The ISMAA Fall 2026 Performing Arts & Creative Works Competition celebrates student creativity across performance, composition, sound, media, and interdisciplinary artistic practice.

Under the theme Stage, Sound & Screen, the competition welcomes work ranging from traditional instrumental, vocal, theatrical, and dance performance to composition, recording, computer music, music production, new media, and experimental creative projects.

The competition is designed to provide an accessible platform for students at different stages of artistic development. Entries are evaluated with consideration for the student’s age, educational stage, artistic intention, and chosen category.

Students do not need access to professional studios, concert halls, expensive equipment, or advanced production facilities in order to participate. A clear and representative recording or documentation of the student’s work is sufficient.

Competition Categories

Students may submit work in any of the following areas.

A. Instrumental Performance

Open to solo performers on any instrument, including:

• Piano

• Strings

• Woodwinds

• Brass

• Percussion

• Guitar

• Harp

• Organ

• Keyboard instruments

• Traditional and regional instruments

• Other instruments

Performances may include classical, contemporary, traditional, jazz, popular, experimental, or cross-cultural repertoire.

B. Vocal Performance

Open to singers working in any vocal tradition or style, including:

• Classical voice

• Opera

• Art song

• Musical theatre

• Jazz

• Popular voice

• Folk and traditional singing

• Choral or ensemble singing

• Contemporary and experimental vocal performance

Accompaniment may be live, recorded, electronic, or omitted where appropriate to the work.

C. Chamber Music & Ensemble Performance

Open to small and large ensembles, including:

• Chamber groups

• Bands

• Choirs

• Orchestras

• Jazz ensembles

• Traditional music ensembles

• Contemporary ensembles

• Mixed-media ensembles

• Student-led collaborative groups

Entries may be submitted by schools, independent groups, or student-organized ensembles.

D. Theatre & Acting

Open to individual and collaborative theatrical performance, including:

• Monologues

• Scenes

• Dramatic performance

• Devised theatre

• Physical theatre

• Spoken word

• Experimental theatre

• Traditional theatrical forms

Original and existing works are both welcome.

E. Musical Theatre

Entries may include:

• Musical theatre songs

• Acting-through-song performances

• Musical scenes

• Dance and movement sequences

• Original musical theatre works

• Collaborative performances

Students may submit solo or ensemble work.

F. Dance & Movement

Open to a wide range of movement practices, including:

• Ballet

• Contemporary dance

• Modern dance

• Jazz dance

• Street and urban dance

• Traditional and folk dance

• Choreography

• Improvisation

• Experimental movement

• Interdisciplinary movement performance

Both original choreography and interpretation of existing works are welcome.

G. Traditional & Cultural Performance

This category welcomes performances rooted in regional, local, Indigenous, folk, community, or other cultural traditions.

Entries may include music, theatre, dance, storytelling, ritual performance, interdisciplinary practice, or combinations of these forms.

Students are encouraged to engage thoughtfully with the cultural context of the work they perform.

H. Conducting & Artistic Direction

Open to students working in:

• Orchestral conducting

• Choral conducting

• Wind ensemble conducting

• Chamber ensemble direction

• Musical direction

• Rehearsal leadership

A rehearsal excerpt or performance recording may be submitted.

Composition & Creative Work Categories

I. Composition

Open to original musical works in any style or format, including:

• Solo works

• Chamber music

• Vocal music

• Choral music

• Orchestral music

• Band music

• Jazz composition

• Popular music

• Experimental composition

• Electroacoustic works

• Works involving traditional instruments

• Cross-cultural composition

A score is welcome where applicable but is not required for works that do not normally use conventional notation.

J. Songwriting

Open to original songs in any musical style.

Students may submit:

• A recorded performance

• A demo

• A studio recording

• A voice-and-instrument recording

• A digitally produced track

Professional production is not required.

K. Computer Music & Electronic Music

Open to creative work made substantially through computers, electronic instruments, coding, digital audio systems, or electronic sound processes.

Possible submissions include:

• Electronic compositions

• Electroacoustic music

• Algorithmic or generative music

• Live electronics

• Synthesizer-based works

• Interactive sound

• Coding-based music

• Experimental digital sound

Students may use any software, hardware, programming environment, or production platform.

L. Music Production

This category recognizes the creative and artistic role of the music producer.

Entries may demonstrate work in:

• Arrangement

• Production

• Beat-making

• Electronic production

• Mixing

• Sound design

• Creative editing

• Studio experimentation

• Track development

The student does not necessarily need to be the composer or performer of every element of the submitted track, but the student’s own creative contribution must be clearly identified.

M. Recording Arts

Open to students interested in recording as an artistic and technical practice.

