General Rules of the Competition
 
A. Competition Categories
Piano
Chinese folk instruments: Guzheng, Ruan, Pipa, Yangqin, Erhu, Bamboo Flute
Modern keyboard instruments: Accordion, Electronic Organ, Electronic Piano
String instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass Bass
Guitar: Classical Guitar, Acoustic& Fingerstyle Guitar
Wind instruments: Oboe, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Recorder
Percussion: Jazz drum; World percussion
Vocal
Original composition
B. Age Categories
Group Number Age Range (years old) Birthdate Range
I 7 or younger After 6 Feb 2013
II 8 & 9 7 Feb 2011 – 6 Feb 2013
III 10 & 11 7 Feb 2009 – 6 Feb 2011
IV 12 & 13 7 Feb 2007 – 6 Feb 2009
V 14 & 15 7 Feb 2005 – 6 Feb 2007
VI 16 & 17 7 Feb 2003 – 6 Feb 2005
VII 18 or older Before 7 Feb 2003
C. Preliminary Round
Competitors must participate at the Competition Committee’s designated location(s) for preliminaries.
D. Location of Final Round
Macao
E. Finalists must adhere to the following points
1. Finalists must perform from memory, or otherwise receive a score penalty.
2. There is only one round in the finals. The performed musical selection can include pieces from the Preliminary Round.
3. Start order will be determined with a draw; the draw happens only once. All contestants from all groups are to compete in this order. For detailed information, please see “draw system”.
4. Competitors playing two pieces shall perform all pieces in a single performance.
5. Do not perform repeats in the music, unless inherent to the form of the work (e.g. D.C.—da capo or D.S.—da segno).
6. If a competitor requires playing an accompaniment CD, they must note it on the competition entry form.
7. The jury retains the right to cut short the competitor’s performance, or to request competitors to perform specific excerpts, but this shall not affect the scoring.
8. The decisions of the jury are final. Competitors must accept the scoring results unconditionally.
9. Prizewinners are required to attend the Awards Ceremony and the Prizewinners’ Concert; failure to comply will be seen as an automatic forfeit of winnings.
10. In order to guarantee competitors’ undistracted performance, photography and video are not permitted at the competition. The Competition Committee possesses copyright of all video, audio, and photographs taken during the competition period and retains legal usage rights of said video, audio, and photographs.
11. Competitors must strictly adhere to the rules drawn out in the “Competition agreement of Zhongsin International Music Competition.”
12. In the course of the competition, if contestants perform any actions that are against the rules or concern ethical violations, they will either be stopped, will receive a warning, will be docked marks, or be disqualified.
13. The Organizing Committee shall not be liable for any loss of property or personal damage to the competitors and their accompanying personnel, or for any personal, material or spiritual damage to others.
14. Competitors and their accompanying party should ensure that they are in good physical condition and are free of any diseases that are not suitable for participating in the activity (including but not limited to heart disease, psychological disease, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, severe bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, etc.).
15. Competitors and their entourage should know that the competition may cause negative evaluation, greater psychological pressure and greater emotional fluctuation to both the competitors and their entourage, and be fully prepared for this. In case of any physiological or psychological disease that cannot adapt to the above situations, all responsibilities shall be borne by the competitors and their entourage, and the Organizing Committee shall not bear any responsibility.
16. The registration form is regarded as the entry agreement between the applicant and the organizing committee. The applicant must sign the registration form.
17. If force majeure prevents the competition from proceeding, the Organizing Committee shall not assume any responsibility.
18. The Competition Committee retains the right of final interpretation regarding these Rules.
F. Scoring of competitors’ performance
The judges for this year’s competition include professors from music conservatories in the world.
This competition shall employ the most advanced international scoring system to evaluate competitors.  The scale is as follows:
Point Range Classification
45.50-50 Excellent
40.50-45.49 Good
35.50-40.49 Fair
30.50-35.49 Poor
 
