2022 Annual Competition
Entry Info

Welcome to the Pacific Musical Society & Foundation's 2022 Annual Competition!

Based on the success of last year’s Virtual Showcase, and in response to continued uncertainty relating to the ongoing pandemic, the Pacific Musical competition will again be held virtually in 2022. A significant benefit of this format is that it enables our panel of prominent judges to provide personalized feedback to each contestant, an aspect that was very well-received last year and supports our mission of providing developmental support to young classical musicians. Additionally, we will be restoring some of the elements of our historic competition, like tiered prize categories.

For the 2022 competition:

  • There will be a single round of judging.

  • Judging for performance categories will be based on video submissions.

  • Contestants will receive individual feedback from the judging panel.

  • The composition category will be expanded to ages 17‒25. Composition submissions must be accompanied by an audio recording in addition to the score.

  • First, Second, and Third-place scholarships will again be available in each category (see entry information packet for specifics).

  • Winners will be announced on February 28, 2022, and their video submissions will be featured in an online showcase shortly thereafter.

  • There will be no pre-registration deadline this year

The judging panel for the 2022 competition will include:

  • Piano: Petras Geniušas, Orion Weiss

  • Strings: Dmitri Berlinsky, Jennifer Koh

  • Vocal: Sheri Greenawald

  • Composition: Mason Bates

The application and video submission deadline for the 2022 Competition is January 16, 2022.

Download the 2022 Competition Information Pack
Enter before January 16, 2022

Instructions to Applicants:
Please read these instructions in their entirety.

You must complete all the steps below and submit your application fee by 11:59pm PT on January 16, 2022.

Step 1:
Participation in the competition requires an application fee of $80.00. Submit your non-refundable fee of $80.00 via PayPal in advance of the January 16, 2022 final application deadline.

Pay $80 application fee

Step 2:
Upload your video submissions to YouTube. All your videos must be uploaded to YouTube before they can be entered in the competition. Each piece you're submitting must be uploaded separately (for example, if you are applying for a piano competition, you will upload four separate videos). Log into your YouTube account, and upload your video submissions to your account. You must mark your videos as Public or Unlisted on YouTube for them to be available to enter in the competition. Children may have their videos submitted through a parent's account. Note that all videos must be recorded on or after July 16, 2021 (within the last 6 months of the application deadline)

Step 3:
Complete and submit the online application form by 11:59pm on January 16, 2022. The form will ask you to supply links to the YouTube videos you uploaded in Step 2, so please have those handy.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: Can a selection be an excerpt or partial work?

    A: Each selection must be a complete movement or complete work in itself.

  • Q: What composers are considered Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century?

    A: Lists of Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century composers are available on Wikipedia. Please note that for the 20th Century category, compositions must be written after 1915.

  • Q: Which instruments are included in the 'instrumental' category?

    A: Orchestral string instruments only. Woodwinds, harp, and guitar have been eliminated from this category starting in 2019.

  • Q: Can multiple contestants apply together?

    A: Each contestant must apply separately. If an applicant wishes to compete in multiple categories, they should apply to each category separately and pay a separate application fee for each category.

  • Q: Must all works be memorized?

    A: All works must be memorized and performed from memory in the video submissions and live finals.

  • Q: For accompanied works, must they be performed with accompaniment?

    A: We strongly prefer that accompanied works be performed with accompaniment in the video submissions. However, due to continued uncertain circumstances of the global pandemic, we will accept videos performed without accompaniment.

  • Q: What should I submit for a Composition entry?
    A: Composition entries must be submitted as a PDF file of the score, generated by a commonly recognized music notation program such as Finale or Sibelius. Score must be accompanied by an audio recording, either a computer-generated playback or live audio recording.

  • Q: What are your requirements for video submissions?
    A: Videos must meet the following requirements. Note that if the judges deem the recording quality too poor to evaluate properly, or see signs of editing or audio manipulation, the contestant will be disqualified with no recourse.

    • Videos must be recorded live with no editing, reverb, or other audio filters or enhancements applied.

    • Videos must be recorded on or after July 16, 2021 (i.e. within 6 months of the application deadline).

    • For pianists, videos must be framed so that performer’s hands and feet (pedaling) are visible.

    • For string players, videos must be framed so both hands can be seen; the instrument’s f-holes (not the scroll) should point toward the camera.

    • For vocalists, videos must be framed so that the performer is visible from at least the waist up.

    • The microphone used for recording should be no more than 8 feet from the performer.

    • The recording space should be as acoustically “dead” as possible.