National Concerto Competition - National Concerto Competition

2025/2026

Instrumental

58th National Concerto Competition

The 2025/2026 National Concerto Competition is open to all instrumentalists aged 25 years and under. Entries will open on Monday 14th July 2025 and close on Friday 10th October 2025 at 5.00 p.m. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Rehearsals will begin on Monday 1st December 2025 and possibly go through to Tuesday 2nd December 2025 (morning only), The preliminary section of the Competition will begin on Tuesday 2nd (afternoon and evening only), Wednesday 3rd December 2025 and Thursday 4th December 2025 (morning only). The semi-final is Thursday 4th December 2025, 7.00 p.m. at The Piano, 156 Armagh Street Christchurch.

The final will be held on Saturday 7th March 2026 in the Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall. Finalists will perform with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Judd.

The adjudicators for the 2025/2026 National Concerto Competition are:
Mark Walton is a highly respected and popular figure in the Australian and New Zealand musical scene and widely acknowledged as a virtuoso clarinet and saxophone performer, and inspiring teacher.

Wilma Smith has had a long and celebrated orchestral career as Concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and then the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Currently, Wilma is Second Violinist of the Flinders Quartet, curator/violinist of her own chamber music series, Wilma & Friends, and Musica Viva Australia’s Artistic Director of Competitions, overseeing the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and Strike A Chord, the Australian national chamber music competition for school-aged students.

Discover the full list of previous winners of the Competition in our archive.

The Adjudicators

Josephine Vains

Cellist, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Debbie Rawson

Former Head of Woodwind, New Zealand School of Music

Donald Armstrong

First Violin, Associate Concertmaster NZSO

The competition for 2025/2026 is open to Instrumental players, who are under the age of 25 years on 31st December 2025. Competitors will be either New Zealand citizens, persons having resided in New Zealand for over one year or overseas students studying in New Zealand for the 2025 current academic year. Please note the following:

That if you become a “Winner of the National Concerto Competition” you are not eligible to enter the competition again.

That a “Finalist may re-enter the National Concerto Competition” but must select an alternative work.

To enter the competition please click the "enter now" tab. The non-refundable entry fee of $200.00 (includes GST) can be paid via online banking to Payee Name: The Christchurch Civic Music Council National Concerto Competition Trust - Account Number: 38/ 9010/ 0480141/ 00 – please put name in reference. This must be received at the time of entering the competition. Please note: when transferring the money to our account you must use the competition's full name (as stated above). As you will be aware most banks have introduced a checking system now.

At the discretion of the adjudicators, the following awards will be made:

First prize: $10,000.00
Second prize: $5,000.00
Third prize: $2,500.00

The three unplaced semi-finalists will each receive: $700.00
The most promising performer not selected for the Semi-Final: $400.00

Competitors may nominate any concerto of their choice with the proviso that the National Concerto Competition Trustees will have the right to discuss repertoire choice with a contestant on the grounds of practicality. Factors could include composition length, the size of the orchestra required, unusual instrumentation of the orchestral score and costs of parts/royalties. If you have doubts as to the suitability of your choice, we recommend that you seek at an early stage the opinion of the Trustees before submitting your entry. Please direct communications to the Secretary – email: secretary@musiccanterbury.co.nz. Competitors may not change their nominated concerto once their entry has been accepted.

Competitors choosing one of the nominated accompanists on the entry form must have paid the $120.00 fee (which entitles them to 1 x half hour rehearsal and the performance) no later than 7th November 2025, direct to their accompanist, the entrant’s score must accompany this payment. Please make sure you organise payment with your accompanist and pay promptly. If copying music for the Accompanist it is preferred if this was bound, with double-sided pages.

Music score - you need to supply one original music score and one copy. Please make sure the copy is spiral bound and easy for the adjudicator to read. This does not have to be a full orchestral score, it can be two piano versions.

10.

During the Preliminaries/Semi-Final competition contestants are encouraged to have one support person accompany them to the rehearsal rooms at The Piano.

11.

The Competition will be held in three stages:

Stage One: A half-hour rehearsal with your accompanist will be arranged at The Piano, 156 Armagh Street, Christchurch on Monday 1st December 2025 and Tuesday 2nd December 2025 (morning only). Please ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes before your allotted rehearsal time in order to begin punctually. Preliminary sessions will be held on Tuesday 2nd December 2025 (afternoon and evening session) Wednesday 3rd December 2025 (all day) and Thursday 4th December 2025 (morning only). The number of sessions will depend on the number of entries received. Actual dates and times will be decided following the closing date for entries and competitors will be duly notified.

