FAQ
1. Which categories have been announced for the 2027 competition?
a) the keyboard and string instruments category is open for the following instruments: violin, viola, cello, piano, harp and accordion.
b) the wind instruments category is open for the following instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn and trombone.
2. What is the age limit for the competitors?
a) in the instrumental disciplines of piano and violin, the Competition is open to musicians who are under 16 years of age at the time of the final public competition round (i.e. born on 18 September 2011 or later).
b) in the instrumental disciplines of viola, cello, accordion and harp, the Competition is open to musicians who are under 17 years of age at the time of the final public competition round (i.e. born on 18 September 2010 or later).
All instrumental disciplines in groups a) and b) in the keyboard and string instruments category are evaluated together.
In the instrumental categories flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn and trombone, the Competition is open to musicians who are under 18 years of age at the time of the final public competition round (i.e. born on or after 17 September 2009).
All instrumental disciplines in the wind instruments category are evaluated together.
3. Do any limits apply to those who can register in the competition?
Only those competitors who meet the age limit for the given category and comply with all the registration parameters can register in the competition.
It is not possible to re-enter the same category in which a competitor has already been awarded the title of laureate once.
The competition is open to young musicians of all nationalities, with the exception of applications from applicants who have been citizens of the Russian Federation for the duration of the armed conflict involving the Russian Federation in the now internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Should the geopolitical situation in Ukraine change by the time of the Competition, the acceptance of applications from applicants who are citizens of the Russian Federation is subject to the recognition of the changed geopolitical situation in Ukraine by the international community and the Czech Republic.
4. When is the latest that I have to send in my registration?
We recommend submitting the registration form as early as possible. After submitting it, you will receive an identification code by email, together with instructions on how to label and upload the compulsory enclosures. The earlier you complete the form, the more time you will have to prepare, process and upload all the required materials.
The deadline for submitting the registration form is 21 March 2027 for the wind instruments category and 31 March 2027 for the keyboard and string instruments category.
5. How should I send in the compulsory registration enclosures?
After submitting the registration form on the Competition website, you will receive an identification code by email, together with instructions on how to label and upload all the required enclosures. The email is usually sent within 24–48 hours. If you submit the registration during the weekend, this period may be longer.
The compulsory enclosures must be uploaded by the end of the registration period. If you submit the form in advance, you will have more time to prepare and upload them. If you submit the registration form on the final day, you will have a further 24 hours to upload the enclosures.
Uploading all the required enclosures may take several hours, so we do not recommend leaving it until the last minute.
6. What has to be included with the registration?
a) audio recordings
b) video recordings of the realization of all competition recordings
c) five different professional photographs of the competitor in print quality, together with consent to their use
d) comprehensive sheet music for the competition recordings
e) a copy of an identity card or travel document.
7. What should a contestant’s profile look like?
The profile should introduce the contestant briefly and on a personal level. Alongside basic information about their studies and musical development, include only two or three of their most important competition achievements or concert experiences. Give more space to what they enjoy about music, who inspires them, how they spend their free time, and what other interests they have. The text should feel natural and engaging rather than like a list of items from a CV.
8. Does the competition include a compulsory repertoire?
No, it doesn’t. However, the organizer does publish a list of recommended works, the performance of which will have a positive impact on the evaluation of the competition performances, may constitute one of the evaluation criteria and may be associated with special prizes. The evaluation of the competitor by the expert juries will also be influenced by the maturity of the competitor’s repertoire selection while considering the promotion of the works of Antonín Dvořák and other Czech composers.
9. Where can I find a list of recommended compositions?
A list of recommended compositions is available here.
10. Can I send in a recording which I have made for a different broadcasting organization?
The competition does not accept any recordings that are subject to any broadcasting rights of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) or any mechanical rights (IFPI).
11. Can I include an unaccompanied work for solo instrument in my competition repertoire?
Yes. You can include works for solo instrument without the accompaniment of any other instrument in the competition repertoire.
