Join the International Vocal Competition

Monika Swarowska-Walawska
Krzeszowice, Poland

We warmly invite vocal enthusiasts, students, and amateurs of all ages to participate in the International Vocal Competition and Festival. This prestigious event, held in Krzeszowice and other picturesque locations across Poland, offers a unique platform to develop vocal skills, perform alongside world-class artists, and celebrate the art of singing.

How to Apply

Participants interested in joining the vocal competition must follow the application process, which includes the following:

1. STEP 1 -> MONIKA SWAROWSKA - WALAWSKA INTERNATIONAL VOCAL ELIMINATIONS ON-LINE

    APPLICATION 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 30𝗧𝗛 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗔𝗬

   • APPLICATION:

     https://forms.gle/EM8pqBUJfvp2mu9n8
     𝟳𝟬 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗧 - WILL BE INVITATED 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗩𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗞𝗥𝗭𝗘𝗦𝗭𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗘 (𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗)

     𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 (VIDEO PUB. ON YOUTUBE , 10 min.)

     - free work in the participant's national language

     - any aria (opera or oratorio) / free ensemble piece

2. Qualified Participants:

   • Participants selected through the online eliminations will receive further instructions, including a new application link to confirm their participation in the live stages of the competition 14-16.07.2026 (POLAND- KRZESZOWICE).

Specific deadlines and additional details for each year's competition will be announced on the official Blog or website.

Repertoire of Live Stages of the Competition

Participants advancing to the live stages in Krzeszowice must prepare a specific repertoire, which varies depending on their category.

1. 1. Stage I - repertoire duration: up to 15 minutes

For category I,V:

- a piece by a Polish composer other than in Stage II

- an opera aria from the world repertoire

- any piece (a piece by a Norwegian composer is welcome)

For categories II, III, IV, :

- a piece by a Polish composer other than in the second stage

- an opera aria from the world repertoire

- free piece (a piece by a Norwegian composer is welcome)

For category VI:

- a piece by a Polish composer

- ensemble piece free of choice

2. Stage II - the duration of the repertoire up to 20 minutes:

- an opera aria by a Slavic composer / a song by a composer for high school students Slavic

- any operatic aria (other than in the previous stages)

- free piece

The committee selects 2 out of 3 submitted works

For category VI:

- a piece composed after 1950

- ensemble piece free of choice from other than pieces in I and II stage

Competition Categories

Participants are grouped into categories based on their experience and educational background:

Competition Jury

The competition jury comprises distinguished vocalists and educators, selected annually. Chairman od Jury - prof. dr hab. Włodzimierz Zalewski

Our amazing  competition pianists: 
- Katarzyna Starzycka 
- Paulina Storka 
- Tatiana Shvets 

REGULATIONS

of VI Monika Swarowska-Walawska International Vocal Competition

§1. General provisions:

1. These Regulations (hereinafter: "Competition Regulations") define the rules of the 6th Monika Swarowska-Walawska International Vocal Competition - SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS.

2. The organizer of the Competition is the Association Vocal Coultur Scene SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS based in Tenczynek, ul. H. Sienkiewicza 29, 32-067 Tenczynek, entered into the Register of associations, other social and professional organizations, foundations and independent public health care facilities, kept by the District Court for Krako2w w S3ro2dmiesc2 ie in Krako2 w w, 12th Commercial Division of the National Court Register under KRS number: 0000777258 , NIP: 5130259696, REGON: 382878063 (hereinafter: the "Organizer" or "Singing Without Borders Association").

3. The Competition is co-organized by POLSK-NORSK NORSK-POLSK KULTURFORENING SAMHOLD with its seat in Oslo, Kantarellen Terrasse 15 N-1286 Oslo, Norway, registered in the Norwegian Register of Legal Persons (Enhetsregisteret) and in the Register of Volunteers (Frivillighetsregisteret) under number 889 509 902 (Frivillighetsregisteret) hereinafter: "Co-organizer")and the 1st degree Zygmunt Noskowski State Music School , ul. Ogrodowa 7, in Krzeszowice (hereinafter: "Co- organizer").

4. The aim of the Competition is to integrate professional opera soloists, ensembles and amateurs as well as people without musical education, but whose passion is singing and communing with music, coming from different countries, speaking different languages, with particular emphasis on the idea of Polish-Norwegian integration.

5. Competition will be held in Krzeszowice, in designated rooms of the Z. Noskowski Music School in Krzeszowice, ul. Ogrodowa 7, on 14-16th July 2026.

