The competition is open to the following disciplines:

• Piano

• Strings: violin, viola, cello and double bass.

• Voice: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, bass and countertenor.

• Woodwind & Brass: saxophone, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, , trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, euphonium and recorder.

• Other instruments: guitar, harp, accordion, harpsichord, percussion, and other instruments.

• Chamber Music: duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets and larger ensembles

• Composition: composers may submit audio or video recordings of their works.
  

The First Section is intended for musicians wishing to perform at the Winners’ Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall, New York.

Selected winners will receive:

• Performance at Carnegie Hall at the Winners' Gala Concert (at least 10 winners selected)

• Cash Awards

• Trophy and Diploma

• Professional pictures and concert invitations

• Special Artistic Awards (Golden and Silver Medals)

• International Promotion

• Career Opportunities and Artistic Collaborations: Management Award
  

Selected artists may additionally be considered for management opportunities and concert collaborations through Manhattan Concert Artists.

The organization may invite international critics, artistic directors and concert presenters to the Winners’ Gala Concert.

At least 10 artists will be selected for the Carnegie Hall Winners’ Gala Concert.

Age categories are determined according to the applicant’s age on 1 August 2026.

The age categories will be automatically assigned based on the applicant's birth date:

JUNIOR: All instrumentalists and singers up to 17 years old.

Open to ALL disciplines.

PIANO — YOUNG ARTIST: Pianists from 18 to 25 years old.

PIANO — PROFESSIONAL: Pianists from 26 years old. No upper age limit.

STRINGS — YOUNG ARTIST: String players from 18 to 25 years old.

STRINGS — PROFESSIONAL: String players from 26 years old. No upper age limit.

VOICE — YOUNG ARTIST: Singers from 18 to 25 years old.

VOICE — PROFESSIONAL: Singers from 26 years old. No upper age limit.

WIND & OTHER INSTRUMENTS: from 18 years old. No upper age limit.

Including woodwind instruments, brass instruments, guitar, harp, accordion, harpsichord, percussion and other instruments.

CHAMBER MUSIC: Open to ALL ages.

Duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets and larger ensembles are accepted.

COMPOSITION: Open to composers of ALL ages.

Composers may submit works for solo instruments, chamber music or mixed ensembles. Audio recordings and videos of live performances are accepted for the selection process.

The Second Section is independent from the Carnegie Hall selection process.

Applicants are not required to select the Special Awards manually in the Application Form. The Artistic Committee will assign the submitted repertoire of the recordings to the relevant Special Award category when applicable.

The 5 Main Special Awards correspond to the main historical and stylistic periods listed below:

BAROQUE MUSIC AWARD: Music composed between 1600 and 1750.

CLASSICAL MUSIC AWARD: Music composed between 1751 and 1820.

ROMANTIC MUSIC AWARD: Music composed between 1821 and 1900.

MODERN MUSIC / IMPRESSIONISM AWARD: Music composed between 1901 and 1970.

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AWARD: Music composed from 1971 onwards.

The winners of the 5 Main Special Awards will be offered the opportunity to release a digital music album through the prestigious music label Orpheus.

Albums will be distributed worldwide through platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer and other international streaming services.

Artists will retain their recording rights. The album release will be coordinated with the selected artists according to repertoire, artistic suitability and production schedule.

Additional distinctions (Golden and Silver Medals) will also be awarded by the jury, including diplomas and honorary mentions.

SAMPLE OF ALBUM RELEASE (ORPHEUS MUSIC LABEL):

Previous Orpheus releases have been distributed worldwide on major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Deezer.

Instrumentalists, singers and chamber music ensembles

Video recordings are required.

Composers

Audio or video recordings are accepted.

The PDF score can be uploaded on the application form or sent by email: info@manhattancompetition.com

LINKS

1 recording link is enough to apply. Applicants may submit up to 4 links:

• Link 1: required

• Link 2: optional

• Link 3: optional

• Link 4: optional

Section 1 and Section 2 are judged independently. Applicants may use the same recording links for both sections, but each section will be evaluated by different pannels of judges according to its own artistic purpose.

DURATION

Recommended total duration (all links together): 12 to 40 minutes.

Longer submissions are accepted; however, the jury reserves the right to evaluate only the first 40 minutes.

ACCEPTED PLATFORMS

Applicants may submit links from:

• YouTube

• Vimeo

• Youku

• SoundCloud

• Google Drive

• Wetransfer

• or similar platforms
  

The repertoire is FREE.

All musical styles and historical periods are accepted.

The recordings submitted for the application do not need to match the repertoire later proposed for Carnegie Hall (Secion 1) or the Music Albums (Section 2).

MUSIC WORKS FOR THE SUBMITTED RECORDINGS (LINKS):

Accepted recordings may include solo works, single movements from larger works, movements from sonatas or concertos, concertos with orchestra, and works with piano accompaniment.

Professional studio recordings are not required. Live recordings are accepted. The winners' selection will depend on the musicality and artistic quality of the performances, and not on the technical production quality of the submitted recordings.

If an applicant cannot submit the recording links through the online form for technical reasons, the organization may be contacted at info@manhattancompetition.com for assistance.

Applications must be submitted online through the official Application Form.

Applicants may apply for:

• Both sections (Section 1: Carnegie Hall + Section 2: Special Awards & Music Albums)

• Section 1 (Carnegie Hall)

• Section 2 (Special Awards & Music Albums)
  

Each section is evaluated independently.

The application becomes officially valid after payment confirmation of the application fee.

(One section: 115 USD or 99 EUR /

Additional section: +50 USD or +40 EUR)

Application fees are non-refundable.

Applicants may optionally submit a biography, education details, professors’ names or repertoire proposals at the initial application stage.. These materials are OPTIONAL and may be submitted if the applicant wishes to provide additional artistic information.

The application form should be completed by one representative of the ensemble.

The names and instruments of all ensemble members should be included in the application form.

Chamber Music ensembles can apply both for:

• Section 1: Carnegie Hall

• Section 2: Special Awards & Music Albums

• Both Sections

The ensemble can optionally submit the repertoire proposals for the Winners' Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall or the Music Albums (digital releases). The repertoire included in the recording links do not need to be necessarily the same as the submitted repertoire proposals.

Composers may submit links of their composition(s) with audio recordings or/and video recordings.

1 link is enough to apply. Composers can include up to 4 links in their application form.

The submitted link(s) may include:

• live performances

• studio recordings

• MIDI realizations

• audio files

• video recordings
  

SCORE upload is optional during the application stage and may be sent later by email if required:

info@manhattancompetition.com

The INSTRUMENTATION for the submitted links is completely free: from solo pieces to chamber music, mixed ensembles or full orchestra.

For logistic reasons, the selected piece(s) for the Winners' Gala Concert should be written for 1 to 4 performers.

Applications will be evaluated by an international jury composed of prestigious performers, professors, composers and artistic directors.

The jury evaluates the submitted recordings as the principal basis for selection.

Judges are independent, and their students cannot participate in the competition.

The jury voting process remains confidential. The jury’s decisions are final and non-appealable.

Winners will be published on the official website of the Manhattan International Music Competition during the first week of July (approximately 1 month before the Winners' Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall).

All participants will also be contacted personally by email on the 1st week of July.

All applicants will receive an official Certificate of Participation after the publication of the results.

Additional diplomas, distinctions and special recognitions may be awarded by the jury.

Applicants from all countries are welcome.

Traveling to New York is straightforward and possible without VISA from most countries through the ESTA system:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

VISA assistance: the organization will be able to assist invited winners with invitation letters and travel documentation if required for international travel to the United States.

All winners invited to perform at Carnegie Hall will receive a cash award (professional fee), together with their trophy and diploma, and free invitations for their guests.

By submitting the application, candidates confirm that:

• all submitted information is accurate

• they possess the rights to the submitted recordings

• they accept all competition regulations
  

The organization reserves the right to use submitted materials, names, biographies, photographs, recordings and videos for different purposes related to the competition.

The organization reserves the right to modify, postpone or adapt concert, recording or award arrangements in case of force majeure, venue requirements, travel restrictions, artistic considerations or circumstances beyond its control.

Final concert programming is determined by the Artistic Committee.

Incomplete or unpaid applications may not be evaluated.