Biagio Marini Competition

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 addition to the two prizes awarded by the jury of 2.500 euros (1st place) and 1.500 euros (2nd place), an audience prize of 750 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. 

The German Viola da Gamba Society is pleased to announce a grant award as part of the Biagio Marini Competition. This award is for outstanding performance on the viola da gamba, notably for ensembles in which the viola da gamba plays a central role (such as a viola da gamba consort). Exceptional artistic achievement on the viola da gamba as part of an ensemble is also considered. The award may be granted by the competition jury but is not obligatory. The maximum prize amount is €500.  

With this grant, introduced in 2024, the German Viola da Gamba Society aims to encourage the participation of young viol players in ensembles and to raise awareness of viola da gamba consort repertoire. This initiative underscores the Society’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and fostering a deeper appreciation for the viola da gamba in ensemble performance.

 

Conditions of participation

Maximum age:	35 years (Maximum age of the invidual ensemble members)
Application:	Transmission of an uncut video via online storage such as Dropbox, WeTransfer or YouTube video in non-public mode with 10 minutes of music. The works in this video do not have to be indentical to the program of the final round.
Repertoire:	Renaissance to classical. A dramaturgically convincing concept of the submitted program is very much welcomed. In the finale on August 7th, the program will be presented with a short written introductory text.  The competition entry in the final may not last longer than 15 minutes.  A harpsichord (two-manual 415/440) is availibale fot the competition. You can bring your own keyboard instruments by arrangement.
Ensemble:	Chamber music instrumentation from 3 people (singers, instrumentalists and/or mixed). Participants in the summer academy can also take part in the competition.
Prizes:	1st prize 2.500 € 2nd prize 1.500 € Audience prize 750 € Viola da Gamba prize 500 €
Jury	Lecturer at the summer academy for old music 2024
Event date:	Wednesday, 7th August 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Closing date:	1st June 2024
Applications:	Please send an e-mail with the subject "Biagio Marini-Wettbewerb"  including the following information to sommerakademie@neuburg-donau.de: Scan of the completed registration form (please click: registration form) Short vita of the ensemble (max. 500 characters) link to dropbox or youtube Confirmation that you grant the organizers of the Biagio Marini competition the rights to use advertising material. By submitting the application and the video material, the participants agree to the publication of the contribution.

 

The submission of a recording is a prerequisite for participation. An invitation to the competition will be made after a pre-selection by the artistic director of the Neuburg Summer Academy and will be sent to you approximately 2 weeks after the registration deadline.

The audition time for the competition itself may not exceed 15 minutes.

Original works must be played. The musicians will have a 2-manual French harpsichord 415 Hz Valotti at their disposal. Further information on registration and the competition is available from Xenia Löffler.

Winners of the Past Biagio-Marini-Competitions:

2024 - XXV. BIAGIO-MARINI-WETTBEWERB

1. Preis	Auditu Dignum
2. Preis	Arc of Iris
Publikumspreis	Arc of Iris
Förderpreis der "Viola da Gamba Gesellschaft"	Vivalma

 

2023 - XXIV. BIAGIO-MARINI-WETTBEWERB

1. Preis	Daimona Ensemble
2. Preis	Barock_Plus
Publikumspreis	Tra Noi

 

 

2022 - XXIII. BIAGIO-MARINI-COMPETITION

1st prize	Palisander
2nd prize	Ayres Extemporae
Audience prize	Palisander

2021 - XXII. BIAGIO-MARINI-COMPETITION

1st prize	Basel Barock
2nd prize	Brezza Ensemble
Audience prize	Rýnský Trio

2020 - XXI. Biagio-Marini-Competition

1st prize	Protean Quartet
2nd prize	Domus Artis
Audience prize	Le Jonc Fleuri

2019 - XX. Biagio-Marini-Competition

1st prize	Marsyas Baroque
2nd prize + audience prize	Ensemble infiammabile

2018 - XIX. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2017 - XVIII. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2016 - XVII. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2015 - XVI. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2014 - XV. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2013 - XIV. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2012 - XIII. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2011 - XII. Biagio-Marini-Competition

2010 - XI. Biagio-Marini-Competition