SYDNEY FINALS

CHAMPS UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPETITION 2025

Competition Date & Venue:
19th & 20th Sept 2025 at Australian Institute of Music (AIM), The Rocks

GENERAL COMPETITION RULES

• Participant’s age is the age of the participant by 20th September 2025.

• Participants are allowed to join multiple categories according to eligibility.

• For Solo categories, all performances must be presented from memory only.
  

• For Ensemble/Band, participants are allowed to refer to music sheets.

• Time limit includes gap time between two pieces performed, if any.

• For Graded categories, acceptable pieces are from ABRSM, Trinity College London, Rockschool, London College of Music; and from syllabus year 2019 onwards.

• Backing track is allowed ONLY for Age categories “4 years and below” and “5-6 years”. If performing two pieces with backing tracks, both backing tracks must be combined into one single audio file. Please rename the audio file to participant’s full name and category.

PIANO SOLO

Accompaniment can either be live music or from backing track. Live accompaniment can only be played on piano. For backing tracks, please rename the audio file to participant’s full name and category.

VOCALS, DRUMS, VIOLIN
& OTHER INSTRUMENTS SOLO

• Example of options: Contemporary Band, Strings Orchestra, Kids Junior Ensemble, Piano Duet, Brass Band, Chinese Orchestra, Flute Ensemble, Cultural Instruments, Choir, Acapella Group, Vocal Duet, etc.

• Performance Requirement: ONE song/piece within 8 minutes duration, including any setup time.

• Participants are allowed to refer to music sheets.

• Accompaniment/Backing track is ONLY allowed for performances which:
  i) ALL performers are vocals, OR
  ii) ALL performers are age 6 and below.

• Live accompaniment can only be played on piano.

• For backing tracks, please rename the audio file to the group name and category.

BAND & ENSEMBLE

AWARDS

• All participants will receive a certificate and comment sheets from the Juries. For group performance, comment sheet is for the whole group.

• Achievers of 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize, Platinum, Gold and Silver will receive a trophy. For group performance, only ONE trophy will be awarded to the whole group.

• Additional awards may be presented to selected top achievers or special achievements.

• For solo performance, teachers of 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize, Platinum and Gold achievers will receive a certificate. For group, certificate will be awarded to the leader/conductor/manager/teacher’s name submitted during registration.

• A Jury is not allowed to adjudicate his/her own students. Marks will be awarded only by the remaining Juries. A ‘student’ is defined as having studied under the particular Jury within the previous 12 months. Attending masterclasses/ workshops/ seminars does not apply for this rule.

• Decision of Juries are final and is not open to further discussion.

• Contacting Juries before or during the competition is not permitted.

• Whenever there is Gold or Platinum achievers in a category, the top 3 achievers among the Gold and Platinum will be converted to 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, and 3rd Prize respectively.

• The organizer reserves the right to combine or divide any category depending on the numbers of participant in each category.

Judging Criteria & GRADING