Organized by Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society of Poznań in cooperation with Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers and National Museum in Poznań, 15th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Maker Competition (hereinafter referred to as the “Competition”) shall be held in the category of the violin between 9 and 16 May 2025.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
§ 1
1. The Competition is open to professional violin makers of all ages and nationalities.
2. Winners of first prizes at previous editions of International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Maker Competition and close relatives of members of the Jury are not eligible to participate in the Competition.
3. To be eligible to participate in the Competition, candidates must submit their application by 9 March 2025 by completing, signing and sending a scan of the form available on the website www.wieniawski.pl to vmc@wieniawski.pl together with confirmation of payment of the entry fee.
4. Competition application fee is 160 Euro per instrument. Application fee is nonrefundable in case of withdrawal from or inability to participate in the Competition.
§ 2
Eligible for participation in the competition is a violin that constitutes an original piece of work, remains property of the Competition participant, was not built earlier than 2022, and has not been awarded prizes at other competitions. An expert violinmaker shall be appointed by the organizers of the Competition, whose duty will be to run preliminary selection of the submitted violins and to exclude from the competition:
1. instruments that bear signs of mechanical processing,
2. instruments of eccentric shapes and colours,
3. instruments whose appearance deliberately imitates that of an old instrument,
4. instruments built of materials other than wood.
Exclusion of instruments from the competition for reasons mentioned above shall be carried out by the appointed expert and documented in a report that will include a photographic record. The report shall be submitted to members of the jury at the body’s first session. Members of the jury will have an opportunity to inspect the instruments excluded from the competition, and in doubtful situations, reinstate them in the
competition by a simple majority in a vote.
§ 3
Each participant of the Competition is entitled to submit a maximum of two violins. Should the jury, upon announcement of the results and opening the envelopes containing names of violin makers, determine that more than two instruments have been submitted for the Competition by the same maker, all instruments submitted by that violin maker are automatically disqualified and their participation in the Competition deemed null and void.
§ 4
The Competition is anonymous, hence all the participating violin makers are obliged to fulfil the following requirements:
1. A trustee must be appointed under whose name an instrument shall be submitted.
2. A rigid card bearing the codename of the violin maker should be attached to the scroll of the instrument (if two instruments are submitted by the same maker, codenames attached to both instruments should be different). The codename should be entered in Roman characters. Any additional marking is inadmissible and results in disqualification of the instrument.
3. The parcel containing the instrument should also include a sealed envelope ”A” labelled with the same codename as the card attached to the scroll of the instrument. The envelope should contain the following data (written legibly in block capital letters or computer print):
a) name, surname and nationality of the violin maker,
b) address, telephone no., e-mail address,
c) year and place of violin construction,
d) original violin maker’s label,
e) brief CV and two legibly signed colour photographs of the maker with consent for their publication,
f) two colour photographs of the submitted instrument (frontal and rear view), not smaller than 9x13 cm,
g) authorization to perform minor repairs if these prove necessary to make participation of the instrument in the Competition possible.
Repairs shall be performed exclusively by the Custodian of the Competition Instruments; a professional violin maker who does not participate in the Competition.
4. A second, unsealed envelope “B” labelled with the same codename and containing spare strings of the same type as those used on the instrument should also be included in the parcel. The type of strings used on the instrument remains maker’s choice.
5. A person authorized by the Organizers of the Competition supervises the assignment of numbers to all instruments, as well as keeps the list containing the numbers and codenames of particular instruments.
§ 5
Location of the sound post should be delicately marked in pencil on the back board of the instrument to enable the Custodian of Competition Instruments to replace it correctly in cases of displacement or overturning.
§ 6
1. By 16 March 2025 all participants receive confirmation of participation in the Competition.
2. Detailed information regarding the schedule for sending and delivering instruments will be provided to participants individually after verification of the application.
3. Delivery of instruments submitted for the competition and their collection after the event remains responsibility of the submitter and is carried out at their expense.
4. The Organizers of the competition do not act either as agents for the delivery of instruments submitted for the Competition, or for their return after the event.
5. Upon completion of the competition, instruments may be collected personally; or through the agency of a person authorised in writing by the owner of the violin; or through the agency of a courier company. Collection is ordered and paid for by participant of the Competition.
