Date:
　　Chamber Chorus Contest     28th July, 2007
　 Concert by Prizewinners      29th July, 2007

 Venue:
　　Takarazuka Vega Hall
　　1-2-18 Kiyoshikojin, Takarazuka city, Hyogo
　　665-0836 　JAPAN

Organized by:
　　City of Takarazuka, 　
　　Takarazuka Foundation For Culture Promotion,
　　Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest Committee

In cooperation with:
　　The Agency For Cultural Affairs, Hyogo prefecture, Takarazuka Board of education
　　Japan Choral Association, Asahi Newspaper, NHK Kobe, Hyogo Choral Association
　　International Choral Network (member of IFCM), TIFA etc.

Conditions for entry:
　　Choirs to have a minimum of 8 and maximum of 20 singers, excluding 　
　　conductor and accompanist (s). All singers must be aged 16 or over.

Sections of the contest:
　　There are four sections- Renaissance, Romantic era, Folklore and Theater pieces.

Choral pieces:
　　No compulsory pieces have been set. 

Performance time:
　　There is no limit to the number of pieces to be performed, but total performance time, including intervals between pieces, must not exceed ten minutes.

Participation fee: 
　　\20,000  per  section entry for choirs chosen to perform in the contest. No fee will be charged for tape screening.

Awards :
　　Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes will be awarded in each section. In addition, First prize(\500,000), Second prize (\300,000) and Third prize (\100,000) will be awarded for the best performances in the overall competition.

Concert by prizewinners:
　　Choirs winning gold, silver and bronze prizes in the contest shall perform in a Prizewinners' concert.

Expenses:
　　(1) All travelling, and sightseeing expenses will be the responsibility of the competitors.
　　(2) 3 nights' accommodations, local transport, breakfast, lunch, evening meals for 23 people at a maximum will be provided for the choir members.

Preliminary screening:
　　Choirs that will participate in the contest are discreetly chosen in advance by screening.

 To apply for preliminary screening:
　　Please submit a MD recording of any pieces sung by the choir with your application form. Performance time must be more than three minutes and less than ten minutes. MD’s cannot be returned.  As for Theater pieces section, a DVD must be submitted as well.

Application:
　　Please submit the attached application form, containing the Name and Contactaddress of choir, Representative's name, Contest section and Conductor's name with your MD recording to the following address to arrive no later than 31^st October 2006.

ADDRESS:
　　Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest Committee
　　Takarazuka Foundation For Culture Promotion 3^rd Fl. Sorio build. 2-1-1 Sakaemachi, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0845 JAPAN

Tel:+81-797-85-8844 Fax:+81-797-85-8873
　　　E-mail : ticc@takarazuka-c.jp

"Vega Hall" is named after the most brilliant star in the Lyra constellation,　symbolizing the cultural aspirations of Takarazuka citizens. The 372-seat auditorium is equipped with a 24-stop Swiss pipe organ, and the building design and construction materials make it an acoustically superb concert hall. TAKARAZUKA is a garden city situated between Osaka and Kobe, nestling against wooded mountains, famous for its natural mineral springs and especially for its Takarazuka Revue. The banks of the Muko River, which flows through the city, are lined with the baths, inns and restaurants of Takarazuka Spa, the Takarazuka Grand Theater complex, home of the Revue Company. The Takarazuka Revue's most unique characteristic is that the nearly 400 performers in its spectacular musical shows are all unmarried women. The city also boasts a number of famous temples, including Nakayama Goddess of Mercy Temple, a mecca for pilgrims, and frequently visited by couples praying for easy childbirth, or giving thanks for the safe delivery of their new-born babies. Another popular place of worship is Kiyoshi Kojin Temple, dedicated to the "God of Fire", "God of the House-hold Fireplace" and 'Patron God of the Entertainment World'. Within the temple precinct is the Tessai Art Museum, housing paintings by traditional artist, Tessai Tomioka (1857-1924).