I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. This Regulation sets the terms and conditions, the procedure of arranging and holding the Moscow Spring A CAPPELLA, an opened international contest of a capella singing (hereinafter the Contest) which is a part of the Moscow Spring A CAPPELLA Festival, an international music a capella singing festival (hereinafter the Festival) on the basis of the Festival Concept approved.

1.2. The Contest is established by the Moscow Government.

The organizer of the Contest is the Department of Trade and Services of Moscow City represented by Kongressno-vystavochnoye buro goroda Moskvy (Congress and Exhibition Bureau of Moscow City), an autonomous non-profit organization (hereinafter the Contest Organizer).

The events being arranged that are related to preparing and holding the Contest shall be implemented by NOVO GROUP Limited Liability Company (NOVO GROUP OOO) by the Contest Organizer’s order.

Moskovskie Yarmarki (Moscow Shopping Festivals), a state budgetary institution (hereinafter referred to as the Moskovskie Yarmarki GBU) shall also participate in events related to preparing and holding the Contest.

The Contest Organizer is entitled to engage, under civil law contracts, the third parties to participation in implementing the events related to preparing and holding the Contest.

1.3. The Contest shall be opened. The information on the Contest is published on the official web-site of the Contest: www.acappella.moscow.

1.4. Contact information:

Phones: +749 5739 1212; +792 9788 5856.

E-mail: [email protected].

II. CONTEST AIMS AND GOALS

The Aims and Goals of the Contest are the following:

1) development and the strengthening of interregional and international relations in the field of culture and art; and

2) popularization of such kind of performance art as the a capella singing.

III. REQUIREMENTS TO CONTEST PARTICIPANTS

3.1. Small vocal groups (up to 3 persons) subject to using any additional sound equipment (devices having live looping option), a capella choirs, and vocal ensembles (hereinafter referred to as the Performance Groups) from Russia and other countries of the world are allowed to participate in the Contest.

3.2. The Performance Groups which desire to participate in the Contest shall have been experienced in singing for at least one year prior to the Contest date.

3.3. The members of the Performance Groups shall not be younger than 18 years old.

IV. REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORMED PIECES

4.1. Any Performance Group which desires to participate in the Contest shall have a composition repertoire of non-recurring music pieces of the total duration from 20 to 30 minutes.

4.2. The Contest program of any Performance Group may include the pieces in various music styles and genres:

1) jazz;

2) soul;

3) rock;

4) pop;

5) blues;

6) gospel;

7) еtno-folk;

8) folk songs in original adaptations;

9) popular songs of Russian and foreign composers of the XX century;

10) a capella adaptations of classic instrumental pieces; and/or

11) other music styles and genres.

4.3. The performed pieces shall not contain abusive language.

The performances of the Performance Groups allowed to participation in the main round of the Contest shall correspond to the moral and ethical norms and rules.

V. POWERS OF WORKING PARTY

AND PROFESSIONAL JURY OF CONTEST

5.1. In order to ensure coordination of the activities related to preparing and holding the Contest, as well as to solve current issues in a prompt manner, the Contest Organizer shall establish a Working Party and approve a personal composition thereof.

5.2. The Working Party shall include representatives of the Contest Organizer and NOVO GROUP OOO, as well as other persons and representatives of organizations approved by the Contest Organizer.

5.3. The Working Party shall:

1) carry out coordination of activities on preparing and holding the Contest and summing up its results;

2) arrange receipt, registration, and selection of the requests for participation in the Contest;

3) provide information support and coverage of the Contest on the official web-site of the Contest and in mass media;

4) provide the work of the professional jury of the Contest; and

5) exercise other powers in accordance hereto.

5.4. The professional jury of the Contest (hereinafter referred to as the Jury) shall consist of the leading opera soloists, Russian and foreign pop-stars including the stars of youth genres, honored public figures of culture and art, as well as representatives of Russian entertainment production companies.

The personal composition of the Contest Jury shall be made in accordance to the Festival Concept.

5.5. The Jury shall:

1) carry out the judging of the performances of the Performance Groups during the main round of the Contest, following the procedure provided for hereby;

2) sum up the Contest results and appoint the winner of the Contest Grand-Prix and winners of other Contest awards;

3) ensure maximum fairness and impartiality at summing up the Contest results; and

4) be entitled to expel any Performance Group from participation in the Contest subject to notifying the Contest Organizer of that fact.

