Regulation
- Composers from all over the world can participate in the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Conductors and Composers (hereinafter, the “Competition”).
- Age of the Composition nomination contestants should be no older than 50 years inclusive by the time the competition starts on June 14, 2025.
- No more than 12 composers are allowed to participate in live rounds. At the suggestion of the chairman of the jury to the competition directorate, the number of participants in each specialty may be increased for no more than 3 people.
- The preparation, arrangement and management of the competition is supervised by the art manager of the competition appointed by the order of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the competition directorate established by the Russian Ministry of Culture that is acting upon the Regulations on the competition directorate approved by the organizing committee.
- The competition applicant (hereinafter, the “applicant”) must submit his/her application to participate in the competition (hereinafter, the “application”) until March 1, 2025, via the participant’s personal account on the official website of the competition (hereinafter, the “official website”). The application must be in Russian or English according to the form provided on the official website.
- The application must have the following documents attached:
– a copy of the applicant’s document of identification (Internal passport of Russia for Russian citizens, passport of a foreign citizen or another document established by federal law or accepted in accordance with an international treaty of the Russian Federation as a document identification of a foreign citizen for foreign citizens);
– applicant’s biography (approximately 1,000 characters);
– 2 digital color photos of the applicant, resolution is at least 300 dpi, including a close-up photo for publication;
– a copy of the musical education certificate;
– copies of the laureate diplomas of international competitions for the last 3 years (if any);
– applicant’s bank account details (for the prize transfer);
– 2 letters of recommendation: one from the applicant’s music teacher, the other from an internationally-renowned concert performer, conductor or composer. The letters must be written in Russian or English as a special recommendation for the applicant to participate in the competition. - Composition applicants attach scores to their application. A full (orchestral) score should be attached to the compositions for piano and orchestra (and orchestral voices (parts) as well). The requirements for the compositions are indicated in the competition program. Additionally, a brief description can be attached to the composition (if any).
- Each composer must submit one piece in each of the following mandatory categories:
piece for piano;
romance for voice and piano based on verses by Russian poets (on Russian language);
piece for piano and symphony orchestra. - The competition consists of 1st Round and 2nd Round:
1st Round – qualifying (distant). 1st Round is anonymous (without specifying the names of composers). The selection of applicants for participation in the 2nd Round is carried out on the basis of the music scores, the application, the documents and materials attached, specified in paragraph 2 of the section “Application Procedure”;
2nd Round- final (live) – is public performances, which consist of two stages:
1 stage – performance of 1 piece for piano and performance of 1 romance for voice and piano based on verses by Russian poets (on Russian language);
2 stage - performance of a piece for piano and symphony orchestra;
The Competition Directorate provides a symphony orchestra and performers (pianists and vocalists). The order of performance of works in the 1st stage of the 2nd round is determined by drawing lots. The order of performance of works in the 2nd stage of the 2nd round is determined by the composition of the orchestra.
The applicants who pass the qualifying round receive the official letter from the competition directorate containing an invitation to participate in the live rounds at the competition venue.
The applicants who do not pass the qualifying round receive the official letter from the competition directorate containing information on the competition jury’s decision to terminate their participation in the competition. - Contestants whose compositions are selected for the 2nd Round are invited to the venue of the 2nd Round to participate in rehearsals and attend the auditions and the gala concert.
- Contestants who want to play and/or conduct their compositions in 2nd Round must notify the Competition Directorate about this within 14 calendar days after the Competition Directorate sends an invitation to the Contestant to participate in 2nd Round and send a video recording of the specified piece or any other piece in their performance. The jury of the competition decides on the admission of the composer as performers of their compositions.
- The results of the 1st (qualifying) Round are announced before April 30, 2025, indicating the authors of the works selected for participation in the 2nd Round.
- The results of the 2nd Round are announced immediately after the round ends.
- All the live performances of the contestants are open to the public
- The composition nomination participants invited to the 1st round of the competition arrive at the competition according to the dates and place specified in the official letter of invitation. They will be provided with travel, meals and accommodation (single occupancy in a hotel of at least four star category), provided with transfers from the airport - railway station to the hotel and back.
The competition directorate pays for:
- the airplane or train tickets (economy class) to the competition venue for the piano nomination participants admitted to the 1st round of the competition;
- the airplane or train tickets (economy class) from the competition venue to the participant’s place of residence after they finish their participation in the competition or the gala concert;
The compostition nomination participants invited to the 1st round of the competition are provided with meals and accommodation for the period of time between the date stated in the invitation and the date they finish their participation in the competition.
At their own request, contestants who have received an invitation to participate in the first round of the competition in the "compostition" nomination may arrive earlier than the specified date to prepare for the competition and leave earlier than the end of the competition. In this case, they pay for their own expenses for their stay until the arrival date specified in the invitation, as well as for travel expenses.
Contestants pay for all expenses related to the exchange of tickets themselves.
Providing the competition directorate with copies of the original boarding passes or copies of electronic boarding passes is mandatory, otherwise the return travel will not be paid. - The compostition nomination participants invited to the 1st round of the competition who live in the country with specific visa requirements for visiting the Russian Federation have to individually apply for a visa at the Russian consulate. The competition directorate undertakes to provide all the necessary invitations and bears all costs associated with obtaining a visa, but not liable for obtaining a visa by a contestant.
- The participants who arrive to take part in the competition and refuse to perform for whatever reason are obliged to bear all the accommodation and travel expenses, as well as obliged to reimburse the competition directorate’s incurred expenses.
- For underage participants, (under 18 years of age on the date of the competition), the competition directorate may additionally pay the travel and accommodation costs of their accompanying person. The accompanying person pays for their own meals by themselves.
