Hong Kong International Music Challenge:

Saxophone Competition 2025

Competition Details
 

• Registration Deadline: July 15, 2025

• Video Submission Deadline: August 15, 2025

• Results Announcement: August 30, 2025

• Format: Online competition (video submission)

• Entry Fee: HKD 380 per participant

• Saxophone Types: All saxophones accepted, including soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, etc. J Sax for young players; electronic saxophones permitted only for Open Category (18+).

Competition Categories and Requirements
 

Ages 4–7 (Single Category)

• Adjudicators will further subdivide groups by age

• Instrument: J Sax (preferred) or any standard saxophone

• Repertoire: Free choice of piece ​

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Ages 8–12

• Beginner (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 1–3 or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Intermediate (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 4–6 or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Advanced (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 7–8 or above, or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Repertoire: All music genres accepted (classical, jazz, pop, etc.)

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Ages 13–17

• Beginner (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 1–3 or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Intermediate (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 4–6 or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Advanced (ABRSM/Trinity Grades 7–8 or above, or equivalent): Free choice of piece*

• Repertoire: All music genres accepted (classical, jazz, pop, etc.)

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Ages 18 and Above (Open Category)

• Beginner (1–3 years of study): Free choice of piece*

• Intermediate (4–6 years of study): Free choice of piece*

• Advanced (7+ years of study): Free choice of piece*

• Repertoire: All music genres accepted (classical, jazz, pop, etc.)

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Ages 50 and Above (Open Category)

• ​For all seniority levels

• Repertoire: All music genres accepted (classical, jazz, pop, etc.)

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Notes:

• Free choice pieces may include any genre (classical, jazz, pop, etc.) and are not limited to exam syllabi. Participants may select pieces from current or past ABRSM/Trinity syllabi or equivalent.

• Participants should choose a category based on the difficulty of their selected piece.

Adjudication Criteria

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The panel will evaluate based on four criteria, with a total score of 100 points:

• Musical Interpretation and Expression (25%)

• Tone Quality (25%)

• Technical Proficiency (25%)

• Artistry (25%)
  Final results are calculated as the average of all judges’ scores.

Awards

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• Champion, Runner-up, Second Runner-up: Awarded to the top three scorers in the Gold Award category.

• Gold Award: 90+ points

• Silver Award: 80+ points

• Bronze Award: 70+ points

• Merit Award: 60+ points

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Teacher Awards

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• Silver Teaching Award: Teachers recommending 5+ students across categories

• Gold Teaching Award: Teachers recommending 10+ students across categories

• Educational Institution Award: Schools/centers recommending 10+ students across categories

Entry Fees

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• Individual: HKD 380

• Trophy and Physical Certificate (Optional): HKD 300

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Payment Methods

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• FPS (Faster Payment System): 4575296

• PayMe

• WeChat Pay

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All participants receive an e-certificate. The organizer may request photos and bios from Champion, First Runner-up, and Second Runner-up winners for publication on the official website.

Video Submission Requirements

• Platform: Submit video links via YouTube or Google Drive, set to “unlisted” (accessible only with the link).

• Accessibility: Ensure links are functional; invalid links may lead to disqualification.

• Content: Videos must clearly show the participant’s face, hands, and full instrument. Recording must be continuous, with a fixed camera angle (no panning, tilting, or zooming).

• Title: Include participant’s name, category, and piece title in the video title.

• Introduction: No self-introduction or piece announcement required.

• Quality: Professional audio is not required, but clear sound is essential. High-quality audio/video may improve scoring.

• Deadline: Videos not submitted by the deadline will result in disqualification.

• Recording: All pieces must be recorded at the same location and date, without editing.

• Accompaniment: Solo, live accompanist, or backing track (MMO) permitted.

• Recency: Videos must be filmed within six months of the submission deadline.

Repertoire Guidelines

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• Select a piece matching the participant’s current performance level.

• Each entry may submit one piece (a complete work or a single movement from a larger work, e.g., sonata or concerto). Multiple pieces require separate entries.

• Sight-Reading: Memorization is not required; participants may use sheet music.

Score Submission

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• Method: Email scores to intermusicscore@gmail.com or WhatsApp to 9882 7511.

• Format: PDF, JPEG, or standard photo format, labeled with participant’s name and piece title.

• Responsibility: Participants must ensure timely submission; the organizer will not issue reminders. Failure to submit scores on time will result in disqualification.

Competition Rules

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• Full payment is required before registration; fees are non-refundable.

• Incomplete submissions or missing documents will not be processed.

• Judges who have taught a participant in the past five years will not score that participant to ensure fairness.

• Registration deadlines will not be extended.

• Participants have no legal rights to recordings, photos, videos, or broadcasts related to the competition, with all rights reserved by the organizer. The organizer may distribute related content on any platform at any time and holds full ownership of videos provided by contestants.

• Inquiries about other participants or their submissions are not permitted.

• Direct contact with judges is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.

• Submissions must not contain violent, explicit, defamatory, offensive, or controversial content.

• The organizer reserves the right to reject inappropriate or irrelevant entries.

• Participants under 18 require parental/guardian consent, with registration and submission handled by the parent/guardian.

• Providing false age information will result in disqualification.

• The organizer reserves the right to final interpretation of rules and terms. All decisions are final and non-negotiable.