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2024: Celebrating Youth

Voice | Violin/Viola | Piano Competitions

Furtados is pleased to announce the fourteenth Con Brio Competition which will take place at
the NCPA (Mumbai) on August 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2024. The Competition Suite comprises three
categories: Piano, Violin/Viola and Voice.

Voice Semifinalists are expected to arrive in Mumbai by Monday August 26, 12:00 pm at the
very latest and depart no sooner than Tuesday August 27, 10:00 pm.

Violin/Viola Semifinalists are expected to arrive in Mumbai by Tuesday August 27, 12:00 pm at
the very latest and depart no sooner than Wednesday August 28, 10:00 pm.

Piano Semifinalists are expected to arrive in Mumbai by Wednesday August 28, 12:00 pm at the
very latest and depart no sooner than Thursday August 29, 10:00 pm.

This document contains all the relevant information for potential competitors.

discipline
The subject of the competition is Western Classical solo music for Voice, Violin/Viola and Piano.
This includes music written from the late baroque period, through the classical and romantic till
the modern time. For music composed during and after the late nineteenth century, you must
ensure that the selected works follow the classical music paradigm and not jazz/pop/musical
theatre styles.

eligibility
The competition is open to Indian nationals (including PIO and OCI card holders).
All Voice entrants must be born on or before January 1, 2006.
All Piano and Violin/Viola entrants must be born on or after January 1, 1989.
You will need to produce a valid passport for verification purposes. Previous first place winners
of Con Brio and honorary Con Brio prize recipients may not enter the competition.
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theme
Con Brio 2024 explores works by composers during their youth - specifically their teenage
years.

important dates
Last Date for entering the Competition June 1, 2024
Semifinalists Confirmation via E-mail June 15, 2024
Semifinals (Voice) August 26, 2024
Semifinals (Violin/Viola) and Finals (Voice) August 27, 2024
Semifinals (Piano) and Finals (Violin/Viola) August 28, 2024
Finals (Piano) August 29, 2024

prizes (all categories)

First Prize Rs 1,00,000 cash
Second Prize Rs 50,000 cash
Third Prize Rs 25,000 cash
Semifinalists Rs 15,000 cash each

Tax will be deducted at source as applicable, and prize-winners will be issued a TDS certificate.
The adjudicators reserve the right to withhold the first and/or second prize if the level of
performance of the competitors does not meet the expected standard.

general notes on repertoire

• Choose pieces which showcase your technical and musical ability in the best possible way.
• Balance your programme in terms of styles and moods.
• You may include individual pieces or movements from large scale works such as sonatas,
song cycles, etc.
• Use your discretion when deciding whether or not to perform a repeat.
• Ensure that the duration of your programme falls within the prescribed time limit of each
round, including all breaks between pieces. Prescribed programme durations are available
under Category-Specific information below.
• You may perform your pieces using the score. You may not however use a page turner.
Memorise or use photocopies of short sections to ensure that the music is not interrupted by
page turns.
• Please read the further notes on repertoire in the category-specific sections, below.
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general video recording guidelines (for Round 1 – Pre-screening)

• Record the two Pre-screening videos, each in a single, uninterrupted, unedited take. There
is one compulsory and one own choice piece – record each piece in a separate video.
• Ensure that the video resolution is sufficiently high (minimum 360p).
• Sound quality is very important and should not be distorted.
• The recording should be in landscape mode.
• Use a mount of some kind for the recording device, such as a tripod, to ensure that the
image is completely still, and do not change the position of the device during the
performance.
• You are strongly advised to record audio and video on the same device, as synchronisation
issues between sound and video will not be accepted.
• Please read the further video recording guidelines in the category-specific sections, below.

how to enter
After you have prepared the two pre-screening works to the best of your ability, record your
performances. Upload the two clips to YouTube. You may keep the videos private but ensure
that they can be viewed in all countries simply with a link. From your primary email address,
send an email to conbrio@furtados.in with the subject “CB24 Entry – Voice”, or “CB24 Entry –
Violin-Viola”, or “CB24 Entry – Piano”.

