Competition and Festival Dates
Ongoing Competitions
National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) – large list of competitions
April
- Location: Bravo! Vail Music Festival
- Application Deadline: April 15, 2025
- Open to string students ages 12-18
- Application Deadline: April 16, 2025 (late registration due by May 18, 2025)
- Open to piano students ages 8-21
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Application Deadline: April 15, 2025
- Open to pianists ages 14-18
- Festival Dates: June 26-28, 2025
International American Music Talent Competition
- all instrumentalists (piano, winds, strings, brass, traditional, etc.), vocalists and traditional folk and jazz groups of all nationalities and countries
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Silicon Valley Open Doors International Piano Competition
- open to pianists of all ages
- Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
Kaufman Music Center SummerFest
- Open to all pianists, violinists, and cellists ages 14-22
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
- Summer Program Dates: August 19-24
- Open to pianists agese 14-18
- Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
- Summer Program Dates: June 10-14, 2025
- Open to all pianists
- Application Deadline: April 15, 2024
- Summer Program Dates: July 14-August 2
Young Collaborative Pianists Competition
- Open to pianists ages 10-25
- Application Deadline: April 4, 2025
- pianists 18 and under
- Competition Dates: May 9/10 (12 and under); May 15/16/17 (13-18)
- Application Deadline: April 16th, 2025 (opens April 11, 2025)
- Free tuition and lodging
- Program dates: July 8th-26th, 2024
- Application Period: February 15th-April 7th
Piccolo Violino Magico International Competition for Young Violinists
- Violinists, up to age 13
- Competition Dates: July 1st-7th, 2024
- Application Deadline: April 15th, 2024
Denison University Summer TUTTI Fine Arts Camp
- Open to all instrumentalists and vocalists
- Festival Dates: June 22-30
- Application Deadline: May 10, 2024 (extended from March)
- Open to all ages
- Application Open: April 1-30, 2024
- Application Deadline: April 30, 2024
American Virtuoso International Music Competition
- open to instrumenntalists and singers of all ages
- Application Deadline: April 5, 2025 (early bird application deadline); final deadline June 1, 2025
- Categories: Best Tchaikovsky Performance, Best Brahms Performance, The Music of the Centuries
May
Stringwood Chamber Music Festival
- String players ages 12-22
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2024
- Program Dates: August 3-18, 2024
MostArts Young Pianist Competition
- Pianists ages 13-18
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2024
The Chicago International Music Competition and Festival
- open to musicians (soloists and ensembles) of all nationalities, all ages, and all levels
- Application Deadline: May 10, 2025
The Costa Rica Piano Festival and Competition
- open to pianists (soloists and ensembles) of all nationalities, all ages, and all levels
- Application Deadline: May 18, 2025
Utah State University (USU) Summer Piano Festival
- Pianists ages 14-18
- Application Deadline: May 15, 2024
- Program Dates: June 18-22, 2024
- For young pianists of all nationalities.