6. Instruments from countries outside the European Union must be accompanied by a document of temporary customs clearance, e.g. an ATA carnet and/or such other documents to authorise admission of the instruments to and their subsequent removal from the territory of Poland as will be required by the customs service in 2025.
7. The Organizers do not provide legal assistance, nor participate in the procedure for clarifying customs irregularities in the case of failure to provide appropriate documents by the participant.
§ 7
1. Participants of the Competition are obliged independently and at their own expense to insure the instrument(s) for the period of transportation to and from Poznań, Poland, as well as for the period of their presentation in Poznań.
2. The Organizer declares that throughout the Competition the instruments shall remain under professional care of violinmakers of the Musical Instrument Branch of the National Museum, and shall be kept in a secured facility appropriate for the purpose.
§ 8
Withdrawal of submitted instruments is not possible prior to the end of the Competition.
§ 9
1. The Jury of the Competition shall consist of outstanding Polish and foreign violin makers and virtuoso violin players.
2. Composition of the Jury shall be made public prior to the opening of the Competition.
3. The Jury shall observe the principle of full authorship anonymity throughout the entire period of the Competition.
4. Detailed directives of the proceedings of the Jury, as well as criteria for judgement are set out in autonomous “Rules and Regulations of the Proceedings of the Jury”.
5. Decisions of the Jury are final and non-appealable.
§ 10
The main objective of the Competition is to select instruments of outstanding acoustic qualities, as well as ones exhibiting supreme violin-making artistry. The course of the Competition will be as follows:
1. In Stage 1, violin-maker members of the Jury shall perform a general overview of the submitted instruments to eliminate those that do not meet the criteria set out in the present Rules and Regulations, do not exhibit qualities of artistic workmanship, or represent a low level of craftsmanship. A maximum of 90 instruments shall be admitted to stage 2 of the Competition.
2. In Stage 2, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Proceedings of the Jury, members of the Jury pronounce individual judgements on instruments admitted to this stage: violin makers judge the violin-making qualities, and musicians judge the functional-acoustic properties. At this stage of the Competition, members of the Jury apply the following scoring criteria:
violin makers: 1 - 100 points
a) technical merit: 1-25 points
b) setup: 1-20 points
c) aesthetic qualities of varnish: 1-25 points
d) general stylistic quality: 1-30 points
musicians: 1 - 50 points
a) projection (1-3 points per string): 4–12 points
b) timbre (as above): 4–12 points
c) articulation (as above): 4–12 points
d) balance of strings (1-3 points between strings): 3-9 points
e) playability (height of strings, nut, smoothness of neck, neck bracket, boards and finger board), individual properties: 1-5 points
The total score of Stage 2 is the sum of the violin-making and acoustic-functional scores. Instruments awarded by each member of the Jury a minimum of 70 points for violinmaking qualities, and 30 points for acoustic-functional properties are admitted to Stage 3 of the Competition. Should the number of instruments awarded the above minimum scores be insufficient, the pool of instruments admitted to Stage 3 can be complete with instruments of highest scores which did not receive the minimum of 70 points for violinmaking qualities, and 30 points for acoustic-functional properties. Based on the highest total scores awarded in Stage 2, the Jury shall determine the number of instruments admitted to Stage 3 of the Competition.
3. In Stage 3 of the Competition, the Jury in its full composition carries out an acoustic evaluation of instruments in performance conditions.
In this part of the Competition, invited violin soloists perform on particular instruments in two sessions: to the accompaniment of the piano and orchestra. Stage 3 auditions are open to the public.
4. The sum of the violin-making and acoustic-functional scores of Stage 2 and the average acoustic score of Stage 3 shall determine the order of the award-winning instruments.
§ 11
Results of the Competition shall be announced in the media.
§ 12
1. The following statutory prizes are established:
1st Prize: 18,000 Euro (gross)
2nd Prize: 6,000 Euro (gross)
3rd Prize: 4,000 Euro (gross)
Prize winners also receive honorary diplomas corresponding with the said prizes.
Furthermore, the Competition Jury shall award two special prizes:
Prize of 2,000 Euro and medal of Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers for the instrument of highest rated violin-making properties.
