Rules
Classical Music Stars is an international competition open to classical musicians of all ages from all over the world.
Entry to the Preliminary Round is free of charge.
Contestants who advance to the Final Round are required to pay an administrative fee of 91 euros to confirm their participation.
There are no travel or accommodation costs – the competition is conducted entirely online, based on video submissions.
The competition consists of two rounds: the Preliminary Round and the Final Round, in which the jury selects recipients of the Absolute Winner Prize, 1st Prize with Special Mention, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes, Honorable Mentions and Special Prizes.
Every participant who completes the Final Round receives an official Laureate title, an award and a diploma. All laureates are also recognized through publicly accessible competition results, providing a lasting record of their musical achievements.
Competition Timetable
The competition takes place in accordance with the following timetable:
- Acceptance of applications until 10 October
- Preliminaries: 11–13 October
- Notification of Preliminary Round results: 14 October
- Acceptance of entries for the Final Round: 14–18 October
- Final Round: 19–24 October
- Announcement of Results: Sunday, 25 October, at 6:00 PM CET
Competition Categories
Entries in the following categories are accepted for the Classical Music Stars Competition:
All types of instruments:
- Piano and other keyboard instruments
- Stringed instruments
- Woodwinds
- Brass instruments
- Percussion instruments
- Traditional instruments
Opera voice of any kind
Musical Performance
Popular Music
All types of chamber ensembles
Composers
Conductors
Age Groups
The following age groups are represented:
- A: 7 years old and younger
- B: 8–9 y.o.
- C: 10–11 y.o.
- D: 12–13 y.o.
- E: 14–15 y.o.
- F: 16–17 y.o.
- G: 18–20 y.o.
- H: 21–25 y.o.
- I: 26 y.o. and above
Chamber ensembles, composers and conductors compete without an age limit.
Video Requirements
A. Entrants are requested to submit a video recording of their performance (YouTube or similar platform link) on our “Apply” page.
B. The video must clearly show the musician(s) performing the repertoire they wish to present at the competition.
C. There is no minimum duration required for the performance video. Submissions may include a single short piece.
The total duration of the submitted recording must not exceed 30 minutes. The jury reserves the right to listen only to the first 15 minutes during the Final Round and to evaluate selected excerpts during the Preliminary Round, depending on the clarity of the artistic presentation.
- If a YouTube channel link is submitted instead of a direct video link, the first available video on the channel will be considered for evaluation.
- If multiple submissions are received in the same category from the same participant, the most recent submission will be taken into account.
- It is possible to apply in multiple categories, but a separate application must be submitted for each category.
D. The Final Round is normally based on the same recording as the Preliminary Round. However, finalists may submit an alternative recording if desired.
E. A single movement or a selection of movements from a cyclical form, such as a sonata, suite, etc., may be submitted.
F. Video recordings cannot be edited, but an introduction with the name of the musician, title of the piece and composer would be appreciated.
G. Composers may apply by submitting recordings performed by other musicians. They may also submit audio recordings generated by computer software.
H. It is permitted to perform solo, with accompaniment, or with a mixture of accompanied and unaccompanied pieces.
I. The video description should include the name of the musician, the composer and the title of the piece.
J. The settings for YouTube video(s) should be as follows:
YouTube videos should be set to “Public” or “Unlisted”. The same applies to other platforms such as Vimeo, BiliBili, etc.
Please do NOT select “Private”. If your video is private, the Jury will not be able to review your submission.
K. Please ensure that the recording is of good quality to provide a fair representation of the entrant’s performance.
Awards
Prizes will be awarded in the following distinctions: Absolute Winner Prize, 1st Prize with Special Mention, 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize, Honorable Mention and Special Prizes.
The awards are determined by the jury based on the artistic quality of each performance.
Every confirmed participant who completes the Final Round will become an official Laureate and receive an award. The specific distinction will depend on the jury’s evaluation.
Please note that, depending on the jury’s scoring and evaluation criteria, some higher distinctions may not be awarded in certain categories or age groups.
All Final Round Laureates
Every Final Round laureate will:
- Receive an official competition diploma confirming their award and achievement.
- Be awarded the official title of Laureate of the Classical Music Stars Competition.
- Have their name and award published on the official Classical Music Stars website, providing a permanent, publicly accessible record of their achievement.
- Have their results additionally published on the homepage of Universal Maestro Society (UMS) shortly after the official announcement, extending their visibility to an international community of musicians and music enthusiasts.
- Be eligible to request certificates for their teachers and accompanists.
These officially documented distinctions may be included in artistic CVs, portfolios and applications, with results available for public verification.
Additional Recognition for Outstanding Laureates
The competition, in cooperation with Universal Maestro Society, offers further visibility and promotional opportunities for musicians receiving exceptional distinctions.
Absolute Winners and 1st Prize with Special Mention recipients will receive:
- A permanent public Laureate Profile on UMS, showcasing their artistic achievements and providing a dedicated space where their distinctions from affiliated competitions can be documented over time.
Additional opportunities for selected outstanding laureates include:
- Featured performances and photographs published on the competition website and affiliated platforms.
- An opportunity to be featured in Maestro Magazine through professionally prepared interviews and editorial features highlighting selected musicians and their artistic journeys.
Maestro Magazine interviews and editorial features are offered by invitation and editorial selection. Receiving an award, including a top distinction, does not automatically guarantee an interview or editorial publication.
Through Universal Maestro Society, laureates’ achievements can remain visible beyond the competition, supporting the development of their artistic portfolios and international recognition.
Jury
A. Competitors will be judged by a panel of world-class musicians. To maintain impartiality, the names of the members of the Jury will not be made public.
B. A juror will not evaluate a contestant who is their student.
C. The minimum number of jurors evaluating a category is 3.
D. The verdicts of the Jury are final and irrevocable.
Final Round
There is an administrative fee of 91 euros for participation in the Final Round of the Classical Music Stars International Competition.
Contestants who qualify for the Final Round will receive an email containing confirmation and payment instructions.
Final Round participation is confirmed upon completion of the registration and payment process. Contestants who do not confirm their participation will not receive a Final Round award or certificate.
The Final Round is normally judged based on the recordings submitted for the Preliminary Round. However, finalists have the option to present an alternative recording if desired.
Every participant who completes the Final Round will receive an official Laureate distinction, a diploma and recognition in the published results.
Disclaimer
By entering the competition, participants consent to the publication of their submitted photographs, video recordings, names and competition achievements on www.classicalmusicstars.com, Universal Maestro Society platforms, the competition’s social media channels and partner websites for competition-related and promotional purposes.
Participants retain ownership of their original materials while granting the organizers permission to use and publish them for these purposes.