Rules and Guidelines

Competition Rules and Guidelines

1. The 2017 competition is open to all trumpet performers born after Sept. 23, 1987 provided that they are not currently under major artist management.
2. Deadline for completion of the online application is June 1, 2017. Beginning March 1, 2017, the online application will be available. The online application has two separate forms, and each requires different materials. Both must be completed before submission is considered final, however, you may fill out the forms in either order.
   1. At the ITG Competition website, you must complete the following through the online form:
      1. Fill out the online registration form.
      2. Upload unedited recordings of the required repertoire (see Rule 6) with live rhythm section. Recordings must be uploaded in an mp3 format only. You will be required to submit each selection as a separate mp3 file.
      3. Pay a non-refundable application fee of $100.00 U.S. After uploading their recordings, applicants will be taken to a PayPal portal in which they can pay via credit card or PayPal balance. The email used to register for this competition should match the email on the PayPal account used for payment. Payment is required at the time of application.
   2. At the Caruso competition website, you must complete the following using the online form:
      1. Submit copies of lead sheets of your chosen repertoire in PDF format for all selections with accurate chord changes as recorded for the preliminary round.
      2. Submit a copy of a document verifying your date of birth in PDF format such as a passport, driver’s license, or birth certificate.
   3. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. You will be sent acknowledgement of receipt of your materials.
   4. Applicants who are named finalists will be contacted by the competition host and required to provide specific promotional materials. The competition host will provide complete instructions and a deadline for receipt of materials at time of notification.
3. The competition has two stages:
   1. A preliminary recorded round (see Rules 2a and 6.)
   2. A final round performed live at the competition site — the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho — on September 23, 2017.
      Rehearsals with the competition rhythm section will take place on September 22.
4. Prizes: First prize is $10,000.00 US and second prize is $5,000.00 US. The judges reserve the right to award no first and/or second prize if they feel that no contestant meets the standards set for this competition. No ties will be awarded.
1. Winnings of US and non-US citizens are applicable to US income tax laws and withholding requirements.
5. Repertoire: Each contestant’s preliminary recording must include four (4) different selections from the following categories:
   1. Selections 1 and 2: Choose two of the five following standard tune styles. (One or both of these selections may be original compositions in these styles.):
      1) Ballad 2) Latin jazz 3) Up-tempo rhythm changes 4) Contemporary funk-rock fusion OR 5) jazz waltz or mixed meter
   2. Selection 3: Joe Henderson’s Serenity. If you need to purchase this leadsheet, you can find a copy in the Jamey Aebersold Play-a-Long Series, Volume 108. You can order this through almost any music store.
   3. Selection 4: Contestant’s choice in any jazz style.
6. Preliminary (recorded) round: The preliminary round consists of the submitted mp3 recordings of all selections as listed in Rule 6. The mp3 files should be of the highest quality possible and must be made with a live (not prerecorded) rhythm section. The recordings must be unedited except between selections. Do NOT announce the name of the contestant or the title of the selections on the recording. All recordings will be judged anonymously.
7. A maximum of 5 finalists will be chosen to compete in the final round at the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho. All finalists will be notified by August 1, 2017. After all finalists have been chosen, the other applicants will be notified. All finalists will receive a travel expense reimbursement of up to $500.00 US.
8. Final Round: A professional rhythm section will be provided for each of the finalists to rehearse and perform their selections in Moscow, Idaho on September 22 and 23, 2017. Each person will have a maximum of 1 ½ hours to rehearse with this group prior to the final round. All finalists will select and perform 3 or 4 selections from the preliminary tape plus a new required selection to be given to the contestant at the rehearsal. These rehearsals are not open to the public.
   The final round will take place in the form of a concert with each contestant drawing lots to determine his or her order of appearance.
9. All prize winners must agree to allow ITG to release post-competition publicity that may include photos, video, audio, and/or materials from their bios. The first prize winner will be invited to perform as a featured artist at the 2018 ITG Conference.
10. The competition chair is in charge of the competition and may, in case of an emergency or necessity, make decisions or adopt policies that would be beneficial to the operations for the competition.
11. The awards ceremony will occur at the end of the final round concert. The Herb Alpert Foundation and the International Trumpet Guild provides all monetary prizes and operations for the competition.
12. Competition Advisory Committee: Grant Peters, chair – Hosts: Vern Sielert, Sean Butterfield – ITG President: Brian Evans
13. Questions regarding the competition can be addressed by the concert hosts:
    Vern Sielert — (208) 885-4955 or verns@uidaho.edu
    Sean Butterfield — (208) 885-1524 or sbutterfield@uidaho.edu

Important dates

Application opens: March 1st, 2017
Application deadline: June 1st, 2017
Competition finals: September 23, 2017