Welcome to the CIJA portal!

The Carinthian International Jazz Award (CIJA)

We aim to culturally vitalize and diversify the region through this jazz competition. In addition we hope to create much needed performance and career opportunities for young deserving jazz musicians. The emphasis on “international” relates to Carinthia‘s central European geographic location as well as its proximity to the neighboring countries of Slovenia and Italy. We accept applicants from every country!

The CIJA is an annually held jazz saxophone competition for applicants from all over the world under 30 years.

The finals of the CIJA are held at the beautifully situated and historically significant Burgruine Arnoldstein in the southern alpine foothills of Austria.

How the competition works

A selection committee will listen an assess all application files. Then three finalist will be picked who will perform live in the finals on July 26th 2019. Every finalist will perform for 15 minutes with a professional rhythm section (Xaver Hellmeier (drums), Martin Zenker (bass), tba (piano)). After the three finalists have performed the panel will deliberate and the placements will be announced.

  • When: Finals are held on July 26th 2019
  • Where: Burgruine Arnoldstein
  • Eligibility: Saxophonists who are not older than 30 on July 26th 2019.
  • Application Guidelines: See Below
  • Application Deadline: May 19th 2019 (Finalist will be notified on: May 25th 2019)
  • Prizes: 
    • 1.  1000,- EUR
    • 2.    500,- EUR
    • 3.    250,- EUR
  • Accommodation: Finalists will be staying at a hotel in Arnoldstein.
  • Travel: We offer up to 200,- EUR per finalist as travel subsidy. We will need to see your receipts and you will be reimbursed at the finals. No receipt – no money. We do take into consideration that the most economically reasonable travel option has been booked.

Application

  1. Fill out the registration form below
  2. Submit the payment of the application fee below
  3. Upload your file. Follow the simple instructions below.

How to pay

CIJA Registration Fee

€45.00

HOW TO UPLOAD

Please send youtube links of your application materials or files to carinthiajazz@gmail.com. Links are strongly preferred.

APPLICATION FILE GUIDELINES

  • Submit a video or audio recording of two contrasting pieces from this list below – the two tunes should to be from two different categories.: 

Ballads: Body and Soul, In a Sentimental Mood, or similar.

Bebop: Donna Lee, Anthropology, Ornithology, or similar.

Blues: Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce, Blue Train, or similar.

Standard: I Got Rhythm, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones, or similar.

Latin: Recorda Me, Blue Bossa, Girl From Ipanema, or similar.

  • You should be accompanied by a live rhythm section or a backing track
  • The performance should be no longer than 7 minutes long in total. 
  • Recording quality does not have a baring on our assessment.
  • Make sure you’re properly featured (= only saxophone solos).
  • We will not listen to your file before we have received your application fee.

JUDGES

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Michael Erian – Saxophonist and Professor at the Kärntner Landeskoservatorium.

 

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Hans Lassnig-Walder – Arranger, Trumpeter, Educator, Leader of the kelagBIGband.

 

 

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Iris Reiner – Festival and Concert Promoter, Head of Promusica Carinthia. 

 

 

 

Further judges TBA soon

Assessment

Judges will focus on the following musical parameters:

Clarity, Intonation, Technique, Interpretation, Expressiveness, Sound, Articulation, Use of Language, Individuality, Time/Rhythm, Interplay, Inventiveness, Strength of Ideas, Use of Harmonic Concepts, and Emotive Strength.