4. The costs of the bank transfer shall be incurred by the sender.

5. The deadline for the application fee to be credited to the Organiser’s account is 31 July, 2025.

7. COURSE OF THE COMPETITION

1. The opening concert will take place on 1 October 2025.

2. The competition auditions will be open to the public and will take place in three stages:

• Stage I (2-3 October 2025) – auditions of participants. In case of a large number of applications, the Organiser plans additional sessions.
• Stage II (4-6 October 2025) – no more than 12 participants will be admitted in each speciality. In special cases, the Jury may increase the number of qualified participants by 1 person in each speciality.
• Stage III (7-9 October 2025) – no more than 4 participants will be admitted in each speciality. In special cases, the Jury may increase the number of qualified participants by 1 person in each speciality. The performances within Stage III will be  accompanied by the Zabrze Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sławomir Chrzanowski. The organiser shall provide one rehearsal with the orchestra to qualified participants.

3. Participants are obliged to arrive at least 1 hour before the auditions of each stage of the Competition. 

4. During registration at the Competition Office, the participant is obliged to present an official document confirming his/her identity and date of birth (identity card, passport).

5. During all stages of the Competition, the alphabetical order of the auditions shall apply, starting with the letter drawn by the Organiser. For organisational purposes, for important reasons or with the consent of the Chairman of the Jury, the Competition Office has the right to introduce changes to the order of auditions within one day. The order of auditions in the form of a list will be published each time on the day preceding the audition in the following locations:

• Zagłębie Palace of Culture 
• Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice 
• place of accommodation for participants 
• spisakfestiwal.palac.art.pl (spisakfestival.palac.art.pl) website

6. The Concert of Laureates will take place on 10 October 2025. Prizes and distinctions will

be officially awarded during the Concert of Laureates. All laureates are obliged to attend the Concert of Laureates without additional gratification. Absence is equivalent to resignation from the cash prize awarded. The programme will be determined by the Jury in consultation with the laureates. The laureates are obliged to perform the programme in line with the aforementioned arrangements.

8. ACCOMMODATION

1. The Organiser shall guarantee the stay and cover the accommodation costs for all participants for the period of participation in the Competition. The Organiser shall not guarantee stay for any persons accompanying the participants.

2. The participants shall cover the individual costs of travel and meals.

3. The Organiser does not provide any support in obtaining a visa. Upon a participant’s individual request, the Organiser may issue a certificate of participation in the Competition.

4. The Organiser does not provide any support in obtaining a health insurance for the period of stay in Poland. It is recommended to possess the above-mentioned insurance due to unforeseeable accidents.

9. JURY

1. The Jury of the Competition consists of outstanding artists – Polish and foreign musicians.

2. The composition of the Jury shall be made public before the beginning of the Competition.

3. The Jury Regulations shall be determined during the first session of the Jury, before the beginning of competition auditions.

4. The score awarded by the Jury may be published after each stage of the Competition. The results of the Competition are the average of Stage II and Stage III of auditions.

5. The decisions of the Jury are irrevocable and unappealable.

10. PRIZES

1. All participants are awarded with diplomas:

• Stage I – participation diploma

• Stage II – semi-finalist diploma

• Stage III – finalist diploma

2. The finalists in each speciality may be awarded the following prizes: 

– 1st prize – PLN 16 000 gross and a statuette 

– 2nd prize – PLN 12 000 gross and a statuette 

– 3rd prize – PLN 9,000 gross and a statuette 

– distinction – PLN 6000 gross

3. Tax shall be deducted from the prizes in accordance with the applicable law in Poland as of 10 October 2025.

4. The cash prizes awarded shall be transferred to the bank account indicated by the laureate, within 30 days from the end date of the Competition, provided that correct details are provided to the Organiser, including: the full name of the bank account holder, the full name of the bank and the bank account number to which the prize is to be transferred.

5. The cash prizes awarded in the Competition shall be transferred to the laureates after they have previously provided the Organiser with all the data required to settle the issue of lump-sum income tax, in accordance with art. 30 par. 1 point 2 of the Personal Income Tax Act, in the amount of 10% of the prize value. The Competition Organiser, as the payer, shall remit the lump-sum tax to the competent tax office on behalf of the laureates.

6. The prize winners are also awarded with the following title: the Laureate of the 15th Michał Spisak International Music Competition.

7. The Jury shall have the right to change the number and arrangement of the main prizes

and distinctions specified in this regulations, provided that the total amount of prizes and distinctions cannot be increased, and the amount of individual prizes and distinctions will remain unchanged.

8. The jury has the right not to award particular prizes and distinctions. 

9. Notwithstanding the above prizes and distinctions, additional prizes may be awarded. In the event of additional prizes being awarded, the Jury will decide on their distribution.

11. COPYRIGHTS AND RELATED RIGHTS

1. The participants consent to recording (especially in the form of photos and video films), use and publication of their image through any medium, including electronically on the Internet, social media and in printed form.

