Subject: [AUDITORY] Launching the Blizzard Challenge 2025 - Synthesizing Bildts From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Le_Maguer=2C_S=E9bastien?= <=?iso-8859-1?Q?Le_Maguer=2C_S=E9bastien?=> Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2025 17:43:57 +0000--_000_AS8PR07MB73819DC121FFBEBFAE9FCC8C92F52AS8PR07MB7381eurp_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable **Apologies for cross posting** Dear colleagues, We are delighted to announce the 2025 edition of the Blizzard Challenge, wh= ich will be co-located with the Speech Synthesis Workshop 2025 (SSW13). The theme of this edition of SSW is "Scaling down: sustainable synthesis fo= r language diversity". In line with this theme, the challenge focuses on sy= nthesizing speech for Bildts, a unique language variety from the Netherland= s. The information about the challenge is available (and will be updated) here= : https://blogs.helsinki.fi/ssw13-2025/the-blizzard-challenge-2025/ About Bildts Bildts (Indo-European > West Germanic) is spoken in Het Bildt, a region in = the Dutch province of Friesland. With approximately 10,000 first and second= language speakers, it represents a vibrant example of European linguistic = diversity. The language variety has been systematically through grammatical= descriptions, dictionaries with pronunciation information, literary works,= media productions (weekly radio broadcasts, theater performances), and reg= ular newspaper columns. For the Blizzard Challenge 2025, we have curated a dataset of high-quality = audio recordings with corresponding linguistic resources. This choice of Bi= ldts aligns with our theme of "sustainable synthesis for language diversity= " - it presents participants with the real-world challenge of developing sy= nthesis capabilities for a well-documented but data-limited language variet= y, representative of the thousands of smaller languages that could benefit = from speech technology. The challenge is composed of two tasks: 1. the traditional hub which this year consists of creating a synthetic voice = for Bildts using the data 2. a Zeroshot TTS for Bildts for different speakers with reference audio files= provided during the release of the test set Data download The training data is available here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1479245= 7 A pronunciation dictionary for Bildts will be made available to participant= s in February 2025. This will include phonetic transcriptions that can be u= sed for training text-to-speech systems. Participants will be notified when= this resource becomes available. Timeline This is a preliminary timeline and is subject to change. * Feb 032025 - challenge announcement and registration open * Feb 03 2025 - training dataset released * Mar 07 2025 - team registration closes * Mar 28 2025 - test sentences released to participants * Apr 04 2025 - deadline for participants to submit synthetic speech (23:59 A= oE) * Apr 07 2025 - last date for payment of the entry fee (more details in Febru= ary) * Apr 24 2025 - evaluation systems go live * Jun 20 2025 - end of the evaluation period * Jun 27 2025 - release of results * Jul 18 2025 - deadline to submit workshop papers (23:59 AoE) * Aug 01 2025 - notification of acceptance * Aug 08 2025 - camera ready * Aug 17-21 2025 - INTERSPEECH 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands * Aug 24-26 2025 - SSW13, Leeuwarden, Netherlands * Aug 27 2025 - Blizzard Challenge 2025 Workshop, same location as SSW Any questions? Please contact blizzard-challenge-organisers@xxxxxxxx if you have a= ny questions. Please feel free to distribute this announcement. The Blizzard Challenge 2025 Organising team --_000_AS8PR07MB73819DC121FFBEBFAE9FCC8C92F52AS8PR07MB7381eurp_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-= 1"> <style type=3D"text/css" style=3D"display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bo= ttom:0;} </style> </head> <body dir=3D"ltr"> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> **Apologies for cross posting**</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Dear colleagues,</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> We are delighted to announce the 2025 edition of the Blizzard Challenge, wh= ich will be co-located with the Speech Synthesis Workshop 2025 (SSW13).</di= v> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The theme of this edition of SSW is "Scaling down: sustainable synthes= is for language diversity". In line with this theme, the challenge foc= uses on synthesizing speech for Bildts, a unique language variety from the = Netherlands.</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The information about the challenge is available (and will be updated) here= : <a href=3D"https://blogs.helsinki.fi/ssw13-2025/the-blizzard-challenge-20= 25/" id=3D"LPlnk817140"> https://blogs.helsinki.fi/ssw13-2025/the-blizzard-challenge-2025/</a></div> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=3D"font-weight: 700;">About Bildts</span></div> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Bildts (Indo-European > West Germanic) is spoken in Het Bildt, a region = in the Dutch province of Friesland. With approximately 10,000 first and sec= ond language speakers, it represents a vibrant example of European linguist= ic diversity. The language variety has been systematically through grammatical descriptions, dictionaries wit= h pronunciation information, literary works, media productions (weekly radi= o broadcasts, theater performances), and regular newspaper columns.