A Random Sampling of US and
International Competitions
For all categories of musicians
With deadlines between May 15, 2012 and May 15, 2013

PIANO

Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
United States

Age: 18 to 30 
Fee: $100
Application due: October 15, 2012
Top Prize: $50,000 plus concert tours & career management
E-mail: clistaff@cliburn.org
Quadrennial

Cleveland International Piano Competition
United States

Age: 18 to 30 
Fee: $150
Application due: December 1, 2012
Top Prize: $50,000; two years of professional engagement, and a debut recital at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York.
E-mail: info@ClevelandPiano.org
Annual

Paderewski International Piano Competition
Poland

Age: 16 to 32
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: March 31, 2013
Top Prize: 30,000€ ($39,700)
E-mail: info@paderewskicompetition.pl
Annual

Parnassós Concurso Internacional de Piano
Mexico

Age: 21 to 36
Fee: $125
Application due: August 15, 2012
Top Prize: $25,000
E-mail: parnassos@intercable.net
Annual

Helsinki International Maj Lind Piano Competition
Finland

Age: 35+
Fee: None
Application due: May 15, 2012
Top Prize: 25,000€ ($33,000+)
E-mail: anna.krohn@siba.fi
Quinquennial

Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition
Belgium

Age: 30 or younger
Fee: 55€ ($70)
Application due: January 15, 2013
Top Prize: 25,000€ ($33,000)
E-mail: info@qeimc.be
Triennial: Piano (2013), voice (2014), violin (2015)

ORGAN

The International Organ Festival at St. Albans
England

Age: 33
Fee: £45 ($75) for one competition; £80 ($125) for both
Application due: March 2013
Top Prize: Interpretation: 6,000 pounds ($9,500), recital engagements, a solo recording, and artistic representation for one season. Improvisation: 6,000 pounds, plus recital engagements
E-mail: info@organfestival.com
Biennial

Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition
Russia

Age: Born after January 1, 1976
Fee: $65 (Kansas); 50€ (Hamburg, Moscow)
Application due: Regional auditions: February 15, 2013 (Kansas), March 15, 2013 (Hamburg), and April 15, 2013 (Moscow and Astana)
Top Prize: $5,000
E-mail: tariverdi@mail.ru
Biennial

VOICE

Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
United States

Age: 20 to 30
Fee: $30
Application due: Varies according to district
Top Prize: $15,000 to Grand Finals Award winners
E-mail: ncouncil@metopera.org
Annual

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World
Wales

Age: 18 to 32 
Fee: None
Application due: Spring 2013; selection restricted to 20 singers
Top Prize: 15,000 pounds cash, BBC engagement, trophy
E-mail: anna.williams47@btconnect.com
Biennial

Internationaler Wettbewerb fur Liedkunst, Stuittgart
Germany

Age: No older than 32
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: October 2012; duo of singer and pianist performing lieder
Top Prize: 35,000€ ($46,300)
E-mail: wettbewerb@ihwa.de
Annual

Francisco Viñas International Singing Contest
Spain

Age: Women 18 to 32, men 20 to 35
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: October 2012
Top Prize: 15,000€ ($19,800)
E-mail: francisco.vinas@liceubarcelona.cat
Annual

Seoul International Music Competition
Korea

Age: Born on or after April 19, 1982 and on or before April 18, 1996
Fee: $100 for those selected to participate in the first stage of the competition
Application due: January 2013
Top Prize: $50,000
E-mail: seoulcompetition@donga.com
Annual: Voice (2013), piano (2014)

International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch
Holland

Age: Women no older than 31; men no older than 34
Fee: 60€
Application due: July 2012
Top Prize: 10,000€
E-mail: info@nternationalvocalcompetition.com
Biennial

Lotte Lenya Competition
United States

Age: 19 to 30
Fee: None
Application due: January 31, 2013
Top Prize: $15,000.00
E-mail: kwfinfo@kwf.org
Annual

COMPOSITION

Manuel Valcárcel International Piano Composition Competition
Spain

Age: No limit.
Fee: None
Application due: January 31, 2013: Each composition will be original, for piano solo, will not have been published nor performed in public, and will have a minimum duration of ten minutes.
Top Prize: 12,000€ ($15,800)
E-mail: csm@fundacionbotin.org
Biennial

