Rules & REGULATIONS

The goal of the US-Canadian International Music Competition (Online) is to challenge musicians, music students and music professional of all ages and levels to perform in a formal, competitive yet supportive environment.  We welcome participants from all over the world to participate in our competition. There is no age limit for applicants. 

Competition categories - solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, ensembles, and concerto competition, choir, orchestral categories for all instruments including but not limited to piano, strings (violin, cello, guitar), wind, brass instruments, percussion, harp, voice, guitar, ukulele, accordion, harp, harpsichord, accordion, and all traditional and ethnic instruments. Composition, music arrangement, music cover, music production, musical theatre are also welcome.
If your instrument is not listed here, simply send us an email to inquire.

Genres accepted include: Classical, jazz, contemporary, pop and traditional music, ethnic and folk music and Chinese tradition music (including Chinese Opera) 

Instruments accepted: Piano, Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass), Woodwind (Recorder, Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon), Brass ( Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, French Horn, Tuba, Saxophone), Harp, Harpsichord, Organ,  Accordion, Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin, Banjo, Bagpipe, Percussion (Example: Drums, Timpani, Xylophone, Glockenspiel), Harmonica, Melodica, Traditional Instruments (E.g. Bouzouki, Khim, Pipa, Erhu, GuZheng, Guqin, Suona and others), Voice (Solo, ensemble, choir), Musical Theatre, Composition, Music Cover, Music arrangement, and Conducting.

Applicants of each category will be placed in the appropriate age group(s) based on experience.
There is no age limit imposed for this competition. 

Ensemble size: There is no limit to the number of participants in the ensembles. Small, medium, large ensembles as well as choirs and orchestras are welcome to participate.

This competition consists of 2 rounds - The Preliminary (First round) and the Final (Second Round). Successful completion of both rounds is necessary to be eligible for any prizes, awards or certificates.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

FIRST ROUND (PRELIMINARY ROUND)

Commencement of Application: 1st November 2024
Deadline for First Round: 17 February 2025
Application forms and application payment and videos must all be submitted on latest by 17 February 2025
Adjudication Period (First Round): 18 February to 20 February 2025
Announcement of Results for First Round: 21st February 2025
* Applicants who successfully passed the first round will be notified by email.

SECOND ROUND (FINAL ROUND)
* Only successful applicants passing the first round is eligible to apply for second round
Application period: 21st February 2025 to 29th  February 2025

Deadline for Final Round: 29 February 2025

Application forms and application payment and videos must all be submitted on latest by 24 February 2025

Adjudication Period: 1st March to 10th  March 2025
Announcement of Results for Second Round: 16 March 2025

 
MARKING SYSTEM (for Final Round)
Absolute Platinum Award: 98-100%
Platinum Award:  95-97%
Gold Award: 90-94%
Silver Award: 85-89%
Bronze Award: 80-84%
Honorable Mention: 76-79% and above 
Certificate of Participation
 
PRIZES and AWARDS (For Final Round only)
* Prizes, certificates and medals are awarded to Final Round winners only.
The results of the first round only indicate whether a participant is accepted into the Final Round.  
    
SPECIAL UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES
*AVAILABLE ONLY AT US-CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION*
* Top winners will be featured in an online video interview.
* Top winners will be featured in major news networks worldwide such CBS, NBC, FOX and more. 
* Performances of top winners will be made available on Youtube Music, Spotify, Soundcloud and other music platforms.
* Special Masterclass opportunity in Europe in 2025 (LIVE) as recommended by the grand jury for outstanding young musicians.
* Winners will receive awards, medals, trophies and certificates.

* Top Winner - Opportunity to perform LIVE at New York Carnegie Hall at the end of 2025

* Top Prize winners will be featured on our competition website and social media sites with a concert portrait, biography, and their prize winning video. Special poster featuring top prize winners. 
* Unique online performance opportunities for top prize winners.

* Grand Prizes and Scholarships
* Letters of recommendation for students who wish to strengthen their curriculum vitae, increasing the possibility for acceptance in musical institutions, colleges and universities, as well as scholarship and grant applications.
* Cash prizes will be awarded at the discretion of the jury. The jury reserves the right to not award any of the prizes; or to offer an ex aqueo, splitting a prize between several contestants. Decisions of the adjudicators are FINAL. 

