Musical Passport

Expression Music ‘Musical Passport 2025’ Competition Rules

Eligibility

• The competition is open to participants of all nationalities.
• There is no lower or upper age limit in the Solo Performance categories.

Application and Fees

• All fees are non-refundable and must be paid in full upon submission.
• No refunds will be issued for withdrawals after the application has been submitted, nor will transfers to other competitions be permitted.
• Participants are responsible for ensuring their availability for the published competition dates.

Judging

• The decision of the Judge(s) is final and is not open to further discussion.
• Contacting any Judge before or during the competition is strictly prohibited.

Category and Repertoire

• The grade category for Solo Performance is determined by the repertoire selected.
• Solo entries submitted to the incorrect grade category will be asked to revise their entry.
• Available categories are
  • Solo Piano/Violin (Baroque / Classical / Romantic / Impressionistic / Modern)
  • Solo Voice (Broadway / Opera / Pop)
  • Duet
  • Trio
• Applications are not considered complete until all required documents, accurate information, and fees have been received by Expression Music.
• No change of repertoire is allowed once the application has been received, unless specifically requested for revision due to an incorrect grade category.
• Participants are only allowed to participate in one grade division.
• Repertoire for all Solo categories must be taken from the current and/or past syllabi of the MTB, ABRSM, Trinity College London.
• All genres of music and arrangements are accepted in the Duet Categories.
• In the Solo Graded String Categories, both unaccompanied and accompanied works are accepted. However, an accompanied work performed without the accompaniment part will be disqualified, regardless of the performance quality.
• One piece is accepted per entry for the Solo Initial – Grade 8 Category. Can apply to up to FOUR categories.
• Performance from memory is a must. No music sheets allowed.

Terms & Conditions

• The Judge(s) reserve the right to:
  • Listen to only a part of the program presented if they feel they have heard enough to make a judgment.
• Withhold awards if the minimum points required are not met.
• Award joint-prizes or choose a winner in the event of a tie.
• Refrain from providing a written commentary.
• Minimum points for each Category are as follows:
  • Platinum Prize: 92 points and above
  • Gold Prize: 80 points and above
  • Silver Prize: 70 points and above
  • Bronze Prize: 60 points and above
  • Future Star: At the discretion of the Judges
• In the event that a participant is a current student (defined as having studied within the previous 12 months; attending or performing at masterclasses does not apply) of any of the Judge(s), that Judge’s marks for that participant will not be counted. The final score will be determined by the average of the remaining Judges’ marks.
• Expression Music reserves the right to combine or divide any Grade category depending on the number of participants in that category.
• Expression Music reserves the right to limit the total number of prizes awarded for each of the categories and/or change the value and type of awards given at any time without prior notice.
• The Competition will be open to the public.
• Expression Music shall have no liability in the event of illness and/or injury to persons, damage and/or theft of objects that may occur during travel to or while the competition is in progress.
• Expression Music has unrestricted rights to film, broadcast, photograph, and record any part of the competitor’s participation, including but not limited to rehearsals and performances. Expression Music reserves all rights, and the participant agrees to waive any claim to financial reward arising from the distribution or use of such recordings.
• The rules of the application must be strictly adhered to, and all requested supplementary documents must be supplied.
• By submitting the Application Form, which forms a part of these Rules & Regulations and Terms & Conditions of the Expression Music Competition, the participant is deemed to agree and comply with this document.

Disclaimer

All information in this document was correct when posted. However, Expression Music reserves the right to make changes if circumstances dictate.

Fees

Registration