CADENZA 2027
Competition rules
Technical draft · last updated 17 August 2026
1. Competition format
CADENZA 2027 consists of an online selection round and a live final in Spain. Applications open on 1 November 2026. The online deadline is 15 May 2027, finalists are announced on 1 June 2027, the live competition is planned for 1–7 August 2027 and the gala for 8 August 2027.
2. Eligibility
Young instrumentalists and vocalists aged 7 to 22 may apply as individuals or, where offered, as an ensemble. The published age groups are 7–8, 9–10, 11–12, 13–14, 15–16, 17–18 and 19–22. The organizer still needs to confirm the reference date used to calculate age.
3. Disciplines and programme
The current disciplines include piano, strings, guitar, vocal, winds and additional instruments. Applicants provide the work, composer and performance duration and upload one performance video in MP4, MOV or WebM format up to 2 GB.
4. Jury and evaluation
Each authorized juror may view all submitted performances and awards one overall score from 1 to 10 with an optional comment. Jurors evaluate independently. The organizer must still confirm tie-breaking, conflicts of interest, disqualification and appeal rules.
5. Fees
The announced fee is €60 for the online round and €200 for finalists taking part in the live round. Travel and accommodation are not included. Payment, cancellation and refund conditions are not yet final and must be added before payments are activated.
6. Minors and permissions
A parent or legal guardian must approve participation for applicants under 18. Optional permission to use approved photos or recordings for competition communication is kept separate from the permissions required to process the application.
7. Fair participation
Applicants must submit accurate information and a performance they are entitled to share. The organizer may reject incomplete, unsafe, unlawful or manipulated submissions. Detailed recording, accompaniment and editing requirements remain to be confirmed.