Flicorno d'Oro educational

CATEGORY

Two categories are foreseen:

• Next Category
• Advance Category

Under professional musicians is to understand teachers of Conservatory, Music School or Academy and orchestra or music band players with a contract of at least 12 months. The organizer is entitled to check the identity of each band member at any time during the whole competition. The responsibility for each declaration regarding the participants is up to the president of the association / band.

Musicians participating in Flicorno d’Oro Educational may also take part in the Flicorno d’Oro International Band Competition. Only wind and percussions instruments or instruments requested in the score are allowed. Every change to the written band instrumentation must be submitted to the artistic direction.

The Flicorno d’Oro Educational competition is divided into two categories, based on the average age of the participants and the difficulty of the repertoire:

• Next Category Ensembles with an average age of up to 15 years (repertoire level 1 /1.5)
• Advance Category Ensembles with an average age of up to 17 years (repertoire level 2 /2.5)

It is allowed to register in a higher category than the one corresponding to the group’s average age

Rules regarding the age of participants

In all categories, musicians up to the age of 30 are allowed to participate. In addition, up to three musicians over the age of 30 may be included. These musicians will still be counted in the calculation of the average age, with a fixed age value of 30 assigned to each. The year of birth is used to determine age. The conductor’s age is not included in the average age calculation of the ensemble.

Clarifications on the calculation of participants’ age and average age

Participants’ ages are determined based on the year of birth, relative to the year in which the competition takes place (2026). Example: A musician born in 2006 is considered 20 years old. The average age is calculated by summing the ages (or fixed values) of all musicians and dividing by the total number of members.

Calculation examples: Example 1 – Ensemble of 30 musicians: Age distribution: 10 musicians aged 12, 10 musicians aged 13, 5 musicians aged 16, 4 musicians aged 17, 1 musician aged 30. Total sum of ages = (10 × 12) + (10 × 13) + (5 × 16) + (4 × 17) + 30 = 120 + 130 + 80 + 68 + 30 = 428
Average age = 428 ÷ 30 = 14.27
Therefore, the correct category for this ensemble is Next Category (average age up to 15 years). Example 2 – Ensemble of 15 musicians: Age distribution: 5 musicians aged 12, 5 musicians aged 15, 3 musicians aged 17, 1 musician aged 30, 1 musician aged 42 (considered as 30). Total sum of ages = (5 × 12) + (5 × 15) + (3 × 17) + 30 + 30 = 60 + 75 + 51 + 30 + 30 = 246
Average age = 246 ÷ 15 = 16.4
Therefore, the correct category for this ensemble is Advance Category (average age up to 17 years).

Each participating group must perform:
1) the category compulsory piece on an original score; compulsory pieces will be published in July 2025
2 ) a piece of own choice, matching the level of difficulty required for the selected category. The piece must be originally composed for concert band. If the chosen piece does not meet the difficulty standards for the selected category, the Artistic Direction may request its replacement with a more appropriate one; failure to comply may result in exclusion from the competition.

Preceding its contest performance each ensemble is entitled to play a warm-up piece not exceeding 3 minutes, which will not be evaluated by the Jury. For bands registered in the Next and Advance categories, the total program — including the chosen piece, warm-up piece, and the required piece — must not exceed 20 minutes in duration. Stage presence is limited to a maximum of 25 minutes.

A penalty is foreseen for those who exceed the time allowed. The jury secretary has a stopwatch and will check the time between the first musician on the stage and the last musician leaving the stage.

The registration fee for each band participating in Flicorno d’Oro Educational is € 300. If the same association takes part in the Flicorno d’Oro Competition with a different ensemble, the registration fee for Flicorno d’Oro Educational is reduced to €200. (The discount applies only if the two ensembles are separate but belong to the same association.) The registration fee does not include the sheet music for either the compulsory piece or the piece of own choice, which must be provided by the participating band

The registration fee includes:

• participation in the competition
• participation in all activities, availability of cloakroom, warm-up stage, intonation and concentration room before the competition
• free entry to the opening and awards ceremony
• evaluation form and participation diploma
• prizes if won
• official program of the competition
• on-site support from the Flicorno d’Oro team
• stage set up with the large percussion instruments required for the compulsory piece

The registration fee DOES NOT include:

• the rehearsal room
• free entry to the competition

These benefits are reserved for ensembles who book their stay through our agency Onthego.