Top Winners' Laureate Circle
Top prize winners (including Gold, Platinum & Absolute Platinum laureates) will automatically be admitted into the US-Canadian Artist International Music Competition laureate circle. Online concert performance opportunities will be available to facilitate the performance experience and career of developing musicians.

Letter of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation for winners of 5 consecutive years will be provided upon request which are useful for scholarship applications as well as college, university application. 
A special prize and certificate will be awarded to winners of 5 consecutive years in the US-Canadian International Music Competition.

Teachers' Certificates 
Teachers of winners may receive certificates of recognition upon request.

Top Teacher Awards    
Special awards will be presented to the teachers of students with the highest scores (above 98%).
Special interview will be offered to top prize winning teacher and will be published in major international news networks.
Special invitation for teachers who have very outstanding student participants to join the jury panel for 2024 US-CANADIAN  International Music Competition.

RULES & REGULATIONS
Categories: All Instruments including all classical musical instruments  (e.g. Piano, Strings, Wind, Brass, Percussion, Harp, Accordion, Percussion and any orchestral instrument) & Voice, Musical Theatre, Traditional and Ethnic instruments, Chinese Opera
Performance: Solo, Duo, Trio, Ensembles, Choir, Orchestra
Music Composition

Participants can submit a link of a video recording of their performance. One piece of music per application.
For music composition category, a recorded performance (either a recorded live performance, or a performance presented via midi uploaded on youtube) will be accepted.  

Incomplete applications or failure to submit all the required documents will not be taken into consideration.

If a member of the jury has taught a competitor within the last five years, he/she will abstain from assessing that competitor.

Candidates cannot claim legal rights to recordings, photos or broadcasts that may be made in connection with the competition. All legal rights are reserved by the US-Canadian International Music Competition and no fee or royalty will be payable to any competitor for performances, photos, recordings, social media, music or television broadcasts.
 

VIDEO REQUIREMENTS

For music performance - an unedited video of the performance forwarded to us as a Youtube link. Edited videos will not be accepted.

For music composition, music cover and music production - videos are allowed to be edited. 

Duration of a piece: There is no limitation to the duration of the piece. However, it must be either one piece of music (complete in one movement) or one movement of a larger scale work (such as a sonata or concerto). 

Make sure that the video is set to either PUBLIC or UNLISTED on Youtube. Private links on Youtube are not openable and hence will not be accepted. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the video link is openable.
Should an applicant wish to submit more than one piece of music, he/she is required to submit the second piece as a separate entry.

We do not accept any videos in form of a downloadable link. Videos must be submitted as a youtube link (set to public or unlisted). Failure to provide an openable link may subject to disqualification.

The video must clearly show the face and hands of the performer.
                                     
Professional quality recording is not mandatory. However, the sound must be clearly audible. 

For music composition category, a recorded performance (either a recorded live performance, or a performance presented via midi uploaded on youtube) will be accepted.  Note that we do not accept any files that require download. Only Youtube links will be accepted.

Applicants have the option to choose to use either the same video or different videos for preliminary and final rounds.

On the video, please clearly indicate whether the video is for the Preliminary or Final Round of US-Canadian International Music Competition. Also include the name of the applicant, and the title of the repertoire.

Please DO NOT introduce yourself in the video.

Please note that we do not accept video files that require download. Do not submit any video files through a link to Google drive. 

Applicants who are admitted into the final round may choose to use the same piece of music or a different piece of music. However, the instrument must be the same as the one which the applicant passed performing in the first round.

All videos submitted must be recorded after 1st February 2024


Categories: Participants will be judged based on the quality of performance based upon age and experience (duration of study of their instrument). Applicants will be automatically grouped by age and level.  

Category Divisions (for both Performance and Composition):

Pre-Junior - Ages 6 and under
Junior - Ages 7 to 11 
Youth - Ages 12 to 16 
Collegiate - Ages 17 - 20 (Music Majors, Conservatory students)
Professional Musician - Ages 21 and above (Performers with professional performance degrees or with comparable performance standards. career musicians)
Open Category (for Music Enthusiasts & Non-Music Professionals)  - Ages 21 and above (Professionals in other disciplines other than in music, but pursue music seriously outside of one's career.  Music performance, teaching or composition is not a primary professional or financial pursuit. May hold a music degree.)
Adult Amateur - Ages 21 and above (non-music majors who play music for enjoyment). 

