The 4^th Singapore Guqin Arts Festival

Since 2017, the Singapore Guqin Arts Festival, co-organised by the Singapore Chinese Music Federation, the Singapore China Cultural Centre and the Guqin Association of Singapore, has been successfully held for three times. It has successively cooperated with the China Nationalities Orchestra Society and the Shanghai Musician Association, International Chinese Musicians Coalition, etc., and invited many contemporary Guqin maestro, scholars, academic and researchers such as Zhao Jiazhen, Dai Xiaolian, Zeng Chengwei, Qiao Shan, Yang Qing, Li Fengyun, Wang Jianxin, Zhu Xi, Zhang Huaying, Huang Mei, Wang Peng, Ni Shiyun, etc., together with Zhang Jun, the “Prince of Kunqu Opera”, and Gao Bowen, the President of Shangihai Pingtan Troupe, to jointly hold the Guqin music concerts, seminars and talks.

The festival was remarkably successful and has received enormous social attention. The “1st Singapore International Guqin Tournament”, launched by the 2021 Singapore Chinese Music Festival, has played a very good role and extraordinary significance in promoting the cultivation and discovery of local guqin talents, and even promoted the development of local Guqin and the interaction of Guqin around the world.

This year, 2023, is symbolic as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the inscription of Guqin Arts on the UNESCO’s list of the “Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. The 4th Singapore Guqin Arts Festival will be held as per schedule. In addition to continuing to be part of the 2023 Singapore Chinese Music Festival, the Singapore Guqin Arts Festival will once again hold a series of events such as Guqin Art exhibitions and concerts by famous artists, and will once again hold the world-class International Guqin Championship, winning prizes sponsored by Nán Fēng Gǔ Qín and Yuè shèng qín xián with total prize value of nearly S$300,000. Taking Singapore as the stage, Guqin masters from all over the world are invited to show the world the new look of this ancient art with a history of more than 3,000 years in today’s era.

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I. Orchestration Organizers

Hosted by: Singapore Chinese Music Federation, Singapore China Cultural Centre, and Guqin Association of Singapore
Organized by: Singapore He Yue Zhai Pte Ltd and Huá Xià Xuán Yīn (华夏璇音)
Co-organized by: Nán Fēng Gǔ Qín (南风古琴), Yuè shèng qín xián (乐圣琴弦)
Official Social Media: Netease News (Singapore), www.Huain.com and Jīn rì gǔqín (今日古琴)

II. Festival Events

1，南风杯 “Nán Fēng Bēi” Singapore International Guqin Tournament
2，Award ceremony and Masters Concert by famous artists
3，Academic Seminars
4，Singapore Guqin Arts and 南风 “Nán Fēng” Guqin Exhibition

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III. Tournament Rules and Regulations

A. Panel of Adjudicators:

Chairman:
Dr. Tay Teow Kiat (Singapore): President of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation

Vice Chairman (In alphabetical order by last name):
Dai Xiaolian (Mainland China): Professor and PhD supervisor of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Inheritor of Guqin Art of the “Oral and Intangible Heritage of the humanity” in Shanghai
Li Pengpeng (Germany): President of Taoyuan Guqin in Germany, Lecturer of Musicology at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar, Germany
Ma Jie (Mainland China): Deputy director of the Guqin Professional Committee of China Musical Instrument Association, Vice President of Jiangsu Guqin Society
Qiao Shan (Canada): President of the Guqin instrument section of the International Chinese Musicians Coalition
TAKEI YUKI (Japan): President of the Japan Society for Promotions of Guqin,
Yang Lining (France): Guqin artist in France, Founder of école NINGXIN (Paris Guqin)
Yao Gongbai (Hong Kong, China): Researcher of the Cultural Department of Chi Lin Nunnery in Hong Kong, Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project of Guqin Art
Yip Mingmei (USA): Professor at the Bard College Conservatory of Music in USA, PhD in musicology from the University of Paris (Sorbonne)
Zhao Jiazhen (Mainland China): Professor and PhD supervisor of the Central Conservatory of Music, Representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of Guqin Art

