Veritas International Music Competition

A global community
converging on one stage.

Young musicians from across the world: each performance permanently verified, all finalists converging on Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York.

25+

Countries Eligible

All

Instruments & Voice

Dec 5

Winners' Concert

Inaugural Edition · New York City · 2026

Veritas International Music Competition

Hall photograph to follow

Registration Deadline October 23, 2026

Winners' Recital December 5, 2026 Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York

Who May Enter Ages 5 to 25 All nationalities, all instruments and voice

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 154 West 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, New York. Photo: Jeff Goldberg

AllInstruments & Voice

5–25Ages, Five Divisions

GlobalOpen to All Nations

VideoJudged from Submitted Video

About Veritas International Music Competition

Veritas

Latin · Truth · Authenticity · Verified Achievement

The Veritas International Music Competition is a premier global platform for young musicians aged 5 to 25, open to all nationalities, all instruments, all voices. Entries are judged from submitted videos, and the season culminates in a Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall on December 5, 2026, where the top young musicians perform.

Veritas is built on a simple conviction: every young artist who earns recognition deserves credentials that are permanent, verifiable, and universally respected, not trophies that fade, but records that hold their meaning for a lifetime.

Our competition pairs rigorous evaluation by a panel of named, accomplished adjudicators with a permanently verified credential for every honoree, a combination with no direct equivalent in youth music worldwide.

The 2026 season is the inaugural edition of the Veritas International Music Competition. Every honoree of this first season receives a blockchain-verified certificate at no cost, a permanent record of where they placed in the competition's first year. The Global Grand Prize names its inaugural recipient this December.

Online Submission

Enter from anywhere in the world. Submit your performance video online, with no travel required to be considered by the jury.

Carnegie Hall Winners' Concert

Winners are invited to perform at the Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, on December 5, 2026.

Blockchain Certificate

Every honoree receives a blockchain-verified certificate, a tamper-proof, permanently verifiable record that travels with the artist.

Instruments & Age Divisions

The Veritas International Music Competition is open to students of all nationalities, races, and backgrounds, ages 5 to 25, across five age divisions. Applicants under 18 require a parent or guardian signature.

Classical Music

Piano Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Harp Classical Guitar Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone Trumpet French Horn Trombone Tuba Percussion Voice Chamber Music

Each instrument is judged in its own independent category.

Age Divisions

Division	Age	Level
I	Age 5–9	Junior
II	Age 10–12	Preparatory
III	Age 13–15	Intermediate
IV	Age 16–18	Senior
V	Age 19–25	Young Artist

Age as of registration deadline, October 23, 2026.

Entry fee from $165 for solo entries and from $85 per performer for chamber ensembles. Full rates by payment method are shown on the registration page.

Adjudication Panel

A distinguished international panel of performing artists and educators adjudicates the Veritas International Music Competition. We name our jury openly: transparency is part of the verification Veritas stands for.

Lucille Chung

Piano · Chamber

Donald Dal Maso

Violin · Viola

Yi Qun Xu

Cello

Steven D. Hartman

Clarinet · Flute

Hyungjin Son

Voice · Baritone

Full panel & biographies

View the Jury →

Award Structure

Win for your state.
Win for your country.
Win for the world.

In addition to international prize levels, including the Global Grand Prize, every winner also receives a regional title. Recognition is built in layers: state, country, and world.

State

State Winner

Awarded to top entrants representing their state, province, or region.

Country

National Winner

Awarded to leading entrants representing their country on the international stage.

World

Global Grand Prize

The highest international distinction in the competition, awarded across all nations.

Every winner also receives

01
Winners' Concert · Weill Recital Hall
Winners are invited to perform at the Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, on December 5, 2026. Participation involves a separate concert fee.
02
Blockchain-Verified Certificate
A permanently verifiable, tamper-proof certificate of your achievement, recorded on a blockchain and verifiable anywhere, for life.

The stage and seating of Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, where the Winners' Recital is held on December 5, 2026.

Photo: Jeff Goldberg

2026 Calendar

Oct 23Registration
Deadline

Oct 24–27Adjudication

Oct 28Results
Announced

Dec 5Winners' Concert
Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall

Questions

The competition is open to musicians aged 5 to 25 of every nationality and background, across five age divisions. Age is counted as of October 23, 2026. Every orchestral instrument, classical guitar, harp, percussion, voice, and chamber ensembles are eligible, and each instrument is judged in its own category.

Entirely from the video you submit, by a named international jury of performing artists and educators. No travel is required to be considered.

One single, continuous, unedited performance. Submit it as an unlisted or public YouTube or Vimeo link. The video is how your performance is judged, so make sure the link plays for anyone who opens it.

Solo entries are $165 by Zelle and $170 by Venmo or PayPal. Chamber ensembles are $85 per performer by Zelle and $90 per performer by Venmo or PayPal. The entry fee is not refundable once the application is submitted.

Adjudication runs from October 24 to 27, 2026, and results are announced on October 28, 2026.

A regional title at state, national, or world level, a blockchain-verified certificate issued at no cost, and an invitation to perform at the Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, on December 5, 2026. Concert participation involves a separate fee, and invited winners are notified with the details.

For the competition video, the jury may stop viewing at the time limit for your division, and the portion beyond it is not adjudicated. Entries are not disqualified for length. For the Winners' Recital, each performer is given a set slot. A longer selection may be performed as a single movement or an approved cut within that slot, or in an extended slot, which is requested and paid for when you accept your Winners' Recital invitation. Extended slots are limited in number.

Yes. You may enter more than one instrument or category. Each entry is registered separately, carries its own entry fee, and is judged on its own.

Yes. Accompanists are welcome and pay no entry fee. Only the competing soloist or ensemble is registered and adjudicated.

Yes for solo entries, with two exceptions: wind instruments and chamber ensembles may perform with the score.

Yes. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to consent to the entry and accept the competition terms on the applicant's behalf. The registration form includes this step.

A record of your placement written to a blockchain, so it can be checked by anyone, anywhere, for life, and cannot be altered after the fact. Every honoree receives one at no additional cost.

A global communityconverging on one stage.