the international cinema organ competition in the babylon

THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE

BABYLON

on the occasion of the SilentFilmLiveFestival in 2016

THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON

T

he Babylon celebrated its 85-year-old existence in 2014. It was opened in 1929 as a cinema with a small stage for plays, making it a theatre in a literal sense. Its aim and purpose is to make film history accessible for everyone each, regardless of the cultural back round. Every summer the Babylon organizes a big SilentFilmLiveFestival. With it’s original, golden-framed canvas in the format 4:3, the restored Philipps multiplex organ and the orchestra pit the Babylon is one of the last preserved silent film cinemas in Europe. The unique ambience of this cinema, combined with the original organ, which is still playable today, make it a regular venue for spectacular silent film performances (in 2011 “Chaplin Complete”; in 2012 “Buster Keaton”; in 2013 “Lubitsch & Heymann“; in 2014 “desire and fright“; in 2015 1st International Cinema Organ competition). There are often also modern, experimental music versions (e.g. Tronthaim, Soundpainting Orchestra). It is our aim to maintain this unique house and to fill it with life. The Babylon will, on the occasion of this year’s SilentFilmLiveFestival from the 22nd to the 31st of July, organize the second International Cinema Organ Competition in Germany. The musicians will improvise to the best known Russian silent films, like “ Battleship Potemkin”, “October (Ten Days that Shook the World)”, “Mother”, “Aelita: Queen of Mars (Revolt of the Robots)“, “The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks“ or “The New Babylon“. In the first round from Saturday, 23.07., till Wednesday, 27.07., ten participants will perform their film accompaniment (2 concerts per day). Three finalists play on Saturday, 30.07., successively. On Sunday, 31.07. the competition winner plays. About the Babylon organ: It is the only cinema organ in Germany in the original location built in 1929. This German symphonic cinema organ was the biggest at that time and comes from the company Philipps from Frankfurt am Main. The organ console has 2 manuals, pedal, 100 stops, tremolo, 4 free combinations, 8 Pistons, 1 enclosed division and a lot more. The organ arrangement has 66 stops from 913 organ pipes, of these 280 reed voices, as well as 137 further sounding instruments (Glockenspiel parts etc.) 34 effects.

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www.babylonberlin.de


THE INTERNATIONAL JURY OF THE COMPETITION: Philipp Cheltsov, jury chairperson Organist, composer, silent film accompanist and born in Moscow. He studied music theory at the Gnessin Academy in Moscow at the same time he took organ and composition lessons. Since 2014 he is an art director and organist for the “Orgel at the museum Zwetajewa” foundation and co-author for the “Cinema with Organ” project. Regulary he accompanies silent films on organ and piano in cooperation with the Gosfilmofond Russia, the Pushkin Museum, the Moscow Film Museum and the Tretjakow Gallery. Furthermore Cheltsov recorded a series of movie soundtacks for the filmcompany “Krupnyj plan”. In 2016 he accompanied the silent films “Belyje Stolby 2016” and the sequel “The History of russian film art in 50 films” at the 20th Film Festival Gosfilmofond in Moscow.

Anna Vavilkina Babylon film organist; the only permanently employed film organist in Germany. She studied at Moscow conservatoire and in the colleges of music in Lübeck and Detmold, won a prize at the international organ competition in Minsk and was a finalist in international competitions for organ improvisation in Germany and Austria. In 2014 she also accompanied Buster Keaton films in the Stavanger concert Hall and on the Welte-organ at the NDR in Hamburg. In the Babylon she plays “Silent film at midnight“ and “slapstick for kids“ as well as nearly daily before the screenings and live events. This is unique in the German film scene.

Dominik Gerhard Organist and pianist. He played on air in the radio and the television worship. Besides this he accompanies silent films in cinemas, churches, open air events and at the “Deutsche Bergbau-Museum Bochum”. He proved himself improvising to literature, fairy tales and religious.