Barlow Prize
United States

Age: Open to any composer of new music
Fee: None
Application due: June 1, 2012
Top Prize: $12,000 commission and 2014 premiere by a consortium of BBC Singers (London), Latvian Radio Choir (Latvia), and Volti (San Francisco)
E-mail: barlowendowment@byu.edu
Annual: Emphasis alternates each year among choral, large and small chamber, orchestral, and others; 2012 competition is for composition of 10 to 12 minute work for an a cappella choir

Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition
Belgium

Age: 40 or younger; 10 minute work for piano accompanied by a symphony orchestra
Fee: 55€ ($70)
Application due: October 31, 2012
Top Prize: 10,000€ ($13,200) and 12 performances broadcast live on radio, television, and Internet and a CD and/or DVD release
E-mail: info@qeimc.be
Triennial: Piano and composition (2013), voice (2014), violin (2015)

CONDUCTING

Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors
Poland

Age: Conductors of all nationalities born after 1976
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: May 15, 2012
Top Prize: 25,000€ ($33,000)
E-mail: konkurs@filharmoniaslaska.pl
Quadrennial

Arturo Toscanini International Competition for Conductors
Italy

Age: Born after September 30, 1977
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: June 15, 2012
Top Prize: 15,000€ ($19,800)
E-mail: concorso.toscanini@fondazionetoscanini.it
Biennial

OPERA DIRECTION

Europäischer Opernregie-Preis (European Opera-Directing Prize)
Belgium

Age: Under 35
Fee: None
Application due: March 2013
Top Prize: 30,000€ ($39,700) and opportunity to stage concept in an European opera house
E-mail: info@camerata-nuova.com
Biennial

WIND AND BRASS

Cittá di Porcia Concorso Internazionale
Italy

Age: Limit of 35 for tuba, 30 for horn, trumpet, and trombone
Fee: 75€ ($100)
Application due: September 2012
Top Prize: 8,000€ ($10,500)
E-mail: ass.gandino@iol.it
Annual: 2012 competition is for tuba

Beijing International Music Competition
China

Age: Flautists born on or after October 10, 1980
Fee: $100 for those selected to participate
Application due: July 4, 2012
Top Prize: $25,000 and engagement
E-mail: bjimc_official@yahoo.com.cn
Annual

Carl Nielsen International Music Competition and Festival
Denmark

Age: Violinists, clarinetists, and flautists under 30 and organists under 35
Fee: 750 Danish Kroner ($132)
Application due: February 1, 2013
Top Prize: 125,000 Danish Kroner ($22,250)
E-mail: nielsen@odense.dk
Quadrennial: Clarinet (2013), flute (2014), organ (2015)

Aeolus International Competition for Wind Instruments
Germany

Age: Born on or after January 1, 1985
Fee: 70€ ($90)
Application due: April 30, 2013
Top Prize: 7,000€ cash ($9,300), 3,000€ scholarship ($4,000); all prizes are awarded for the competition as a whole rather than for each instrument
E-mail: aeoluswettbewerb@rsh-duesseldorf.de
Rotating, annual: trombone, trumpet, tuba (2013); flute, horn, clarinet (2014); bassoon, oboe, saxophone (2015)

STRINGS

Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition, Hannover
Germany

Age: Born between October 13, 1984 and September 30, 1996
Fee: 100€ ($130)
Application due: May 23, 2012
Top Prize: 50,000€ ($66,000), 3-year loan of a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin (Parma, ca. 1765), a CD-production with Naxos, and concert debuts in recital and with internationally renowned orchestras and ensembles
E-mail: info@violin-competition.de
Triennial

Michael Hill International Violin Competition
New Zealand

Age: Between 18 and 28
Fee: $150NZ ($120)
Application due: November 20, 2012
Top Prize: $40,000NZ ($32,300), CD recording, winner's tour of New Zealand
E-mail: violincompetition@michaelhill.co.nz
Biennial

Alhambra Concurso Internacional de Guitarra
Spain

Age: Guitarists younger than 35
Fee: 40€
Application due: June 1, 2012
Top Prize: 14,000€
E-mail: contacto@concursoalhambra.com
Biennial

Lionel Tertis International Viola Festival and Competition
Isle of Man

Age: Born on or after March 16, 1983
Fee: £175 ($275)
Application due: October 31, 2012
Top Prize: £7,000 ($11,100), London recital
E-mail: information@erinartscentre.com
Triennial

Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition
Norway

Age: Quartet single members, 16 to 34; total age of 120 years
Fee: 160€ per quartet
Application due: Apr 20, 2013
Top Prize: 30,000€ & concert engagements
E-mail: ticc@kamfest.no
Biennial. For string quartet (2013); piano trio (2015)