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Application Deadline
 

  • November 3rd 2026

Eligibility

  • The competition is open to participants of all nationalities.​

  • Participants can belong to the following age groups (as of November 3rd, 2026)​

    • Group A: Up to 5 years old

    • Group B: Up to 7 years old

    • Group C: Up to 9 years old

    • Group D: Up to 11 years old

    • Group E: Up to 13 years old

    • Group F: Up to 15 years old

    • Group G: Up to 17 years old

    • Group H: Age 18 and Older

Instrument and Information

  • Piano

Participants could register below category:

  1. Young Concerto Performance Award：

    • Selected students will have the opportunity to perform with musicians from the Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, and Seattle Philharmonic during the public concert.

  2. Best Fundamental Skills Award：

    • To participate in this category, students must submit videos of the following materials

      • 599 Etudes ,  849 Etudes  or 299 Etudes

      •  A four-hand or two-piano performance piece

      • The judging will focus on technical foundation, accuracy, rhythm, tone quality, musicality, and overall performance ability. Selected students will have the opportunity to perform on stage with our Director, Dr. Xie.

  3. Two-Piano Performance Award：

    • One piano group will be selected from each age division to participate in the award performance. Students will be evaluated on ensemble coordination, rhythm, balance, listening skills, musical expression, and stage performance.

Requirements and Rules

​Piano

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  • All audition videos must be uploaded before November 3.

  • Piano competitors have the freedom to select their repertoire, showcasing their personal preferences and strengths.

  • Original compositions are not permitted; all pieces must be existing works.

  • Participants may include performances from the preliminary round in their final repertoire.

  • Videos must clearly show the student’s face, hands, and instrument.

  • Students must submit the required repertoire for their selected category

  • Submitted performances must be prepared by the students themselves. Editing that changes the performance is not permitted.

  • The judges’ decisions are final.

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Application Fees

  • Preliminary Round: $88

  •  Final Round: $158

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  • Fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.

  • If it’s difficult to pay the application fee using credit card or if you prefer an alternative payment method, please contact us via email youthinternationalcompetition@gmail.com

  • Approximately 20% of participants will be selected for the final orchestra performance. Students selected to participate in the final performance will receive the following opportunities:

  •  An 8–10-minute masterclass feedback session

  •  The opportunity to rehearse with orchestra musicians

  •  The opportunity to perform on stage with orchestra musicians during the public concert

  • The $158 fee for selected students includes all of the benefits listed above.

Prize and Recognition

  • Prizes include certificates, performance opportunities, or other recognition determined by the competition organizer.

Registration and Entry

  • Participants must register online via the competition website before the deadline of   November 3rd 2026

  • Accurate personal information must be provided during the registration process.

  • Participants are required to submit YouTube video auditions.

  • Participants must submit a high-quality video recording of their performance .

YouTube Video Submission

(Piano Only)

  • YouTube audition video duration

    • Group A: max 5 minutes

    • Group B: max 7 minutes

    • Group C, D, E, F, G, H: max 10 minutes

  • All YouTube video titles must adhere to the following format: “Instrument – Age Group – Applicant Name – Composer and Repertoire Full Name. For instance, an example title would be “Piano– Group C – David Jones – Paganini Piano Concerto No 1 in D major, 1st mov”

  • Please set the visibility of the YouTube video to either ‘unlisted’ or ‘public’.

Judging

  • The competition will be judged by a panel of world-renowned players and professors.

  • The judging process will be fair and transparent.

  • Judges’ decisions are final and can not be disputed.

  • Individual email notifications will be sent to the selected finalists after the preliminary round

  • 20% of the participants from the preliminary round will be selected for the final round.

Final Round Date and Address

  • Date: November 7th ,  2026 at 4:00 pm

  • Address: Bothell United Methodist Church, Bothell, WA 98011

  • Performance duration for the participants should be the same as the preliminary round.

  • Participants are solely responsible for their own expenses, including but not limited to travel and accommodation.

  • Performance guidelines, including allotted performance time, will be provided by the organizers

Final Round Schedule

  • November 7

  • 4:00–5:30 PM | Masterclass 

    • ​ All selected winners must attend the masterclass and receive coaching from our Director, Dr. Xie.•

  • 5:30–6:45 PM | Rehearsal with Orchestra Musicians

    • Attendance is mandatory for all selected winners. Students who miss the rehearsal will not be permitted to perform in the evening concert.•

  • 7:00 PM | Public Concert and Award Performance

    • Selected students will participate in the public concert and award performances.

  • Please reserve time for all three sessions.We encourage all students to prepare carefully and submit their audition videos on time. We look forward to hearing your performances!

Rights and Permissions

  • Participants grant the competition organizers the right to use their recordings and performance excerpts for promotional purposes.

  • The competition organizers reserve the right to make changes to the rules and regulations if necessary. Any changes will be communicated to the participants in a timely manner.

  • All schedules are subject to change depending on the organizer’s circumstances.

  • Participants may be disqualified if they fail to comply with the rules and regulations or engage in any form of misconduct that compromises the integrity of the competition.

  • Failure to attend the final round performance may lead to disqualification.

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