2. Upon the artistic performance of the pieces, the Participants of the Competition transfer to the Organiser, free of charge, their related rights, such as rights to artistic performances, without territorial limitations, for the entire duration of these rights.

3. Participants transfer to the Organiser the rights to the artistic performances of the pieces in the following fields of exploitation:

a) within the scope of recording and multiplication – production of copies of the artistic performance using a specific technique, including magnetic recording and digital technique,

b) within the scope of circulation of copies on which the artistic performance has been recorded – introducing into circulation, lending or rental of copies,

c) in the scope of dissemination of the performance by means other than those referred to in point b, broadcasting, re-broadcasting and playback, unless they are made by means of a copy placed on the market, and making the fixation of the performance available to the public in such a way that everyone can access it at a time and place chosen by them.

4. Artistic performances may be exploited by the Organiser in whole or in parts, independently or in combination with other works, artistic performances or sounds, and/or by entities authorised/ empowered by the Organiser.

5. The Organiser shall not be liable for any infringement of third party rights by a participant in the Competition.

12. DATA PROTECTION

1. Data submission is voluntary, but required in order to participate in the Competition.

2. The personal data provided in the application form shall be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/79 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation). Legal basis Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.

3. The administrator of personal data provided will be the Zagłębie Palace of Culture with its registered office in Dąbrowa Górnicza at Plac Wolności 1, for 2 years from the date of submission. In case when prizes are awarded, the personal data of the awarded individuals shall be processed for the accounting purposes for the period of 5 years.

4. Personal data shall be processed for the purpose of carrying out and promoting the 15th Michał Spisak International Music Competition.

5. On the basis of a separate consent, personal data in the form of e-mail address will be processed in order to inform participants about future editions of the Competition until the participant withdraws consent. Withdrawal of consent is voluntary.

6. Personal data may be shared with the following entities: 

• Personal data such as first and last name will be provided to entities providing accommodation services in order to organise the accommodation of participants. The data will also be posted on the Organiser’s websites: spisakfestiwal.palac.art.pl; spisakfestival.palac.art.pl; palac.art.pl in order to inform the participants about the order of auditions, the rehearsal schedule and the results of particular stages of the Competition.
• The personal data of those participants who have requested an accompanist to be provided by the Organiser, including information such as first and last name, telephone number and e-mail address, will be forwarded to the accompanists for the purposes of contact, scheduling of rehearsals, verification of the competition programme, etc.
• Personal data such as first and last name and a biographical note will be forwarded to the translation agency for translation of the text into Polish or English.
• Personal data such as first and last name, telephone number and email address may be forwarded to sponsors or patrons who decide to award prizes or distinctions as part of the Competition.
• The image data will be used by the Organiser for marketing purposes, with particular emphasis on promotional materials, through any medium, including electronically on the global World Wide Web (Internet), social media and in print.

7. Access to the data may be granted to the company operating and maintaining the Competition website, as well as the company operating the accounting and financial system and the cooperating Legal Office.

8. By providing his/her personal data, the participant has the right to access and edit this data, limit its processing, delete it and has the right to raise an objection to the supervisory authority Prezes Urzędu Ochrony Danych Osobowych (President of the Personal Data Protection Office).

9. Personal data will not be used for making decisions by automated means, including profiling.

10. It is required to accept (select) all consents for personal data processing marked with the so-called asterisk.

11. Each Participant and each accompanist shall have the right to raise objections against the processing of their personal data at any time. We shall cease to process the personal data provided for the above-mentioned purposes, unless we are able to demonstrate that there are valid legally justified grounds with reference to such data, which prevail over the interests, rights and freedoms of such persons or the data will be necessary for us to potentially determine, pursue or defend against any claims.

13. PROGRAMME OF THE COMPETITION

1. The Organiser informs that it is obligatory and necessary to have original editions of sheet music of the works presented in the programme of the Competition of each speciality. By entering the Competition, the participant certifies the legality of the sheet music to be used.

2. Participants may introduce changes to the submitted application for the selection of the programme presented in the Competition, but this may happen no later than 1 September 2025. Changes must be sent electronically to spisak@palac.art.pl.

3. The duration of the auditions of a single participant should not exceed: 25 minutes in Stage I, 55 minutes in Stage II, 30 minutes in Stage III (depending on speciality).

4. In stages I and II of the Competition, participants perform pieces solo and with piano accompaniment. In Stage III of the Competition, participants perform a piece accompanied by orchestra.

5. All pieces performed should be performed from memory, with the exception of the following pieces of the competition programme in each speciality: point 1 in the first stage and points 2 and 3 in the second stage of the Competition.

