Competition 2025
18 & 19 September 2025, Baxter Concert Hall
Rules & Repertoire
The competition is open to art song duos, of which both musicians must be registered students of the University of Cape Town or Stellenbosch University. There is no age restriction.
From 2025 onwards, the competition will welcome entries not only from voice-and-piano duos, but also from voice-and-guitar and voice-and-accordion duos.
The competition will consist of two rounds for which the duos must prepare five art songs in total: one German Lied, one art song from the twentieth or twenty-first century, one South African art song, and two art songs of free choice. The programme must include at least three languages.
Preliminary Round: Thursday, 18 September 2025
In the preliminary round, the participants will be asked to perform a selection of three songs from their programme (of which two songs will be chosen by the panel and one by the duo).
Final Round: Friday, 19 September 2025
In the final round, every duo will perform their complete programme of five art songs.
If the programme includes an unpublished art song, the score should be sent to info@festivalneueslied.com at the time of application.
The prizes are as follows:
First Prize: R20 000
Second Prize: R15 000
Third Prize: R12 000
Hendrik Hofmeyr Prize (Best Performance of a South African Art Song): R4 000
All prizes are sponsored by the Rupert Music Foundation.