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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.

Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall LOS ANGELES SÃO PAULO LONDON PARIS BERLIN MOSCOW DUBAI MUMBAI SINGAPORE BEIJING SEOUL TOKYO SYDNEY CAPE TOWN
25+
Countries Eligible
All
Instruments & Voice
Dec 5
Winners' Concert

Inaugural Edition · New York City · 2026

Veritas International Music Competition
Registration Deadline November 4, 2026
Winners' Recital December 5, 2026 Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York
Who May Enter Ages 5 to 125 Students 5–18
Young Artists 19–28
Artists 29–125
Adult Amateurs 18–125All nationalities

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

Register Now Discover the Competition
AllInstruments & Voice
5–125Student, Artist & Adult Amateur 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 competition and a celebration for everyone who makes music and loves it: any instrument, including voice, any age from 5 to 125, music major or not, from every country, as a soloist or in a chamber ensemble. Students aged 5 to 28 compete by age, music majors aged 29 and over enter the Artist Division, and musicians aged 18 to 125 who did not major in the instrument or voice they enter have their own Adult Amateur Division, so every performer is judged among peers. Entries are judged from submitted videos, so anyone can take part without travel.

Veritas is built on a simple belief: everyone who loves music deserves to be recognized and celebrated for it. Whatever your age, your training, or where you live, Veritas gives you the chance to be heard by an international jury and to perform on the stage of Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Our competition pairs rigorous evaluation by a panel of named, accomplished adjudicators with a permanently verified credential for every honoree, so each result can be checked by anyone, anywhere, for life.

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.

01
Online Submission

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

02
Carnegie Hall Winners' Concert

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

03
Blockchain Certificate

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

Categories

Instruments & Divisions

The Veritas International Music Competition is open to musicians of all nationalities, races, and backgrounds. Students aged 5 to 28 compete in five age divisions. Music majors aged 29 and over enter the Artist Division, and adults who did not major in the instrument or voice they enter may enter the Adult Amateur Division. Applicants under 18 require a parent or guardian signature.

Instruments
Piano Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Harp Classical Guitar Flute Piccolo Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone Trumpet French Horn Trombone Tuba Percussion Voice Traditional Music (any culture, instrument or voice, solo) Chamber Music

Each instrument is judged in its own independent category. Chamber Music includes piano four hands (two pianists at one piano) and works for two pianos. Weill Recital Hall provides one concert grand, so a two-piano work at the Winners' Recital requires a second piano at the performers' cost; otherwise winners may perform a solo or four-hands work.

Divisions
Ages 5 to 18

Student Divisions

DivisionAgeLevel
IAge 5–9Junior
IIAge 10–12Preparatory
IIIAge 13–15Intermediate
IVAge 16–18Senior

One Student Grand Prize is awarded across Divisions I to IV. Age as of October 30, 2026. Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian signature.

Ages 19 to 28 · Division V

Young Artist Division

The top Student Division, for university, conservatory, and graduate students.

  • Who. Musicians aged 19 to 28. Undergraduate, graduate, and conservatory music students are all welcome.
  • Judging. Judged within the Student Divisions. One Young Artist Grand Prize, and Division V entrants are eligible for the Global Grand Prize.
  • Entry. Solo or chamber, on any instrument or in voice.
  • Not a music major? You may choose the Adult Amateur Division instead.
  • Winners' Recital. Winners perform on December 5 at Weill Recital Hall.
Ages 29 to 125 · New

Artist Division

For music majors and professional musicians aged 29 and over.

  • Who. You majored, or are majoring, in the instrument or voice you enter. Graduate students, graduates, performers, and teachers are all welcome.
  • Aged 28 or younger? Music majors enter the Young Artist Division.
  • Judging. Judged separately from the Student Divisions, with its own awards, including one Artist Grand Prize.
  • Entry. Solo or chamber. Video, fee, and memorization rules are the same as the Student Divisions.
  • Winners' Recital. A dedicated Artist Division segment on December 5.
Ages 18 to 125 · New

Adult Amateur Division

For adult musicians who perform for the love of music, from age 18 to 125.

  • Who. You did not major in the instrument or voice you enter. A violin graduate may enter on piano, for example. Teaching or performing for pay is fine.
  • Aged 18 to 28? Choose this division or the Student Division for your age, not both for the same category.
  • Judging. Judged separately, with its own awards, including one Adult Amateur Grand Prize.
  • Entry. Solo or chamber, including vocal ensembles. Memorization is not required.
  • Winners' Recital. A dedicated Adult Amateur segment on December 5.

