139º Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música “Ciudad de València” (CIBM) 2027

This is a long-running band competition in the heart of Valencia, where ensembles compete across five categories defined mainly by how many musicians you bring. Non-professional bands enter Honor (111-140 players), Primera (81-110), Segunda (61-80) or Tercera (40-60); a fifth category, Libre (40-80 players), is open to professional, youth and conservatory-affiliated bands as well. Each band can only enter one section, and places are capped - roughly five or six per category - so if more bands apply than there's room for, a lottery decides who gets in. Every band performs in the Palau de la Música over five days in July 2027, playing one set piece plus a piece of their choosing (Libre bands choose both). Two juries score the performances, and the highest-scoring first-place band in each section also wins that category's separate cash prize; placement itself earns a diploma rather than money. What makes this worth the trip is that the city pays every band that takes part - between €4,000 and €12,000 depending on section - on top of any prize won, though all figures depend on the 2027 municipal budget being approved as expected. Applying means registering with Valencia's city council between 19 and 26 October 2026 and confirming, in writing, that you're performing with your regular lineup; correspondence with the organizers is in Spanish.