From the renaissance, music was always important to the rulers of the principality of Pfalz-Neuburg; again and again, they invited the most prominent musicians of their time to their court. The violin virtuoso Biagio Marini, who came from Brescia (Italy), worked for almost 30 years as musical director to the court of the counts palatine. Today, Biagio Marini is considered to be one of the first significant composers of instrumental music who had a decisive influence on Italian music of the 17th century in particular.
The eponymous international early music competition, which has been held yearly since 1999 in Neuburg an der Donau, evokes this glorious period of musical culture. As the only permanent early music competition in Bavaria, the Biagio Marini Competition is aimed at young chamber music ensembles who are committed to historical performance practice and who play on historical instruments.
The competition itself is held as a public performance event in one of Germany's most beautiful concert halls, the Neuburg Kongregationssaal. The expert jury is composed of internationally renowned musicians and professors, in recent years including Emma Kirkby, Jakob Lindberg, Frederike Heumann or Christine Schornsheim. In addition to the two prizes awarded by the jury of 2000 euros (1st place) and 1000 euros (2nd place), an audience prize of 500 euros is also awarded. The prizes are donated by the town of Neuburg an der Donau and the association of friends of the Neuburg Summer Academy.
Conditions of participation
| Maximum age: | 35 years |
| Recording medium: | Submission of music (ca. 15 minutes, uncut) |
| Repertoire: | Early baroque to pre-classic (1600-1770) – no single movements (at least two consecutive movements) |
| Ensemble: | Chamber music ensemble (singers, instrumentalists or mixed, from 3 persons) |
| Pizes: | 1st prize 2000 € | 2nd prize 1000 € Audience prize 500 € |
| Closing date: | 1st June 2017 |
| Applications: | Please send your recording medium together with biographies of the musicians and information about the ensemble to the following address:
Stadt Neuburg an der Donau Biagio-Marini-Wettbewerb Residenzstraße A 66 86633 Neuburg an der Donau |
Submission of a recording medium is a precondition for participation. Following pre-selection by the Artistic Director of the Neuburg Summer Academy, invitations to the competition will be sent out within 2 weeks of the closing date.
At the competition itself, the performance time of 15 minutes must not be exceeded. The original works must be played. For the competition, a two-manual French harpsichord 415 Hz Valotti is available to the musicians.
Further information on applications and the competition can also be obtained from Prof. Dr. Georg Brunner (Email: brunner@neusob.de)