- Application Deadline: May 26, 2024
- Festivaal Dates: August 9-18, 2024 (Bydgoszcz, Poland)
- Categories: Rising Talents of the World, Best Schumann Performance, Best Grieg Performance
- For intrumentalists, singers, and chamber music or ensembles of any age
- Application Deadline: May 31, 2024
June
International Vocal Competition
- solo vocalists and vocal groups of all ages, nationalities and countries
- Application Deadline: June 10, 2025
ASME Charleson International Music Competition – 19th century
- Open to singers, instrumentalists, and ensembles of all ages
- Free to apply. Application deadline: June 15, 2024
- Applied instruments
- Music Festival & Competition Dates: July 13-18, 2025
- Early Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
- Application Deadline: June 1, 2025
Seattle International Piano Competition
- Pianists all ages
- Application Deadline: June 30, 2024 (extended from June 1)
American Virtuoso International Music Competition
- open to instrumenntalists and singers of all ages
- Application Deadline: June 10, 2024
- Categories: Best Wieniawski Performance, Best Debussy Performance
YoungArts National Arts Competition
- Open to students in grades 10-12 or ages 15-18
- Applications open in June 2024
July
Manhattan International Music Competition
- Application Deadline: July 31, 2024 (extended from July 1)
- Open to all pianists, strings, winds, voice, composition, chamber
Utah Symphony Salute to Youth Competition
- Application Deadline:
Now-June 5, 2024 – Repertoire requests sent to Dr. Wiley at jwiley@usuo.org- July 1, 2024 – Applications and Fees are completed and paid; need-based scholarships available
- July 14, 2024 – Submit your preliminary audition recordings
- August 16, 2024 – Results of preliminary auditions emailed
- September 23, 2024 – Final audition round
- TBA – Photo shoot, interview, and score reading session
- November 27, 2024 – Salute to Youth Concert with Utah Symphony
International Musicians Academy
- Located in Vidin, Bulgaria
- Session Dates: July 19-24, 2024
- Open to all strings, pianists, and composers
- Opportunity to play as a soloist with orchestra, + chamber music and lessons
U of U Helen Taylor Johannesen Competition
- Open to pianists
- Application Deadline: July 15, 2024
- Festival and Competition Dates: July 27-August 2, 2024
U of U SummerArts Piano Competition
- Open to pianists elementary through college
- Application Deadline: July 20, 2024
- Competition Date: August 8, 2024
Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition
- Open to pianists up to age 18
- Application Deadline: TBA (Fall 2025)
August
American Mountain West International Piano Competition (UVU)
- Application Deadline: August 7th
- Competition Date: August 17th
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) National Competition
- Application Deadline: August 1, 2024
- Open to students age 18 or under as of January 1, 2025
- Piano, strings, woodwinds/brass
- Competition Dates: Live Final Round October 13, 2024 in Vancouver, WA
Charleston International Music Competition
- Application Deadline: August 15, 2024
- Instrumentalists, vocalists, and ensembles
- Any age
September
- Junior (15 years or younger) and Senior (16-25) Categories
- Preliminary Recording: Due September 1st
- Final Round: September 13th at Eccles Concert Hall
Bachauer Junior and Young Artists International Competitions
- pianists 11-18 years old: Junior (11-14 years) and Young Artist (15-18)
- Application Deadline: Due September 15, 2025
- Competition (Junior: June 14-20, 2026; Young Artist: June 21-27, 2026)
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Categories: Masters of Concerto, Masters of Sonata, Best Saint-Saëns Performance, Best Liszt Performance
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competition
- Solo Piano, Strings, Woodwinds, Two-Piano, Chamber Music, Composition
- Application Deadline (Solo performance): September 11 by 1 pm Mountain Time (3 pm Eastern Time)
- Competition Dates:
- Instrumental Performance October 10-12, 2024
- Piano Performance October 17-19, 2024
October
- 15-18 year old visual, literary, or performing artist
- Application Opens: July 11, 2024
- Application Deadline: October 17, 2024 6 pm MST (8 pm ET)
Sherer International Violin and Piano Competition
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2024
- Open to violinists and pianists grade 8-12 (ages 13-18 as of October 19, 2024)
- Categories: The Art of Instrumental Performance, The Art of Vocal Performance
- Piano and violin precollege students
- Application + Video Submission Deadline: October 27, 2024 (10:59 pm Mountain Time; 11:59 pm CDT)
November
- Categories: Best Beethoven Performance, Best Kabalevsky Performance
- Pianists: solo, piano ensemble, chamber ensemble, concerto
- Application Deadline: November 2, 2024
- Competition Dates: November 14-16, 2024
December
Elizabeth Loker International Concerto Competition