Submissions may include:

• Studio recordings

• Live recordings

• Location recordings

• Acoustic recording projects

• Experimental recording

• Sound documentation

• Mixing and recording projects

The applicant should briefly describe their role in recording, engineering, editing, mixing, or producing the submitted work.

Entries are evaluated according to the artistic and technical intentions of the project rather than according to access to professional equipment.

N. Music for New Media

Open to original music and sound created in relation to contemporary media.

Projects may include:

• Film music

• Music for animation

• Game music

• Music for short-form video

• Music for digital storytelling

• Music for podcasts

• Music for interactive media

• Music for installations

• Music for virtual or augmented environments

• Music for web-based projects

• Soundtracks for other student-created media

Students may submit the music independently or together with the media for which it was created.

O. Sound Design

Open to work in which sound itself functions as a primary creative medium.

Projects may include:

• Soundscapes

• Foley

• Environmental sound

• Sonic storytelling

• Theatre sound

• Film or game sound design

• Installation sound

• Experimental audio

• Designed sonic environments

P. Creative Arts & Interdisciplinary Practice

This is an open category for artistic work that does not fit comfortably within a single traditional discipline.

Projects may combine:

• Music

• Theatre

• Dance

• Visual art

• Film

• Photography

• Animation

• Literature

• Poetry

• Technology

• Interactive media

• Installation

• Digital art

• Performance art

• Sound

• Community arts

• Other creative practices

Interdisciplinary and experimental submissions are strongly encouraged.

The central requirement is that the student demonstrate a meaningful creative or artistic contribution to the project.

Q. Original Performance & Creative Project

Students whose work combines performance and original creation may enter this category.

Examples include:

• Singer-songwriters performing their own music

• Composer-performers

• Original choreography

• Student-created theatre

• Improvised performance

• Multimedia performance

• Live electronic performance

• Original interdisciplinary productions

This category is intended to recognize students whose artistic practice cannot be separated easily into “composer,” “performer,” or “producer.”

Who Can Enter

The competition welcomes students from international schools and other eligible educational institutions.

Students at different levels of training are encouraged to participate, including those studying the arts:

• as beginners;

• through school programmes;

• through extracurricular activities;

• through private study;

• at an advanced or pre-professional level.

Previous competition experience is not required.

Where appropriate, entries may be grouped by age, educational stage, discipline, or level of experience to support fair evaluation.

Solo, collaborative, and ensemble submissions are accepted.

Simple Submission Requirements

ISMAA aims to keep the submission process as accessible as possible.

For most categories, students only need to submit:

1. One recording, video, audio file, score, or digital representation of the work;

2. Basic information about the student and the submitted work;

3. Proof of payment of the registration fee.

No professional recording is required.

Smartphone video and home recordings are acceptable as long as the work can be seen or heard clearly.

Performance Entries

For performance categories, submit one video recording.

The recording may be:

• a concert recording;

• an audition recording;

• a school performance;

• a studio recording;

• a rehearsal recording;

• or a recording made specifically for this competition.

A single-camera recording is acceptable.

Professional lighting, microphones, editing, or production are not required.

Minor editing for titles, sound level, or beginning/end trimming is permitted.

Composition Entries

Composition applicants may submit any practical combination of:

• Score

• Audio recording

• MIDI realization

• Demo

• Live performance

• Video

• Digital notation file

A score is encouraged for conventionally notated music but is not required where notation is not appropriate to the work.

Computer Music, Production, Recording, and New Media Entries

Applicants may submit:

• MP3

• WAV

• MP4

• MOV

• Video link

• Audio link

• Project documentation

• Relevant media files

Students are not required to submit DAW session files, stems, source code, or full technical documentation unless they wish to do so.

A brief explanation of the student’s creative role is sufficient.

Creative Arts Entries

Students may submit whichever format best represents the work, including:

• Video

• Audio

• Images

• Digital portfolio

• PDF

• Project documentation

• Website

• Interactive project link

The submission format should reflect the nature of the project rather than conform to a fixed artistic medium.

Length of Submission

There is no compulsory minimum duration.

As a general guideline, submissions should normally be no longer than approximately 10 minutes.

Longer works are eligible. Students may submit an excerpt or indicate a section they would particularly like the jury to consider.

Students will not be disadvantaged for submitting shorter works where the artistic material is complete and appropriate to the category.

Repertoire and Style

There are no prescribed repertoire lists.

Students may submit:

• Existing repertoire

• Original work

• Traditional repertoire

• Contemporary work

• Popular music

• Improvisation

• Experimental work

• Cross-cultural work

• Interdisciplinary work

Students are encouraged to choose material that best represents their current artistic interests and abilities.

