JSFest competition

REGULATIONS FOR HOLDING EDVARD GRIEG INTERNATIONAL ONLINE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC COMPETITION
November 28–30, 2025 Turku, Finland/Oslo, Norway
 
WHO
Soloists and collectives of all levels of experience and ages from different countries can take part in the competition. The competition will be held online and in one round.

 

DEADLINE for applications is November 15, 2025.
The application form can be download from the website www.jsfestcompetition.com. The filled application, without the YouTube links of the performances, 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 18, 2025. A copy of payment for participation, as well the YouTube link(s) must be sent to e-mail address before November 20.
Please, note: Separate application for each category!

 

The participants, who are going to take part in the competition, must send to the org.committee via e-mail info@semconsulting.fi the following documents before November 15:
• a photo of the contestant
• a short creative biography (text about the participant, 8–10 sentences)
• a photocopy of passport or birth certificate
• competition videomaterials (YouTube links) send before November 20th, 2025.
 
VIDEO RECORDING REQUIREMENTS
The video recording must be made no earlier than January 1st, 2025. It is allowed to use both professional and amateur video recordings, incl. from various concert venues, subject to all other requirements. The competitor sends all materials under the registration number without the personal information

 

Competitive video material can be presented:
1) in the form of one video recording, i.e. all works are performed in succession one after another and the recording should be made in one file without interruption and editing. Pauses in recording between compositions are allowed. The video recording must be signed as follows (for example, participant registration number - 15):
15_1_ Arrangement from Lyric Pieces _2_Valse Triste 
 
2) or in the form of separate video recordings of competitive works, each file must be signed (registration number and title of a specific work in accordance with the sequence of performances), for example (participant registration number - 15):
15_1_ Elegiac Melodies, op.34_ Grieg, 15_2_Song of the minstrel_ Glazunov

 

Each piece should be shot in one continuous take. It is forbidden to process using any effects and edit video during performance. The video must clearly show the competitor (full height), the accompanist and the instrument (piano or grand piano). In the group nomination, all members of the group / ensemble must be clearly visible.

 

Exceeding the time limit for the execution of the competition program by more than 60 seconds is not allowed. If the video recording does not comply with the technical requirements of the Competition, the organizing committee has the right to demand that the video material be provided in the required quality or to reject the application.
 
PARTICIPATION PAYMENT
Cost of participation: €80 / soloist, € 140 / duo, € 180 / trio and € 210 / quartet, €240 quintet, ensembles starting from six peoples pay € 260. Payment is for one category. Participation in several categories is posible, while for each of them a separate application and the corresponding payment are provided.
 
PERFORMANCE OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMPETITION
THE PROGRAM
Soloists and collectives can participate in the Edvard Grieg Competition in two sections: section I with obligatory performance of Edvard Grieg and section II without obligatory performance. 
All soloists participants have to perform by heart, exept piano accompaniment (if needed) and chamber music.

 

SECTION I WITH EDVARD GRIEG OBLIGATORY PERFORMANCE FROM CATEGORY A TO CATEGORY W
SOLO PERFORMANCE
 

Age categories: under 7 years old, 8–11 years old, 12–15 years old, 16–20 years old and over 20 years old

 

Performance time is no more than 5 minutes for age under 7 years old, 12 minutes of age under 16 and no more than 15 minutes for categories of age over 16 years old.

 

Program for categories A and D-R: one obligatory piece by Edvard Grieg, suitable for your level and age group and one piece of your own choice. For some instruments arrangement by Edvard Grieg is posible.
Categories B, C and S have different program.

 

Categories are according the instrument: A- piano, D-organ, E-harpsichord, F-violin, G-viola, H-cello, I-double bass, J-harp, K-flute/piccolo, L-clarinet, M-oboe, N-bassoon, O-trumpet, P-tuba, Q-french horn, R-percussion (drums, xylophone, triangle)

 

Category B-piano 
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) Composition by Edvard Grieg 
2) Composition of own choice of Romantic Era

 

Category C-piano
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) Norvegian Melody by Edvard Grieg 
2) Folk piece of own country

 

Category S: Concertmasters of age over 20 years old
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) Composition by Edvard Grieg
2) A piece of the participant´s country

 

CHAMBER MUSIC 
Chamber performance (duets, trios, quartets, quintets and ensembles of more than 5 people up to 12 people) Ensembles can perform any instruments (string instruments, church music instruments, percussion instruments).

 

Performance time is no more than 12 minutes for duos/trios and 15 minutes for quartets and orchestras.  

 

Program for categories T-X: one obligatory piece by Edvard Grieg, suitable for your level and age group and one piece of your own choice. For some instruments arrangement by Edvard Grieg is posible.

 

Categories: T-pianos duets “four hands”, U-instrumental duet with piano: piano+cello, piano+violin, piano+flute, piano+oboe, piano+trombone, V-instrumental trio/quartet/quintet, W-Chamber orchestras (more than 12 people)

 

SECTION II WITHOUT OBLIGATORY PERFORMANCE OF EDVARD GRIEG FROM CATEGORY X TO CATEGORY Z
Category X: Instrumental solo performance (all instruments: piano, violin, viola, violoncello, harp, guitar, clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, French horn, percussion instruments such as Marimba, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Timpani, Multi percussion) without an obligatory composition
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) Composition by an European composer
2) Composition of own choice
Performance time is no more than 5 minutes for age under 7 years old, 12 minutes of age under 16 and no more than 15 minutes for categories of age over 16 years old.

 

Category Y-Chamber performance (duets, trios, quartets, quintets and ensembles of more than 5 people up to 12 people). Ensembles can perform any instruments (string instruments, church music instruments, percussion instruments) 
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) Composition by an European composer
2) Composition at the choice
Performance time is no more than 12 minutes for duos/trios and 15 minutes for quartets and orchestras.  

 

Category Z-concertmaster
Z1-concertmasters of age 16–20
The program – two compositions are performed:
1) A piece of Scandinavian composer
2) Folk piece of the participants country

 

Z2-concertmasters of age 16–20
The program – two compositions of own choice are performed.
Performance time for category Z1 and Z2 is no more than 10 minutes.

 

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 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
• For the Youngest Participant
• For the Best Edvard Grieg Solo Performance
• For the Best Edvard Grieg Chamber Performance
• For the Best Concertmaster Performance
• For the Best Performance of Scandinavian Composer
• For the Best Performance of European Composer (other than from Scandinavian Countries)
• For the Best Performance of own Choice
• For the Best Performance of own Country
No cups or cash prizes 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.
 
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