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, Digital Piano
String instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass Bass
Guitar: Classical Guitar, Acoustic& Fingerstyle Guitar,Electric 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 11 Feb 2018
II 8 & 9 12 Feb 2016 – 11 Feb 2018
III 10 & 11 12 Feb 2014 – 11 Feb 2016
IV 12 & 13 12 Feb 2012 – 11 Feb 2014
V 14 & 15 12 Feb 2010 – 11 Feb 2012
VI 16 & 17 12 Feb 2008 – 11 Feb 2010
VII 18 or older Before 12 Feb 2008

C. Preliminary Round
Competitors must participate at the Competition Committee’s designated location(s) for preliminaries.
D. Location of Final Round
Singapore
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
1. The judges will be professors from conservatories around the world and well-known experts in the industry. Contestants must recognize the judges arranged by the organizing committee and unconditionally accept the evaluation results of the judges.
2. All participants are not allowed to watch sheet music performances, otherwise they will be deducted 3 points.
3. Judges are not allowed to rate their own students.
4. The final score will have one highest and one lowest score removed, and the average score will be taken.
G. Prizes
1. All categories will receive level awards based on the score line set by the art committee in that year.
2. All contestants will receive certificates corresponding to their performance; All award-winning instructors will receive a certificate of excellent instructor.
3. Trophy: First prize winners will receive an honor trophy.
4. Vacancies: For low scores and any violations of artistic ethics, the Art Committee reserves the right to award vacant awards.

H. Cash rewards
1.  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)

2.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.


3.The highest scoring winner above must also exceed the score line set by the art committee in order to receive cash rewards.

 
I. 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
  1. 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
  1. 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 Ensemble Category
  3. Self-chosen Orchestra Category
  4. 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. Self-chosen Ensemble Category
  6. Self-chosen Orchestra Category
  7. 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 Digital Piano
  1. Open Category
  2. Self-chosen Pop Music Category
  3. Self-chosen Jazz Music Category
  4. 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 Ensemble Category
  6. Self-chosen Orchestra Category
  7. Amateur level Category
J Guitar (Classical Guitar, Acoustic& Fingerstyle Guitar,Electric 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 Ensemble Category
  6. Self-chosen Orchestra Category
  7. Amateur level Category
L Percussion (Jazz drum, World percussion)
  1. Open Category
  2. Self-chosen Pop Music Category
  3. Self-chosen Jazz Music Category
  4. 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 song 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
09 Feb 2026 Registration A Please refer to the official competition website for registration time and location
10 Feb 2026 Competition A Competitors need to arrive at the scene 15 minutes in advance
11 Feb 2026 Closing ceremony B Traditional grand evening party, please dress up and attend 30 minutes in advance
11 Feb 2026 Zhongsin Artist concert B Partial champions will perform with the artists
11 Feb 2026 Awarding ceremony B The first prize winners of each category will be on stage to receive the prize
12 Feb 2026 Certificate collection A Please refer to the official website for how to collect

 
Place A 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island 098269, Singapore
Place B 1 Vista Exchange Green #04-01, Singapore 138617, Singapore