Online Registration Opens July 1st , 2026 • Golden Coast International Music Competition • Live Competition September 19 & 26, 2026 •
GOLDEN COASTInternational music COMPETITION
-
Piano
-
Strings
-
Winds
-
Voice
-
All performances must be presented live and in person.
-
Age is determined as of August 1, 2026. (Example: If a child was born on August 2, 2018, they will be considered 7 years old for this competition and are eligible for the 7 & Under division.)
-
Participants may enter both the Solo Division and Concerto Division.
-
Separate applications and entry fees are required for each division.
-
The Competition Committee reserves the right to verify a contestant's age and eligibility at any time
Fees
Solo Division: $95
Concerto Division: $135
-
Registration Opens: July 1, 2026
-
Application Deadline: September 2, 2026
-
Applications received after the deadline may not be accepted
-
SOLO DIVISION
Division/Maximum Performance Time
7 years old & Under / 3 minutes
9 years old & Under / 4 minutes
11 years old & Under / 5 minutes
13 year old & Under / 5 minutes
15 years old & Under / 7 minutes
18 years old & Under / 7 minutes
Adult / 8 minutes
Solo Division Requirements
-
Repertoire is of the contestant's choice.
-
Contestants may perform one or more selections, provided the total performance time does not exceed the time limit for their division.
-
All piano performances must be memorized.
-
Memorization is optional for contestants in the Strings, Winds, and Voice categories.
-
Judges may stop performances that exceed the time limit.
CONCERTO DIVISION
Division / Maximum Audition Time
10 & Under / 7 minutes
13 & Under / 8 minutes
15 & Under / 8 minutes
18 & Under / 9 minutes
Adult / 10 minutes
Concerto Division Requirements
• Contestants must perform one movement of a concerto.
• To comply with the performance time limit, contestants may perform cuts during the audition round.
• Piano accompaniment is required for all audition performances.
• All concerto selections must have commercially available orchestral scores and parts suitable for orchestral performance.
• Contestants must provide complete composer, title, publisher, and source information for obtaining the orchestral score and parts upon request.
• Selected winners may be invited to perform with the orchestra at the Winners Concert.
• Winners may be required to perform the complete concerto movement at the Winners Concert, regardless of any cuts made during the audition round.
• The Competition reserves the right to reject repertoire for which orchestral materials are unavailable or cannot be obtained in a timely manner.
-
Event Date
-
Audition Dates: September 19 & 26, 2026
-
Winners Concert with Orchestra: October 18 & 25, 2026
-
-
Event Time
-
Pending
-
-
Location
-
La Verne University
-
AWARDS
This is an open audition competition.
Awards, scholarship prizes, and invitations to perform at the Winners Concert will be granted based on artistic merit and at the sole discretion of the judging panel.
The number of awards and orchestra performance invitations may vary from year to year based on the number of applicants and the overall level of performance. Awards may include: •
First Place Scholarship Award: $200 •
Second Place Scholarship Award: $150 •
Third Place Scholarship Award: $100 •
Honorable Mention Award: $25 •
First-Place, Second-Place, Third-Place, and Honorable-Mention winners will receive official certificates of achievement. •
Selected Concerto Division winners may be invited to perform with the orchestra at the Winners Concert.
RIGHT TO WITHHOLD AWARDS The judges reserve the right not to award any prize in a division if, in their opinion, no contestant meets the required artistic standard.
GOLDEN COAST INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION 2026
OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS
Piano • Strings • Winds • Voice
AUDITION DATES
September 19 & 26, 2026
WINNERS CONCERT WITH ORCHESTRA
October 18 & 25, 2026
University of La Verne
La Verne, California, USA
REGISTRATION OPENS
July 1, 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE
September 1, 2026
Email: info@goldencoastcompetition.org
ELIGIBILITY
The Golden Coast International Music Competition is open to musicians of all nationalities and backgrounds.
CATEGORIES
• Piano
• Strings
• Winds
• Voice
• All performances must be presented live and in person.
• Contestant age is determined as of August 1, 2026. (Example: If a child was born on August 2, 2018, they will be considered 7 years old for this competition and are eligible for the 7 & Under Division.)
• Participants may enter both the Solo Division and Concerto Division. Separate applications and entry fees are required for each division.
• The Competition Committee reserves the right to verify a contestant's age and eligibility at any time.
COMPETITION DATES
Competition Dates (Solo & Concerto Divisions)
September 19 & 26, 2026
Winners Concert with Orchestra
October 18 & 25, 2026
Location
Southern California, USA
The Competition reserves the right to assign contestants to specific audition and Winners Concert dates based on scheduling needs.
Venue details and performance schedules will be announced after the application deadline.
DIVISIONS & PERFORMANCE TIME LIMITS
SOLO DIVISION
7 & Under — 3 minutes
9 & Under — 4 minutes
11 & Under — 5 minutes
13 & Under — 6 minutes
15 & Under — 6 minutes
18 & Under — 7 minutes
Adult — 8 minutes
Solo Division Requirements
• Repertoire is of the contestant's choice.
• Contestants may perform one or more selections, provided the total performance time does not exceed the time limit for their division
• All piano performances must be memorized.
• Memorization is optional for contestants in the Strings, Winds, and Voice categories.
• Judges may stop performances that exceed the time limit.
CONCERTO DIVISION
10 & Under — 7 minutes
13 & Under — 8 minutes
15 & Under — 8 minutes
18 & Under — 9 minutes
Adult — 10 minutes
Concerto Division Requirements
• Contestants must perform one movement of a concerto.
• To comply with the performance time limit, contestants may perform cuts during the audition round.
• Piano accompaniment is required for all audition performances.
• All concerto selections must have commercially available orchestral scores and parts suitable for orchestral performance.
• Contestants must provide complete composer, title, publisher, and source information for obtaining the orchestral score and parts upon request.
• Selected winners may be invited to perform with the orchestra at the Winners Concert.
• Winners may be required to perform the complete concerto movement at the Winners Concert, regardless of any cuts made during the audition round.
• Selection for performance with the orchestra is at the sole discretion of the Competition Committee and depends on artistic merit, programming considerations, and available performance opportunities.
• The Competition reserves the right to reject repertoire for which orchestral materials are unavailable or cannot be obtained in a timely manner.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
September 1, 2026
Applications received after the deadline may not be accepted.
ENTRY FEES
• Solo Division: $95
• Concerto Division: $135
Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
MUSIC SCORES
• Contestants must use original published scores.
• Photocopied music is not permitted except for page-turning purposes.
• Judges may request a review of the score at any time.
ACCOMPANISTS
• Contestants are responsible for providing their own accompanist.
• The Competition does not provide accompanists.
GENERAL RULES
• The judges' decisions are final.
• The Competition reserves the right to make necessary changes to the rules, schedule, venue, awards, or other competition matters.
• Participation in the Competition grants permission for photographs, video recordings, and performances to be used for promotional purposes without additional compensation.
• By submitting an application, contestants agree to abide by all Competition rules and decisions.