The enrolment fee of € 300.00 has to be sent by bank transfer to:
Ass. FLICORNO D'ORO

Bank details:
CASSA RURALE ALTO GARDA
VIA DAMIANO CHIESA 10/A
38066 RIVA DEL GARDA TN
IT BBAN V 08016 35320 000002145971
EU IBAN IT76 V080 1635 3200 0000 2145 971
Codice BIC CCRTIT2T04A

by 30 November 2025 together with the application form and following documentation:

• and following documentation;
• artistic curriculum of the conductor;
• a recent recording.

PLEASE NOTE: that the competition will be held from Friday 11 April at 14.00 until Sunday 13 April 2025.

After the official confirmation and until 15 February 2026 the registration must be completed with:

• a photo of the band (possibly lined-up as for a concert) as an .jpg file
• 5 (five) original copies only of the score of the piece of own choice. The organizers will not be held responsible for photocopied scores. After the competition, four original scores will be returned to the bands, a copy will be kept by the organizers.

Before 6 April 2026 one must send:

• a stage plan of the band with number of chairs and music stands in each row.
• registration of each musician with personal data and the instrument played (the form will be sent you per mail). Please advise if any musicians are professional.

The artistic direction decides which bands are admitted to the competition. Wind bands will be informed about the selection’s results in writing form by 15 January 2026.
The order of performances within the category will be determined by the artistic direction on the base of technical and organizational or artistic reasons.

Per ogni categoria in concorso è prevista la compilazione di una classifica in base al punteggio. Ai primi tre classificati di ogni categoria, saranno assegnati strumenti musicali offerti da Yamaha Music Europe
A conductor is not allowed to conduct more than one band in the same category, while a band can be conducted by two different conductors. A conductor is allowed to conduct two bands only if these are competing in different categories.
The members of a participating band are not allowed to perform in other formations taking part in the competition in the same category.
Any change regarding the musicians will be taken into consideration by the artistic direction and by the president of the jury only if communicated in writing at the latest before the beginning of the competition (11 April 2026).

If the number of participants in a single category is not sufficient, the organizers may cancel that category.

All rights of further use of films, videos, photographs and sound recordings taken during the competition are reserved to the organizers.

The organizers are not responsible for any accident to persons or things during their journey or during the competition

Travel and accommodation costs are at the expense of the participating wind bands. In occasion of the Flicorno d’Oro our association has reached an agreement with some hotels that offer special rates compared to the currently quoted price list. The hotels are informed about the competition program and can meet all needs. Booking the stay through the travel agency Onthego will grant some advantages, which include free entrance to the competition and a rehearsal room.

• The jury is composed of internationally recognized band music experts.
• Each performance will be given a maximum of 100/100 points following these criteria:
  

  - Tuning
  - Quality and balance of the sound
  - Technique and articulation
  - Rhythmic and ensemble playing
  - Dynamics and phrasing
  - Interpretation
  

  Each juror will complete an evaluation sheet regarding the band’s performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. These sheets, along with the scores, will be distributed during the awards ceremony as a tool for growth and feedback for all participants.
• The jury will judge the conduction separately.
• The task of the jury is subjected to internal rules. The judgement of the jury is to be considered final and no appeal can be made.
• If a band exceeds the maximum performance time allowed and/or its stay on stage, 0,01 points.
• The wind bands which are not present at the established time without any valid justification will be excluded from the competition.
• The results will be announced at the end of the competition.

Prizes

• In each category a score classification will be drawn up. The band with the highest score will be awarded the title of category winner and the first three classified in each category will be awarded with a music instrument provided by Yamaha Music Europe.
• All wind bands will receive a participation certificate.
• The band that achieves the highest score above 90 will be awarded the Flicorno d’Oro Educational Trophy, sponsored by the Autonomous Province of Trento.
• The organisers may award further prizes for outstanding performances or for conductors with artistic skills.
• The presence of two representatives for each participating band is required at the award ceremony, they will receive the certificate of participation, the score card for each piece and criterion, and any prizes. In case of absence, the organization of the competition will send the material at the expense of the ensemble self.

• Stage plan
• Complete regulation