San Francisco

International Music Competition

FREE ENTRY – PRELIMINARY ROUND

REGULATIONS

A. The San Francisco International Music Competition is open to classical musicians of all ages and nationalities from all over the world.

B. The Competition is conducted entirely online through video and audio submissions. Participants are not required to travel to San Francisco. Both rounds are conducted online, and all results are announced on the official competition website.

C. The Competition consists of two rounds:

  • Preliminary Round: Free of charge and open to all eligible applicants.

  • Final Round: Participants selected by the jury to advance to the Final Round will receive an invitation to complete their Final Round registration and payment.

Only participants who complete the Final Round registration requirements will be eligible for final adjudication.

D. Final Round Entry Fees:

  • Soloist: USD 80 per participant.

  • Chamber Ensemble: USD 100 per ensemble.

The Preliminary Round is free of charge for all categories. Final Round fees are payable only by participants who qualify for and wish to enter the Final Round.

E. Competition Schedule:

  • Applications Open: To be announced

  • Preliminary Round Deadline: To be announced

  • Announcement of Preliminary Round Results: To be announced

  • Final Round Registration: To be announced

  • Final Round: To be announced

  • Announcement of Final Results: To be announced

F. Competition Categories:

  • Soloist
    All instruments and voice types

  • Composer

  • Conductor

  • Chamber Ensemble

G. Competition Age Groups:

The competition is open to musicians of all ages. There is no upper age limit.

H. Video and Audio Requirements:

  • The repertoire is free to choose.

  • All submitted materials must accurately represent the participant’s actual performance or original composition.

  • Soloists: The performer must be clearly visible throughout the recording.

  • Chamber Ensembles: All ensemble members must be clearly visible throughout the performance.

  • Composers: Audio recordings and musical scores may be submitted for evaluation.

  • Conductors: The conductor must be clearly visible in the submitted video.

  • Recordings must provide clear audio and video quality suitable for professional evaluation.

  • Any form of falsification, plagiarism, or misrepresentation of submitted materials is strictly prohibited.

  • Video recordings must be uploaded to YouTube, Google Drive, or another accessible online platform specified by the organisers.

  • Participants must ensure that all submitted links remain accessible throughout the adjudication period.

I. Judging Procedure:

  • All submissions will be evaluated by an international jury of professional musicians, educators, composers, and performers.

  • The Preliminary Round is intended solely to assess whether participants are eligible to advance to the Final Round.

  • Finalists will be selected based on the artistic and technical quality of their submissions.

  • The Final Round will be evaluated independently by the jury.

  • Soloists will be assessed according to musicality, technical proficiency, interpretation, and artistic expression.

  • Composers will be assessed according to originality, creativity, musical structure, and compositional technique.

  • Conductors will be assessed according to musical interpretation, conducting technique, leadership, and ensemble coordination.

  • Chamber Ensembles will be assessed according to ensemble coordination, musical communication, balance, interpretation, and overall artistic quality.

  • The decisions of the jury are final and irrevocable.

J. Awards:

The following awards may be presented:

  • Grand Prize – USD 300

  • Absolute First Prize

  • First Prize

  • Second Prize

  • Third Prize

  • Honourable Mention

  • Certificate of Participation

The Grand Prize carries a cash award of USD 300.

The jury reserves the right to award multiple prizes or withhold awards depending on the standard of the submissions received.

K. Winner Recognition and Certificates:

  • Final Round results will be published on the official competition website.

  • All award recipients will receive digital certificates in ready-to-print format.

  • Winners may request additional certificates for their teachers.

  • Selected award recipients may be featured on the official website and associated promotional platforms.

  • Further information regarding certificates and winner recognition will be provided after the announcement of results.

L. Disclaimer:

By participating in the competition, applicants confirm that all submitted materials are their own work or that they have obtained the necessary permissions for their submission.

Participants agree to the possible publication and promotional use of their submitted recordings, photographs, names, and biographies on the official competition website and associated promotional platforms.

The organisers reserve the right to edit or crop photographs submitted for publication.

The organisers reserve the right to reject incomplete applications or submissions that do not comply with the competition regulations.

The organisers reserve the right to amend these regulations when necessary. Any significant changes will be communicated to registered participants as soon as possible.

By registering, participants confirm that they have read, understood, and agreed to all competition regulations.