VI. PROCEDURE OF SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN CONTEST

6.1. The requests for participation in the Contest (hereinafter referred to as the Request) may be submitted since February 10, 2019 by filling in the form on the official web-site of the Contest.

Reception of the requests ends on 6:00 p. m. (Moscow time) on April 10, 2019.

6.2. Any request shall be made in Russian or in English.

6.3. The following documents and materials shall be attached to any request:

6.3.1. Information on the Performance Group, mandatorily including the description of the Group’s history, regalia, and achievements, plus the list of the concerts and performances scheduled on the dates within one year prior to the date of the Contest (from 500 to 1,500 characters with spaces);

6.3.2. Color photos in digital format and of resolution not less than 300 dpi, including one photo of general view, suitable for publishing; to be transferred through a web-link;

6.3.3. A detailed description of the Contest program, including without limitation the list of the pieces, their authors, the keys and duration of performance, for participation in the main round of the Contest;

6.3.4. A video of the Contest program (not edited) of duration up to five minutes, which shall be dated the year when the Contest is held; to be provided in AVI format, via a web-link to Youtube, Rutube, Vimeo or VKontakte. The video shall be captured with one stationary camera without breaks during performing the pieces and shall depict the performers upright; and

6.3.5. Consent by the Performance Groups to participate in special projects, promo-events, and PR-activities organized within the period of the Contest, beyond the Contest program.

VII. CONTEST PROCEDURE

7.1. The Contest consists of a qualifying stage and a main round.

7.2. Qualifying stage

7.2.1. The qualifying stage of the Contest lasts from April 10 to 15, 2019 inclusive.

7.2.2. The qualifying stage constitutes (i) exploring and assessing the videos specified in sec. 6.3 subsec. 6.3.4 hereof by the Working Party involving the experts in the music industry under the Contest Organizer’s decision, using the criteria specified in sec. 7.2 subsec. 7.2.3 hereof, as well as (ii) exploring the Performance Groups’ documents and materials attached to the requests to verify if they comply with the requirements set hereby.

7.2.3. Assessing the Performance Groups during the qualifying stage of the Contest shall be implemented using the point system: from zero to ten points per each of the following criteria (except par. 1 of this subsec):

1) compliance of the request and the attached documents and materials with the requirements set by Article VI hereof;

2) complexity of the repertoire performed;

3) competence level of performers; and

4) artistic impression (emotionality of performance etc.).

Discovery of non-correspondence of the request and the attached documents and materials to the requirements set by Article VI hereof shall be a basis to expel the Performance Group from participation in the main round of the Contest. Moreover, subject to the proposal of the Working Party and under the decision of the Contest Organizer, a Performance Group may be expelled from participation in the main round of the Contest when there are reasons to suppose that further participation of that Group in the Contest can result in violation of moral and ethical norms and rules.

7.2.4. The results demonstrated during the qualifying stage of the Contest depend on a total amount of the points gained by each Performance Group under the criteria specified in sec. 7.2 subsec. 7.2.3 hereof.

Not more than the following number of the Performance Groups, corresponding to the requirements to the participant categories set by sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof may be admitted to participation in the main round of the Contest:

50 (fifty) Performance Groups that correspond to the requirements to the first category of Contest participants;

30 (thirty) Performance Groups that correspond to the requirements to the second category of Contest participants;

100 (one hundred) Performance Groups that correspond to the requirements to the third category of Contest participants; and

50 (fifty) Performance Groups that correspond to the requirements to the fourth category of Contest participants.

7.2.5. The decision on admission to participation in the main round of the Contest shall be filed as a minutes of the meeting of the Working Party.

7.2.6. The Working Party shall notify the Performance Groups of admission to the main round of the Contest, not later than on April 20, 2019.

7.3. Main Round of the Contest

7.3.1. The main round of the Contest shall be held in Moscow within the period from May 1 to 12, 2019 inclusive.

7.3.2. Only those Performance Groups which managed to pass the qualifying stage of the Contest will participate in the main round.

7.3.3. The participants of the main round of the Contest are divided into four categories:

the first category: from 1 to 3 persons (involving an additional sound equipment (devices equipped with the live looping option));

the second category: from 2 to 4 persons;

the third category: from 5 to 8 persons; and

the fourth category: from 9 to 35 persons.