Prize of 2,000 Euro and diploma of Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society of Poznań for the instrument of highest rated acoustic properties.
According to Polish tax regulations, all financial prizes and distinctions are subject to 10% tax. The tax is remitted by the organizer of the Competition.
2. Except for the fixed 1st Prize, the Jury has the right to alter the number and order of prizes, provided the total value of prizes remains unchanged.
3. The instrument awarded the highest grade by the Jury becomes property of the Luthier Instrument Collection of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
4. All other financial and non-financial prizes endowed by institutions or private persons should be presented to the Organisers of the Competition by 9 May 2025. These prizes shall be regarded as extra-statutory distinctions. Financial prizes are paid in the currency in which they have been deposited.
§ 13
1. Upon determination of the final results of the Competition subject to awarded scores, the names of violin makers and the instrument codenames will be disclosed. All participants of Stage 3 are presented with diplomas of participation.
2. Prize-Giving Ceremony, as well as Gala Concert performed on the award-winning instruments shall be held on 16 May 2025.
§ 14
1. Exhibition of award-winning instruments, as well as instruments to receive highest combined scores in Stages 2 and 3 of the Competition shall be held at National Museum of Instruments in Poznań between 17 May 2025 and 31 May 2025. Participation of the said instruments in the exhibition is mandatory.
2. In respect of participation in the exhibition, the Organizers do not collect any charges from, nor pay any fees to exhibitors.
§ 15
Organizers of the competition, Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society of Poznań, as well as co-organizers reserve the right to free of charge prepare and publish photographic and video images of the award-winning instruments.
§ 16
Any disputes arising in relation to submission of an application and/or participation in the Competition, are subject to jurisdiction of a competent court in Poznań, Poland. The Polish language version of the present Rules and Regulations takes precedence.
§ 17
All Competition-related correspondence should be addressed to:
Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. H. Wieniawskiego
ul. Świętosławska 7
61-840 Poznań, Poland
vmc@wieniawski.pl
___________________
GDPR INFORMATION
1. In accordance with art. 13 par. 1 and par. 2 of the regulation (EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (GDPR), we wish to inform that controller of personal data (hereafter: “Controller”) is Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. Henryka Wieniawskiego w Poznaniu with seat at 7, Świętosławska street, Poznań, Poland.
2. Following data shall be processed by the Controller: full name, date and place of birth, mailing address, email address, telephone number, citizenship.
3. Personal data shall be processed for the purpose of conducting the 15th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Making Competition (hereafter: “Competition”), held between 9 and 16 May 2025 in Poznań, Poland, and in particular for the purpose of accepting participants’ applications and ensuring their participation in the Competition in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.
4. The data is collected by employees of Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. H. Wieniawskiego w Poznaniu. The data can, furthermore, be collected by entities authorized subject to applicable legal regulations. The Controller may also entrust processing of personal data to providers of services or products operating on its behalf, in particular to entities providing IT and accounting services to the Controller. In accordance with agreements of personal data processing assignment concluded with such entities, the Controller requires from the said service providers that high-level protection of privacy and safety of personal data processed by them on behalf of the Controller, and concordant with applicable legal regulations be observed.
5. Personal data shall be stored for a period arising out of commonly applicable legal regulations, as well as for the time necessary to conduct the Competition in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.
6. The person whose personal data shall be processed with regard hereto, has the right:
a. to access the contents of his/her personal data – within the scope of art. 15 of GDPR;
b. to rectify his/her personal data – within the scope of art. 16 of GDPR;
c. to erase his/her personal data – within the scope of art. 17 of GDPR;
d. to restrict the processing of his/her personal data – within the scope of art. 18 of GDPR;
e. to transfer his/her personal data – within the scope of art. 20 of GDPR;
f. to raise an objection regarding the processing of his/her personal data (in case data is processed subject to art. 6 par. 1 sub-par. f of GDPR) – within the scope of art. 21 of GDPR.
7. Although providing personal data is voluntary, it is necessary to participate in the Competition.
8. Should the person whose personal data shall be processed with regard hereto, find that the processing of his/her personal data contravenes GDPR regulations, he/she is entitled to lodge a complaint with the Chairman of Urząd Ochrony Danych Osobowych (Personal Data Protection Authority).
