11th edition
International Organ Competition of Saint-Maurice
August 7 to 13, 2023

Playoff on video:

Free program of 15 min maximum including the last movement of one of the 6 trio sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach

Application deadline: May 15, 2023

Grand-orgue-IMG_8786©ASM-Alexandre-Derivaz
Orgue Sigismond

1/4 finals: Monday August 7 at the church of Saint-Sigismond, Saint-Maurice

  • Johann Sebastian Bach : 2nd and 3rd movement of one of the 6 trio sonatas BWV 525-530
  • Johannes Brahms: Prelude and Fugue in A minor

1/2 final: Thursday, August 10 at Saint-Martin de Vevey

  • Charles-Marie Widor: Andante sostenuto from the Gothic symphony op.70
  • Olivier Messiaen: Transports de joie d’une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne (Transports of joy of a soul before the glory of Christ which is its own) from the Ascension or Marcel Dupré Symphonie passion: Le Monde dans l’attente du sauveur (The world awaiting the savior)

Vevey Orgue
Orgue Cathédrale Lausanne

Final: Sunday, August 13 at the Cathedral of Lausanne

  • Gaston Litaize: Cortège for three trumpets, three trombones and organ
  • Max Reger: Benedictus opus 59 n°9
  • Ermend Bonnal: Bells in the sky from the Basque landscapes
  • Thomas Kientz: Dominus Illuminatio mea, Schola Cantorum edition

In collaboration with the Société des Concerts de la Cathédrale de Lausanne (SCCL)

Competition program

The 11th Saint-Maurice International Organ Competition is delighted to welcome 12 brilliant young organists to Switzerland. The competition will take place over three days, with free admission and no reservation.

The 1st round on Monday August 7 in Saint-Maurice, the semi-final on Thursday 10th in Vevey and the final on Sunday 13th in Lausanne.

The jury will comprise 6 international specialists in the discipline, and will be chaired by Richard Dubugnon, a brilliant composer who has written an oratorio on the history of the abbey: The Mistery of Agaune.

In addition to the three official prizes (Canton of Valais / City of Saint-Maurice / Georges Cramer Foundation), spectators will be invited to vote for the Audience Prize.

This year, the competition is expanding its cultural offerings to become a veritable organ festival!

With our partners, we offer concerts, a Master Class, lectures and tours. 

For more information, please contat us at: musique@stmaurice.ch.

The Jury

Cindy Castillo (Belgium): Titular organist of the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels – Professor at the IMEP of Namur  

Jean-Christophe Geiser (Switzerland): Titular organist of the Cathedral of Lausanne – Professor at the Haute École de musique de Lausanne

Andrea Macinanti (Italy): Professor at the Conservatory of Bologna

Monica Melcova (Slovakia): Professor at the Superior Conservatory of San Sebastian

Vincent Thévenaz (Switzerland): Titular organist of the Geneva Cathedral – Professor at the Haute 
 
École de musique de Genève

Daniel Zaretsky (Russia): Professor at the Moscow Conservatory

Pre-selection Jury:

Pierre-Alain Clerc: Professor emeritus at the High Schools of Music of Lausanne and Geneva

Thomas Kientz: Titular organist at the Abbey of Saint-Maurice – Professor at the Haute École de musique de Lausanne & at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles

Vincent Thévenaz: Member of the jury of the 2023 competition

Travel and accommodation costs

The travel costs are the responsibility of the candidates. The Competition can provide a room at the inhabitant free of charge. Applicants may also stay at the hotel, but at their own expense. The costs of meals and drinks are the responsibility of the candidates.

Registration deadline

May 15, 2023

The results of the pre-selection test will be communicated to candidates at the end of June 2023.

Rules

  1. The Competition is open to young organists of all nationalities, age limit: 35 (1987).

  2. All rounds are public. The competition is held on an anonymous basis, the jury not seeing the candidates.

  3. The selection through the videos will be carried out by three members of the jury. Listening to the videos will be systematically interrupted after a maximum of 15 minutes. The pieces of music from the playoffs can be recorded on different organs at different times. However, for each piece the recording must be made in one single shot, without cutting or editing, as in a concert in front of an audience.

  4. Through their participation in the Competition, the candidates give their authorization to be filmed (audio and video) and photographed during the Competition rounds, the concerts given by the 1st Prize winner and the Awards ceremony. They agree that the images made by the Competition photographers may also be used by third parties.
    The candidates will transfer free of charge to the Fondation Georges Cramer, sponsor of the Competition:
    1. the right to record, archive, reproduce, have reproduced and distribute their performances at the Competition and the concerts, including images on disk or any other medium existing for the moment or in the future, including in digital format, as well as,
    2. the right to communicate and broadcast their performances to the public by any televised or radio equipment or system, including by Internet, cable network, via radio or other means, live or pre-recorded, in linear or on-demand mode, with or without free or paying downloads, in Switzerland and abroad.

  5. The transfer mentioned in Section 4) above includes all the performances given during the Competition as well as the performances given by the 1st Prize winner during the Competition, the concerts, and the Award ceremony. The transfer is for the entire duration of copyrights and other related rights according to the laws in force at present and in the future.

  6. In addition to the completed application form, the candidates will send :
    1. a Curriculum Vitae;
    2. a photograph (portrait);
    3. a copy of passport or identity card;
    4. a copy of an organ diploma (Bachelor, Master…).

  7. A non-refundable registration fee of 100 CHF must be paid before May 15, 2023 to the account of Banque Cantonale du Valais, Av. de la Gare 20, CH-1920 Martigny.
    1. Account Holder: Abbaye de Saint-Maurice
    2. Account Number: 0C0.100.58.47
    3. IBAN: CH69 0076 5000 C010 0584 7
    4. SWIFT/BIC : BCVSCH2LXXX

    The registration will only be final after receipt of the transfer.

  8. For the finale: Cortège by Gaston Litaize will be played on the great organ of the Cathedral without a leader. During the rehearsal, the organist will be alone with the brass players and will propose his interpretation, tempos, phrasing, articulations, ornamentations…

    The brass sextet will play on the edition : SCHOLA CANTORUM

  9. The management of the combinator is the responsibility of the candidates during the competition. A page-turner will be made available during the competition.

  10. The title “Laureate of the International Organ Competition of Saint-Maurice 2023” may be used by the three finalists.

Registration for the organ competition