</div> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> For the Blizzard Challenge 2025, we have curated a dataset of high-quality = audio recordings with corresponding linguistic resources. This choice of Bi= ldts aligns with our theme of "sustainable synthesis for language dive= rsity" - it presents participants with the real-world challenge of developing synthesis capabilities for a well-d= ocumented but data-limited language variety, representative of the thousand= s of smaller languages that could benefit from speech technology. The chall= enge is composed of two tasks:</div> <ol start=3D"1" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> <li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, C= alibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); direct= ion: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 0pt;"> the traditional hub which this year consists of creating a synthetic voice = for Bildts using the data</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 12pt;"> a Zeroshot TTS for Bildts for different speakers with reference audio files= provided during the release of the test set</div> </li></ol> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=3D"font-weight: 700;">Data download</span></div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The training data is available here: <a href=3D"https://doi.org/10.5281/zen= odo.14792457" id=3D"LPlnk697913" class=3D"OWAAutoLink"> https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14792457</a></div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> A pronunciation dictionary for Bildts will be made available to participant= s in February 2025. This will include phonetic transcriptions that can be u= sed for training text-to-speech systems. Participants will be notified when= this resource becomes available.</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont= , Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; col= or: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=3D"font-weight: 700;">Timeline</span></div> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> This is a preliminary timeline and <span style=3D"font-weight: 700;">is sub= ject to change</span>.</div> <ul style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> <li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, C= alibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); direct= ion: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> Feb 032025 - challenge announcement and registration open</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; m= argin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> Feb 03 2025 - training dataset released</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; colo= r: rgb(0, 0, 0); direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Mar 07 2025 - team registration closes</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Mar 28 2025 - test sentences released to participants</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; colo= r: rgb(0, 0, 0); direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Apr 04 2025 - deadline for participants to submit synthetic speech (23:59 A= oE)</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Apr 07 2025 - last date for payment of the entry fee (more details in Febru= ary)</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Apr 24 2025 - evaluation systems go live</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Jun 20 2025 - end of the evaluation period</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Jun 27 2025 - release of results</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Jul 18 2025 - deadline to submit workshop papers (23:59 AoE)</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Aug 01 2025 - notification of acceptance</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Aug 08 2025 - camera ready</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Aug 17-21 2025 - INTERSPEECH 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 0pt;"> Aug 24-26 2025 - SSW13, Leeuwarden, Netherlands</div> </li><li style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontServi= ce, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); d= irection: ltr; list-style-type: disc;"> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bo= ttom: 12pt;"> Aug 27 2025 - Blizzard Challenge 2025 Workshop, same location as SSW</div> </li></ul> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 24pt; margin-b= ottom: 0pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=3D"font-weight: 700;">Any questions?</span></div> <div style=3D"direction: ltr; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-b= ottom: 6pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Ca= libri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Please contact blizzard-challenge-organisers@xxxxxxxx if you have a= ny questions.</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo= nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c= olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo= nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c= olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Please feel free to distribute this announcement.<br> <br> The Blizzard Challenge 2025 Organising team</div> <div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo= nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c= olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div class=3D"elementToProof"><br> </div> <div id=3D"Signature"></div> </body> </html> --_000_AS8PR07MB73819DC121FFBEBFAE9FCC8C92F52AS8PR07MB7381eurp_--