MUSIC BAND

Competition Rules

Article 1 - General Provisions

The “Sonorus International Piano Competition 2026” is an independent artistic initiative dedicated to the promotion of classical piano performance worldwide. The Competition will be held exclusively online.

The Competition will take place only upon reaching a minimum of 60 participants. If the minimum number is not reached, the Competition Administration reserves the right to cancel the event.

In such case, all participation fees will be refunded within one (1) month from the official cancellation notice.

Article 2 - Registration and Participation Fee

The participation fee is €40 and must be paid no later than November 29, 2026

Registration is considered valid only upon submission of:

• Completed application form

• Valid identity document

• Recent artistic photograph

• Short artistic biography

• Required video recording

The participation fee is non-refundable except in the case described in Section 1.

Article 3 - Rounds and Repertoire

The Competition consists of two rounds. The Administration reserves the right to reduce the number of phases depending on participation.

Preliminary Round (Results: December 7, 2026)

Applicants must submit one video recording with a maximum duration of 30 minutes. There is no minimum duration requirement.

The program is free of choice, but it must include at least one Étude chosen from the works of Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, or Prokofiev. All works must be written by composers who passed away before 1956. The submission of a single eligible work is sufficient, provided that it meets the repertoire requirements of the Competition. Participants are therefore not required to prepare a full 30-minute programme.

The duration and number of works submitted will not, in themselves, determine the final evaluation. The Jury will assess the artistic and technical quality of the performance submitted.

Each performance will be evaluated by a designated member of the International Jury. Participants who successfully pass the Preliminary Round will advance to the Final Round.

Final Results: December 14, 2026

Participants admitted to the Final Round are not required to submit a new recording or prepare a different program.

The same video recording submitted for the Preliminary Round will automatically advance to the Final Round and will be evaluated by the President of the Jury, who will not have previously evaluated or viewed that performance during the Preliminary Round.

The President of the Jury will determine the final ranking and prize winners among the finalists.

No additional recording or submission is therefore required from participants who qualify for the Final Round.

Article 4 - Video Submission Guidelines

Applicants must submit their audiovisual material using one of the following methods:

YouTube: The video must be uploaded as an Unlisted Video. The link must be permanent and directly accessible via URL. It must not require the jury to enter credentials or log in to view the content.
Google Drive: The video file (supported formats: MP4, MOV, AVI) must be uploaded with the sharing settings set to "Anyone with the link" and the role assigned as "Viewer". The file must be freely accessible without requiring the organization to submit access or authorization requests via email.

Only video recordings with audio are accepted. Audio-only submissions will not be considered.

Any form of editing, sound enhancement, post-production, or digital manipulation is strictly prohibited. The performer’s hands and face must be clearly visible at all times.

The title of the video file or uploaded recording must be formatted exactly as follows:

"Name Surname – Sonorus International Piano Competition 2026"

If the performance is submitted via YouTube, the complete repertoire must be listed in the video description.

Alternatively, the complete repertoire may be provided in the dedicated repertoire section of the official application form.

The repertoire information should include the composer’s full name and the complete title of each work performed, including individual movements where applicable.

Participants are responsible for ensuring that the link remains accessible until the official conclusion of the Competition.

The entire program does not need to be recorded in one continuous take. Individual works may be recorded separately and combined into a single submission. However, each individual performance must remain unedited from beginning to end.

Article 5 - Awards

Prize amounts depend on the total number of participants:

If +1000 partecipants:

First Prize: €6000

Second Prize: 5000€

Third Prize: 4000€

If 900-999 partecipants:

First Prize: €4500

Second Prize: 4000€

Third Prize: 3500€

If 800-899 partecipants:

First Prize: €3500

Second Prize: 3000€

Third Prize: 2500€

If 700-799 partecipants:

First Prize: €3000

Second Prize: 2500€

Third Prize: 1500€

If 600-699 partecipants:

First Prize: €2400

Second Prize: 2100€

Third Prize: 1000€

If 500-599 partecipants:

First Prize: €2200

Second Prize: 1900€

Third Prize: 900€

If 400-499 partecipants:

First Prize: €2000

Second Prize: 1700€

Third Prize: 800€

If 300-399 partecipants:

First Prize: €1800

Second Prize: 1500€

Third Prize: 700€

If 250-299 partecipants:

First Prize: €1400

Second Prize: 1000€

Third Prize: 600€

If 200-249 partecipants:

First Prize: €1200

Second Prize: 800€

Third Prize: 500€

If 150-199 participants:

First Prize: €1000

Second Prize: €600

Third Prize: €400

If 101–149 participants:

First Prize: €800

Second Prize: €400

Third Prize: €300

If 60–100 participants:

First Prize: €500

Second Prize: €300

Third Prize: €200

All participants will receive a Digital Certificate of Participation.

Prize winners will receive a Digital Certificate of Achievement.

All monetary prize amounts published in these Regulations, on the official website and in promotional materials are stated as gross amounts.
Where required by applicable Italian tax legislation, Sonorus Arts Institute will apply the relevant withholding taxes or other mandatory deductions before payment.
The winner will therefore receive the corresponding net amount, while any amounts required to be withheld will be paid by the Association to the competent Italian tax authorities in accordance with applicable law.

Article 6 - Jury and Evaluation

The jury will consist of internationally recognized piano professors and performers. The decisions of the jury are final, irrevocable, and not subject to appeal. Due to the high number of participants, written or oral feedback will be provided exclusively to participants admitted to the Final Round. The jury reserves the right not to assign prizes if the artistic level is not considered sufficient. The evaluation process is confidential. Jury members evaluate performances independently and according to their artistic judgment. In the case of a potential conflict of interest (for example teacher–student relationship), the jury member concerned may abstain from evaluating the participant. The Competition Administration reserves the right to redistribute the evaluation among the remaining jury members in order to ensure fairness and impartiality. The detailed voting sheets and internal jury discussions are confidential and will not be disclosed.

Article 7 - Media Consent and Image Rights

By accepting these Regulations and submitting the application form, adult participants grant authorization to the Competition Administration to publish their audition videos, photographs, and biographical material on the official website and social media channels for promotional and artistic purposes. Participants who do not agree may formally request exclusion from publication.

Minor participants are excluded from publication unless explicit written consent is provided by parents or legal guardians.

Article 8 - Administrative and Legal Cause

The Competition Administration reserves the right to modify the structure or schedule if necessary, to disqualify participants who do not comply with the Regulations, and to refuse admission in cases of incomplete documentation.

The Administration shall not be held responsible for technical issues, inaccessible links, or platform malfunctions beyond its control.

Participation implies full and unconditional acceptance of these Regulations.

Article 9 - Jurisdiction

Any dispute arising from the interpretation or execution of these Regulations shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Mantova, Italy.