 
1.     Each judge's score for a contestant includes one digit after the decimal point. It will not be zero.
2.     The final score will be taken out of the highest and the lowest scores, and the average score will be obtained.
3.     All soloists will not be allowed to read music sheet, otherwise they will lose 3 points.
4.     Judges shall not be allowed to score their own students
G. Prizes
 
1.     There are more than three competitors (including three) participating groups (open category, selective category), according to the score ranking, no vacancies, the same score is juxtaposed.
2.     There are less than three competitors participating groups (open category, selective category), ranked according to the highest score, and there may be vacancies. If the scores are the same, they will be ranked side by side.
3.     The amateur categories will be awarded level prizes, which are based on the score line.
4.     Score lines of Open and Selective categories:
45.50-50 (1st place score line)
40.50-45.49 (2nd place score line)
35.50-40.49 (3rd place score line)
30.50-35.49 (Honorable mention score line)
 
5.     Score lines of Amateur category:
40.50-50 (1st prize score line)
35.50-40.49 (2nd prize score line)
30.50-35.49 (3rd prize score line)
 
6.     Certificate: Within each age group (i.e. age range) of open category and selective category, awards are set for First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Place. Winners shall receive a certificate and the rest shall get an Outstanding certificate. The amateur level group has first, second and third prizes, and the winners will get the grade certificate. The winners’tutors shall receive an Outstanding Teacher certificate.
7.     Trophies and medals: The open category of age group VII winner shall be presented with a trophy, and winners from the other Groups shall receive a medal.
8.     Vacancy: the Arts Council reserves the right to hold vacancy awards in case of low scores and any violation of the arts ethics.
The following awards shall include prize money of 1000 Singapore Dollars:
·   Piano Group VII Open Category
·   Chinese folk instruments Group VII Open Category (folk instruments competitor who earns the highest score)
·   Modern keyboard instruments Group VII Open Category (accordion, electronic organ or electronic piano competitor who earns the highest score)
·   String instruments Group VII Open Category (string instrument performer who earns the highest score)
·   Guitar Open Age Category(the highest scorer of the guitar open Age category)
·   Wind instruments Group VII Open Category (wind instrument performer who earns the highest score)
·   Percussion instruments Group VII Open Category (percussion instrument performer who earns the highest score)
·   Vocal Group VII Open Category (male or female who earns the highest score)
·   Original composition Category (the highest scorer of original composition category)
The Grand Prize of the competition shall be 1000 Singapore Dollars, and goes to the performer (regardless of category or Group) with the highest score.
Award a special prize of 1000 Singapore Dollars, in memory of Prof. Pavel Egorov, the late Chairman of ZhongSin International Music Competition and the everlasting friend. Top prize of the piano competition category (groups of all ages).
 
H. Drawing System
Before the competition starts, Judging Committee Chairman Miroslav Kultyshev shall randomly draw a single English letter. The order of all competitors within each Group shall be determined by their surname, proceeding alphabetically from the letter drawn. (For example, if the letter L is drawn, then the order of the contestants would be Lidia, Maria, Wang An, Wang Wu, Xiao Sa, Alixsander, Eva…)

 
 