1st prize – $30,000 USD and gold medal;
2nd prize – $20,000 USD and silver medal;
3rd prize – $10,000 USD and bronze medal;
4th prize – $5,000 USD and diploma;
5th prize – $4,000 USD and diploma;
6th prize – $3,000 USD and diploma;
Special prize for the best piece for piano – 1000 US dollars.
Special prize for the best piece for voice and piano based on verses by Russian poets – 1000 US dollars
The prizes are transferred to the participants’ bank accounts in rubles according to the official exchange rate published by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payday.
- Prizes are paid in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation.
- Depending on the achieved results and limited by the established number of prizes, the competition jury has the right:
а) give out not all the prizes;
b) divide prizes between the participants. - Prizes are awarded by the jury members in accordance with the voting procedure stated in the jury regulations.The decisions of the competition jury are final and are not subject to revision.
- Special and additional prizes might be established by other state, commercial, public or art organizations, both Russian and foreign, but only with the approval of the organizing committee. Such prizes must be approved by the organizing committee no later than the opening date of the competition.
- In order to transfer the prize, the contestant provides the bank account details to the competition directorate. The prize for participants under 18 years of age, if they do not have their own bank account, is paid in accordance with the bank details of their legal representatives.
General Terms
- All works submitted to the Competition must be new, previously not published anywhere and not performed;
- Submitted repertory or the performance order of the musical pieces can be changed only upon authorization of the Competition Directorate.
- The instrumentation for the composition for piano and orchestra should not exceed the instrumentation according to the score of the Third Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by S. Rachmaninoff.* The composition of percussion group performers can be expanded up to 4 performers within the norms of a modern academic symphony orchestra.
- The laureate of the Composition Competition is determined by the results of two parts of the 2nd Round.
- The jury has the right to stop audition of the composition of the competitor of the 1st part of the 2nd Round.
*(the composition of the orchestra can be slightly expanded within the limits of the modern academic symphony orchestra: piccolo flute, contrabassoon, bass clarinet, cor anglais, harp, etc.)
1st Round (qualifying, by scores)
Composition applicants attach to the application the scores of the compositions submitted for the competition (no more than 3 works):
Composition for solo piano (duration from 7 to 15 minutes)
Romance for voice and piano based on verses by Russian poets (on Russian language, duration from 5 to 7 minutes)
Composition for piano and orchestra (duration from 15 to 25 minutes)
A full (orchestral) score with orchestra parts should be attached to a composition with an orchestra.
The scores should not contain the names of composers.
2nd Round
1 part
The competitor presents the composition for solo piano (duration from 7 to 15 minutes). The piece can be performed both by the composer himself and by his/her pianist, or by a pianist provided by the Competition Directorate.
The contestant presents the romance for voice and piano (on Russian language, duration from 5 to 7 minutes). The piece may be performed by the composer himself, his pianist (and vocalist), or a pianist (and vocalist) provided by the competition directorate.
2 part
The competitor presents the composition for piano and orchestra (duration from 15 to 25 minutes)
A solo can be performed by the composer himself and by his/her pianist, or by a pianist provided by the competition directorate.
The order of contestant’s performances in the 2 part is determined according to the orchestral instrumentation of the contestant’s compositions
- The competition finalists participate on a fee-free basis in the closing ceremony and 2 concerts of the laureates (if any are announced) with a program approved by the competition directorate. The competition finalists also participate in the Russian and abroad concert tours of the laureates.
- The finalists of the competition are considered all participants of the competition who made it to the final round, based on the results of which the jury of the competition decided they are awarded prizes and awards indicated in the “Prizes and Rewards” section.
- All the competition rounds might be broadcast live by television programs and be recorded for the subsequent broadcasts as well as for audio and video releases. The competition will be partially or fully available for viewing on the Internet information and telecommunications network.
- The competition directorate organizes photo and video filming, audio and video recording, Internet and television broadcast of the process of preparation and competition itself, including all rounds, the opening and closing ceremonies of the competition and the gala concert;
- The participants undertake to sign a document confirming that they have no claims regarding the use by the competition directorate of the materials specified in paragraph 3 of the Special Terms. The competition directorate does not assume any financial liabilities on the usage of the produced materials to the participants.
- Competitors in the composition nomination are required to waive in writing the author’s remuneration for the performance of their work in the second round and gala concert of the competition, as well as during the tour of the laureates organized by the competition directorate.
- The competition directorate does not provide:
a) any kind of insurance to the participants and persons accompanying them;
b) does not provide competition participants with stage costumes, make-up and shoes. - The application is the evidence of the participant’s full understanding of the conditions stated in the present Regulations as well as their commitment to follow them. Participant undertakes to sign an application for accession to the Offer-Agreement for participation in the competition.
- The competition jury is approved by the organizing committee and includes famous musical personalities.
- The activity of the competition jury is pursuant to the regulations of the competition jury approved by the organizing committee.
- The media representatives, citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens who acquire tickets to the events included in the main competition preparation and execution program or the citizens who receive invitations from the competition directorate, as well as persons accompanying the participants are considered the guests of the competition.
- he Competition Directorate, at its discretion:
a) Independently establish the application fee for the participation in the competition. The amount of the application fee and the procedure for its payment,
in this case, it is determined by the agreement (offer) for participation in the competition posted on the official website;
b) organize the cultural and excursion program for jury members during the competition.
- All the information posted on the official website of the event is considered correct at the moment of its publication. The organizing committee retains the right to make all the necessary amendments. Should any conflict arise between the Russian and English versions of these terms, the Russian language version shall be controlling.