Adjudicators (In alphabetical order by last name):
Chen Wen: Associate Professor of College of Music at Tainan National University of the Arts, Vice President of the Guqin instrument section of the International Chinese Musicians Coalition
Chen Chengbo: Deputy Director of the Guqin Culture and Art Committee of the China Traditional Culture Promotion Council, Director of the Zhejiang Provincial intangible cultural heritage Guqin Art Committee
Gu Yongxiang: Guqin Professional teacher of Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage project of Guqin Art in Liaoning province
Huang Mei: Associate Professor and Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin at the China Conservatory of Music, Vice president cum Secretary General of China Nationalities Orchestra Society
Ng Teck Hing: Consultant of Malacca Guqin Art Association in Malaysia, Honorary council member of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society, Standing director of International Chinese Musicians Coalition
Paul Cheong: Consultant of Guqin Association of Singapore
Li Cun: Professor of Xi’an Conservatory of Music, Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin, Director of the Chinese Qinology Research Office of the Xi’an Conservatory of Music
Li Xuemei: Associate Professor and Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Representative inheritor of Chengdu’s intangible cultural heritage (Shu school of Qin Music).
Liu Lu: Consultant of Guqin Association of Singapore, President of Singapore Guqin Society
Lu Xiaozi: Guqin Teacher of Shanghai Conservatory of Music (Guqin professional), Standing director of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society
Qiu Tong: Guqin teacher at Tianjin Conservatory of Music
Song Danian: Chairman of the Guqin Professional Committee of Henan Musicians Association, Council member of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society
Wang Youdi: Guqin Professional teacher of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, China’s first PhD of Guqin performance
Wei Wei: Associate Professor and Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin of the College of Music, Nanjing Arts Association, Professor and PhD supervisor in Guqin of Krirk University in Thailand
Wu Ye: PhD and Associate Researcher of Central Conservatory of Music, Council member of the Chinese Kun Opera and Guqin Research Association
Wu Xiaodan: Vice President of Guqin Association of Singapore, Council member of Shanghai Musician Association
Xie Dongxiao: President of Guangdong Guqin Research Association, Representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage project “Guqin Art (Lingnan School)”
Zeng He: Teacher of Guqin at Sichuan Conservatory of Music, the successor of Ye’s Guqin of the Shu school of Qin Music
Zhao Xiaoxia: Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin of Central Conservatory of Music, Professor of Singapore Raffles Music College, Visiting scholar of the Royal Danish Academy of Music
Zhang Zisheng: Vice President and Secretary General of the Guqin Professional Committee of China Musical Instrument Association, President of the Guqin Professional Committee of the Beijing Musical Instrument Society
Zhang Yiwen: Supervisor for Master’s program in Guqin of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, Vice principal of the Music Middle school Affiliated to the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, President of the Guqin Professional Committee of Zhejiang Nationalities Orchestra Society

Note: Additional adjudicators will be announced in due course.

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B. Entry requirements and Fee structure:

1. Professional category:
refers to the students and graduates of music or art academies at home or abroad, music and art faculties of comprehensive universities, music majors in attached high schools; and social workers in Guqin, etc.

*mobile viewing, please use landscape to see full table*

2.Non-Professional category:
Other Guqin Amateur 
*mobile viewing, please use landscape to see full table*

Things to note:
1. Registered members of the Guqin Association of Singapore are exempt from the registration fee for any (one) category of the preliminary round.
2. Due to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic, the on-site final evaluation and related fees of each category will be announced in July.
3. The video for the preliminary solo will not have any form of accompaniment, and the combined ensemble group will not have any accompaniment tape. Among them, the professional groups A and B can have piano accompaniment for the live final, and the official accompanist will be provided, and the cost will be borne by the organizing committee. If you invite all kinds of accompanist, you must do so at your own expense.