§2. Competition schedule *:

1. • 30.05.2026 – deadline for application and sending videos https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1DWHKosB6dvaZzKTxI3kw8_h22ytkGEZtV_noUL9LDaZ6vw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114276009852781465814

   • 15.06.2026 – deadline for sending application forms and sheet music for accompanists

   • 20.06.2026 - randomizing the order of appearances

   • 14-15.07.2026 – auditions for the 1st Stage of the Vocal Competition; (Z. Noskowski Music School in Krzeszowice,)

   • 16.07.2026 - auditions for the Final Stage of the Vocal Competition; (Z. Noskowski Music School in Krzeszowice,)

   • 16.07.2026 – 20.30 - The final and the announcement of the results of the Vocal Competition together with a recital of the laureates (Z. Noskowski Music School in Krzeszowice)

*The organizer reserves the right to make changes to the above schedule for reasons beyond his control. Any changes to the Schedule will be published on an ongoing basis on the website: h t t p s : / / s i n g i n g w b . o r g / c o m p e t i t i o n /

§3. General terms and conditions of participation in the Competition:

1. Singers of all nationalities may take part in the Competition, regardless of their place of residence and regardless of the degree of their musical education - ie both professionals and amateurs.

2. The condition for participation in the Competition ( for participants invited after online stage, documents and instruction will be send by e mail) is:

   1. sending a scan of the completed and signed Application Form, a specimen of which is Annex 1 (both a scan with signatures in a jpg or pdf file and in an editable version in a doc or docx file). to these Regulations, by e-mail to the following e-mail address: contact@singingwb.com within the final, no-later date in accordance with the Schedule, i.e. on 15^th June , 2026 - applications to the Vocal Competition.

1. 2. sending scans of the scores of the competition repertoire , by e-mail to the following e-mail address: contact@singingwb.com, within the final, deadline in accordance with the Schedule, i.e. on 15^th June, 2026 - applications for the Vocal Competition.

1. 3. (to be signed at the competition office) A signed information clause along with a declaration of consent to use the image in the original, in accordance with Appendix 3 to these Regulations, by the deadline of 14.07.2026, also members of the Competition Jury, Honorary and Accompanists.

1. 4. be invited in Vocal Eliminations on-line

3. Participation in the event is free of charge

4. The Organizer does not report the Participant to any insurance, including insurance against accidents and illness or loss or damage to the participant's luggage. Participant shall organize and pay for any insurance on his own.

5. The organizer has a valid third party liability insurance policy.

§4. Terms and conditions of the Vocal Competition:

2. The decision on qualifying a candidate to participate in the 1st stage of the Competition is made by the Honorary Chapter by means of the ON-LINE ELIMINATIONS which are part of the International Monika Swarowska-Walawska Vocal Festival and Eliminations

3. The list of people qualified for the 1st stage of the Competition will be published on the website of the Vocal Competition at: https://singingwb.org/competition/ - on 5 June 2026. Moreover, the Candidates will be informed about the decision of the Honorary Chapter of the Competition by e-mail to the address provided in the Application.

   The notification of the Candidate about the qualification for the Competition and the receipt of sheet music from the participant, along with the application form, will be tantamount to concluding an agreement between the competition organizer and the candidate regarding the participation in the Competition on the terms specified in the Regulations and the Candidate's obtaining the status of a Competition Participant.

4. Changes to the repertoire of the 1st and 2nd (final) stages of the competition are not possible after 20^th of July.

5. All participants of the 1st and 2nd stage of the competition are required to send the sheet music of the repertoire by 15 th June, 2026 and send the correct application form. Failure to send materials in the above-mentioned will result in removal from the list of participants and qualifying the person from the reserve list, respectively.

6. The participant is obliged to present his / her identity card at the Competition office.

7. The organizer will provide accompanists for participants reporting it on the form. In the event that a Participant takes part in the Competition with his own accompanist, all related costs, including accommodation and travel, as well as his own accompanist's fee, are paid by the Participant.

Accompanists : Katarzyna Starzycka, Paulina Storka, Tatiana Shvets

8. The duration of the presentation of individual stages should not exceed the time limits (successively in stages: I. 15 minutes and II.20 minutes)

9. All pieces must be performed by the participants by heart.

10. The works of the Polish composer may be performed in the original language or in any other language

11. Arias must be performed in the original key.

12. It is allowed to transpose the Songs, but they must be performed in the original language (except for the translation of Polish songs for foreigners)

13. The Artistic Director of the Competition has the right to change the order of the auditions if there are justifiable circumstances.

14. Competition auditions will be held in public.

15. The course of all stages of the Competition may be recorded on any audio or video carriers without any additional cash benefits for the participants of the Competition, in accordance with the signed declaration, and selected recordings may be published by the Organizers.

