By submitting an application, applicants (and their parents or legal guardians, if the applicant is under 18) agree to adhere strictly to all rules and guidelines outlined below.
1. Eligibility & Entry
Age Limit: All entrants must be under 30 years of age as of the submission deadline date.
Nationality & Residency: The competition is open to applicants of all nationalities, from any country of residence.
Proof of Age: Entrants may be required to provide official documentation verifying their age. Misrepresentation of age will result in immediate disqualification without refund.
2. Competition Structure & Repertoire
Recorded Preliminary Round Requirements:
- Telemann – 12 Fantasias for Solo Flute, TWV 40:2–13 (choose one of the 12 solos; the fantasia must be performed complete)
- C. Chaminade – Concertino, Op. 107 (performed with live or pre-recorded piano accompaniment; see Section 4)
Final Round Requirements:
- Ian Clarke – The Great Train Race (unaccompanied)
- Piece of Choice: One work selected by the applicant (may be for solo flute or flute with piano). The work must not duplicate preliminary round repertoire, including any other fantasia from the required Telemann set, and must not exceed 12 minutes in duration.
Memorization: Memorization is not required for the preliminary round, though it is highly encouraged. Both final round works must be performed from memory.
Cuts & Repeats: Cuts are not permitted. Written repeats must be omitted.
3. Application Fees & Deadlines
Early Bird Entry Fee ($50 USD): Application, media, and payment due by 11:59 p.m. EST on November 20, 2026.
Regular Entry Fee ($80 USD): For entries submitted after November 20, 2026. Application, media, and payment due by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 27, 2026. Late or incomplete entries will not be accepted.
Non-Refundable: Entry fees are non-refundable. We encourage applicants to review all requirements carefully before submitting.
4. Video Submission & Recording Guidelines
No Editing: The flute performance must be captured in a single continuous take. Splicing, audio patching, pitch correction, and post-production sound enhancement will result in disqualification.
Camera Angle: The applicant’s face, hands, full flute, and key mechanism must remain clearly visible throughout the entire performance.
Video Format: Videos must be shot in horizontal (landscape) orientation at a minimum resolution of 1080p.
Audio Quality: High-quality audio is essential. While professional studio recording is not required, applicants must ensure the recording is free from background noise, severe room echo, or distortion.
Recording Timeframe: Previously filmed recordings may be submitted, provided they were recorded within twelve (12) months of the final deadline of December 27, 2026. This applies to all applicants, including those entering under the early bird deadline.
Accompaniment: Piano works may be performed with a live pianist or a pre-recorded track. Tracks must be played audibly in the room and captured in the same take and not added or mixed in afterward. The flute must remain clearly prominent.
Introductory Video: Applicants must submit a short introductory video (2 minutes maximum) alongside their performance recordings. Begin by stating your name, age, and where you’re from, then answer any of the prompts below or come up with your own.
This video is not judged on musical or production quality, and the no-editing rule does not apply to it. Have fun with it! We’d love see your personality.
- What made you pick up the flute in the first place?
- When did you start playing?
- Which piece do you wish had been written for flute?
- What’s the hardest passage you’ve ever had to learn?
- If you couldn’t play the flute, what instrument would you play instead?
- What’s your most memorable performance — for better or worse?
- What do you listen to that has nothing to do with classical music?
Example Recording:
5. Digital Formatting & Links
Accepted Platforms: Submissions must be provided via accessible URL links (e.g., YouTube, Google Drive).
Number of Links: Applicants must submit one link per piece. Each work must be recorded as a separate, continuous take.
Link Accessibility: It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all links remain active, set to public or unlisted, and password-free through the conclusion of the judging period. Please double-check your sharing settings before submitting — the panel cannot review a video it cannot open, and entries with inaccessible links may be disqualified.
6. Online Adjudication
Panel Review: Judging will take place entirely remotely by an appointed panel of professional adjudicators.
Finality of Decisions: All decisions of the judging panel are final, binding, and not subject to appeal.
Feedback: Adjudicator feedback is not provided.
7. Media Rights
Applicants grant the Competition the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual right to use the applicant’s name, image, likeness, voice, age, and country or city of origin, as presented in the application materials, for purposes of announcing results and promoting the Competition. Applicants under 18 require the consent of a parent or legal guardian, given at the time of application.