2016 ITA Solo & Ensemble Competitions
Applications to the 2016 ITA Solo and Ensemble Competitions will once again be submitted at: https://app.getacceptd.com/ita.
Click here for submission instructions.
Click here to view the list of repertoire for the 2016 ITA Solo and Ensemble Competitions.
General Information
Three finalists, selected from a preliminary recorded round, will be chosen by international judging panels in 12 different competition categories: Fontana, Johnson, Smith, Marsteller, Wiehe, Gagliardi, ITA Alto, Roberts, Yaxley, Van Haney, Kleinhammer and Quartet. Those applicants selected as finalists will be invited to perform in a live final round at the International Trombone Festival on June 8-11, 2016 in New York City, USA. All finalists will receive a full tuition waiver to attend the 2016 ITF; housing, food and travel expenses will NOT be covered by the International Trombone Association or the International Trombone Festival.
A winner and one runner-up will be selected from submitted recordings in the Emory Remington and Kai Winding trombone ensemble categories. Each winning ensemble will receive a featured performance at the International Trombone Festival on June 8-11, 2016 in New York City, USA. Its members and conductor will receive a full tuition waiver to attend the ITF; housing, food and travel expenses will NOT be covered by the International Trombone Association or the International Trombone Festival.
Winners of the Remington and Winding Competitions will be obligated to perform at the 2016 International Trombone Festival. Winners in other categories may be asked to participate in a clinic or solo performance at the 2016 ITF.
Failure to strictly adhere to the following General Rules and Requirements will result in immediate disqualification. In the event of a disqualification, the application fee will not be refunded.
General Rules and Requirements (applicable to ALL competition categories)
- Each competition participant (except piano accompanists or rhythm section players) must be an ITA member in good standing BEFORE beginning the Competition registration process.
- Entries will be submitted by online application and digital audio file upload. Specific submission instructions may be found under Submission Instructions.
- Registration will open on October 1, 2015 and close on December 1, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST).
- A non-refundable application fee of $57 ($30 ITA fee + $27 Acceptd fee) is required for each solo entry: Fontana, Johnson, Smith, Marsteller, Wiehe, Gagliardi, ITA Alto, Roberts, Kleinhammer and Van Haney. A non-refundable $102 application fee ($75 ITA fee + $27 Acceptd fee) is required for each ensemble entry: Quartet, Winding and Remington.
- Age requirements must be met as of December 31, 2015. Proof of age (i.e. photocopy of driver’s license, visa or birth certificate) must be included.
- Each competition category has its own set of specific rules and repertoire requirements. These must be strictly followed in addition to the General Rules and Regulations.
- No editing of any kind is permitted within a solo piece, a movement of a larger work, or an orchestral excerpt. (It is permitted to trim the beginning or end of each file, i.e. before the music begins or after it concludes.)
- No spoken comments are allowed, including any verbal count-offs. Audible dialogue of any kind will result in disqualification.
- No identifying information (applicant’s name, school, teacher, etc.) may be included in the uploaded audio file names or in any embedded metadata. Such information in an uploaded audio file is grounds for disqualification.
- Attendance at the 2016 International Trombone Festival in New York City, USA is required of all finalists. Finalists and winning ensemble members are required to confirm their participation at the 2016 ITF by March 15, 2016 in order to guarantee their finalist position. Alternates or runners-up may be invited to replace any contestant who fails to confirm by March 15, 2016.
- All finalists will be required to perform in the final round with the accompanist or rhythm section provided by the ITA.
- All finalists will be allotted equal rehearsal time with the provided accompanist on the day before the competition.
Frequent Reasons for Disqualification
- Failure to remove all identifying information from audio file names or metadata.
- Failure to record with prescribed accompaniment (e.g. no band or orchestra accompaniments).
- Failure to provide an unedited recording.
- Failure to record prescribed repertoire according to stipulated rules.
- Failure to avoid all spoken dialogue.
- Failure to submit required proof of age.
- Failure to meet specified age requirements.
Guidelines for Making the Recording
It is suggested that the recording be made at the highest possible quality and then converted to a suitable format for file upload.
Must be recorded from a single position (i.e., no separate microphones for soloist and pianist).
Microphone(s) should be placed 6 – 12 feet (1.8 – 3.6 meters) from soloist/pianist 2 – 4 feet (.6 – 1.2 meters) above the trombone bell.
Cardioid type microphone is preferred
Adjust piano peg as necessary to find best balance with performer.
Auto gain features should be disabled to allow for an accurate dynamic representation of the performance.
Submission Instructions
Please carefully review these instructions before proceeding with your application(s). It is recommended that applicants complete the application via personal computer rather than with a mobile device.
NOTE: Before submitting your application, please verify that no identifying information can be found in either the audio file name or metadata. Simply label your file with the competition name. For example, MarstellerEntry.mp3
1. Navigate to the ITA landing page on the Acceptd site: https://app.getacceptd.com/ita
2. Log in to your account in the upper right corner of the screen, or, if you do not have an account with Acceptd, click the green check box in the upper left corner of the page to create an account on the Acceptd home page.
3. After creating your account and/or logging in, navigate back to the ITA landing page: https://app.getacceptd.com/ita (You may also click New application and search for the ITA page using the drop down menus.)
4. After returning to the ITA Competitions landing page, locate the Program Group drop down menu on the left side of your screen and select either ITA Ensemble Competitions or ITA Solo Competitions.
5. Select the specific competition for which you wish to apply from the Program drop down menu.
6. After reviewing the requirements, click the green Get Started button at the bottom of the screen to begin apply to the selected competition.
7. Fill in all required information on the Applicant Information page. (If you do not have a current school or teacher, you may type N/A.) Click Continue.
8. Upload your proof of age and audio files. Be sure to pay particular attention to the rules on formatting and naming your audio file(s). If you need to review the rules at any time, click the blue Applications Guidelines button on the right side of the screen. When you have uploaded your files, they will take a moment to process. Once the upload is complete, click on your uploaded file to select it and exit the upload menu. (If you are entering more than one competition, your previous uploads may display on this screen. Simply select your proof of age file from your library, but make sure you upload and select the correct audio file for the competition for which you are applying.) When you have completed the uploads, click Continue.
9. On the Preview the Application page, review all of your information and make sure it is correct. Please take this opportunity to verify that you have exactly followed the directions for naming your audio files. If you need to edit the file name, you may do so by clicking the pencil icon next to the file name. Once you are satisfied with your application, click Continue.
10. Enter your payment information. (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are accepted.) The total amount due is the combined ITA and Acceptd application fees. Once your payment information is verified, click Pay and Submit to complete your application.
11. When your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation message on screen as well as via the email address provided in your application.
Make sure to like ITA’s Facebook page to get the latest competition info directly in your news feed.