1. The Lexus Song Quest is open to all New Zealand singers, resident in New Zealand or living overseas, aged between 18 and 34 on Saturday 23 July 2022, except:
    - Singers whose main income during the past two years was derived from full-time professional singing either as performers or teachers;
    - Winners of the first place in a previous Lexus or Mobil Song Quest;
    - Employees of Tāwhiri, Toyota New Zealand Limited, Toyota Financial Services Limited, their advertising agencies, subsidiaries and Lexus dealership staff.
  2. A New Zealand singer is a person who:
    - is a New Zealand citizen for the purposes of the Citizenship Act 1977 or the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982;
    - is eligible for New Zealand citizenship pursuant to the Citizenship Act 1977 or the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 and who has applied in the prescribed manner to the Minister of Internal Affairs pursuant to either of those Acts as appropriate. Evidence of the application must be attached to the entry form. If the application is declined or withdrawn for any reason whatsoever while the entrant remains a contestant, the organisers reserve the right to terminate the entrant’s participation in the Lexus Song Quest without liability for any losses or damages to the entrant.
  3. All singers and personnel appearing and participating in the Lexus Song Quest must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
  4. Entries will be accepted only by completing the online application on or before 21 March 2022, 5pm NZDT. Those who are unable to apply online may request a download of the official entry form at info@songquest.nz or on +64 4 473 0149. Entrants are to notify the Administrator of any changes of address. Late or incomplete entries will not be accepted.
  5. All contestants must consent to participate in all media activity required by Tāwhiri and Lexus including but not limited to interviews, filming, photo shoots and social media participation. Any social media participation will be based on a content plan with guidelines to be advised by Tāwhiri.
  6. All recordings and any associated stills photography become the property of Tāwhiri and Lexus and may be used without reference or payment of fees.
  7. All entrants will be required to attend an audition in either Auckland, Wellington or Dunedin at their own expense, with the exception of entrants who are currently based overseas.
  8. Tāwhiri and Lexus reserve the right to cancel an audition centre from the schedule if there are insufficient numbers applying in that area to warrant such a visit. In this case entrants will be required to attend an alternative audition location at their own expense.
  9. At the audition entrants may select the first piece to perform and the judges will indicate which further two of the remaining six prepared music items they wish to hear. Entrants must perform the selected items. There will be no debate as to the judges’ selection.
  10. Entrants must provide their own accompanist and music for the audition.
  11. Singers based overseas and therefore unable to attend the auditions must submit a video recording of their full programme by Monday 11 April 2022, 5pm NZST.
  12. The video recording must be of a professional quality and must show the contestant performing the six items for judging purposes. The video performances must be unedited, recorded without excessive reverb or processing and have a good balance between the voice and piano.
  13. Entrants will be notified of the selected ten Semi-finalists by email. Semi-finalists are required to participate in a range of media opportunities including but not limited to interviews, filming, photo shoots and social media participation.
  14. Semi-finalists must submit a detailed study proposal including a budget to the Administrator by Monday 20 June 2022, 5pm NZST. The study proposal will be the basis for discussion in an interview between the Semi-finalist and the Head Judge. The study proposals of the two prize winners will be developed as the basis of their respective Lexus Song Quest Study Scholarships.
  15. The ten Semi-finalists will travel to Wellington on Sunday 10 July 2022 for a Coaching Academy with the Head Judge, starting on Monday 11 July 2020. All Semi-finalists will participate in individual coaching sessions with the Judge in preparation for the Semi-Finals concerts to be held in Wellington on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July 2022. Tāwhiri will provide an accompanist and meet the costs of domestic travel and accommodation for the duration of the Coaching Academy and Semi-Final concerts for any Semi-finalists not residing in Wellington. Neither Tāwhiri or Lexus will cover the cost of international airfares or any quarantine requirements for any Semi-finalists living outside of New Zealand who must be available to participate in this part of the competition in Wellington.
  16. Semi-finalists will each perform two contrasting songs and one aria (with piano accompaniment) at the Semi-Final concerts in Wellington.
  17. The Head Judge will announce the five finalists who will compete in the Grand Final at the end of the Semi-Final concerts. Radio New Zealand may broadcast the Semi-Final concerts live (to be confirmed).
  18. Semi-finalists agree to participate in future Lexus events during the year following the Lexus Song Quest Grand Final subject to their availability. Any participation in future Lexus events will be on a professional basis and will include payment of a fee as well as domestic travel and hospitality as required.
  19. Finalists will be required to attend rehearsals in Wellington prior to the Grand Final. Authorised domestic travel expenses and single hotel accommodation for any finalists not based in Wellington will be provided by Tāwhiri.
  20. At the Grand Final on Saturday 23 July 2022, the five finalists will sing one art song, lied or waiata accompanied by piano and two arias accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Finalists must be prepared to sing to the accompaniment provided and be recorded for live radio, web and television broadcast.
    The instrumentation for each aria must NOT exceed the following: 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, 1 timpani, 3 percussion, 1 harp, violins, second violins, violas, celli, double basses.
  21. The winner of the Lexus Song Quest will receive an immediate cash prize of $20,000 net and a Study Scholarship of $27,000, plus economy international travel up to the value of $3,000. The runner-up will receive an immediate cash prize of $10,000 net and a Study Scholarship of $10,000 proudly supported by the Dame Malvina Major Foundation. The other three finalists will each receive an immediate cash prize of $3,500 net. The Study Scholarships must be taken up within a period of two years from the date of the final concert. There will be a further $15,000 scholarship prize for the most promising singer, selected by the Head Judge from the semi-finalists (the winner and runner up of the Lexus Song Quest are not eligible for this prize) and presented at the Grand Final by the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation.
  22. All recordings become the property of Tāwhiri and Lexus and may be used without reference or payment of fees.
  23. Contestants under contract to a recording company must obtain formal approval in writing to enable Tāwhiri and Lexus to use any recordings made. Evidence of any recording contract release must be included with the entry form.
  24. It is an express and paramount condition of entry that all entrants shall accept these conditions and the rulings of the various judges as final and binding, whether in relation to matters covered by these conditions or otherwise. Under no circumstances will correspondence be entered into with entrants, teachers or sponsors, or interviews granted regarding such decisions or rules.
  25. Tāwhiri and Lexus do not accept any responsibility for any accident, loss or injury that may occur to an entrant or his/her property, whether arising out of negligence or otherwise, at any time, in relation to the Lexus Song Quest. Nor shall anything contained or implied in these conditions be deemed to create the relationship of master or servant as between the entrant and Tāwhiri and Lexus. It is a condition of entry that all entrants shall release Tāwhiri and Lexus from liability accordingly.