Skip to content

Rules & Regulations

Competition Timetable

  • November 20th, 2023: Deadline for Admission
  • November 21st to 25th, 2023: Qualifying Round. Viewing and evaluation of the submitted video recordings.
  • November 25th, 2023: Notification to participants selected for Competition Round.
  • November 25th to 30th, 2023: Competition Round Applications (Submitting application form and payment of competition round fee).
  • February 1ST, 2024: Competition Awards Announcement.

Rules & Regulations

Instruments:

Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Guitar, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet,
Bassoon, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Saxophone, Harp, Accordion, Harpsichord, Voice, Percussions, Choir and Chamber music

Age Cateories / Maximum length of video recording

  • PRIMARY 1 Ages under 5 / Up to 5 minutes
  • PRIMARY 2 Ages 5 to 6 / Up to 5 minutes
  • YOUNG 1 Ages 7 to 8 / Up to 10 minutes
  • YOUNG 2 Ages 9 to 10 /Up to 10 minutes
  • JUNIOR 1 Ages 11 to 12 / Up to 15 minutes
  • JUNIOR 2 Ages 13 to 14 / Up to 15 minutes
  • SENIOR 1 Ages 15 to 16 / Up to 20 minutes
  • SENIOR 2 Ages 17 to 18 / Up to 20 minutes
  • ADVANCED 1 Ages 19 to 20 / Up to 25 minutes
  • ADVANCED 2 Ages 21 to 22 / Up to 25 minutes
  • MASTER Ages 23 to 24 / Up to 30 minutes
  • PROFESSIONAL Ages 23 to 24 / Up to 30 minutes

[Chamber Groups, the average age of group members]

(The minimum recording length is up to the musician)

Repertoire Requirements:

Choose one or more pieces from the following periods:

  • I. Baroque
  • II. Classical
  • III. Romantic
  • IV. Classical/Contemporary (up to present day)

Video Requirements 

The videoclip should be filmed and uploaded within the 12 months before the participant’s application.

The video recording should be made entirely by the applicant. Except for the video accompaniment, the video should not contain any kind of background noise.

Audio only links are not accepted in this competition.

The recording of different musical pieces or movements can be brought together in a single video link. Each of the pieces or movements should be recorded continuously. It should not be edited or have additional sound effects.

COVID-19 Exception: The contest will accept recordings with pre-recorded accompaniment for those applicants who are unable to record with a live accompanist due to social distancing.

The uploaded video link must be set to “unlisted” or “visible to the public”.

Multiple cameras can be used for video recording, but no sound effects should be added to any portion of video entry (it is acceptable to have an introduction title with the musician’s name, title of piece and composer).

Competition Rounds

The competition is divided into a Qualifying Round and a Competition Round.

Both rounds take place online.  Participants can enter both rounds with the same video link or change it for the competition round, if they wish. *Please take into account that the BIMC receives applications from numerous talents from all over the world, and the vast majority will be eliminated and so not reach the final. If you do not reach the final, keep practising and maybe next time you will make it to the final.

Qualifying Round ( FREE ADMISSION )

November 20th, 2023: Deadline for Admission

Candidates should visit the official BIMC website and fill in the application form for the qualification round on the “FREE ADMISSION” page, sending a link to a videoclip of your musical performance.

The competition accepts links from the main global video platforms: YouTube; Vimeo; BiliBili and Youku.

Make sure you comply fully with the “Video Requirements” for the initial qualifying round. Participants who do not comply with the rules of the course will automatically lose their qualifications for the competition round.

Competition Round 

Participants who have passed the qualifying round will receive an email notification with instructions on how to enter the competition round. Participation in this round is voluntary, but only contestants who pass the qualifying round will be able to enter the competition round.

Email invitations to the competition round will be sent from November 19th. Please check the Competition Timetable section. Please check your junk mail, as emails sent by our system are sometimes marked as spam by the email service provider. The official email address of the system is: [email protected]

Candidates can either participate in the competition round with the same video link as the previous round or provide a new video link, if they wish, when they register for this round. If you request entry to the competition round, please use the email link to complete the steps of the final request before the registration deadline.

  • Fill in the registration form.
  • Pay the entrance fee for the final using the payment link sent to your email once you have completed the registration form.

Final application fee details:

  1. Entrance fee to the competition round per soloist: £ 75 / person
  2. Entrance fee to the competition round per chamber ensemble (2-4 people): £ 140 / group
  3. Entrance fee to the competition round per chamber ensemble (more than 5 people): £ 200 / group.

*The entrance fee is a non-refundable payment and is mandatory if you wish to participate in the final.

*Parents or legal guardians of minors must sign a separate “Allow the organiser of the competition to use the names of minors on websites and social media” agreement, to give permission for the BIMC to publish prizes and photos, video material and biographies of the participants on the main international social media platforms.

Jury and Marks

The jury’s evaluation is controlled by special regulations. The identity of the judges will be kept hidden for reasons of impartiality and privacy.

The evaluation will be carried out by the jury through video material presented by each participant. The final selections of winners will be based solely on the video recordings submitted. The judges are independent, and their students cannot participate in this competition. The judges’ votes will be strictly confidential and will not be shared or published. All decisions of the jury are final and irrevocable.

  • FIRST PRIZE will be awarded to competitors who obtain at least 93/100 points.
  • SECOND PRIZE will be awarded to competitors who obtain at least 86/100 points.
  • THIRD PRIZE will be awarded to the competitors who obtain at least 79/100 points.
  • Special mention will be awarded to competitors who obtain at least 72/100 points.
  • Honourable mention will be awarded to competitors who obtain at least 65/100 points.

The number of prizes is not limited, several participants can share the same prize.

Only participants who have advanced to the final round and have paid the administrative processing fee will receive a certificate of participation after the winners are announced by email.

Participants who have reached the final round of the BIMC at least twice with three works in different styles will have the opportunity to obtain a letter of recommendation written by the secretary of the board of judges for school or university applications.

FREE ADMISSION