16. Awards:

    1. In the Vocal Competition, the Organizer provides regulatory prizes in the following amounts:

       • II CAT. - 1st place PLN 1500, 2nd place PLN 1000, 3rd place PLN 500

       • III CAT. - 1st place PLN 3000, 2nd place PLN 2000, 3rd place PLN 1000

• IV CAT. - 1st place PLN 4000, 2nd place PLN 2500, 3rd place PLN 125

• I and V, VI category will receive non-financial rewards (invitations for concerts, etc)

1. 2. Prize them. Monika Swarowska-Walawska * for the best performance of a soprano aria from the artist's repertoire - participation in the Final Concert on August 24, 2025 (* the aria must come from one of the following parts: Donna Anna from WA Mozart's Don Giovanni, Amelia from G. Verdi's Masquerade Ball, Abigaile from G. Verdi's Nabucco, Tosca from Tosca by G. Puccini, Madame Butterfly from the op. Madame Butterfly by G. Puccini, Michael from the op. Carmen by G. Bizet, Santuzzo from the o. Donizetti, Mimi from the La Boheme , by G. Puccini, Halka from the op. Halka by St. Moniuszko, Senta in the Dutch Wanderer by R. Wagner).

1. 3. The jury has the right to to distribute the prize pool without increasing it.
   4. Special prizes and extra-statutory prizes funded by institutions and private persons may be awarded in the Competition. The list of these prizes and the rules for awarding them will be announced before the start of Stage II of the Vocal Competition
   5. The organizer is not responsible for non-performance or improper performance of the obligation by the founder of extra-statutory prizes

   6. The prize will be reduced by the amount of personal income tax, if the organizer is liable to pay such tax in accordance with the provisions of law.

§5. Information clause:

1. Pursuant to Art. 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of person 29, 32-067 Tenczynek (hereinafter: "Administrator"), entered in the Register of associations, other social and professional organizations, foundations and independent public health care institutions, kept by the District Court for Krakow SS3 rodmieso2 cie in Krakow, 12th Commercial Division of the National Court Register under the KRS number: 0000777258, NIP: 5130259696, REGON: 382878063.al data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46 / EC (general regulation on data protection hereinafter referred to as GDPR, the Organizer informs that the Administrator of the personal data provided by the Participants is the Association Vocal Culture Scene SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS with its registered office in Tenczynek, at H. Sienkiewicza

2. In all matters related to the processing of personal data by the Administrator, the Participant may contact the following e-mail address: spiewaniebezgranic@gmail.com and telephone number: +48 888 797 929.

3. Personal data of the Participants will be processed for the following purposes:

   1. organizing, conducting the Vocal Competition and handing over the prizes to the Laureates (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, i.e. consent);

   2. creating competition statistics and responding to the message sent in connection with the consent granted to the processing of personal data (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, i.e. consent);

   3. information and promotion by publishing performances on websites, social networks and in the media (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR,

i.e. consent);

1. 4. archival / evidence / determination, investigation or defense against claims (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, i.e. consent);

2. The personal data of the participants of the Vocal Competition will be stored until the end of the limitation period for potential claims or until the data storage obligations resulting from legal provisions expire, depending on which of these dates is later.

3. Personal data of the Winners of the Vocal Competition (in the form of declarations, confirmations of receipt of the Prize) will be kept for a period of 6 (six) years from the settlement of the Vocal Competition, in accordance with the period of limitation of the Participant's claims against the Competition Organizer, which is 6 (six) years.

4. Personal data of other Participants and personal data obtained pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (a) a GDPR, i.e., the consent of the participants of the Vocal Competition, will be stored until the consent is withdrawn, its restriction or the end of the Vocal Competition, or until an objection to the processing of personal data is raised.

5. Personal data, based on the consent of the Participants, will be made available to the Co- Organizer or the Organizer's Partners and may be made available to the sponsors and media partners of the Vocal Competition.

6. The Participants' personal data may be transferred to other entities, in particular IT system suppliers, marketing agencies and media and regional partners, entities providing accounting outsourcing services, sponsors, including suppliers of awards in the Singing Competition, etc. and in justified cases, resulting from the implementation of possible claims of the administrator, law firms, as well as entities authorized to receive data on the basis of legal provisions. Participants' personal data may also be transferred to entities to which the Organizer entrusted personal data for processing on the basis of separate agreements.