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CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION 1. The improvisation competition takes place from the 22nd to the 31st of July, 2016 in the big film hall of the Babylon in Berlin. A Philipps cinema organ is available to the participants. You find the arrangement of the organ on-line under: http://www.babylonberlin. de/pdfs/dispositionphilippsorgel.pdf 2. The competition is open for organists of every nationality and every age who recognise the conditions of competition. 3. Participation and lodging for the duration of the competitive days are free (i.e. in the period of Saturday, 23th of July, till Wednesday, 27th of July; the exact competitive time is announced with your invitation. For three finalists, moreover, till Sunday, 31st of July). Travel expenses will not be refunded. A fee is connected with the registration at the rate of 50 euros, which is refunded after competitive participation, unless the candidate withdraws after deadline for applications or during the competition. The 50 euros are to be transferred at the latest up to the 15th of May, 2015 to the Babylon account. A copy of the transfer document is to be added to the registration. 4. The following documents are to be sent up to the 12nd of June, 2016 (date of the postmark) and ggfs mail in addition to: - registration form, filled in - short curriculum vitae (also digitally by email) - digital photo (300dpi, max. size: 3 MB) - a DVD (mp4) with the task for the qualifying round 5. The invitation to the applicants admitted to the competition goes out by email on the 20th of June, 2016. In it you are also informed about your practice time on the Babylon cinema organ and your performance time. 6. The Babylon film organ price in 2016 is endowed with prize money of 3000 euros. The other two finalists receive an certificate. The decision of the jury is not contestable, and the legal process is ruled out. The jury is entitled not to award the prize or to split also accordingly. 7. The Competition Preselection - qualifying round: Please submit a DVD with your own organ improvisation to the fragment from “You’re darn tootin’“ (in 1928; RE: Edgar Kennedy with Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy; approx. 9 min., https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=5z_Tl-1CthM&app=desktop)

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„You‘re darn tootin‘“ The film begins – first intertitle

intertitle: Re-financing – In business for themselves ca. 9:46

The submission should be sent a video in the format MP4. The DVD copy is used exclusively for the internal choice by the jury and will not be sent back. 1. und 2. Runde: Public performance of a full-length silent film on the Philipps-film organ in the Babylon. Every participant receives a maximum of 2x2 hours on the organ. Babylon staff will introduce you to the organ. In the first round from Saturday, 23.07., till Wednesday, 27.07., ten participants will perform their film accompaniment (2 concerts per day). On Thursday, 28.07 three finalists are announced. These play in the second round on Saturday, 30.07., successively. On Sunday, 31.07 the winner of the competition plays. The order of the participants is determined by anonymously-drawn lots before every round. The date of the first performance is sent with the admission to the competition by email by June 20, 2016. The presentation takes place within the final concert on Sunday, 31st of July, 2016 in the Babylon. The prizewinner undertakes to accompany an other silent film for the final event of the festival free of charge. 8. Further information Participants can take part only in the competition if they accept the conditions of participation completely. All participants are asked to wear concert clothes and concert shoes.

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Should there be recordings or (live) broadcast, by radio, television or Internet, the participants will receive no fee. 9. Address for application papers Neue Babylon Berlin GmbH Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30 D-10178 Berlin Email: [email protected] 10. Bank data for the transfer of application fee: Neue Babylon Berlin GmbH IBAN: DE08 1009 0000 2164 3800 01 SWIFT-BIC: BEVODEBB Please give, as the purpose of your transfer: Registration fee cinema organ competition + participant name 11. Bank data of the competitors To the return remittance of the protective fee the Babylon needs the bank data (account holder, IBAN, BIC) of the participants. These are to be provided with the registration for the competition in writing.

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REGISTRATION FOR THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN 2016 IN THE BABYLON Herewith I apply to take part in the International film organ competition in 2016 in the Babylon. I have read the conditions of the competition and accept them completely. I agree that these personal data may be transmitted by the organizers to third parties. ----Please, clearly readable in block characters! Surname:

_______________________________________________________

First Name:

_______________________________________________________

Gender:

M/F

Date of Birth:

_______________________________________________________

Nationality:

_______________________________________________________

Address:

_______________________________________________________ Street, House No.

_______________________________________________________ Post code, town

_______________________________________________________ Country

Email:

_______________________________________________________

Phone (Mobile):

_______________________________________________________

Optional:

I don’t need lodging

I add: curriculum vitae a copy of my personal identity card / passport DVD with the music improvisation “You’re darn tootin’” copy of the transfer of the registration fee The photo and the curriculum vitae I have dispatched by email

_________________________ Date, place

_________________________ Signature


CURRICULUM VITAE (AND PRESENT MUSICAL PRACTICE)

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Neue Babylon Berlin GmbH

Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30 D-10178 Berlin

Tel.: (030) 24 72 78 04 www.babylonberlin.de

the international cinema organ competition in the babylon

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