Stage Two: A semi-final session of six performers recalled by the adjudicators will be held following the conclusion of the preliminary sessions. The Semi-Final will be held on Thursday 4th December 2025, 7.00 p.m. at The Piano.

Stage Three: The Final will be held on Saturday 7th March 2026 at 7.00pm at the Christchurch Town Hall. There will be rehearsals on Thursday 5th March 2026. These comprise a piano rehearsal with the conductor (Thursday afternoon) and an evening rehearsal for one of the finalists with the conductor and orchestra, On Friday 6th March 2026 there be rehearsals in the evening for the remaining two finalists with the conductor and orchestra. A full rehearsal in the Christchurch Town Hall will be held on Saturday morning 7th March 2026.

12.

In the first and second stages, competitors shall be required to play, with piano accompaniment, one or two movements, or parts thereof, from the concerto of their choice. The performance must not exceed twenty minutes and the portion of the work should, if possible, include a cadenza and part, at least, of a slow movement so that the competitor may demonstrate his/her ability in performing a variety of moods.

After receiving valuable comments from the adjudicators we ask all contestants to make every effort to keep music cuts to a minimum. Also, with a performing time limit of twenty minutes it is important not to present music from more than two movements. Three movements are not acceptable. In the event that the whole concerto is less than twenty minutes total duration, it is expected that the competitor will perform the entire concerto.

13.

For the first stage competitors will be notified of the day and time allotted to them. No alteration will be permitted to the order of performance except for unexpected or exceptional circumstances. However, in the event of late withdrawals, the time of performance may be altered within the same day.

14.

Competitors must report to the Reception area at least 45 minutes prior to their time of performance.

15.

At the semi-final session the Adjudicators will select three competitors to appear in stage three of the competition to be held in the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday 7th March 2026.. Those selected for stage three must be prepared to play their entire concerto with an orchestra. The order of performance in the final stage will be at the discretion of the Concerto Competition Executive.

If you become a Finalist you have seven days to forward to the administrator of the competition a short biography, programme notes on the concerto you will be playing and a recent photo. These are required for future publicity and the Finals programme. Failure to do so may jeopardise your place as a Finalist.

16.

The competitors selected to appear in stage three will, in addition to the stated requirements, be further required to: Travel as and when required by the Concerto Competition Trust who will assist with internal travel costs up to a maximum of $250.00. Appear for rehearsals on dates and at times notified. Finalists residing overseas should plan to arrive no later than Wednesday 4th March2026 and appear for the Final Concert in suitable formal attire.

17.

The selection and number of adjudicators for all stages of the competition shall be entirely at the discretion of the National Concerto Competition Executive. Competitors shall not communicate with the adjudicators. In all stages of the competition, the decision of the adjudicators shall be final and subject to no appeal.

18.

The National Concerto Competition Trust will not accept any responsibility for any accident, loss or injury which may occur to any competitor or to his/her property whether arising out of negligence or otherwise at any time in relation to the competition. Nor shall anything contained or implied in these rules be deemed to create a relationship of employer and employee between the National Concerto Competition Trust and the competitor, and it is a condition of entry that all competitors release the National Concerto Competition Trust from any and all liability.

19.

In the event of fewer than 10 entries being received, the National Concerto Competition Management reserves the right to cancel the competition.

20.

In the event of any or all of the stages of the competition being recorded, the National Concerto Competition Trust retains all rights, without payment to any competitor, accompanist or other individual or organisation, of any fees that may be paid for such recording, or for any subsequent radio broadcast of any or all of either stage of the competition. Competitors may be required to submit photographs, biographical details, be interviewed and perform for educational and promotional purposes.
Publicity material, in the form of photographic images as well as audio and video is recorded throughout the competition. As a participant in the National Concerto Competition I hereby give permission for the National Concerto Competition to use my name, photographic images and audio and video footage in all forms of media for National Concerto Competition publicity purposes. I waive the right to review any material used and understand that there will be no remuneration for said purposes.

21.

Any breach of the rules and conditions shall render the competitor liable to disqualification and, in the event of any such breach; the Concerto Competition Management may withhold payments of the awards. Judgement in regards to interpretation of the rules is the sole responsibility of the Concerto Competition Management or its representative. No correspondence will be entered into.