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REGULATIONS ON EDVARD GRIEG INTERNATIONAL ONLINE COMPOSITION COMPETITION 
November 28–30, 2025 Turku, Finland/Oslo, Norway
Turku, Finland
 

GENERAL TERMS
WHO
The competition is open to composers of all ages and nationalities. The participation in the International Edvard Grieg Composition Competition 2025 is open for both amateurs and professionals, for students from the educational establishments for culture and arts, from the universities for creative arts, as well as for teachers.

 

DEADLINE for applications is November 20, 2025.
The application form can be download from the website www.jsfestcompetition.com. 

 

RULES FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS AND COMPETITION MATERIALS
The filled application, without other materials for the competition, have to be sent by email to info@semconsulting.fi After receiving  the application, the org.commettee will send to the contestant a personal registration number and an invoice for payment. The payment for participation must be made before November 23, 2025. A copy of payment for participation, as well the materials for the competition must be sent to e-mail address before November 23.
Please, note: Separate application and fee for each category!

Composers who are going to take part in the competition should send to the Organizing Committee before November 23, 2025 to e-mail: info@semconsulting.fi the following documents:
• photocopy of passport or birth certificate
• sheet music score (in PDF format, not nesessary for electronic, electroacoustic, computer music)
• competition material (YouTube links or Mp3)
The contestant sends the contest materials under his registration number.
• In Section I also a description of the work (max 500 words)


PARTICIPATION PAYMENT
Cost of participation: 130 €. Should the applicant cancel his participation, this amount is not refundable. Payment for participation must be made before November 23, 2025. A scanned copy of confirmation of payment for application registration and participation must be sent to e-mail address: info@semconsulting.fi The contestant must put the register number when pay.

 

CATEGORIES AND AGE GROUPS
For participation in the competition, it shall be required to present 1 work. The total playing time should not exceed 15 minutes.
Contestants  can participate in the Edvard Grieg Composition Competition in two sections: section I with thematical composition and section II with free composition.

 

SECTION I
THE STORY BIHIND THE MUSIC COMPOSITION
The theme of Trolls will be the basic of the composition. The aim is to create an original musical work based on the Norwegian trolls. Trolls come from Nordic folklore and Edvard Grieg have taken them as subjects in his music. The competition in the Section I shall be held in the following categories:

 

CATEGORY A-instrumental music composition
• category A1-metal music for electric guitars
• category A2-folk/country for violin and other instruments associated with country music
• category A3-funk music for horns, keybord and vibraphone
• category A4-classical music for string instruments like violins, cellos, flutes and harp
• category A5-electronic music composition 

 

CATEGORY B-solo voice composition
• category B1-happy song
• category B2-cry song 
• category B3-lullaby 
• category B4-march 
• category B5-song of welcome 
• category B6-ballad

 

CATEGORY C-choral music composition for mixed or equal-voice choir, a capella or with  accompaniment

 

SECTION II
The competition shall be held in the following categories:
• category D- composition for any instrument solo
• category E – composition for pianos duets ”for hands”
• category F – composition for duet with piano: piano+cello, piano+violin, piano+flute, piano+oboe, piano+trombone
• category G - composition for instrumental trio/quartet/quintet
• category H - composition for electronics
• category I - composition for voice and piano
• category J - composition for chorus with or without accompaniment
• category K – composition for musical and theatrical performances
 
AGE GROUPS
• Group 1: up to 12 years
• Group 2: from 13 to 16 years
• Group 3: students
• Group 4: teachers
• Group 5: professionals
• Group 6: amateurs
 
EVALUATION CRITERIA
SECTION I
creativity and originality in the musical interpretation of the topic
quality of musical writing and interpretative feasibility
appropriateness to the character and spirituality of the Nordic Folklore and Trolls
formal and aesthetic coherence of the composition

 

SECTION II
• originality of idea and concept
• depth of topic unveiling
• professionalism (confident mastery of composer skills, sophistication of form, sense of style, degree of musical language complexity)
• quality of performance

 

JURY
The jury of the Edvard Grieg International Competition is composed of internationally recognized professional musicians and teachers. The decision made by the jury is not subject to revision. Jury members are not allowed to award points to their own students, former students or relatives. If students from the circle of jury members participate, another jury member will be appointed for these participants. We always strive for careful, apolitical and highly professional work.
 
PRIZES AWARDED AT THE ONLINE CONTEST
Participants are evaluated in section, each category and age group separately. Those who took 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th places shall be awarded a diploma of I, II, III, IV, V and VI degrees in each age group. 

 

Special Diplomas
SECTION I
For the Youngest Participant
For the Best Metal Music Composition
For the Best Country Music Composition 
For the Best Funk Music Composition 
For the Best Classical Music Composition
For the Best Electronic Music Composition 
For the Best Happy Song Composition 
For the Best Cry Song Composition 
For the Best Lullaby Song Composition 
For the Best March Song Composition 
For the Best Song of Welcome Composition 
For the Best Ballad Song Composition 
For the Best Composition for mixed or equal chor

 

SECTION II
For the Youngest Participant
For the Best Solo Instrumental Composition
For the Best Composition for duets (other than piano duets)
For the Best Composition for piano duets
For the Best Composition for trios/quartets/quintets
For the Best Composition for elektronics
For the Best Composition for voice and piano
For the Best Composition for chorus
For the Best Composition for musical and theatrical performances

No cups or cash prizes in online competition will be awarded.

 

RESULTS
The competition results will be published on the website www.jsfestcompetition.com on December 2nd, 2025. The Organizing Committee send participants diplomas by e-mail from 10 to 15 of December 2025. All questions should be directed to our email address and only by email (not by Social Media): info@semconsulting.fi and only from one and same email address.
 
RIGHTS OF ORGANIZERS
The Organizers of Scandinavian Composition Competition reserve the exclusive rights to radio broadcasting, video recording, television broadcasting, photographing of competition performances, as well as posting them on the website and in any other information systems without any compensation to the contestants and their pianists.
Copyright compliance: the Organizing Committee shall not be entitled to use and distribute for own purposes the works of the competition participants without their consent.

 

ORGANIZERS OF THE COMPETITION
Founders: SEM Consulting Oy, Finland, www.jsfestcompetition.com
E-mail address: info@semconsulting.fi, phone: +358505238257
In Collaboration with Norwegian partners
 

 
 
 
 
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