7.3.4. The Contest program for participation in the main round of the Contest shall be developed by the Performance Group subject to approval by the Working Party, until April 25, 2019.

7.3.5. The date, time, and places for performance of the Performance Groups (hereinafter referred to as the Performance Schedule) in the main round of the Contest shall be specified by the Working Party in accordance to the Festival Concept. The information on it shall be published on the official web-site of the Contest, not later than on April 30, 2019.

7.3.6. The performances of the Performance Groups in the main round of the Contest shall be held from May 1 to 10, 2019 in the opened venues of central streets of Moscow, in the squares, and on the balconies of administrative buildings listed in the Festival Concept (hereinafter the Contest Areas).

7.3.7. The Performance Schedule for the main round of the Contest shall be communicated to the Performance Groups by the Working Party.

7.3.8. Any Working Party may decide to change the Performance Schedule in exceptional events (related to illness of the members of the Performance Groups or other organizational issues) subject to notifying the Contest Organizer of that fact.

7.3.9. Within not less than three days during the main round of the Contest, each Performance Group shall perform minimum three times a day in different Contest Areas within the stipulated amount of the Contest days.

7.3.10. The performance of each Performance Group shall be captured on a video camera and a photo camera.

The organization empowered by the Contest Organizer is in charge of taking photo and video of the performances of the Performance Groups.

7.3.11. Minimum two music pieces performed by a Performance Group during not less than three of any performances within the main round of the Contest shall be subject to video recording.

The photos and videos shall be sent under the established procedure to the Working Party within 12 hours upon each performance.

The manager of each Contest Area shall:

ensure that the performances of the Performance Groups are captured on photo and that the photo materials are sent to the Working Party; and

monitor the video recording of the performances of the Performance Groups and the sending of the videos to the Working Party.

The requirements to the video materials are enlisted in sec. 6.3 subsec. 6.3.4 hereof, except for the requirements to the timing. Moreover, the videos shall depict spectators as well.

7.3.12. During their participation in the Contest, no members and/or representatives of the Performance Groups are entitled to contact any Jury members. Any violation of this requirement shall be a basis to expel the relevant Performance Group from participation in the Contest.

VIII. PROCEDURE OF GRAND-PRIX AWARDING AND APPOINTMENT OF CONTEST WINNERS AND AWARDEES

8.1. Considering the Contest results, the Jury shall appoint the Grand-Prix awardee and the other Contest winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof (hereinafter referred to as the Contest Winners), as well as the audience award winners.

8.2. The Contest Grand-Prix awardee shall be selected by the Jury’s decision, taking into account the results of the audience voting.

If, at selecting the Grand-Prix awardee, the choice of the Jury and the results of the audience voting do not coincide, the Jury’s opinion shall prevail.

8.3. The Contest Winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof shall be selected by the Jury’s decision.

The Jury is entitled to choose not more than three Contest Winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof.

8.4. During the main round of the Contest, the Jury members will judge both while staying at the Contest Areas and remotely involving communication facilities of the Internet telecommunication network, which are a compulsory condition of information and document exchange.

8.5. The performances of the Performance Groups during the main round of the Contest shall be assessed by the Jury using the point system, from zero to ten points per each of the following criteria:

1) complexity of the repertoire chosen for the main round of the Contest;

2) competence level demonstrated by performers during the main round of the Contest;

3) artistic impression (emotionality of performance etc.);

4) production of the pieces and the quality of the involved additional means of expression (use of costumes, stage props, choreography elements, etc.); and

5) general impression from the performance (wow-effect) (personal perception of the performance by a member of the Jury).

At making a decision on appointing the Contest Winners, the Jury members are entitled to additionally use the videos specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.11 hereof.

8.6. The results of assessing the performances of the Performance Groups during the main round of the Contest shall be entered into the minutes by each Jury member, which minutes form is specified in Annex 1 hereto.

The Jury members who judge remotely during the main round of the Contest shall send their minutes via electronic communication means to the Working Party, not later than the day previous to the day when the Contest results are officially declared.

Within the time specified in the second paragraph of this section hereof, the Jury members who judge during the main round of the Contest, staying at the Contest Areas, shall submit their minutes to the Working Party.