- Open to musicians ages 12-25
- Application Deadline: December 1, 2024 (send in a recording of a complete concerto)
- Final Round: March 23, 2025
- Best Mozart Performance
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competition
- Brass & Voice Performance—Senior and Young Artist Competitions and Chamber Music Competitions (no state competitions):
- Application Deadine: December 4 by 1 pm Mountain Time (3 pm Eastern Time)
January 2026
International Musicians Academy 2025
- Location: Vidin, Bulgaria
- Perform as a soloist with a professional orchestra or have a composition performed
- Session 1: July 14-19, 2025; Session 2: July 21-26, 2025
American Virtuoso International Music Competition
- Open to piano, strings, brass, woodwinds, guitar and chamber music
- Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
Music International Grand Prix Competition
- Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
Aspen Music Festival and School
- Application Deadline: January 5, 2025
- Full Session: June 25-August 24, Half Session I: June 25-July 27, Half Session II: July 28-August 24
- Solo Piano and Orchestral/Instrumental Programs
Utah Philharmonic Concerto Competition
- Priority Deadline: January 10, 2025
- Competition date: January 25, 2025
- Location: Dayne Music, Murray, Utah
- Concert: May 10, 2025
Silicon Valley Open Doors International Piano Competition
- Pianists of all ages
- Application Deadine: January 30 by 11:59 pm PST
Arizona Piano Institute Summer Festival
- Open to pianists ages 8-18
- Festival Dates: June 2-8, 2024
- Registration opens on January 15th
- Application Deadline: January 16, 2025
American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition
- Including piano, strings, voice, and winds
- Video auditions
- Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
Cache Symphony Concerto Competition
- Open to piano, strings, woodwinds, and brass students under the age of 18 who reside in Cache, Box Elder, or Rich County
- Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
- Categories: Best Mozart Performance, Best Schubert Performance, Best Handel Performance, Best Mendelssohn Performance
PianoArts North American Competition and Festival
- For pianists, ages 17-22
- For instrumentalists, singers, and composers under 18 (Precollege Program)
- Festival Dates: June 30-August 10 (Full); June 30-July 20 (1st session); July 21-August 10 (2nd session)
- Early Application Deadline: By January 1, 2025—$40 fee, After February 1—$75 fee
American Protégé International Concerto Competition
- Open to strings, piano, voice, and woodwinds
- Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
Vienna Classical Music Competition
- Open to vocalists, instrumentalists, chamber groups, and composers
- Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
American Fork Symphony Salute to Youth Competition
- Application Deadline: TBA
Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition
- (cancelled for 2025)
Radda Rise International Strings Competition
- Includes both competition and evaluation
- Application Deadline: TBA
February 2026
- Application Deadline: February 1st
- Program Dates: June 22-27, 2025
- Location: Sondershausen, Germany
Colburn Tonebase Piano Seminar
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
- For advanced High School Students
- Program Dates: June 17-30, 2025
Northern Lights Piano Festival and Competition
- open to pianists of all ages
- Application Deadline: February 20, 2025
- Application Deadline: February 3, 2025
- Young Artists Program (born on or after 6/1/1997): May 27-June 30, 2025
- Juniors Program (born on or after 6/1/2007): June 8-23, 2025
- Opportunity to also attend 2025 Cliburn Piano Competition
- Summer Programs: Chamber Music for Winds, Chamber Music for Strings, Fellowship String Quartet Program, Fellowship Piano Program
- Application Deadline: February 10, 2025
Saint Paul String Quartet Competition
- Junior Division open to students under 19 years of age
- Application Deadline: February 19, 2025
American Protege International Concerto Competition
- All instruments, including strings, piano, voice and winds
- Application Deadline: February 20, 2025
- Categories: Best Chopin Performance, Best Vivaldi Performance, The Music of America, Best Bach Performance, Best Bartok Performance, Best Rachmaninoff Performance, Best Haydn Performance
Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival
- Tuition free
- open to pianists 18-26 years old
- Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
- Festival Dates: June 27-July 17, 2025
Levente Medvezcky Student Scholarship Competition and Masterclass
- Open to vocalists and instrumentalists in grades 9-12
- Students must reside in Utah County or their teacher must reside in Utah County
- Application Period: February 25-March 1, 2025
- Masterclass with Alex Woods on February 24, 3:30-6:00 pm at Piano Gallery in Orem
