Osborne Organ Competition
The Osborne Organ Competition, which will be held for the 20th time in 2008, is held biennially in even-numbered years: funds awarded support advanced study in organ and/or church music.
Past prizewinners in the competition include the finest young organists that Canada has ever produced; likewise, past jurors include some of North America’s finest performers and Church Musical figures: Alec Wyton, Gerald Bales, Gerre Hancock, Marilyn Mason, Joan Lippincott, and David Higgs.
The co-ordinator of the Osborne Competition is John Leek, currently organist of St. Mark’s United Church in Whitby and accompanist to the Hamilton Children’s Choir. He was preceded by Mark Toews and Thomas Cromwell.
Click here to learn about the history of the Osborne Organ Competition, and here to find out how you can support it.
History
Eligibility
Semi-final Round
Final Round
Awards
The Competition Organ
Past Winners and Jury Chairs of the Osborne Organ Competition
Download Requirements and Application Form (130K pdf)
Eligibility for the Osborne Organ Competition
Applicants must be Canadian citizens under the age of 30 on January 1 of the competition year, and must never have received first prize in any previous Osborne Organ Competition.
Semi-Final (Recorded) Round
(all materials due April 15 of competition year)
1) completed application form, which includes:
a) signed statement of the accuracy of information, the authenticity of the
submitted recording, and that funds awarded will be used towards a specified
study plan within twelve months of the final competition round.
b) study plan in organ and/or church music understood to consume the major part
of the applicant’s time in the coming year.
c) proof of age and Canadian citizenship (birth certificate preferred, photocopies
welcome)
d) good-quality cassette or CD recording of a major work of J.S. Bach: either a
Fugue and its accompanying Prelude, Toccata or Passacaglia, or any two
movements one of the six Trio Sonatas. Recording and its packaging must
contain no speaking or other means of identifying the applicant.
No editing/splicing is permitted except between movements.
2) letter of authenticity, along with contact information, from a teacher or other
second responsible party confirming that the recording is the unedited work of
the applicant.
3) non-refundable fee of $20.00 (cheque made out to Summer Institute of
Church Music)
Final (Live Competition) Round
1) from those successful in the semi-final round selection, up to four finalists will be
chosen by April 15 in the competition year to compete in the Final Round
Competition on the Tuesday evening of the Summer Institute of Church Music
week.
2) Finalists will be notified by April 30, and provided with the specifications
of the organ of St. George’s Church, Oshawa, the location of the final round
competition. Each finalist will be provided with three hours of practice time on
the competition organ in the week of the final round competition.
3) The competition program will consist of:
a) J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A major, BWV 536 (any edition)
b) a Canadian organ composition of difficulty comparable to Grade 10 or ARCT
(RCM Toronto)
c) leading the singing of the following hymn (all verses) by the recital audience:
“More than we can ask or imagine” - Tune: Winepress (printed in Common Praise, 1998
hymn book of the Anglican Church of Canada #86)
4) Upon notification of finalist status, and by June 1st at the latest, competitors will:
a) accept or decline the invitation to participate in the final round
b) provide a photograph and one-paragraph biography for publication
c) provide the title(s), and three temporary copies of any “own-choice” selection(s)
for the final round program
d) provide an up-to-date resumé, including all past professional and educational
contacts. This information will be used in assembling an impartial jury for the
final round of competition. It will NOT be used in the selection of finalists; no
one referred to will be contacted by SICM, and no information will be published.
e) provide an expense budget concerning his or her travel to participate in the final
round. A portion of this may be covered by the Institute on the discretion of
the Board of Governors.
5) The candidate alone will be responsible for registration, but a page turner will be
provided if needed.
6) A jury of three adjudicators chaired by the visiting organ instructor of that year’s
session of the Summer Institute of Church Music will decide how (and if) to
award the prizes.
7) The decision of the jury is final; the right to withhold awarding prizes is reserved
if the jury feels that adequate standards are not maintained.
Awards
1) First prize in the Osborne Organ Competition is $1500; second prize is $750.
Jurors may choose to apportion the awards between candidates if they see fit.
2) Prizes will be paid in full at the beginning of the successful competitors’ succeeding
study period. Funds awarded must be used for advanced study in organ and/or
church music.
Dowload this information in the Application and Requirements form (130K pdf)
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