Call for new songs in European minority languages
Date Posted: 1st September 2010
Lorient hosts the 7th edition of Liet International
Call for new songs for the 7th edition of minority language song contest Liet International in Lorient/An Orient, in Breizh/Brittany, France. On Saturday the 27th of November 2010 the Breton city of An Orient (French: Lorient) will host the seventh edition of European minority language song contest Liet International, the one and only song contest for singers and bands who sing in a European minority language. In Brittany the song contest will be organised and produced by the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, in close collaboration with Foundation Liet International from Friesland in the Netherlands. After six previous editions in Friesland, the Netherlands and Swedish Lapland (Sápmi) Liet International has been invited to Brittany by Mrs. Lena Louarn, the vice-president of the Région Bretagne/Rannvro Breizh.
The organisation therefore calls upon bands, singers and cultural organizations throughout Europe to submit new songs in minority languages for the seventh edition of our song contest. The song contest will consist of 11 singers or bands who represent European regions where a minority language is being spoken and sung. Bands or artists are invited to send in newly composed music and lyrics in any of the lesser used, regional or minority languages in Europe until the 1st of September 2010. The organisation of Liet International 2010 aims to announce the selection of the songs for Liet International not later than the 8th of September.
In previous contests, we have had songs in languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Cornish, Corsican, Frisian, Friulian, Gaelic, Galician, Karelian, Lowgerman, Manx, Meankieli, Mordvinian, Northfrisian, Occitan, Romani, Sámi, Sorbian, Votian and Welsh. The Sámi (Laps) have won the festival four times, but the last edition in Swedish Lapland in 2008 was won by the Corsican singer Jacques Culioli. In the past several Breton bands traveled to the north to represent Brittany at Liet International. In 2002 Stoneage impressed the Frisian audience. A few years later EV displayed a different style of Breton music. In 2008 Breton singer Gwennyn only came a few votes short to bring the public award home.
Liet International, a Frisian initiative, collaborates closely with various other song contests in minority languages throughout Europe such as the Premiu al Meyor Cantar of Asturias in Spain, , the Frisian song contest Liet 2010, the Saami Grand Prix in Kautokeino, Norway and last but not least Suns, the song contest for minorities from Italy, Austria and Switzerland in Udine. The winners of these events automatically qualify for Liet International. Until now three bands already qualified for Liet: the Asturian band Xera, the Frisian band Equal Souls and Sámi singer Pia Maria Holmgren. Suns, an open air festival on the 28th of August, will send two participants to Liet International 2010.
This means that there are six open places for all other minority languages of Europe. One of those open places will go to a band or singer who sings in the Breton language. The selection process is done by a small and completely independent selection jury in the first week of September. Qualification criteria for the committee are the following: quality and uniqueness of song and music, linguistic, geographical and musical diversity, gender and age.The lyrics and music should be new or newly written and composed, so called traditional songs are not accepted.
Send your songs as a MP3 file or on a CD to the address below. The singers/groups chosen will be invited to take part in the contest. Liet International encourages participants to seek financial support for the travels expenses from the nation they represent. We take care of hotel and living expenses.
At our song contest two prizes are awarded: one voted for by the international jury and the other voted for by the public. The panel of judges comprises a representative from each participating region. It is also our intention to arrange a live broadcast on the radio and the internet, which offers listeners the possibility to vote by SMS-text or on the internet. Of course the audience in the concert hall will also be able to vote.Liet International will be registered for television.Liet International usually attracts a lot of media attention.
Liet International 2010 is organised by Foundation Liet International in collaboration with the Festival Interceltique de Lorient and the Conseil Régional de Bretagne/Kuzul Rannvro Breizh. Other partners of Liet International are Arlef (Udine in Italy), the autonomous government of Asturias, the province of Friesland in the Netherlands and the Council of Europe/Conseil de l’Europe.
Please let us have your songs not later than September 1. Send your songs on CD to Liet International in Ljouwert (Leeuwarden) or by e-mail to lietint@gmail.com. For more information please go to our website http://www.liet.nl. For questions also use lietint@gmail.com
Adress to send a CD with the song you want to submit:
Liet International 2010
c.o. Onno Falkena
Huzum Doarp 65
NL 8934 BS LJOUWERT
Fryslân,
The Netherlands
e-mail: lietint@gmail.com
