Competition Rules

National Music Academy “Gheorghe Dima” of Cluj-Napoca

Regulation of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition

21^th Edition, Composition Section. Cluj-Napoca, 2026

1. The competition is open to all composers who have not turned 36 by the 31 st  of August 2026.
2. The competition consists in the composition of a piece for mixed choir a cappella, arranged
   for 4-8 voices (vocal works with soloists are excluded), with a duration of 3-4 minutes,
   leaving the choice of the lyrics to the candidate, in one of the following languages: English,
   French, German, Italian, Spanish, Latin or Romanian.
3. Electronic music is not accepted (tape, live electronics, etc) in order to accompany the choir.
4. Each applicant may participate in the competition with just one work.
5. The choral piece has to be original and written in occasion of the “Gheorghe Dima”
   International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Composition Section. Its exclusive character regards
   other aspects as well: the choral piece registered in the current competition has not been
   registered in any other competition, has not been published / publicly performed nor is it
   scheduled to be publicly performed prior to the 26 th  of October 2026.
6. The piece winning the 1 st  Prize will therefore become the requested piece in the semi-final of
   the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Choral Conducting Section, that
   will take place in Cluj-Napoca in the period unfolding between 22-26 October 2026 (semi-
   final and final are to be live-streamed on the competition website / on the official Facebook
   page of the competition).
7. The 2 nd and 3 rd Prize winning pieces of the composition competition will be publicly performed
   by the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season
   2027-2028 having the winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition,
   Choral Conducting Section 2026, as conductor.
8. The applicants have to provide written proof of all copyrights regarding the performance,
   recording and broadcast of the literary text employed (as stipulated under points 6 and 7) * .
9. ONLINE registration only. Papers required for registration:
   a. The score of the piece unsigned, accompanied by the title and a motto (.pdf format);
   b. An audio version of the piece, computer simulated, mp3 format (optional, but recommended);
   c. An English translation of the literary text employed if it is in a language other than English.
   d. Application form (available on the competition website);
   e. Declaration on honour regarding the originality of the piece and providing the copyrights
   related to its performance and broadcast including the ones related to the literary text employed
   (form available on the competition website);
   f. One copy of the birth certificate;
   g. One recent photo (3 megapixels or 300 dpi);
   h. Brief presentation max. 800 characters in English;
   i. Copy of the receipt/payment order of the registration fee.
10. The deadline for submitting the registration form is the 31 st  of August 2026, time 23:59, local
    time (GMT+2).
11. The registration fee is EUR 25 net and will be paid by bank transfer to the “Gheorghe Dima”
    Music Academy Association, str. Ion I. C. Brătianu, nr. 25, Cluj-Napoca, CIF 36923210,
    IBAN: RO19 BTRL RONC RT03 7427 7501, opened at Banca Transilvania (Bdul Eroilor, nr.
    36, 400027, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Swift/BIC: BTRLRO22.
12. The fee is not refundable under any circumstances.
13. The jury is made of:
    Adrian Pop, composer, Professor PhD, National Music Academy “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-
    Napoca, Chairman;
    Lasse Thoresen, composer, professor emeritus of composition at the Norwegian Academy of
    Music, Oslo – Norway;
    László Tihanyi, composer, conductor, director of the composer department of the Széchenyi
    Academy of Literature and Art, Budapest – Hungary;
    Dan Dediu, composer, Professor, PhD, D.H.C., President of the Senate within the National
    University of Music Bucharest, President of the Union of Composers and Musicologists from
    Romania;
    Cornel Groza, conductor, Professor PhD, “Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music in
    Cluj-Napoca, conductor of the “Transilvania” State Philharmonic Choir in Cluj-Napoca;
    Cristian Bence-Muk, composer, Professor, PhD, President of the Senate of the National
    Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-Napoca, Vice-President of the Union of
    Composers and Musicologists from Romania.
14. The results of the competition will be announced on the competition website on the 25 th  of
    September 2026. 
15. The decision of the jury is final and cannot be appealed. 
16. The jury will award the following prizes which cannot be divided:
    1 st  Prize: 9000 RON – before tax and turning the winning piece into the compulsory piece in the
    semi-final of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Choral Conducting
    Section, 22-26 October 2026.
    2 nd  Prize: 7000 RON – before tax and performing the piece in a concert of the “Transylvania”
    State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2027-2028 having the
    winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Choral Conducting
    Section 2026, as conductor.
    3rd Prize: 5500 RON – before tax and performing the piece in a concert of the “Transylvania”
    State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in the season 2027-2028 having the
    winner of the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Choral Conducting
    Section 2026, as conductor.
17. In case of winning a prize in occasion of every ulterior public performance of the piece or in
    case of radio / TV / online broadcast or publication the author is bound to mention publicly the
    following: Piece composed specifically for the “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition,
    21 st  Edition, Composition Section and awarded 1 st , 2 nd  or 3 rd  Prize (according to the case).
18. The winners of the awards agree to give away their copyrights related to the performance,
    audio-video recording and broadcast of their piece in the concert given by the “Transylvania”
    State Philharmonic Choir from Cluj-Napoca in the season 2027-2028 with no financial claim * .
19. The winner of the 1 st  Prize agrees to give away his/her copyrights related to the performance,
    audio-video recording and broadcast (radio/TV/online) of his/her piece in the final of the
    “Gheorghe Dima” International Competition, 21 th  Edition, Choral Conducting Section, 22-26
    October 2026, with no financial claim.  
20. The National Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” from Cluj-Napoca reserves the right to
    make audio and video recordings, photos, radio and TV broadcasts included, by means of third
    parties during the conducting competition mentioned under point 19, without being bound to
    provide remuneration to the authors of the pieces or of the literary texts * .
21. By registering, contenders accept the regulations of the competition as well as all the
    aforementioned clauses; noncompliance with the requirements stated leads to disqualification /
    annulment of the prize.  

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•  In accordance with the provisions related to copyrights and any other associated rights.

For further assistance and information you can contact us at: composition@dimacompetition.ro