Student Information

Please provide:

• Full name

• Preferred name, if applicable

• Date of birth

• Current school or educational institution

• City and country/region

• Current grade or year level

• Expected graduation year, where applicable

• Student email address

• Parent or guardian email address for younger applicants

• Competition category

• Title of submitted work

• Composer / creator, if applicable

• Instrument, voice type, artistic role, or medium

• Approximate duration

• Teacher or mentor, if applicable

• A brief description of the work or the student’s role, where appropriate

The description may be short. Approximately 50–150 words is normally sufficient.

Collaborative Works

Collaborative submissions are welcome.

For group or interdisciplinary projects, the submission should identify:

• the participating students;

• the role of each student;

• the primary applicant or contact person.

Where other performers, producers, designers, or collaborators contributed to the work, students should briefly distinguish their own contribution.

Evaluation

Entries will be evaluated by musicians, artists, educators, creative practitioners, producers, researchers, and other qualified reviewers according to the nature of each category.

The jury will consider:

• artistic expression;

• creativity and individuality;

• technical or craft development appropriate to the student’s level;

• interpretation or realization;

• communication of artistic ideas;

• originality, where applicable;

• overall effectiveness of the submitted work.

For composition, production, recording, and creative projects, evaluation will focus on the artistic result and creative decision-making, rather than on access to expensive equipment or professional facilities.

Students are assessed in relation to their educational stage and artistic development.

Awards

Awards may include:

• First Prize

• Second Prize

• Third Prize

• Honorable Mention

Additional recognition may include:

• Outstanding Performance Award

• Outstanding Composition Award

• Outstanding Creativity Award

• Outstanding Music Production Award

• Outstanding New Media Award

• Outstanding Collaborative Project

• Jury Special Recognition

Categories and the number of awards may be adjusted according to the number and quality of submissions.

The jury may also recognize particularly promising work from younger or developing artists.

Selected Works

Selected students and works may be invited for inclusion in future ISMAA activities, showcases, publications, presentations, concerts, digital features, exhibitions, or other educational and artistic programmes.

Any such invitation will be communicated separately to the student.

Competition Timeline

Submission Period
Fall 2026

Submission Deadline

Jury Review

Results Announcement

Additional showcase or presentation opportunities, where applicable, will be announced separately.

Registration Fee

A registration and review fee is required for each submission.

International / Hong Kong Payment:
USD 100 / HKD 800

Payment should be made to the designated Hong Kong account:

Account Name: ______________________________
Bank Name: _________________________________
Bank Account Number: _______________________
SWIFT Code: ________________________________
Other Payment Information: _________________

Mainland China Payment:
RMB 700

Payment should be made to the designated Mainland China account:

Account Name: ______________________________
Bank / Payment Platform: ____________________
Account Number: ____________________________
Other Payment Information: _________________

The registration fee covers submission administration, jury review, competition assessment, and award processing.

Registration fees are normally non-refundable once a complete submission has entered the review process.

How to Submit

Applicants should prepare:

1. The Work

Submit the video, audio, score, document, portfolio, or relevant digital link that best represents the entry.

DO NOT attach files directly, please provide a cloud storage, video, audio, or portfolio link.

2. Student and Work Information

Include the required applicant information and a brief description of the submitted work.

3. Proof of Payment

Attach a screenshot, receipt, or other valid payment record.

Submission Procedure

Please email the submission materials to:

ISMAA Performing Arts & Creative Works Competition Committee
Email: competitions@ismaa-asia.org

Suggested email subject line:

ISMAA Fall 2026 – Student Name – Category – Work Title

The email should contain or link to:

1. the submitted work;

2. student and work information; and

3. proof of payment.

A submission will be considered complete once the required materials have been received.

Originality and Rights

Performance entries may include copyrighted repertoire where the student is submitting the work for educational competition and adjudication purposes.

Composition, production, and creative work submitted as original work must represent the student’s own creative contribution.

Students must identify collaborators and third-party materials where relevant.

Submitting students remain responsible for ensuring that they have appropriate permission to use materials included in publicly distributed versions of their work.

ISMAA may request separate permission before publicly presenting, publishing, or sharing a submitted work.

Accessibility and Artistic Diversity

ISMAA recognizes that students develop through different educational systems, artistic traditions, resources, and forms of training.

The competition does not require a particular school of technique, artistic tradition, repertoire, recording environment, notation system, software platform, or production method.

Traditional, contemporary, popular, experimental, digital, community-based, and interdisciplinary practices are equally welcome.

The purpose of the competition is to encourage students to make, perform, experiment, create, and share their artistic work.

Questions

For questions regarding eligibility, categories, or submission formats, please contact:

Email: competitions@ismaa-asia.org