2026 World Youth Piano Competition

IMPORTANT TIMELINE:

Registration Deadline：19-05-2026
Submission Deadline：20-05-2026
Announcement Date：28-05-2026

Please complete the registration before uploading your work.

COMPETITION REGISTRATION

SUBMIT WORK

Registration Fee
Free

Nature of the Competition
Global Call

Age Categories

Preschool Group (3-5 years)
Young Children Group (6-7 years)
Children Group (8-9 years)
Pre-Teens Group (10-11 years)
Teenagers Group (12-13 years)
Youth Group (14-15 years)
Young Adults Group (16-18 years)
Open Group (19 years and above)

Submission Format

Works can be submitted through website upload, WhatsApp, Email, etc.; only one submission method is needed.
Please name the work according to the competition requirements.

Awards

Champion — 90 points or above
Runner-up — 80 points or above
Third Place — 70 points or above
Excellence Award — Remaining scorers

Competition Awards for Mentors and Groups

⭐ Excellence Mentor Award

⭐ Outstanding Group Award

Competition Content

Participants may adopt diverse art forms, including but not limited to traditional calligraphy (regular, running, cursive script), creative design (integrating paper-cutting, illustration, intangible cultural heritage elements), digital works (digital calligraphy, 3D-printed couplets), and mixed-media creations. They may create solo pieces, collaborative artworks (with 2-3 creators), or series works, and may integrate art with interactive elements (e.g., cultural-themed dynamic effects, sound) to showcase personal aesthetics and creativity. Essential artistic techniques like calligraphic brush control, rhythm coordination, layout design, and thematic expression are to be demonstrated—traditional art forms require adhering to material characteristics (rice paper, ink), while contemporary works allow innovative expression approaches. For creation tools, participants may use the competition’s recommended materials (acid-free rice paper, non-toxic ink, seal stamps) or bring their own (meeting safety/quality requirements); sketch drafts (for planning) and auxiliary tools (rulers, paperweights, sculpting knives for mixed media) are also permitted to enhance work precision and artistic effect.
Participants must submit high-quality image/video files that clearly show the full artwork, including complete details, calligraphic texture, and overall layout—special techniques (ink gradation, seal stamping, digital rendering) should be visible, and a brief description (name, age, work title, creation concept) is required. Image formats are limited to JPG/PNG (resolution no less than 300 DPI), video formats to MP4/MOV (for dynamic/interactive works), with file size not exceeding 300 MB (adjustable per actual needs), and participants should review files to ensure top visual quality and detail clarity for judging.

Competition Rules

1、Originality: All entries must be completed independently by the participant. No submissions of others' works are allowed. Participants may use their own previous competition works.

2、Content Restrictions: All entries must not contain obscene, violent, sexual, defamatory, inappropriate, or controversial content. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification without prior notice.

3、Personal Data Use: Personal information provided by participants will only be used for competition contact purposes and to distribute competition notifications.

4、Accuracy of Information: Participants must ensure that their personal information is accurate. The organizers will not be responsible for any errors.

5、Acceptance of Terms: By submitting their entries, participants agree to all competition terms and conditions. The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant believed to have violated any competition rules, and there will be no appeals process.

Scoring Criteria

Repertoire Conception & Musical Structure: Ensure a rational overall framework, balanced melodic layers and clear thematic focus for the selected piano repertoire. Main melodic lines, harmonic accompaniment and decorative passages must be well-proportioned. Section and phrase transitions should be natural, complying with core musical principles (tonal harmony, rhythmic coherence, formal structure) while allowing flexible creative interpretation for young contestants. All piano-related musical elements shall logically serve the core theme, guaranteeing full structural integrity and distinct thematic expression.

Musical Language & Style Expression: Match touch control, dynamics, articulation and performance style to the repertoire’s genre (classical, baroque, romantic, contemporary, youth-themed) and form (solo or four-hand piano). Convey the work’s emotional tone and core connotation via delicate dynamic shifts, tonal variations and flexible phrasing. Maintain a consistent, distinct stylistic identity throughout, with seamless transitions in multi-movement or collaborative pieces.

Performance Technique Mastery: Demonstrate proficient piano techniques, including finger dexterity, hand coordination, precise pedaling, tone shaping and accurate ornament rendering. Ensure steady tone production, even articulation and full command of the keyboard range. For four-hand ensembles, maintain tight rhythmic synchronization and balanced volume coordination. Blend standard technical execution with personal artistic interpretation to elevate performance quality.

Musical Appeal & Emotional Resonance: Integrate personal musical perception, emotional understanding and basic cultural awareness into the performance. Evoke audience resonance through delicate tone control, authentic emotional delivery or youthful innovative interpretation. Reflect unique artistic insight, leave a lasting impression on judges and listeners, and convey positive artistic values and the work’s core emotional message.

Awards must be applied for by the winners themselves. After completing the ordering process, the awards will be sent out within approximately two months. If winners wish to learn more about the specific requirements and application process for the awards, it is recommended to log into the designated award application platform of the association to carefully review the detailed guidelines and explanatory documents for the latest information.

The certificates issued this time are in English, while the medals and trophies are presented in Chinese. Winners must accurately fill out their names in both Chinese and English, the school they attend, their email, and other information. If there are errors in the submitted information that require modification, please contact us via WhatsApp for one free modification opportunity; subsequent modifications will incur a fee of HKD 100 each.

Each certificate is assigned a unique identification number, which corresponds to the winner's name for verification purposes by the school. If a winner modifies the certificate information without authorization, it will result in the certificate becoming invalid.

E-Certificate
HKD 268

E-Certificate、Physical Certificate
HKD 318

E-Certificate、Physical Certificate、Medal
HKD 328

E-Certificate、Physical Certificate、Trophy
HKD 368

Q1： May I ask if participants can submit multiple works for the competition?

A1： Hello, each participant can only submit one work for one competition item, but can participate in two competition items of the same competition simultaneously.

Q2： How can participants know if they have successfully submitted their works?

A2： Hello, if a participant successfully submits a work, we will notify the participant via an email or a WhatsApp message indicating successful submission.

Q3： When and where will the competition results be announced?

A3： Hello, the competition results will be announced on the association's website according to the announcement date specified in the competition details. After the results are announced, the winning information will be sent to all participants via WhatsApp or email.

Q4： The competition work cannot be uploaded to the association's website for submission. What should I do?

A4： Hello, if the competition work exceeds 15MB, participants are requested to submit the work via WhatsApp or Email. Please name the work in accordance with the competition requirements for easy verification of competition information.

Q5： Is there a more convenient way for group participation and work submission?

A5： Hello, for group participation, you can click to download the group registration form on the competition page you want to participate in, fill it out, and then send all the competition works to us via WhatsApp or Email. Please name all the competition works according to the competition requirements.

Q6： How can I pay for the award application in a currency other than Hong Kong dollars?

A6： Hello, there are various payment methods available for award - winning participants to choose from for the award application payment. The system will convert the price according to the real - time exchange rate during payment.

Group Registration Form

For groups of 4 or more members, please click the link below to access the group registration form. After filling it out, send it to us via WhatsApp or email.

For subsequent group entries, the group leader should name the works according to the competition requirements and submit all entries of the participants at once via WhatsApp or email.Entry Name: Name of Contestant - Age Group.【EG:Chan Ka Ming - Primary Group】

Group registration form

錨點 1

If there are more than four participants, you can register by filling out a group registration form.

Please send the completed form to WhatsApp.