12. Can I include an instrumental concerto or a movement thereof with piano accompaniment in the competition repertoire?
Yes, but only if it is a concerto or part of a concerto with piano accompaniment, with the exception of concertos intended for piano. The length of such a piece must not exceed 50% of the total duration.
13. Can I include a work where my solo performance is accompanied by an orchestra?
No. Works with orchestral accompaniment are not permitted for the 1st round.
14. Can I send the competition a recording which has been made at a public concert?
Yes, you can, but make sure that it has been professionally recorded at a quality that conforms to the parameters for radio recordings.
15. How should I put my competition repertoire together?
It is recommended that the competition repertoire should consist of a selection of different stylistic periods, while taking the works of Antonín Dvořák and other Czech composers (see the recommended works) into account.
It is necessary to choose a concertante work set for your instrument and an accompanying orchestra for the final round. This means a single- or multiple-movement instrumental concerto and not merely individual movements from a work.
16. How long should the competition recording be?
The total length of the recorded competition performance for the 1st round must be 20–30 minutes. Recordings lasting less than 20 minutes will be eliminated from the competition, while recordings in excess of 30 minutes may be shortened by the jury.
In the live final round, the competition performance must last 15–25 minutes for the wind instruments category and 20–35 minutes for the keyboard and string instruments category. The chosen work must therefore not exceed the relevant time limit.
17. When will I find out if I have progressed into the final round?
The results of the 1st round will be announced by the end of May 2027.
18. How does the competition take place?
Once the application process has closed, the jury will sit and listen anonymously to all audio recordings.
19. How many competitors can progress into the final round?
A maximum of 4 participants from each category will advance to the final round.
20. How do the competition’s final rounds take place?
The final rounds take the form of concerts with an orchestra associated with live Czech Radio broadcasts as part of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival.
21. What is the Concertino Praga South Bohemian Festival?
The South Bohemian Festival is a concert cycle which follows directly on from the competitors’ performances in the competition’s final rounds. The participants are accommodated at the Concertino Hotel in Jindřichův Hradec, from where they travel to concerts in surrounding towns. The festival usually includes a total of 4 performances (Třeboň, Tábor, Bechyně and Jindřichův Hradec) and several accompanying events.
22. Do I have to participate in the Concertino Praga South Bohemian Festival if I win?
Yes. By registering for the Dvořák International Radio Competition for Young Musicians Concertino Praga, you confirm that you will participate in the entire festival. You therefore cannot arrive late, leave early or send a replacement.
23. Is the competition truly anonymous?
Yes, it is. During the 1st round, none of the jury members has any information about the competitors. The recordings are played to the jury under serial numbers and the jury members merely receive a repertoire list for the individual recordings. The jury will only receive information about the performers (their names, age and nationality) after it has reached its decision on the finalists and recipients of honourable mentions. The public final can, of course, no longer be anonymous.
24. Can I play from sheet music?
Playing from memory is not a requirement. It is, however, necessary to keep in mind that the competition is intended for young musicians who want to perform professionally on concert stages in the future, and the final rounds take the form of competitive solo performances with an orchestra as part of a major international music festival, where playing from memory is part of the accepted standard for top-level performances. The jury may also take this into account in its evaluation, particularly in the keyboard and string instruments category.
25. Does the performance have to be recorded in a single sitting?
No. If the repertoire includes multiple-movement works, each work or movement must be recorded separately.
26. Can I modify my recordings?
No modifications, i.e. edits, are permitted. The compilation of a recording through editing constitutes a gross breach of the competition conditions and will lead to the elimination of the candidate from the competition.
27. Does the video recording have to correspond to the audio recording?
Yes. Video recordings must be made at the same time as the complete audio recordings of all competition works.
28. What are the parameters for the video recording?
The video recording may be made using a mobile telephone, as the video quality will not be taken into account. The camera must be placed in such a way that the candidate is visible from head to foot, including his/her hands. The camera angle may not change throughout the recording.
29. How old can the recordings sent to the competition be?
The recordings must have been made in the period from 1 June 2026 to 21 March or 31 March 2027, as applicable.
