REGULATION
The city of Évora has a unique organ heritage in Portugal, which has been recently restored. It is intended with this competition to disseminate this heritage, as well as the repertoire fit for these organs, among young organists from around the world. This will allow competitors of various nationalities, levels and age groups to obtain a global view of this important organ heritage and to enrich it. 

Thus, and with these goals in mind, the 1st Évora International Organ Competition was created within the frame of FIOE - Festival Internacional de Órgão de Évora (Évora International Organ Festival).

The competition allows participants to develop a free programme with the highest interpretative and artistic criteria, where they will show their capacity and eclecticism in the practice of two completely different and contrasting repertoires in two instruments from different schools.

The competition will be organised in three levels: Basic, Intermediate and Higher. Candidates can apply according to their level. Participation at each level has the following upper age limit:
 

Basic - 15 years, 

Intermediate - 18 years, 

Higher - 29 years.
 

Age may be completed until the dates of the rounds. In face of duly justified and substantiated reasons, it is possible to admit competitors above the established age limit.

Basic level candidates have a single recital round exclusively on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Espírito Santo Church. 

Intermediate- and higher-level candidates will, according to the level in which they compete, present a part of the programme on one of the four Oldovino organs, at their choice, in the Church of São Francisco and another part on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Church of Espírito Santo.

All candidates in the competition will be submitted to a pre-selection made through the analysis of the proposed repertoire and of a video recording of two works from contrasting periods to their choice.

APPLICATION and RULES

Competitors’ applications (including a programme proposal and a video recording of two works from contrasting periods at the competitor’s choice) should be made by completing the online form, available HERE. 

For reasons of pre-selection, applications must be submitted until May 20, 2025 midnight (Western European Time).

Competition Rounds

The round for basic level will take place on July 7, 2025.

The rounds for intermediate and higher levels will take place on July 8, 9 and 10, 2025, starting at 6 pm on July 8 and end on July 10 at 1 pm. 

On July 10, the tests may or may not happen according to the number of participants found.

AWARDS

Basic level

A 1st Prize of 500 € (five hundred euros)

A 2nd Prize of 200 € (two hundred euros)

A 3rd Prize of 100 € (one hundred euros) 

Intermediate level

A 1st Prize of  1.000 € (on thousand euros) 

A 2nd Prize of 500 € (five hundred euros)

A 3rd Prize of 250 € (two hundred and fifty euros)

Higher level

A single prize of 4.000 € (four thousand euros)

A supplementary prize consisting in a concert in one of the organs used in the FIOE in 2026 (including fee, travel expenses and accommodation)

A supplementary prize consisting in a concert in Lisbon on the organ of the church of São Vicente de Fora in 2026 (including fee, travel expenses and accommodation)

In the higher level, when the jury consider relevant for reasons of artistic qualities, a candidate may receive more than one prize. 

The jury may also decide not to award one or more prizes. 

The attribution of honorable mentions is foreseen if the jury so considers.

PROGRAMME

Candidates must present, according to their level, an entirely free a recital programme according to their choice. The intermediate and higher levels should present the programme in two different organs.

Basic level

The repertoire of recital of the basic level should not exceed 15 minutes and will be presented at the Cavalalé-Coll organ of the Church of Espírito Santo.

Intermediate level

The intermediate-level recital repertoire should have a duration of approximately 45 minutes. One part of the recital will include repertoire possible to play on one of the Oldovino organs in the Church of São Francisco and the other part will be adequate to the Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Church of Espírito Santo. If the two parts are not equal in duration, the smaller part should not last less than one third of the total time.

Higher level

The higher-level recital repertoire should have a duration of approximately 50 minutes. One part of the recital will include repertoire possible to play on one of the Oldovino organs in the Church of São Francisco and the other part will be adequate to the Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Church of Espírito Santo. If the two parts are not equal in duration, the smaller part should not last less than one third of the total time

The programme should be organised with artistically coherent criteria and, whenever possible, exploring the relationship between the works.