Chamber ensembles enter the Artist Division when any member is aged 29 or over and majored in the part they play, and may enter the Adult Amateur Division when at least one member meets the amateur rule for their part. Amateur status is confirmed on the registration form. The Global Grand Prize goes to the highest-scoring performer in Divisions I to V; a tie is decided by a jury vote. Winners unable to attend on December 5 may request to be considered for the following season's Winners' Recital, subject to availability. Age is counted as of October 30, 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

Hyungjin Son

Voice · Baritone

Full panel & biographies

View the Jury →
Award Structure

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

Every winner receives a regional title, built in layers: state, country, and world. Each of the four divisions also names one Grand Prize, and one Global Grand Prize is the competition's highest honor.

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 competition's highest honor, awarded across all nations. One recipient: the highest-scoring performer in Divisions I to V. A tie is decided by a jury vote.

Division Grand Prizes
Divisions I to IV · Ages 5 to 18
Student Grand Prize

One recipient across the four Student Divisions.

Division V · Ages 19 to 28
Young Artist Grand Prize

One recipient in the Young Artist Division.

Ages 29 to 125
Artist Grand Prize

One recipient in the Artist Division.

Ages 18 to 125
Adult Amateur Grand Prize

One recipient in the Adult Amateur Division.

A younger student can win. Every performance is scored against the standard for the performer's age division, not against older entrants. The Global Grand Prize then goes to the highest score in Divisions I to V, whatever the performer's age.

2026 Special Award
Pablo Casals playing the cello, around 1915 to 1920
Pablo Casals, c. 1915-1920
Library of Congress
Cello · 2026 only
Special Veritas Cello Award
150th Anniversary of Pablo Casals's Birth

December 29, 2026 marks 150 years since the birth of the cellist Pablo Casals. To honor the anniversary, this award is presented in 2026 only, to one cellist chosen by the jury for the finest cello performance in the Student Divisions, Divisions I to V. Every cello entrant in these divisions is considered automatically, with no separate application or fee.

The Veritas Winners' Recital and the KYHS Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 2026, with the Special Veritas Cello Award and the Special KYHS Cello Award, are part of the official program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pablo Casals (Casals 150), promoted by the Pau Casals Foundation.

Open to Every Entrant
A Special Awards Program · Any age, any division
Story Behind My Music

Share the story of what music means to you, as a 2 to 3 minute video or a written essay, and be recognized for it independent of your performance results. The highest honor is The Hai-Kyung Suh Award. Entry fee from $65. Deadline November 10, 2026.

