Chicago International Music Competition

Sunday 26th March 2023

Not available

Deciso Studio

After a three-year interruption, we are thrilled to announce the 2023 Chicago International Music Competition and Festival will be back to an in-person format!

The 2023 CIMC competition will have two rounds.

1) Regional Round for Bangkok, Malaysia and Singapore.

2) The selected finalists will be invited to Chicago for the final round in July 2023.

CIMC Final Round  is giving away a total prize money of $30,000 for the 2023 competition! 

For ‘piano’ and ‘chamber music’, apply for in-person regional round in Bangkok, Malaysia and Singapore. For other instruments, you can subscribe to our recording services to prepare for your direct submission to CIMC USA here.

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Regional Round Competition

  • Those who participate in the Regional Round is exempted from the preliminary round and may proceed direct to the final round. Selected finalists will be invited to Chicago for the final round.
  • Regional Round is from December 2022 till February 2023. The registration deadline is on March 10th 2023.
  • The actual competition will be held on the following dates. Kuala Lumpur 26th – 27th March 2023 | Bangkok 30th March – 1st April 2023 | Singapore 3rd – 4th April 2023.
  • The 2023 Chicago International Music Competition and Festival is open to musicians of all nationalities, all ages, and all levels.
  • The Competition has two categories: Rising Star Category and Professional Category.
  • The Competition has two divisions: Solo Division and Ensemble Division. For the Regional Round in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, we offer only one instrument and that is the Piano for Solo Division and Piano Duet /Four Hands/Piano Trio for Ensemble Division. If you would like to participate under other instruments, you may apply directly to cimcusa.org for their preliminary round in those categories. You could also contact us with the ‘Chat’ button here or whatsapp us, for support.
  • If registering for more than one division, applicants must complete separate application/registration forms and pay the required registration fees for each individual division.
  • Contestants in all age groups/divisions may choose to participate in both solo and ensemble categories. For example, participants may choose to compete in the Rising Star or Professional solo category, and the ensemble division at the same time.
  • Participants may choose to apply in both the Rising Star category and Professional Category.

Information Of The Festival In The Us

  • Contestants may choose to participate in the competition, the festival, or both.
  • The 2023 Chicago International Music Competition and Festival will be held in person in the Chicago area at Wheaton College, July 16-24.
  • For the festival in the US, the application deadline is June 25, 2023.
  • Each festival participant will receive four private lessons, seminars, discussions, with our faculty, and perform in festival concerts.
  • The 2023 CIMC also will offer an online festival for participants who cannot attend the in-person festival. The online festival will be held July 31-August 6, 2023.

Categories

Rising Star Category

Professional Category

Divisions

Solo Division

Ensemble Division

Meet The Juries

Competition Rules

  • The First Grand Prize Winners of previous editions of CIMC are NOT eligible to apply.
  • Current students of the 2023 CIMC jury members are NOT eligible to apply.
  • All works must be performed by memory in the Solo Divisions.
  • No changes to the competition program are permitted once the application form has been received.
  • The decisions of the Jury are final and not subject to review or appeal.
  • The Jury is permitted to award the same numerical ranking to several contestants.
  • Rising Star Category–Participants must perform one self-chosen works: any work of any composer from the Baroque period, the Classical period, the Romantic period, and the Modern period. Duration for each repertoire around or within 5 minutes is acceptable.
  • Professional Category– Participants must perform two self-chosen works: any work of any composer from the Baroque period, the Classical period, the Romantic period, and the Modern period. Duration for each repertoire around or within 10 minutes is acceptable.
  • The Jury retains the right to stop a performance if it exceeds the allotted time.
  • The competition is recorded by CIMC, and recordings may be used for CIMC publicity and/or publications.