Repertoire requirement:  Free repertoire choice. One piece of music per application. One piece of music (free choice) that is reflective of the applicant's  current level of performance. One piece of music refers to a piece of music that contains only one movement, or one movement taken from a larger scale work, such as a sonata or concerto. 

Applicants may choose to submit either the same piece or a different piece of music for the preliminary and final rounds. However, for the final round, applicants are required to submit videos of the same instrument as they passed in the first round, although the genre of music may differ.

Here are some examples: 

Acceptable: Preliminary round (Piano solo / Classical ) - Final round (Piano solo / Any genre)
Acceptable: Preliminary round (Violin duo / Classical) - Final round (Violin Duo / Any genre)

Not Acceptable: Preliminary round (Piano Solo /  Classical) - Final round (Trumpet solo / Any genre)
Not Acceptable: Preliminary round (Violin duo) - Final round (Composition for Violin)


If applicants have any queries, please email  uscanadianmusicompetition@gmail.com to clarify

* Multiple submissions:  If applicants wish to submit different instruments and genres, they may make multiple submissions (for both the preliminary and final rounds).
 

Music Scores: Participants are required to submit electronic copies of their scores within 3 days of their application.
The latest date for score submission for the First Round is for 17th February 2025
The latest date for score submission for the Final Round is 29th February 2025
Failure to submit the scores in time may lead to disqualification.
Please do not mail in any physical scores.
Only electronic scores sent to the address below will be accepted.
Scores are only to be emailed to this address:  score.uscanmusic@gmail.com
Memorization: Memorization is not mandatory. However, participants may choose to perform by memory. Extra bonus marks will be awarded to performances delivered by memory.

One application per piece of music. Candidates are required to make a second application should they wish to play more than one piece of music (same instrument) or to compete in another instrument, genre or category.

Candidates who fail to submit their videos by the video submission deadline will be disqualified.

All application fees submitted are non-refundable.

APPLICATION FEES: (PRELIMINARY ROUND):
$145 per application (per solo instrument / per individual participant for ensemble)
For details of application fees for different sizes of ensemble teams, choirs and orchestras, please visit payment page.

APPLICATION FEES: (FINAL ROUND)    
$175 per application (per solo instrument / per individual participant for ensemble)
For details of application fees for different sizes of ensemble teams, choirs and orchestras, please visit payment page. 
Full payment must be made upon registration.
* Only applicants who have successfully passed the first round are eligible to apply for the second round. 
 

Late Fee: A late fee of $25 will be charged for all late applications.

Judging:
The decision of the jury is final and cannot be appealed.
Multiple awards may be given in each age category.
Any candidate who does not comply with the competition’s regulations, or providing false or incorrect information will be disqualified.
Comments sheets will not be provided. 

Terms and conditions:
(1) All application fees are non-refundable. 
(2) For absolute fairness, judges who have previously taught or coached applicants (including in masterclasses) are not allowed to judge their performances.
(3) The decision of the jury is final with no appeal.
(4)US-Canadian International Music Competition will not respond to questions about other applicants or regarding their submissions.

(5) All application deadlines must be fully respected. Failure to submit applications on time respecting the stipulated deadlines will lead to disqualification.
(6) All information provided to us will be safe-guarded by privacy regulations.
(7) Attempts to privately contact any of the jury members (for any form of consultation, notwithstanding lessons, masterclasses) is strictly prohibited and will lead to disqualification. 
(8) US-Canadian International Music Competition reserves the right to make amendments to its rules and regulations.
(9) The award of prizes, trophies and cash awards are entirely subject to the discretion of the jury.  Jury may withhold prizes if the performances are not up to standard.
(10) All the information provided to us in the application must be truthful. Provision of incorrect or inaccurate information will result in disqualification.
(11) Provision of correct contact information and mailing address is the sole responsibility of the applicant.  US-Canadian International Music Competition will not be held responsible for any failure to communicate with an applicant or to unsuccessful delivery medals / trophies and prizes due to incorrect correspondence information provided by the applicant.
(12) Any attempts to sabotage the operation of our competition, or to damage the reputation of our competition will lead to immediate disqualification and risk legal action.
(13) By submitting an application to our competition, the competitor automatically agrees to fully abide to all rules and regulations stipulated by US-Canadian International Music Competition.