The Japan Mandolin Union will host the 20th Mandolin Solo Competition in October, 2006 in Amagasaki as follows;

Date and Place:
First screening to be held in each district of JMU in July or August, 2006

Second screening & Final competition: October 7, 2006 at Amagasaki, PiccoloTheatre

Two works are designated as compulsory music:

A: Circling Allegretto by Masami Noda
B: Concerto for Mandolin by Johann Nepomuk Hummel

“Circling Allegretto” is for mandolin solo without accompaniment while “Concerto for Mandolin” must be played accompanied by the piano. Entrants are requested to use published scores of these compulsory music numbers. Unauthorized duplication is not permitted. The music score of “Circling Allegretto” is published from Japan Mandolin Union while Hummel’s “Concerto for Mandolin” is published from Heinrichshofen’s Verlag of Germany. For further information about obtaining music, see the end of this article.

Entry Fee：15,000 yen (103,82 Euro) for second screening and final competition

Entry closing date : July 31, 2006

Judges: Hiroyuki Fujikake, Ichiro Okamoto, Masaki Kinoshita, Takashi Kubota, Goro Takahashi, Tamotsu Hiramitsu, Ichiro, Mononobe

Awards: 200,000 yen (1.384,20 Euro) for the first, 100,000 yen (692,10 Euro) for the second and 50,000 yen (346,05 Euro) for the third prize winners.

Certificates and Plaques will be presented to the first, second and third prize winners respectively.

There are no condition about the nationality of entrants. The competition will be carried out according to the following procedures.

The first screening will be held in each district of Japan Mandolin Union in July or August and those who passed the screening will be recommended to enter the second screening stage. The entrants will be requested to play two compulsory music (A and B) and a elective music number of his or her own selection. The first screening for the entrants from abroad will be conducted through the closed screening of the cassette tapes by the judges.

The second screening will be held in November and the entrants including those from abroad will be requested to play two compulsory music A & B at this stage. Six entrants will be recommended to attend the final competition which is due to be held on the same day. In the final competition, the entrants will be requested to playone or several music of each entrants’ choice.

Whole playing time in the final competition must be over 15 minutes and under 20 minutes. The entrant whose playing time is less than 15 minutes will be disqualified and who played longer than 20minutes may be ordered to stop playing on the spot.

Information for those who are interested in entering this competition from abroad

The Amagasaki Piccolo Theatre where the competition is took place is located 8km west of Osaka station and it will take about 10 minutes by local train from Osaka station. The nearest station is Tsukaguchi.

The entrants themselves are requested to arrange their accompany pianists and accommodations in Japan.

Official language is only Japanese and the hosting organization will provide no interpreters.

How to obtain music scores of compulsory numbers

“Circling Allegretto” can be obtained from Japan Mandolin Union for 1,500 yen (10,38 Euro)  including overseas postage by airmail. JMU can accept postal money transfer of Japanese Yen. The account of Japan Mandolin Union is No.00110-0-25319.　JMU can receive money transfer through Pay Pal too.

Japan Mandolin Union: 44-24, Den’en Chofu-5, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 145-0071 JAPAN or
e-mail: Opus7KT @ aol.com

“Concerto for Mandolin” by Hummel is published from Heinrichshofen’s Verlag of Germany. You can order from local music shops. The price is 12,90 Euro not including postage. Heinrichehofen’s Verlag: Liebigstr. 16, D-26389 Wilhelmshaven, Germany - www.heinrichshofen.de  

Japan Mandolin Union

19.4.2006