The competition is open to students of state educational institutions of culture and arts, as well as amateur and practicing musicians. To participate, candidates must submit a video recording of a free-choice program consisting of one or two pieces. The recording must be made without any editing or audio processing.

The competition is held in the following categories:

• A – Solo
• B – Duet
• C – Ensemble
• D – Choir

The competition is open to performers in the following categories:

• Classical Vocal
• Pop / Contemporary Vocal
• Jazz Vocal
• Folk Vocal
• Sacred / Church Singing

The competition is held in the following age categories:

• Category I – Ages 5 to 7
• Category II – Ages 8 to 10
• Category III – Ages 11 to 14
• Category IV – Ages 15 to 19
• Category V – Ages 20 to 25
• Category VI – 26 years and older (no age limit)

Repertoire Requirements for Solo and Ensemble Singing:

• Categories I, II, III – Free choice program, up to 5 minutes.
• Categories IV, V, VI – Free choice program, up to 10 minutes.

One or two compositions of the participant's choice

The competition is open to students of state educational institutions of culture and arts, as well as amateurs and practicing musicians. To participate, candidates must submit a video recording of a free-choice program consisting of one or two pieces. The recording must be made in one take, without any editing or audio processing.

The competition is held in the following categories:

A – Choral Conducting
B – Folk Instruments Orchestra Conducting
C – Symphony Orchestra Conducting
D – Wind Orchestra / Brass Band Conducting

The competition is held in the following age categories:

Category I – Students of Children’s Music Schools and Children’s Art Schools.
Category II – Students of vocational secondary education institutions (Music Colleges/Pre-conservatories).
Category III – Students of higher education institutions (Universities/Conservatories).
Category IV – Assistant-trainees and Post-graduate students.
Category V – Professionals (practicing choral directors and orchestra conductors).

Repertoire Requirements for Choral and Orchestral Conducting:

Categories I, II – Free choice program, up to 7 minutes.
Categories III, IV, V – Free choice program, up to 15 minutes.

One or two pieces of the participant's choice

Complete the online application form via the link on the competition website. Applications are accepted until May 20, 2026, inclusive.

Upload your performance video to any public cloud storage and provide the link in the application form. The video must have been recorded no earlier than six months prior to the submission date.

Pay the entry fee using the payment details provided by the organizers.

Important: All information provided during registration will be displayed in the award materials exactly as you entered it. If you need to make corrections to your registration data, please contact the organizing committee at hrdemusic@gmail.com.

By submitting an application, you accept and agree to the terms and conditions of the competition. The organizers reserve the right to change the dates of the event.

Solo Category – 20 USD
Duet Category – 30 USD
Ensemble Category – 40 USD
Choir Category – 50 USD
"Conducting" Categories I, II – 35 USD
"Conducting" Categories III, IV, V – 45 USD

Grand Prix Winner
Laureate of the I, II, III Degree
Diploma Winner of the I, II, III Degree
Teachers, directors, and accompanists of laureates and diploma winners are awarded Letters of Appreciation in electronic format.

Ivan Stolnikov — Chairman of the Jury of the V International Online Competition of Vocal, Ensemble, and Conducting Mastery “DE Music Award”.

• Honors & Titles: Laureate of all-Russian and international competitions; Laureate of the City of Nizhny Novgorod Award.
• Professional Leadership: Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the "Nizhny Novgorod" Municipal Chamber Choir; Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the All-Russian Choral Society.
• Affiliations: Member of the Association of Folk and Choral Groups (Academic Performance Guild of the Russian Musical Union); Member of the Board of Directors of the "Compositor. Saint Petersburg" Publishing House.
• Academic Rank: Head of the Choral Conducting Department at the Glinka Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory; Associate Professor of Choral Conducting at the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory; Professor at the Academic Choir Department of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture.
• Notable Performances: Under his leadership, the "Nizhny Novgorod" Chamber Choir has participated in the Moscow Easter Festival 2019 (Artistic Director – Valery Gergiev), the 55th International Festival "St. Petersburg Musical Spring," the Yuri Bashmet Arts Festival 2020 (Moscow), and the XIII Winter International Arts Festival in Sochi.
• Public Activity: Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Christmas and Easter Choral Assemblies and city-wide concerts in Nizhny Novgorod.

Sofya Tsymbal — Russian opera singer (soprano).

• Current Position: Soloist at the Shostakovich Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.
• Affiliations: Member of the Federation of Vocal Arts Teachers of the Russian Federation.
• Professional Honors: Laureate of numerous prestigious international competitions; Winner of the "Operetta Land" International Competition for Young Operetta Artists.
• International Training: Alumna of the "Premiere Opera Vocal Arts" program (Trani, Italy); participant in the "Il Belcanto italiano oltre I Confini" masterclasses at the Accademia Lirica Santa Croce Trieste (Italy).
• Educational Projects: Participant in the "Opera Institute" educational project (Moscow) and the vocal department of the XII Winter International Arts Festival under the direction of Dmitry Vdovin.
• Performance Experience: Performed at the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, the Glinka St. Petersburg Capella, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic (Grand and Small Halls), the Moscow Conservatory (Grand Hall), the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, and the Zaryadye Concert Hall.
• Notable Collaborations: Participated in concerts by the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation and the Elena Obraztsova Foundation. Performed in Mozart’s The Magic Flute in Weimar, Germany.
• State Recognition: Awarded a Certificate of Honor and a commemorative medal by the President of the Russian Federation.
• Mentors: Has studied and worked with masters such as Elena Obraztsova, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Larisa Gergieva, Dmitry Vdovin, Alessandro Amaretti, Sergei Leiferkus, Paolo de Napoli, and Giuseppe Sabbatini.

V International Online Competition of Vocal, Ensemble, and Conducting Mastery “DE Music Award”
The competition is organized and conducted by the international online music education platform demusic.online (LLP "DEMUSIC.ONLINE" 230140040554, "Education in the field of culture"), in collaboration with partners and with the official support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Key Dates:

• Applications Open: March 10, 2026
• Application Deadline: May 20, 2026
• Competition Dates: May 21 – 24, 2026

Talent Discovery & Support: Identifying talented soloists, vocal ensembles, choral directors, and conductors to provide ongoing support and foster the development of their unique gifts.
Professional Growth: Promoting professional advancement, enhancing performance skills, and popularizing the musical arts of various nations.
Creative Platform: Creating a platform for exchanging experience, establishing professional networks, and promoting vocal and conducting arts as a powerful means of self-expression and intercultural dialogue.
International Scope: Organizing a global competition featuring vocalists, ensembles, choirs, and directors from around the world.
Expert Evaluation: Ensuring a high-quality selection process through a competent and distinguished jury, allowing participants to demonstrate their talent and professionalism.
Career Development: Recognizing and awarding the best performers, providing them with tangible opportunities for further career promotion.

The total prize fund for the “DE Music Award” competition is 1,500 USD.
The prize fund is awarded to participants who receive the highest score by unanimous decision (Grand Prix).
At the discretion of the Jury, the prize fund may be distributed across all categories based on the performance results.