7. The Participant of the Competition has the right to demand from the Administrator:

   1. access to their personal data;

   2. correction your personal data;

   3. deletion your personal data;

   4. restrictions on the processing of personal data;

   5. to submit a complaint to the supervisory body, which is the Office for Personal Data Protection (https://uodo.gov.pl);

   6. data portability;

   7. withdrawal of consent to the processing of personal data at any time, however this withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of the processing which was made on the basis of consent before its withdrawal, however, it will prevent further participation in the Vocal Competition;

   8. an objection to the processing of personal data - if the processing is necessary to perform a task carried out in the public interest or as part of the exercise of public authority entrusted to the Administrator and if the processing is necessary for purposes arising from legitimate interests pursued by the Administrator or by a 3^rd party. In order to exercise the above rights, please contact the Administrator at: spiewaniebezgranic@gmail.com

8. The personal data of the Participants of the Vocal Competition are not subject automated decision making, including profiling.

§7. Consent to use the image:

Pursuant to Art. 6 sec. 1 lit. a) GDPR and pursuant to art. 81 sec. 1 of the Act on Copyright and Related Rights of February 4, 1994 (Journal of Laws No. 24, item 83, as amended) Partici- pants, by submitting their participation in the Competition, voluntarily, free of charge and for an indefinite period of time agree to processing of your image in the form of photos (includ- ing folders, brochures and albums), films and / or recordings (including CDs or other media) and / or broadcasts on which the Participant's image is recorded by the Vocal Culture Scene Association SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS based in Tenczynek (KRS: 0000777258), including the free use and dissemination of materials presenting their image in social media, for promo- tional and informational purposes of events in which the Vocal Culture Scene Association, SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS, participated or co-organized or co-organized will participate or which will be organizing or co-organizing the the Vocal Culture Scene Association Assocition SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS with headquarters in Tenczynek (KRS: 0000777258).

§8. Declarations on the transfer of copyrights and additional consents (applies to Participants of the Vocal Competition):

1. 1. The Participant, by submitting the Application Form, declares that he agrees to partici- pate in the Competition, and also transfers to the Organizer all rights to artistic perfor- mance of works that are the subject of artistic performance in the Vocal Competition.

   2. At the moment of recording the artistic performances, the Participant transfers to the Organizer the right to use and dispose of audiovisual recorded artistic performances.

   3. The rights referred to above are transferred in the following fields of use:

      1. any recording;

      2. any trade in the original and copies produced in accordance with point

      3. any other dissemination, including all broadcasting and rebroadcasting

1. 4. The Participant also agrees to the rights of the Organizer to artistic performance, in par- ticular to adaptation, alteration and translation, in the scope of the above-mentioned fields of exploitation and arising in the future, and gives consent to the right to use, in the manner and in the fields of use. specified above, from fragments or individual compo- nents of artistic performances, for the purposes of advertising and promoting the Vocal Competition and the Organizer.

   5. The Participant also agrees to the free use of the image for the purpose of using it by other entities and for granting consent for the use of the Image by other entities (hereinafter: "Image").

   6. The image can be used for the purposes of promotional, advertising, marketing and re- lated activities of the Competition

   7. As part of the consent granted, the Organizer may make any changes, alterations or modifications to the image and use for the purposes of promotion or advertising.

   8. The participant also gives consent to publicly disclose his name, surname and age in connection with participation in the Vocal Competition, in all announcements, results, programs, announcements and information about the Vocal Competition.

   9. In the case of underage Participants, the above consents regarding his image and the transfer of rights to artistic performances is granted to the Organizer by his parents / legal guardians.

§9. Contact details and links::

1. Organizer's data:Vocal Culture Scene Association SINGING WITHOUT BORDERS

ul. Henryka Sienkiewicza 29

32-067 TENCZYNEK, POLAND

2. Data of the Co-organizer:

POLSK-NORSK NORSK-POLSK KULTURFORENING SAMHOLD

Kantarellen Terrasse 15 N-1286 Oslo, Norwegia Contact by phone regarding notifications:

1. 1. Justyna Skowronek - phone: +48 888797929

   2. Krzysztof Aureliusz Łuczyński – Artistic Director of the Competition

-phone: : +47 916 510 44

3. E-mail address: contact@singingwb.org

   Websites and links:

www: www.singingwb.org

FB: association: https://www.facebook.com/SangOverGrenser Festival: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574296430741

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9R09mvcXVJvn_XXJtNpC7g

FB Group - sheet music: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1739639872846005

Grupa FB - news about the Festival: https://www.facebook.com/groups/647323033155857

Details about the current jury will be shared closer to the event. Follow our Blog section.

Why Participate?

• Gain invaluable experience performing on stage.
• Work with internationally recognized vocal coaches and jurors.
• Network with fellow vocalists and professionals.
• Explore Poland’s rich cultural heritage and breathtaking venues.

For detailed information about application requirements, repertoire guidelines, and jury members, visit our official Blog section: