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“MUSICA ITALIA GRAND PRIZE”
International Music Competition – 3rd EDITION
CAMPOBASSO (Italy) APRIL 13 – 19, 2026
Artistic Direction and Organising Committee
Simone Sala, Pianist and Conservatory professor
Paolo Bartolucci, Opera singer, Tenor
Associazione Culturale Eleomai
REGULATIONS
The MUSICA ITALIA GRAND PRIZE is an International Music Performance Competition open to musicians of all ages and nationalities, as well as to all types of ensembles up to a maximum of six performers.
The competition aims to strongly support the technical, artistic, and professional development of both young talents and professional classical musicians seeking new opportunities and new performance circuits, thereby expanding their professional network.
“Technical perfection, interpretative quality, phrasing ability, stage presence, communication skills, empathy, and the ability to conceive interesting musical programs” are the main criteria upon which the evaluations of the prestigious Musica Italia juries will be based.
There are four participant categories:
Category A) CONSERVATORY AND EQUIVALENT MUSIC INSTITUTE STUDENTS
Open to students enrolled in any course of a Conservatory or an officially recognized Music Institute within the European Community, as soloists or chamber ensembles of up to six performers without a conductor.
Chamber ensembles in Category A must be composed exclusively of students enrolled in a Conservatory or equivalent Music Institute.
The competition consists of one single round, with a maximum duration of 15 minutes, featuring a program chosen by the candidate(s).
Category B) OPERA SINGERS “BELCANTO AWARD”
This category is open to all voice types (Bass, Baritone, Tenor, Contralto, Mezzo-soprano, Soprano, Countertenor, Sopranist), with no age or nationality limits. The competition consists of one single round, including the performance of two operatic arias: one chosen by the candidate one chosen by the Jury from four arias submitted by the candidate.
Winners of the First and Second Prize may directly participate in the Grand Prize Category without paying the registration fee, with the possibility of repeating one or more pieces already performed in Category B.
Category KIDS
Category reserved for very young musicians of all nationalities, competing in the following instruments:
Piano, String Instruments, Wind Instruments.
Participants are divided into the following subcategories:
• K1: ages 7–8
• K2: ages 9–10
• K3: ages 11–12
• K4: ages 13–14
Cat. G.P. ) GRAND PRIZE:
The Grand Prize is open to musicians of all ages and nationalities and to all ensemble formations up to a maximum of six performers. It consists of a Preliminary Round and a Final Round, with a maximum of 10 selected musicians, plus the 1st and 2nd prize winners of Category B, who will be admitted directly to the Final. In the Final Round, it is permitted to repeat works already performed.
Each candidate may register for one or more sections by paying the relevant registration fee for each section:
Piano
String Instruments
Wind Instruments
Percussion – Accordion or Bandoneon
Guitar – Harp
Chamber Music (ensembles up to sextet, including vocal chamber music with or without piano.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND TIME LIMITS
Category A
Single-round performance of a freely chosen program, with a maximum total duration of 15 minutes.
Category B
Opera singers (“Belcanto Award”) must perform two arias, selected by the Jury from the four submitted.
All arias must be performed in the original language and, where required, must include recitatives and cabalettas.
Category KIDS
Single-round performances with the following maximum durations:
K1: 4 minutes
K2: 6 minutes
K3: 8 minutes
K4: 10 minutes
Reaching the maximum duration is not mandatory
GRAND PRIZE CATEGORY
PRELIMINARY ROUND
Performance of a freely chosen program with a minimum duration of 10 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes.
Up to 10 musicians will be selected for the Final Round at the sole discretion of the Jury, in addition to the first two prize winners of Category B, who will be admitted directly to the Final.
FINAL
The Final Round will take place in the presence of the International Technical Jury and the Critical Jury.
Candidates must perform a program of up to 25 minutes, or a maximum of 3 arias for opera singers.
Finalists may repeat one or more works performed in the Preliminary Round.
WINNERS CONCERT
The Winners’ Concert will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 6:30 PM, with a program agreed upon with the Artistic Direction. All prize winners in Categories A, B, KIDS, and G.P. are required to perform at the Final Concert, under penalty of forfeiture of the prize. The awards ceremony will take place during the concert.
PRIZES
Category A:
1st PRIZE € 1.000,00 + 1 concert in Italy*
2nd PRIZE € 500,00
3rd PRIZE € 250,00
Category B “Belcanto Award”
1st PRIZE € 1.000,00 + direct access to the Grand Prize Final
1 concert in China*
1 concert in Italy*
2nd PRIZE € 800,00 + direct access to the Grand Prize Final
3rd PRIZE € 400,00
Category KIDS
K1 € 100,00 scholarship (Absolute First Prize)
K2 € 150,00 scholarship (Absolute First Prize)
K3 € 200,00 scholarship (Absolute First Prize)
K4 € 250,00 scholarship (Absolute First Prize)
Cat. G.P.) GRAND PRIZE
1st PRIZE € 2.500,00 plus:
3 concerts in the USA with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra (Texas, USA)*
1 concert in Thailand (Asia)
1 concert with the Orchestra da Camera della Toscana*
1 solo concert in Italy*
2nd PRIZE € 1.500,00
3rd PRIZE € 1.00,00
4th PRIZE € 500,00
5th PRIZE € 250,00
SPECIAL PRIZES
- Best contestant enrolled at the “L. Perosi” Conservatory of Campobasso: €250 scholarship and plaque
- Best foreign contestant: €200 scholarship
- Best Asian contestant in the GP category (not already First Prize winner): 1 prize concert in collaboration with Assumption University of Bangkok
At the discretion of the Jury, “Ex Aequo” prizes may be awarded.
Ex-aequo prizes may be awarded at the sole discretion of the Jury.
All prize amounts are gross and subject to taxation according to law.
* Prize concerts are organized by the institutions offering the engagements. The Artistic Direction and Associazione Eleomai are not responsible for any disputes related to these concerts.
JUDGING AND JURIES
Scores will be expressed out of 100:
Absolute First Prize: 95/100 or higher
First Prize: 95–100
Second Prize: 90–94
Third Prize: 85–89
Fourth Prize: 80–84
Jurors with family or teaching relationships with candidates within the previous two years must abstain from voting.
The juries will consist of renowned musicians, artists, teachers, and music critics.
All jury decisions are final and unappealable.
APPLICATION AND FEE
- CATEGORY A: € 80.00 soloist + €40 per additional member (up to trio)
- CATEGORY B: € 100,00
- CATEGORY KIDS: K1 €30 – K2 €40 – K3 €50 – K4 €60
- G.P.: € 100,00 (soloists) + €40 per additional chamber music member (up to trio)
The application form and registration must be submitted, complete in every respect and accompanied by
the required documents and a receipt for the registration fee (to be paid by bank transfer to Associazione Culturale Eleomai to the account IBAN IT49D0832715600000000001181 – BIC ICRAITRRROM) for the category(ies), no later than 11:59 PM (11:59 PM) on March 1, 2026, via www.musicaitaliagp.com or email: musicaitaliagp@gmail.com
Parental authorization is required for candidates under 18 years of age as of April 13, 2026.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Candidates must bring their own instruments, except for piano.
An accompanist pianist is available upon request at a cost of €30, with PDF scores submitted at registration.
Updates on schedules and venues will be published on official websites and social media.
Accommodation and meal agreements for international participants may be arranged.
It is at the discretion of the Artistic Direction and the organising committee to eliminate one or more sections or categories from the competition for organisational reasons; in this case, entrants will be promptly notified and their entry fees will be reimbursed.
The entry fee will not be refunded in the event of non-participation. Applications not accompanied by the required documentation will not be considered.
It is possible to enter more than one Competition Category.
The registration fee will not be refunded in the event of non-participation. Applications not accompanied by the required documentation will not be considered.
It is possible to enter more than one Competition Category.
The artistic direction and organising committee reserve the right to make changes to these Rules and Regulations and/or to take decisions on matters not covered herein should the need arise.
Registration for the Competition implies unconditional acceptance of these Rules and Regulations as well as the reservation on the part of the artistic direction and organising committee to make changes to them.
Jurisdiction: Court of Campobasso.
PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA
1) The personal data provided by each candidate will be processed exclusively for the purpose of sending information about the association and the topics covered by the MIGP website and social media pages and by email in accordance with DGPR n.679/2016;
2) The data will not be disclosed to other parties, nor will they be disseminated;
3) By applying, participants allow the Artistic Direction, the Organising Committee and related entities and legal entities to use their images and videos and to upload them to their website and/or social media.
INFO:
Phone: +393484874115
E-mail: musicaitaliagp@gmail.com
Website: www.musicaitaliagp.it
Facebook: musica italia grand prize
Instagram: musicaitaliagp
* Award concerts in USA and ASIA are the responsibility of the companies that offered the entries. The Artistic Direction and the Eleomani Association, organizers of the Musica Italia GP are autonomously relieved of any dispute or controversy.