It is possible (if the candidate so understands) that part of the recital may include free or stylistic improvisation, which should not exceed 10 minutes. Candidates may also present works of their own. The programme should be appropriate for each of the instruments.
The jury will value the choice of the works and the ability to approach repertoire contrast in the various musical styles and genres for organ.

JURY

Pre-selection jury

Javier Artigas (Spain)

João Vaz (Portugal)

Rafael dos Reis (Portugal)

Jury of the recital (basic level)

Javier Artigas (Spain) - President

João Vaz (Portugal)

Rafael dos Reis (Portugal)

Jury of the recital (intermediate and higher levels)

Michel Bouvard (France) - President

Lorenzo Ghielmi (Italy)

Javier Artigas (Spain)

João Vaz (Portugal)

Rafael dos Reis (Portugal)

In all situations, there will be no appeal for jury decisions.

RECEPTION

Accommodation is available to participants and caregivers under the following conditions:

- In the Évora Seminary, single room € 30 (thirty euros) per night, double room 40 € (forty euros) per night.

- At the Vila Galé Évora Hotel, single room (or double room with single occupation) 80 € (eighty euros) per night.

- Accommodation may be offered at the Seminary only to competitors upon request and it’s subject to availability.

The organs will be made available to participants for study from the moment they request it. On the day of the rounds the instruments will be available some time before, for a short warm-up.

THE ORGANS

Church of S. Francisco

Great organ Pascoal Caetano Oldovino, 1743

Manual I (CDEFGA – d’’’)

Flautado tapado 6 palmos (Bourdon 8’)

Flautado de 12 aberto (Principal 8’)

8º Real (Principal 4’)

12ª (Principal 2 2/3’)

15ª (Principal 2’)

17ª (Principal 1 3/5’)

Cheio I

Cheio II

Clarim (8 horizontal, c#’–d’’’)

Trompeta Real (8’, C–c’)

Trombeta Magna (16’ horizontal, c#’–d’’’)

Voz Humana (Italian Voce Umana, c#’–d’’’)

Corneta (c#’–d’’’)

Manual II (c#’–d’’’)

Corneta com ecos

Pedal (CDEFGA–H)

Contrabaixo 24 palmos (16´)

Baixos em Quinta

Acessórios

Passarinhos (uccellini)

Tambor ( tamburo )

Regal Room organ Pascoal Caetano Oldovino, 1751

Manual (CDEFGA–c’’’)

Flauta 12 palmos (8´)

Oitava Real (4´)

Quinzena(15ª)

Cheio

Voz Humana (Italian Voce Umana, c#’–d’’’)

Corneta (c#’–d’’’)

VazaVento (Passarinhos)

Red organ Pascoal Caetano Oldovino, 1751

Manual (CDEFGA-c’’’)

Flautado 12 palmos (8´)

Oitava Real (4’)

Quinzena (2’)

Cheio I

Cheio II

Voz Humana (Italian Voce Umana, c#’–d’’’)

Corneta (c#’–d’’’)

Vaza Vento (Passarinhos)

Pedal: CDEFGA#B

Small organ Pascoal Caetano Oldovino, 1764

Manual (CDEFGA-c’’’)

Flautado de 6 palmos (4´)

Quinzena (2’)

Cheio

Corneta (c#’–d’’’)

Vaza Vento (Passarinhos)

Church of Espírito Santo

Cavaillé-Coll organ Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1884)

I - Grand Orgue (C-f’’’)

Salicional 8’

Flûte harmonique 8’

Bourdon 8’

Flûte douce 4’

II - Récit (C-f’’’)

Viole de gambe 8’

Voix célèste

Flûte octaviante 4’

Basson-Hautbois 8’ 

Pedal (C-f’)

Soubasse 16’

Manual coupler and pedal coupler

II-I

I-P

II-P