Evaluation
The London International Choral Conducting Competition employs two juries of highly experienced choral adjudicators. All rehearsals and written/verbal feedback will be in English.
There are four rounds to the LICCC 2024 competition:
There are four rounds to the LICCC 2024 competition:
1. Free Choice: Pre-Recorded Video Round (Round 1)
Applicants send in a pre-recorded video with their application form, which will be assessed by a panel of three UK adjudicators (the National Jury). These adjudicators will include the Chair of Jury who will be on the panel for all rounds of the competition.
Fifteen competitors will be selected to progress to the second round of the competition which will be held in London on Thursday 31st October 2024.
Read about the National Jury.
Fifteen competitors will be selected to progress to the second round of the competition which will be held in London on Thursday 31st October 2024.
Read about the National Jury.
2. Sacred Music: Professional Choir (Round 2)
The venue for Round 2 of the competition will be confirmed shortly. It will take place in London on Thursday 31st October 2024. All fifteen short-listed competitors will be required to attend.
Each competitor will have 8 minutes to work with a professional choir on their piece, chosen from a repertoire list. Competitors should demonstrate their rehearsal and conducting skill, and may choose how to use their allotted time to show these skills.
All fifteen competitors will proceed to the third round of the competition.
The National Jury will adjudicate this round, and the marks for round 2 and for round 3 will be combined to determine the competitors who will progress to the Grand Final (Round 4).
The professional choir for LICCC 2024 will be Tenebrae. You can find out more about Tenebrae on the Meet the Choirs page.
Each competitor will have 8 minutes to work with a professional choir on their piece, chosen from a repertoire list. Competitors should demonstrate their rehearsal and conducting skill, and may choose how to use their allotted time to show these skills.
All fifteen competitors will proceed to the third round of the competition.
The National Jury will adjudicate this round, and the marks for round 2 and for round 3 will be combined to determine the competitors who will progress to the Grand Final (Round 4).
The professional choir for LICCC 2024 will be Tenebrae. You can find out more about Tenebrae on the Meet the Choirs page.
3. UK Women Composers: LICCC Choirs (Round 3)
Round 3 of the competition will take place at the Royal Academy of Music, London, on Saturday 2nd November 2024. All fifteen competitors will be required to attend.
The International Jury, comprising five jurors, will adjudicate competitors in one rehearsal and one performance.
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the LICCC Commissioned Piece with one of the LICCC choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 10 minutes.
Competitors will then be adjudicated in a public performance of their Set Piece for Round 3 with a different LICCC choir. Each competitor will have 20 minutes to rehearse this piece with the choir in advance of the adjudicated performance.
The full list of LICCC choirs is on the Meet the Choirs page.
After considered deliberation by the International Jury, five competitors will be chosen to go through to the Grand Final.
Read about the International Jury.
The International Jury, comprising five jurors, will adjudicate competitors in one rehearsal and one performance.
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the LICCC Commissioned Piece with one of the LICCC choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 10 minutes.
Competitors will then be adjudicated in a public performance of their Set Piece for Round 3 with a different LICCC choir. Each competitor will have 20 minutes to rehearse this piece with the choir in advance of the adjudicated performance.
The full list of LICCC choirs is on the Meet the Choirs page.
After considered deliberation by the International Jury, five competitors will be chosen to go through to the Grand Final.
Read about the International Jury.
4. International Choral Works: Grand Final
Round 4 (International Choral Works: Grand Final) will take place at the Royal Academy of Music, London, on Sunday 3rd November 2024. All five short-listed competitors will be required to attend.
During the Gala Concert on Saturday 2nd November 2024 competitors will draw lots to determine which pieces they will conduct in the Grand Final, and the order in which they will be performed. The International Jury, comprising five jurors, will adjudicate competitors in two rehearsals and one performance.
Adjudicated rehearsal – Set Piece
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the Set Piece for Round 4 with one of the LICCC Choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 20 minutes.
Adjudicated performance – Commissioned Set Piece
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the LICCC Commissioned Piece with the LICCC Massed Choirs. This is a large chorus made up of the combined LICCC Choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 10 minutes.