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C. Prizes and Awards:

Prizes
a. According to the total scores of each group, the top ten in each category and the Singapore Grand Awards will receive:
1^st prize: Win a limited edition 南风逸品 “Nán Fēng Yì Pǐn” guqin worth S$16,000 (RMB 80,000)
2^nd Prize:  Win a 南风妙品 “Nán Fēng Miào Pǐn” guqin worth S$7,600 (RMB 36,000)
3^rd prize: Win a 南风清木 “Nán Fēng Qīng Mù” guqin worth S$2,400 (RMB 12,000)
4^th to 5^th prize: A set of 乐圣琴弦 “Yuè Shèng Qín Xián” worth S$240 (RMB 1,200)
6^th to 7^thprize: A set of 乐圣琴弦 “Yuè Shèng Qín Xián” worth S$160 (RMB 800)
8^th to 10^th prize and Singapore Grand Award: A set of 乐圣琴弦 “Yuè Shèng Qín Xián” worth S$80 (RMB 400)

b. Gold with Distinction and Gold Awards winners will also receive
exquisite trophies and certificates;
Silver, Bronze and Outstanding Performance Awards winners will receive
an exquisite certificate

c. The instructors of the winners of “Gold with Distinction”, “Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards” and “Singapore Grand Awards” in each category will receive
the title of “Excellent Instructor” and certificate

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D. Timings and Venues:

E. Judging Requirements for the Preliminary round:

• The preliminary evaluation will be conducted by the adjudicators who will review the video clips submitted by the participants.
• The file format for the video is MP4 or MOV, with file size NOT exceeding 500MB.
• The recording requires no editing or synthesizing throughout the entire recording process.
• The complete face, hands, and Guqin of the candidate must be captured in the video clearly.
• The recording environment must be quiet, with no noise interruption and the sound quality must be clear.
• The image and sound recorded must be in line with each other.
• It is recommended to use a camera or newer mobile phone recording, mobile phone recording is set to 1080p 30fps (you can use the default setting directly), please be sure to use the rear camera of the mobile phone to record, recording must be done in landscape (otherwise it is considered a violation).
• The performance video recording adopts one position lens to record continuously, and no beautification operation shall be done, and no editing or modification shall be made after the recording is completed.

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F. Rules for Judging the Preliminary round:

1. The standard for evaluation is divided into three parts:

弦与指合 “Xián yǔ zhǐ hé” (Timbre and Skills/Technique), 40 points.
指与音合 “Zhǐ yǔ yīn hé” (Intonation and Rhythm/Tempo), 40 points.
音与意合 “Yīn yǔ yì hé” (Expressiveness and Artistry), 20 points.
Totaling 100 points.

2. The final scores of the finals
are converted from the preliminary and final rounds at a percentage ratio of 2:8, and each group is ranked from the highest to the lowest.

G. Instructions for Registration:

1. Registration process: fill in the electronic registration form in the registration link and pay the corresponding registration fee. Send the video files that meet the review requirements of the preliminary competition to the organizing committee by email or 百度网盘 Bǎidù wǎng pán. The organizing committee’s email address:15611690407@163.com. After receiving and checking the video, the organizing committee will reply via email to confirm receipt of the video file.
2. The registration fee is non-refundable or non-transferable.
3. All prizes can be left vacant or adjusted, and the organizing committee reserves the right to revoke all awards and prizes of candidates who breach the rules and regulations of the competition. The organizing committee also reserves the right to disqualify any candidates if any of the rules are not adhered to.
4. The postage of the prizes will be paid by the award winners.
5. Due to prevention and control of the pandemic or force majeure, the organizing committee has the right to change the venue and selection criteria of the tournament.
6. Upon completion of the registration, each and every participant concur that he or she agrees to the relevant rules and regulations of the Tournament.

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Contact details of the festival and competition organizing committee:

Singapore and International registration enquiries：
Mr. Seah
Phone No.: +65-6528-9137
Email: heyuezhai@gmail.com

Official website: www.heyuezhai.com.sg

Mainland China registration enquiries and information release platform:
Huaxia Xuanyin:
17601655920（phone and WeChat）
15801480618（Institutional and teacher enquiries)  

WeChat account: 华夏璇音

Official website: www.cn-imc.com  

Email for receiving Preliminary Round Video: 15611690407@163.com

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