Bach International Music Competition UK (2026 Season 3)

An online competition judged from video and audio submissions, open to musicians of any nationality — instrumentalists, singers, conductors, chamber groups, choirs, orchestras and composers. Season 3 of the 2026 cycle closes on 26 August, and a fourth season closes on 26 November, so missing one round is not fatal.

The category list is long. Six age brackets run from Prodigy (7 and under) to Professional (no age limit), each with free choice of repertoire and a time cap between five and twenty minutes. Alongside them sit period categories (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern, each split above and below 17), format categories (concerto, sonata, etude, duo, chamber, choir, orchestra), and some less usual ones: own composition, film and game music, musical and opera, national and world music, music video, and a writing category for work about music creation, education, technique or theory. Age is taken as your age, or the group average, on the deadline date.

Performers submit video with hands and face visible; composers may submit audio, including MIDI files, and works performed by others. The same video can be entered in several categories.

Judging covers technique, rhythm and maturity alongside musicianship, expressiveness and creativity. Be aware this is a fee-paying online competition. Musicalchairs, which lists it, attaches an advisory note urging applicants to check what the fee buys in jury attention and feedback before entering.