Welcome to the official site of the Prague International Festival of Wind Orchestras

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends of Music,
It is a great honour for us to invite you again to the International Festival of Wind Orchestras to
Prague. This festival traditionally takes place in first days of January, this 14th year will be held from
Friday 7th to Saturday 8th January 2011.
The Festival is organised and realised by Federation of Wind Orchestras Music of the Czech Republic, Organisational and Festival Agency OR-FEA (Member of CISM), Festival Agency Millennium Travel in co-operation with the Prague City and is taking place under the auspices of CISM.
Participation in the festival is recommended by CISM.

Amateur orchestras (harmonies, fanfare orchestras and brass bands) without age limit from the whole world that comply with the conditions of the participation are allowed to participate in the festival. The competition is open in following concert categories: middle class - higher class - and the top class.

The orchestras classify into the categories by themselves. There is a compulsory composition
advertised for each category. The time of each performance should take max. 30 minutes (stay on the stage). In this time limit the compulsory composition and other compositions corresponding to the appropriate category are to be performed. Each of the orchestras can also perform their favourite composition to warm up which is not included in the competition but it should not exceed the 30- minute-long time limit. The organiser of the festival appoints an international professional jury, which consists of experts of Czech and European wind music.

On the occasion of the festival the orchestras will get through following points:
Opening concert of the Orchestra of the Castle Guard and the Police of the Czech Republic
(Friday)
Competition of the individual categories (Friday and Saturday).
Final evening, awarding ceremony, common playing of all participating musicians, which will be
the highlight of the festival (Saturday).

The representatives of the orchestras will be received by a councillor of the City of Prague in the
historical Old Town Hall.
Simultaneously there will be an opportunity to see the golden City of Prague and its surroundings.
Interesting sightseeing of Prague, excursions in Prague's surroundings, wonderful nights at one of
Prague's pubs, visit of various folklore shows and black light theatre performances rank among
possibilities of the tourist programme.

The accredited organiser of the festival is the Festival Agency Millennium Praha:
Agency Millennium
Zahradníckova 20c
150 00 Praha 5
Czech Republic
Tel/fax: 00420.257219999, e-mail: windbrass@praguefestival.cz

which is also responsible for arranging of accommodation for the orchestras.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Prague in January 2011.

Secretariat of the festival

REGULATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION OF WIND
ORCHESTRAS IN PRAGUE FROM 7TH TO 8th JANUARY, 2011

I. The competition is advertised by the Federation of Wind Orchestras of the
Czech Republic. The festival has been taking place under the auspices of
CISM.
Date: 7th January – 8th January 2011
II. The accredited organiser of the festival is Festival and Organisational Agency
or-fea Prague, Tesnov 9, 110 00 Praha 1.
III. The competition is open in following categories:
1/ Concert category of wind orchestras in the following efficiency classes:
a/ harmonies
- middle class
- higher class
- top class
b/ fanfare orchestras
- middle class
- higher class
- top class
c/ brass bands
- middle class
- higher class
- top class
2/ The wind orchestras (harmonies, fanfare orchestras) that correspond to the
usual international level are allowed to participate in the competition.
3/ The time limit of each appearance is 30 minutes. Within this time the
compulsory composition as well as the other compositions, which adequate
the efficiency class (free choice of a programme), will be performed. Each
orchestra can perform their favourite composition to warm up, which won't be
judged but should not exceed the time limit.
4/ A singing repertoire in the competition performance is not allowed.
IV. 1/ The orchestras are supposed to participate in the competition with their own
amateur players. The eventual check on is reserved for the organiser.
2/ In case that one of the players becomes suddenly ill or cannot participate for
other serious reasons the orchestra is allowed to take a help of another
amateur player.
V. 1/ Application forms are to be sent latest by 30th September 2010.-deadline
2/ The compulsory compositions are prescribed for each category and the
orchestras are supposed to provide the compulsory compositions by
themselves.
3/The orchestra is supposed to inform the organisational committee about the
programme latest two months before the date of the competition.
4/ The orchestras are supposed to send the compositions of their programme
(in 3 original pieces) in a form of scores to the organisational committee latest
1 month before the competition.
VI. 1/ The international jury will be formed by the organiser and their work will be
led by the chairman of the jury.
2/ The jury will inform about results after the competition. The orchestras will
receive a written resolution of each member of the jury in a form of appraisal
papers.
3/ Decisions of the jury are final.
4/ If there are fewer than 3 orchestras applied in a category, the prize “Winner
of the Category” cannot be awarded.
VII. The order of performances will be decided by drawing lots on the eve of the
competition according to an appropriate class.
VIII. On the basis of achieved points the orchestras will be assigned according to
the international rules:
a/ gold band with honours 476 – 500 points
b/ gold band 451 – 475 points
c/ silver band 401 – 450 points
d/ bronze band 350 – 400 points
IX. Evaluation of the competition
1/ Concert category
1/1 In conformity with the international rules the compulsory and optional
programmes will be separately evaluated.
1/2 The evaluation of the jury:
- harmonizing
- tone and sound quality
- phrase making and articulation
- technical performance
- rhythmical performance/coordination
- dynamics and sound balance
- feeling through the style/interpretation
- tempo
- choice of the repertoire with regards to the orchestras level and classification
- overall artistic impression (teamwork, keeping the time limit, entering and
leaving the stage).
X. The awarding ceremony will be held at the end of the festival. During this time
all orchestras will play together a traditional march by Frantisek Kmoch
"Muziky, Muziky". The scores will be provided by the organiser.
XI. Seats and a percussion set (will be specified later) will be provided by the
organiser.