8.7. The final decision of the Jury on appointing the Contest Winners shall be made considering a total amount of points gained by each Performance Group under the criteria set by sec. 8.5 hereof and (if applicable) taking into account the results of the audience voting in the event specified in sec. 8.2 hereof.

8.8. The decision of the Jury regarding the Contest results shall be documented as the final minutes drawn up on the basis of the Jury members’ minutes specified in sec. 8.6 hereof and shall be signed by the Chairman of the Jury.

The decision of the Jury regarding the Contest results shall be final and not subject to revision.

8.9. During the audience voting, only the performances of the Performance Groups, which took place directly in the Contest Areas, shall be assessed.

8.10. The Working Party shall provide due facilities on the official web-site of the Contest to ensure the audience voting, not later than the day previous to the first day of the main round of the Contest.

8.11. The citizens of Russia and other countries of the world may participate in the audience voting.

8.12. The members of the Performance Groups may participate in the audience voting. The members of the Performance Groups are not entitled to vote for the Performance Groups on behalf of which they perform.

8.13. The Performance Groups not included in the Contest Winners but gained maximum votes through the audience voting shall get the audience award.

Not more than twelve Performance Groups may get the audience awards.

The list of the Performance Groups received the audience awards shall be reflected in the final minutes of the Jury regarding the Contest results.

8.14. The Contest results shall be published by the Working Party on the official web-site of the Contest.

8.15. The Contest results shall be declared at the Gala Concert which date, time, and place shall be additionally communicated.

IX. FINANCIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

9.1. The financial expenses related to arranging and holding the Contest and forming the prize fund shall be borne by the Contest Organizer.

9.2. The Contest Organizer shall bear the expenses including the following:

1) preparation of technical conditions required for holding the Contest; and

2) payments of awards to the Contest Winners and the audience awards winners, as well as payments of the income taxes on behalf of the Contest Winners and the audience award winners.

9.3. The awards shall be paid in rubles in the amounts specified in sec. 10.3–10.5 hereof by wire transfer to the current account specified by the Contest Winners and the audience award winners. As for the foreign Performance Groups become the Contest Winners or the audience award winners, the awards thereto shall paid in rubles, euros or US dollars under the exchange rate of VTB BANK PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY (PAO) on the date of payment.

9.4. If the due expenses listed in sec. 9.1 hereof are borne (shall be paid) in a foreign currency, compensation (payment) thereof shall be carried out in rubles, euros or US dollars under the exchange rate of VTB BANK PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY (PAO) on the date of payment.

X. AWARDS AND PRIZES

10.1. The prize fund of the Contest shall be formed by the Contest Organizer on the basis of provisions of the second paragraph of sec. 8.3 and sec. 10.3–10.5 hereof.

10.2. The Grand-Prix awardee and the Contest Winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof shall be assigned the titles of the Contest Winners and shall get diplomas and awards.

10.3. The Grand-Prix award amounts to RUB 6,200,000 (six million two hundred thousand).

10.4 The awards of the Contest Winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories specified in sec. 7.3 subsec. 7.3.3 hereof, amount to, as the case may be:

I prize is 1,800,000 (one million eight hundred thousand) (one award);

II prize is 1,200,000 (one million two hundred thousand) (one award);

III prize is 600,000 (six hundred thousand) (one award).

10.5. The amount of one audience award amounts to RUB 400,000 (four hundred thousand).

XI. FINAL PROVISIONS

11.1. The Contest Organizer is entitled to establish an additional category, namely the best performance of the songs devoted to celebration of the 74th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

11.2. The Contest participants whose performance dates coincide with the dates of celebration of the 74th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (May 8 and 9, 2019) shall prepare not less than one composition devoted to celebration of the Victory Day in the Russian or a foreign language.

11.3. All Contest Winners (Grand-Prix awardees and other winners ranked I, II or III in each of four categories, as well as the audience award winners) shall make not less than three publications containing the information on the Contest in their social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Vkontakte and/or Youtube) within 365 calendar days. The publications shall be made in an interval not less than a calendar month between them.

11.4. The Contest Organizer retains the right to change this Regulation and cancel or cease the Contest at any time without giving a prior notification to the participants in the event of any force majeure confirmed under the applicable procedure.