Adjudicated performance – Set Pieces
Competitors will finally be adjudicated in a public performance (Grand Final) in which they will conduct two set pieces, with two different choirs. One of the pieces will be their Set Piece for Round 4, adjudicated earlier in the adjudicated rehearsal. The other will be one of the Set Pieces for Round 3. This will not be the same piece that they conducted during Round 3, and competitors will have 20 minutes to privately rehearse this piece (not adjudicated). The rehearsal time for each of the set pieces will be 20 minutes, and may not be divided between the choirs in a different proportion.
During the Gala Concert on Saturday 2nd November 2024 competitors will draw lots to determine which pieces they will conduct in the Grand Final, and the order in which they will be performed. The International Jury, comprising five jurors, will adjudicate competitors in two rehearsals and one performance.
Adjudicated rehearsal – Set Piece
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the Set Piece for Round 4 with one of the LICCC Choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 20 minutes.
Adjudicated performance – Commissioned Set Piece
Each competitor will be adjudicated during a rehearsal of the LICCC Commissioned Piece with the LICCC Massed Choirs. This is a large chorus made up of the combined LICCC Choirs. The duration of the adjudicated rehearsal will be 10 minutes.
Adjudicated performance – Set Pieces
Competitors will finally be adjudicated in a public performance (Grand Final) in which they will conduct two set pieces, with two different choirs. One of the pieces will be their Set Piece for Round 4, adjudicated earlier in the adjudicated rehearsal. The other will be one of the Set Pieces for Round 3. This will not be the same piece that they conducted during Round 3, and competitors will have 20 minutes to privately rehearse this piece (not adjudicated). The rehearsal time for each of the set pieces will be 20 minutes, and may not be divided between the choirs in a different proportion.
Evaluation criteria
The judges will mark each piece using the following four key criteria:
The International Jury will evaluate the competitors on a point basis of 1 to 100.
Separate marks are given for adjudicated rehearsals and for adjudicated performance. All marks are separately calculated and then summed up.
In the Grand Final each adjudicator gives a mark out of 100 for the entire performance (both pieces combined) based on key criteria 1, 2 and 3 only. The jurors may also write brief comments in English which will constitute the written feedback.
The final Jury mark constitutes 5/6 of the overall final mark.
The choirs will also give a mark for each of the competitors in the Grand Final. This will be called the ‘Choir Vote’. The Choir Vote will constitute 1/6 of the final marks in the Grand Final.
The marks from each choir will be summed up and then combined with the marks from the Jury. The resulting sum determines the prizewinning positions.
Prizes and certification will be awarded at the end of the Grand Final performance.
The Jury will abide by the rules of the competition and the decisions of the Jury are final and beyond appeal.
- Technique: Sound/secure technical competency and clarity/variety of gesture.
- Interpretation: Knowledge of vocal technique, sound quality, aural perception, stylistic awareness and application of musical interpretation.
- Communication: Sense of emotional connection to the music/text, strong communication skills, ability to effectively engage with the choir.
- Rehearsal Skills: Well-planned and effectively realised rehearsal strategies.
The International Jury will evaluate the competitors on a point basis of 1 to 100.
Separate marks are given for adjudicated rehearsals and for adjudicated performance. All marks are separately calculated and then summed up.
In the Grand Final each adjudicator gives a mark out of 100 for the entire performance (both pieces combined) based on key criteria 1, 2 and 3 only. The jurors may also write brief comments in English which will constitute the written feedback.
The final Jury mark constitutes 5/6 of the overall final mark.
The choirs will also give a mark for each of the competitors in the Grand Final. This will be called the ‘Choir Vote’. The Choir Vote will constitute 1/6 of the final marks in the Grand Final.
The marks from each choir will be summed up and then combined with the marks from the Jury. The resulting sum determines the prizewinning positions.
Prizes and certification will be awarded at the end of the Grand Final performance.
The Jury will abide by the rules of the competition and the decisions of the Jury are final and beyond appeal.