DETAILED PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS

VIOLIN

Stage I

1. Johann Sebastian Bach – selected movements from any Partita for solo violin: 

• B minor – Allemande & Corente with doubles or Sarabande & Tempo di Borea with doubles 
• D minor – Allemande, Corrente, Sarabande, Giga
• E major – Loure, Gavotte en Rondeaux, Bouree

2. Henryk Wieniawski – one caprice from the collection L’ecole moderne, Op. 10 (with the exception of Caprice No. 1)

3. Ludwig van Beethoven – the second movement of any of the sonatas for piano and violin (with the exception of the Kreutzer Sonata in A major, Op. 47)

Stage II

1. Sonata with piano to be chosen from: 

1. • Johannes Brahms – Sonata in G major, Op. 78
   • Johannes Brahms – Sonata in A major, op. 100 
   • Johannes Brahms – Sonata in D minor, Op. 108
   • Robert Schumann – Sonata in D minor, Op. 121
   • Cesar Franck – Sonata in A major
   • Richard Strauss – Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18

2. A piece by a Polish composer, to be chosen from:

• Michał Spisak – Improvvisazione
• Aleksander Tansman – Cinq Pieces
• Mieczysław Wajnberg – Three Pieces
• Witold Szalonek – Arabesques Op. 8
• Grażyna Bacewicz – Partita
• Henryk Mikołaj Górecki – Little Fantasia Op. 73
• Krzysztof Meyer – Capriccio Interrotto Op. 93

3. Any piece for solo violin or with piano accompaniment, with a duration of up to 15 minutes (it may be a cyclic work)

Stage III

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – one of the violin concertos with orchestral accompaniment to be chosen from:

1. • D major KV 218
   • A major KV 219

VIOLA
Stage I

1. Johann Sebastian Bach – Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue from any chosen Suite for solo cello

2. One caprice/etude to be chosen from:

• Franz Anton Hoffmeister – Etudes Nos. 1, 4, 7
• Bartolomeo Campagnoli – No. 17, 35, 41
• Henryk Wieniawski – No. 2, 3, 4 (Op. 18)

3. One sonata movement with piano to be chosen from: 

1. • Franz Schubert – Sonata in A minor Arpeggione, part 2: Adagio
   • Ludwig van Beethoven (F.X. Kleinheinz) – Notturno in D major, Op. 42, Part 2: Adagio

Stage II

1. Sonata with piano to be chosen from:

• Johannes Brahms – Sonata in F minor, Op.120 No.1 
• Johannes Brahms – Sonata in E flat major 120 No. 2
• Henri Vieuxtemps – Sonata in B flat major
• York Bowen – Sonata in C minor or F major
• Rebecca Clarke – Sonata

2. One piece to be chosen from:

• Krzysztof Penderecki – Cadenza for solo viola
• Witold Lutosławski – Dance Preludes 
• Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz – Impressions for solo viola
• Paul Hindemith – Passacaglia from Sonata Op. 11 No. 5
• Aram Khachaturian – Sonata-Song
• Igor Stravinsky – Elegy
• Alfred Pochon – Passacaglia

3. Any piece for solo viola or with piano accompaniment, with a duration of up to 15 minutes (it may be a cyclic work)

Stage III

1. One of the viola concertos with orchestral accompaniment to be chosen from:

1. • Carl Stamitz – Concerto in D major, Op. 1
   • Franz Anton Hoffmeister – Concerto in D major

CELLO 

Stage I

1. Johann Sebastian Bach – Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue from any of the Cello Suites No. 2-6

2. Alfredo Piatti – one caprice from the collection of 12 Caprices ( with the exception of Caprice No. 1)

3. One sonata movement with piano to be chosen from:

• Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata in G minor, Op. 5, Part 1: Adagio sostenuto e espressivo
• Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata in D major, Op. 102, Part 2: Adagio con sentimento d’affetto
• Franz Schubert – Sonata in A minor, Arpeggione, Part 2: Adagio

Stage II

1. Sonata with piano to be chosen from: 

• Johannes Brahms – Sonata in E minor, Op. 38  
• Johannes Brahms – Sonata in F major, Op. 99, 
• Johannes Brahms – Sonata in D major, Op. 78 (violin)
• Edvard Grieg – Sonata in A minor, Op. 36
• Cesar Franck – Sonata in A major 
• Richard Strauss – Sonata Op. 6 
• Frédéric Chopin – Sonata in G minor, Op. 65

2. A piece by a Polish composer to be chosen from:

1. • Aleksander Tansman- Fantasia
   • Eugeniusz Knapik – Filo d’Arianna for solo cello
   • Witold Lutosławski – Grave
   • Krzysztof Penderecki – Divertimento for solo cello, parts 1-3
   • Paweł Szymański – Kaleidoscope for M.C.E. for solo cello

3. Any piece for solo cello or with piano accompaniment, with a duration of up to 15 minutes (it may be a cyclic work)

Stage III

1. Franz Joseph Haydn – one of the cello concertos with orchestral accompaniment to be chosen from:

1. • C major Hob. VIIb:1
   • D major Hob. VIIb:2

14. OTHER PROVISIONS

1. In all matters relating to the course of the Competition which do not lie within the competence of the Jury, decisions are made by the Artistic Director of the Competition. These decisions are irrevocable and non-appealable.

2. The Organiser hereby reserves the right to amend these Regulations without stating a reason.

3. The Organiser shall decide in any matters not governed by these Regulations.

4. These Regulations shall be governed by Polish law.