30. Will the organizer provide me with a page turner if I need one?
The organizer will provide a page turner for the final round with the orchestra.
31. If I am competing in the keyboard and string instruments category or the wind instruments category and I am not a pianist, will the organizer provide piano accompaniment for me at the South Bohemian Festival?
Yes. Professional piano accompaniment is provided for the young performers at the South Bohemian Festival.
32. Who will be in the expert jury?
The jury will be different in every round of the competition. It consists of renowned instrumentalists from the Czech Republic and abroad, conductors, music teachers or representatives of the European Broadcasting Union. You can find more information in the Jury section.
33. How will the jury evaluate the candidates?
The candidates’ artistic performances will be evaluated regardless of the candidates’ age or chosen instrument. The keyboard and string instruments category and the wind instruments category are evaluated separately.
The first round will take place completely anonymously and the jury will evaluate the competitors purely on the basis of their submitted audio recordings.
The jury will select 4 competitors to progress into the final round of each category. It will also select 1–2 substitutes. If all four selected finalists participate in the final round, the substitutes will perform their solo repertoire at the Talent Stage concert as part of the 2027 Dvořák Prague Festival.
The final rounds will take place in the form of concerts as part of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival.
34. When will the final results be announced?
The results will be announced immediately after the completion of the final rounds and the jury’s deliberations. They will also be published on the Concertino Praga and Academy of Classical Music websites immediately after they have been processed.
35. Is there a “registration fee”?
No registration fee is required for participation in the competition.
36. Will the organizer cover any costs for me and my escort?
The organizer will cover the following costs for the finalists, designated substitutes and their accompanying persons:
a) bus, train or air travel to Prague and back,
b) accommodation and full board in Prague,
c) local transport from the hotel to the final round as part of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival.
The organizer will cover the following costs for the finalists:
a) transport to Jindřichův Hradec and back,
b) accommodation and full board at the South Bohemian Festival.
The costs associated with making the audio recordings sent to the competition will be borne by the competitor, if they make the competition recording themselves, or by the registering organization (for example, Czech Radio) which made them.
37. What prizes can I win?
Prizes are described in detail here.
38. What is the timetable for the 61st edition of the competition?
21 March 2027 – closing date for registration in the wind instruments category
31 March 2027 – closing date for registration in the keyboard and string instruments category
31 May 2027 – evaluation of the 1st round of the competition
16 September 2027 – final round of the wind instruments category at the Prague Conservatory
17 September 2027 – final round of the keyboard and string instruments category in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum in Prague
20 September 2027 – concert in Třeboň, château, Schwarzenberg Hall
21 September 2027 – concert in Bechyně, Panství Bechyně, Vok Hall
22 September 2027 – concert in Tábor, Střelnice – Community House
24 September 2027 – concert in Jindřichův Hradec, château, Knights’ Hall
Other accompanying events will also take place as part of the Concertino Praga South Bohemian Festival.
39. As this involves a radio competition, will Czech Radio publicly broadcast my recordings?
Yes. The finalists’ competition recordings will be included in Czech Radio broadcasts. In addition, the final rounds will be recorded by Czech Radio with the option of live broadcasts in both audio and audiovisual form. All concerts at the South Bohemian Festival will be recorded and broadcast either live or as recordings.
All of the candidates’ rights with regard to the creation of the artistic performance and the use thereof are set out in the competition’s Statute.
40. Who organizes the competition?
The competition organizers are Czech Radio and the Academy of Classical Music.
41. Whom can I contact if I am unsure about anything?
If you are unsure about anything, do not hesitate to contact Mrs Simona Hopfingerová (simona.hopfingerova@rozhlas.cz, +420 603 169 317). She will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
42. Who can I contact to make use of the special-purpose scholarship awarded in the form of the KKFF Prize?
If you are unsure about anything, do not hesitate to contact Mrs Markéta Vybíralová (vybiralova@akademieklasickehudby.cz, +420 778 961 193). She will be happy to answer any questions you may have.