Include the following five items in the body of the email:

1. Full name, as you would like it to appear in the programme and certificate.
2. Date of birth.
3. Home town or city in India, i.e. where you consider yourself to be most from.
4. Scan of your passport data pages containing your photograph, name, and date of birth.
5. The two links to the two videos of your pre-screening works.

The last date for entering the competition is June 1, 2024. Confirmed semifinalists will receive
an e-mail by/on June 15, 2024. Late entries MAY be accepted if an adequate number of
deserving semifinalists have not been selected. If you wish to enter after June 1, please email
us to check, but please note this cannot be guaranteed.

conbrio@furtados.in | www.conbrio.in
If you have any queries, please email us at conbrio@furtados.in. Please visit www.conbrio.in for
more information about the Furtados Con Brio Foundation and The Competition Suite.

category-specific information follows below.

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Con Brio VOICE Competition 2024

repertoire
Round 1 (Pre-screening):

1. Compulsory Set Work: Nel cor piu non mi sento by Giovanni Paisiello. Click here to access
the score. You may sing in any key you find comfortable.

2. A piece of your own choice, lasting 2-4 minutes.

The two Pre-Screening pieces may be performed unaccompanied or accompanied (live OR

backing track).

Round 2 (Semifinals):

A programme lasting 4-6 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of North and South America, through any
connection you find plausible.

Round 3 (Finals):

A Programme lasting 10-12 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of Southern Europe, through any
connection you find plausible.

further notes on repertoire – voice

• For the semifinals and finals, you may choose solo or accompanied works. You are required
to present accompanied works with an accompanist.
• Ensure you have read the general notes on repertoire given above.

further video recording guidelines – voice

• The camera should be placed in front of you and provide a clear view of your face and upper
torso at all times.
• Ensure you have read the general video recording guidelines given above
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Con Brio VIOLIN/VIOLA Competition 2024

repertoire
Round 1 (Pre-screening):

1. Compulsory Set Work:

• For Violin: Russian Fantasia No. 2 by Leo Portnoff. Click here to access the score.
• For Viola: Gigue from Cello Suite No. 1 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Click here to access the
score.

2. A piece of your own choice, lasting 2-4 minutes.

The two Pre-Screening pieces may be performed unaccompanied or accompanied (live OR

backing track).

Round 2 (Semifinals):

A programme lasting 4-6 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of Southern Europe, through any
connection you find plausible.

Round 3 (Finals):

A Programme lasting 10-12 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of Eastern and Western Europe (excluding
Russia), through any connection you find plausible.

further notes on repertoire – violin/viola

• For the semifinals and finals, you may choose solo or accompanied works. You are required
to present accompanied works with an accompanist.
• Ensure you have read the general notes on repertoire given above.

further video recording guidelines – violin/viola

• You must record on an acoustic violin or viola, well in tune.
• The camera should be placed in front of you and provide at all times a clear view of the
entire instrument, your face and upper torso, including the bowing arm.
• Ensure you have read the general video recording guidelines given above.
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Con Brio PIANO Competition 2024

repertoire
Round 1 (Pre-screening):

1. Compulsory Set Work: Morning Prayer from Children’s Album by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky,
Op. 39 No. 1. Click here to access the score.

2. A piece of your own choice, lasting 2-4 minutes.

Round 2 (Semifinals):

A programme lasting 4-6 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of Western and Eastern Europe (excluding
Russia), through any connection you find plausible.

Round 3 (Finals):

A Programme lasting 10-12 minutes comprising works of your own choice.

• The chosen pieces must be published during their composers’ teenage years, i.e after they
turned 13 and before they turned 20.
• The chosen pieces must represent the countries of Northern Europe or Russia, through any
connection you find plausible.
There are no further notes on repertoire for the piano competition. Ensure you have
read the general notes on repertoire given above.

further video recording guidelines – piano

• You must record your programme on an acoustic piano, well in tune.
• The camera should be placed at the treble end of the piano and provide a clear view of the
entire keyboard, your entire body (including your feet and the pedals of the piano) and at
least a side profile of your face.
• Ensure you have read the general video recording guidelines given above.