Eligible for the competition are young artists who have not reached their 30th birthday and are not under professional management. Contestants selected by the tape-screening committee to compete will be notified by mail by October 20, 1999. Those invited will perform in the first round on Friday, Nov. 19. Twelve semifinalists will be chosen to compete on Saturday morning, Nov. 20 and six finalists will compete on the evening of Nov. 20. The winners will be announced at that concert.
Contestants are responsible for travel and living expenses.
Airlines flying into Lafayette include American. Continental, Northwest and Delta. Shuttle service between the hotel and concert hall will be provided. Heading the panel of judges will be David Cerone, president of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The competition is named for Willis Ducrest, outstanding singer, voice teacher, conductor and choral arranger who is a past national president of the Music Teachers' National Association.