Young Composer
General Information
The competition consists of two rounds.
Age Categories
AG 1: Junior Composer
Up to 14 years old
AG 2: Young Composer
Ages 15–22
The participant's age must correspond to their age at the time of application for Round I.
Round I
Participants must submit 2 works with a total duration of up to 6 minutes, including:
- 1 work by a composer of the past
- 1 original composition by the participant
Round II
Participants must submit 1 original composition with a duration of up to 5 minutes.
Instrumentation and genre are free (solo / ensemble / with accompaniment).
Application Fees
| Category | Round I |
|---|---|
| Round I | €85 |
| Round II | €75 |
All payments are made online. Fees are non-refundable.
Final Gala in Vienna
- Grand Prix winners will be invited to have their Round II composition performed at the Gala Concert in Vienna
- The participant must perform the work themselves (if applicable) and arrange performers independently, if needed
Repertoire Requirements
Compositions may be of elementary, intermediate, or advanced level. Accepted styles include: Classical, Romantic, Contemporary, New Age, Jazz.
⚠ Important
Only
original compositions
will be accepted. Arrangements and transcriptions are not allowed.
Video Requirements
- Only one video link may be submitted per application for each round
- If the programme includes more than one work, all works must be combined into a single video and submitted through one link. Editing between separate works is permitted
- Each individual work must be recorded as a single continuous take. Cuts, edits, splicing, or other alterations within a work are strictly prohibited
- The complete programme must not exceed the time limit specified for the relevant age group
- The video must be recent (no older than 6 months at the time of submission)
- The video must not contain any reference to the participant's name (including subtitles or on-screen text)
- The video must clearly show the performer's face and hands
- The recording must be submitted via YouTube
Scores
- All original compositions must be submitted in PDF format
- Handwritten scores are not accepted — all scores must be professionally notated using music notation software
Copyright & Responsibility
© Copyright Notice
Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. The participant bears full responsibility for the originality of the submitted work. All materials must be free from copyright infringement.
Application Deadlines
Round I
September 1 – November 1, 2026
Round II
November 20, 2026 – January 15, 2027
Please first consult the FAQ section. If your question is not answered, contact: info@icmceurope.com