Detailed rules of the Competition
 
A Select a category to sign up
Each major shall set up an open category, a number of selective categories, and an amateur level category. Competitors can choose to register in any category, up to two categories.
B Repertoire requirements
1.      Competitors in each group perform one piece of work, the composer is not limited, original, adaptation can be.
2.      Competitors in two categories must perform two different works.
C Time of performance
1.      Instrumental Music
Age Group Time limit per track
I 4 minutes
II 5 minutes
III 6 minutes
IV 7 minutes
V 8 minutes
VI 9 minutes
VII 10 minutes
2.      Vocal Music
Age Group Time limit per track
I 5 minutes
II 5 minutes
III 5 minutes
IV 5 minutes
V 5 minutes
VI 5 minutes
VII 6 minutes
3.      Overtime will be stopped by the judges.
D Piano
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Polyphonic Category(fugue must be played)
3.      Self-chosen Romantic Category
4.      Self-chosen Chinese Music Category
5.      Self-chosen Russian Music Category
6.      Self-chosen Sonata Category(you can play all or part of the movement)
7.      Self-chosen Etude Category
8.      Self-chosen Duet Category
9.      Amateur level Category
E Chinese folk instruments (Guzheng, Ruan, Pipa, Yangqin, Erhu, Bamboo Flute)
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Duet Category
3.      Self-chosen Unison Category
4.      Self-chosen Ensemble Category
5.      Amateur level Category
F Accordion
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Polyphonic Category(fugue must be played)
3.      Self-chosen Folk Music Category
4.      Self-chosen Pop Music Category
5.      Amateur level Category
G Electronic Organ
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Symphony Category
3.      Self-chosen Folk Music Category
4.      Self-chosen Pop Music Category
5.      Self-chosen Polyphonic Category(fugue must be played)
6.      Amateur level Category
H Electronic Piano
1.      Open Category
2.      Amateur level Category
I String Instruments (Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass)
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Romantic Category
3.      Self-chosen Folk Music Category
4.      Self-chosen Sonata Category(you can play all or part of the movement)
5.      Self-chosen Duet Category
6.      Self-chosen Unison Category
7.      Self-chosen Chamber Music Category
8.      Self-chosen Orchestra Category
9.      Amateur level Category
J Guitar (Classical Guitar, Acoustic& Fingerstyle Guitar)
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Renaissance and Baroque Category
3.      Self-chosen Classical Romanticism Category
4.      Self-chosen Modern Music Category
5.      Self-chosen Accompanied Category
6.      Amateur level Category
7.      Open Age Category(No age limit, two pieces of works of different periods and styles are selected. Playing time is 12 minutes.)
K Wind Instruments (Oboe, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Recorder)
1.      Open Category
2.      Self-chosen Romantic Category
3.      Self-chosen Folk Music Category
4.      Self-chosen Sonata Category(you can play all or part of the movement)
5.      Self-chosen Duet Category
6.      Self-chosen Unison Category
7.      Self-chosen Chamber Music Category
8.      Self-chosen Orchestra Category
9.      Amateur level Category
L Percussion
1.      Open Category
2.      Amateur level Category
M Vocal
1.      Male Bel canto-Open Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
2.      Female Bel canto-Open Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
3.      Male Chinese Music-Open Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
4.      Female Chinese Music-Open Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
5.      Self-chosen Yage Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
6.      Self-chosen Art song Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
7.      Self-chosen Opera Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
8.      Self-chosen Musical Category(Limited to VI / VII age group)
9.      Self-chosen Pop Music Category(Limited to V / VI / VII age group)
10.    Self-chosen Child’s Voice Category(Limited to I/II/III/IV/V age group)
11.    Self-chosen Chorus Category(Children’s chorus/Adults’ chorus, singing time 6 minutes)
12.    Amateur level Category
N Original Composition
1.      Open Category(Including original melody, original lyrics, original Arrangement and original singing)
2.      Self-chosen Children's Song Creation Category(Composition, lyrics and arrangement are complete, and the language need to be Chinese)
 
 
Schedule Arrangement
Date Activity Place Remarks
30th Jul 2022 Signing in A Please refer to the official website for the time and place of signing in
31th  Jul 2022 Signing in & Competition A Please refer to the official website for the time and place of signing in
1 Aug 2022 Competition A Competitors need to arrive at the scene 15 minutes in advance
2 Aug 2022 Closing ceremony B Traditional grand evening party, please dress up and attend 30 minutes in advance
2 Aug 2022 Zhongsin Artist concert B Some of the winners will perform with the artists
2 Aug 2022 Awarding ceremony B The winners of each group will be on stage to receive the prize
3 Aug 2022 Certificate collection A Please refer to the official website for how to collect
 
 
Place A See the official website of the competition for details
Place B Broadway Theatre Macao