Submit Your Story →

Every winner also receives
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
Nov 4Registration
Deadline
Nov 5–7Adjudication
Nov 8Results
Announced
Dec 5Winners' Concert, 1:00 PM
Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall
Questions
Yes. The Veritas International Music Competition is an online music competition judged entirely from video, and its winners are invited to perform at the Winners' Recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 2026. It is open to everyone, at any age from 5 to 125, on any instrument or in voice, and entries close November 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
The Veritas International Music Competition is an online international music competition, now in its inaugural 2026 season. It is open to musicians of every nationality, on any instrument or in voice, solo or chamber. Entrants submit one unedited performance video, and winners perform at the Winners' Recital at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, on December 5, 2026. Entries close November 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Anyone who loves music may enter, with no limits: any instrument, including voice, any age from 5 to 125, music major or not, from every country. Each performer is then judged among peers. Students aged 5 to 28 compete in five age divisions. Music majors aged 29 and over enter the Artist Division, and adults aged 18 to 125 who did not major in the instrument or voice they enter may enter the Adult Amateur Division. Age is counted as of October 30, 2026. Piano, every orchestral instrument, classical guitar, harp, percussion, voice, traditional music from any culture, and chamber ensembles are eligible, and each instrument is judged in its own category.
Yes. The Adult Amateur Division is open to musicians aged 18 to 125 who did not major in the instrument or voice they enter, as soloists or in chamber ensembles, including vocal ensembles. Adult entries are judged separately and receive their own awards, and winners perform in a dedicated segment of the December 5 Winners' Recital. See Adult Amateur Division for full eligibility.
Yes. Undergraduate and graduate music students, including conservatory students, are welcome in the Student Divisions up to age 28, most often in the Young Artist Division (ages 19 to 28). Music majors aged 29 and over, including graduate students and professional musicians, enter the Artist Division, judged separately with its own awards. If you did not major in the instrument or voice you enter, you may choose the Adult Amateur Division instead, where you are judged among fellow amateurs.
Yes. Veritas welcomes traditional music from every culture, both instrumental and vocal, such as the daegeum, guzheng, janggu, erhu, koto, or pansori, as solo entries. Select “Traditional Music” on the registration form and enter your instrument or vocal tradition. A traditional accompanist, such as a gosu for pansori, may perform with you and pays no entry fee. Each instrument or tradition is judged in its own category by an adjudicator with expertise in that field, using the same criteria and age-division standards as all other entries. Traditional ensembles are not accepted in 2026.
Entirely from the video you submit, by a named international jury of performing artists and educators. No travel is required to be considered.
The 2026 jury is Lucille Chung (piano and chamber music), Donald Dal Maso (violin and viola), Yi Qun Xu (cello), Steven D. Hartman (clarinet), and Hyungjin Son (voice). Full biographies are on the Jury page.
One single, continuous, unedited performance, recorded within the past year, that is, on or after October 30, 2025. 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, $170 by Venmo, and $175 by credit or debit card. Chamber ensembles are $85 per performer by Zelle and $90 per performer by card or Venmo. Card payments are processed securely by Stripe. The entry fee is not refundable once the application is submitted.
Adjudication runs from November 5 to November 7, 2026, and results are announced on November 8, 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. One Grand Prize is awarded in each of the four divisions (Student, Young Artist, Artist, and Adult Amateur), and one Global Grand Prize goes to the highest-scoring performer in Divisions I to V, with a jury vote only in the event of a tie. Concert participation involves a separate fee, and invited winners are notified with the details.
Yes. Every performance is scored against the standard for the performer's age division, not against older entrants. Every entrant in Divisions I to IV is considered for the Student Grand Prize, and the Global Grand Prize goes to the highest score across Divisions I to V, at any age. A tie is decided by a jury vote.
A special award presented in 2026 only, honoring the 150th anniversary of the birth of the cellist Pablo Casals (born December 29, 1876). Its name was chosen in consultation with the Pau Casals Foundation. Our jury will choose one recipient for the finest cello performance in the Student Divisions, Divisions I to V. Every cello entrant in these divisions is considered automatically, with no separate application or additional fee. As with every winner, the recipient has the opportunity to perform at the Winners' Recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 2026. The Veritas Winners' Recital and the KYHS Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 2026, with the Special Veritas Cello Award and the Special KYHS Cello Award, are part of the official program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pablo Casals (Casals 150), promoted by the Pau Casals Foundation.
Story Behind My Music is a special awards program open to every Veritas entrant, at any age and in any division. Instead of a performance, you share what music means to you, as a 2 to 3 minute video or a written essay. It is judged separately from the competition, and its highest honor is The Hai-Kyung Suh Award. The entry fee is $65 by Zelle, $70 by Venmo, or $75 by card, and the deadline is November 10, 2026. Submit your story.
Yes, for the video round. Weill Recital Hall provides one concert grand, so a two-piano work at the Winners' Recital requires a second piano, which by hall rules must be a Steinway. Its rental, delivery, tuning, and stage labor are paid by the performers, and a two-piano performance is subject to the hall's prior approval. Winners may instead perform a solo or piano four-hands work. Contact us for an estimate.
Winners who are unable to attend the December 5, 2026 Winners' Recital may request to be considered for the following season's Winners' Recital, subject to availability. Please let us know when you reply to your Winners' Recital invitation.
There is no time limit for the competition video. For the Winners' Recital, each performer is given 8 minutes of performance time, not including entrance and bows. A longer selection may be performed as a single movement or an approved cut within that time, or in an extended slot of up to 3 additional minutes (11 minutes in total), added in one-minute increments and 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 three exceptions: orchestral wind instruments, chamber ensembles, and the Adult Amateur Division may perform with the score. Traditional music solos, instrumental or vocal, are performed from memory, including traditional wind instruments such as the daegeum. In the Adult Amateur Division, traditional music may also be performed 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.

Join Veritas · 2026

Submit your application.

Submit your video by November 4, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Winners are announced November 8 and are invited to perform at the Winners' Concert at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, on December 5.

Register Now
Contactinfo@veritascompetition.org
CompetitionOnline video submissionDeadline November 4, 2026 · 11:59 PM ET
Winners' ConcertDecember 5, 2026Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall