the international cinema organ competition in the babylon

THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN
COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
on the occasion of the SilentFilmLiveFestival in 2015
Donald MacKenzie, jury chairperson
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“).
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 3rd to the 12th of July, organize the first International Cinema Organ Competition in Germany. The musicians will improvise
to the best known silent films, like „Nosferatu“, „Caligari“, „Madame
Dubarry“, „Nanuk, the Eskimo“, „The General“, „Battleship Potemkin“
or „Berlin - Symphony of a Great City“. In the first round from Saturday, 04.07., till Wednesday, 08.07., ten participants will perform
their film accompaniment (2 concerts per day). Three finalists play
on Saturday, 11.07., successively. On Sunday, 12.07 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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THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
THE INTERNATIONAL JURY OF THE COMPETITION:
Donald MacKenzie, jury chairperson; since 1992 the cinema organist plays the Compton Organ at the Odeon Leicester Square in
London for film premieres, special events and concerts. The BBC has
also broadcast several of his concerts. Internationally he has graced among other things - the San Francisco A.T.O.S. Convention, and he
was „Best Young Organist of the Year“ there in 1991. Moreover, he
also played on the Spreckels organ in the Balboa park (San Diego),
at the University of Boston, in Alexandra Palace (London), in the Usher
Hall in Edinburgh, in Saint Anne‘s Cathedral Belfast, in the Scheidam
Theater (Holland), at Wolverhampton International organ festival and
at the Johann Strauss festival in Bucharest.
For the ceremonial opening of the international cinema organ competition on the 3rd of July in the Babylon, MacKenzie accompanies
live the classic vampire film „Nosferatu“ by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau.
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.
Susanne Schaak, Freelance Organist. After studying Church music
she was Director of Music in Friedrichsroda and in Falkensee. From
2010 onwards she has freelanced as an organist and teacher in
Potsdam. She has accompanied various films at the Film Museum in
Potsdam and Fahrland Church, such as “Die Abenteuer des Prinzen
Achmed“, “Burlesque on Carmen“, “Asta Nielsen: Filmprimadonna“
and her personal favourite film, “Der müde Tod“.
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THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION
1. The improvisation competition takes place from the 3rd to the
12th of July, 2015 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, 4th of July, till Wednesday, 8th
of July; the exact competitive time is announced with your invitation.
For three finalists, moreover, till Sunday, 12th 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 15th of May,
2015 (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 1st of June, 2015. 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 2015 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 „Easy Street“ (in 1917, RE: Charlie Chaplin with Charlie
Chaplin, Edna Purviance; approx. 11.5 min.;
Online: https://vimeo.com/91028229
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THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
Charlie Chaplin appears behind
the villain
Approx. 7:33
Charlie Chaplin defeats the villain by throwing a stove on him.
Approx. 19:00
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.
1st and 2nd round:
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, 04.07., till Wednesday, 08.07., ten
participants will perform their film accompaniment (2 concerts per
day).
On Thursday, 09.07 three finalists are announced. These play in the
second round on Saturday, 11.07., successively.
On Sunday, 12.07 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 1, 2015.
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THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
The presentation takes place within the final concert on Sunday, 12th of July, 2015 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.
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: grossman@babylonberlin.de
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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THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
REGISTRATION FOR THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN 2015 IN THE BABYLON
Herewith I apply to take part in the International film organ competition in 2015 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):
_______________________________________________________
I add:
curriculum vitae
a copy of my personal identity card / passport
DVD with the music improvisation “to easy Street”
copy of the transfer of the registration fee
The photo and the curriculum vitae I have dispatched by email
_________________________
Date, place
_________________________
Signature
THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMA ORGAN COMPETITION IN THE BABYLON
CURRICULUM VITAE (AND PRESENT MUSICAL PRACTICE)
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www.babylonberlin.de
Neue Babylon Berlin GmbH
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30
D-10178 Berlin
Tel.: +49/30/ 24 72 78 04
www.babylonberlin.de