Information and Rules

VIOLIN 2026 – RULES

 

The Violin 2026 edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) will take place from May 27 through June 4, 2026.

Download Rules - Violin 2026
Last updated on July 3, 2025

 

ELEGIBILITY

The CMIM is an elite-level international competition open to classical violinists of all nationalities, born between 1995 and 2009, in the early stages of a professional performing career. 

Laureates from previous violin editions of the CMIM are not eligible to apply for Violin 2026. 

All selected competitors are required to be free of all engagements and available to be in Montreal between May 26 and June 4, 2026, inclusive. 

 

IMPORTANT DATES

  • October 31, 2025: Application deadline  
  • December 22, 2025: Confirmation of participation by the invited competitors 
  • January 16, 2026: Confirmation of final programs for all rounds 
  • February 4, 2026: Announcement of the Violin 2026 competitors 
  • May 25: Violin 2026 competitors arrive in Montreal  
  • May 27-29: First Round 
  • May 30-31: Semifinal 
  • June 3: Mozart Final 
  • June 4: Grand Final and Closing Award Ceremony 

 

PRIZES, AWARDS, AND GRANTS

Please see the above PDF “Rules – Violin 2026”.
 

TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATION OFFERED BY THE CMIM

The CMIM provides an economy-class return flight to Montreal for all Violin 2026 competitors, in accordance with the conditions established by the competition. The fee for one checked bag is assumed by the CMIM.  

Additional charges for multi-city flights, an extended stay, or other special requests are solely the responsibility of the competitor.  

The CMIM will arrange free accommodation with a volunteer host family in the Montreal area for all competitors. Competitors who wish to make other arrangements for travel and/or accommodation may do so at their own expense.  

Travel expenses and accommodation for any person accompanying a competitor will not be assumed by  the CMIM. 

 

COLLABORATIVE PIANISTS 

A CMIM official pianist will be assigned to each competitor for all rounds with piano. 

Competitors may choose to perform with their own collaborative pianist for the First Round and Semifinal.

Pianists will be provided with accommodation free of charge with host families in the Montreal area. Travel expenses for these pianists are the sole responsibility of the competitors and/or the pianist.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be submitted online via the site Muvac.com before midnight on October 31, 2025 (Montréal/New York time). 

An application is comprised of the following: 

  • A completed online application form 
  • A non-refundable application fee of $200 Canadian Dollars 
  • Two high-resolution colour photos (including one headshot) suitable for publication and CMIM promotional use 
  • Contact information for two musical references willing to provide upon request by the CMIM only a recommendation in support of the applicant 
  • A list of proposed repertoire for all rounds of the competition. (Final programs will be confirmed in January, including the respective timing of each works and the definitive order of performance.)   
  • Three audition videos (one video per work):
    1. One Caprice for solo violin by Paganini
    2. Any Fugue by J.S. Bach
    3.     A slow movement of any Beethoven Violin Sonata, except for No. 9-Kreutzer 

Notes on audition videos:  

  • Videos must be of high-quality with excellent audio, shot from one angle with a single fixed camera (no zooming, tilting, or panning). The violinist’s face must remain fully visible at all times. 
  • Videos must not be edited, enhanced, or modified in any way. 
  • Videos that have been recorded from multiple angles at other competitions may be accepted, at the discretion of the CMIM.  

SELECTION PROCESS

CMIM officials will review all applications to ensure they are eligible, complete, and meet the required technical standards. The CMIM reserves the right to disqualify any candidates who have failed to fulfill all the application requirements.  

A preliminary jury, appointed by the CMIM, will review and evaluate the audition videos.  

A maximum of 24 candidates will be selected to compete in the Violin 2026 edition.  

Selected candidates and all applicants will be notified of the results of the preliminary selection by December 12, 2025. 

 

COMPETITION ROUNDS

Repertoire selected for performance at the competition may include works recorded for the audition videos. No other duplication of repertoire is permitted during the competition rounds.  

The jury will consider the difficulty and artistic merit of the programs for each round.  

Final results will be considered on the basis of the cumulative results obtained in each of the competition rounds. 

 

First Round

The twenty-four (24) competitors selected must each present a program of 25 to 30 minutes of music with piano accompaniment.  

The repertoire for the First Round must comprise a minimum of three works representing at least three musical periods: 

  • A work by J.S. Bach, Telemann, or another Baroque composer 
  • A virtuosic work by Bazzini, Ernst, Paganini, Saint-Saens, Sarasate, Waxman, Wieniawski, or other composer 
  • A work of choice from a third style period 

The inclusion of a single movement of a work is permitted.  

Ten violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Semifinal Round.

 

CMIM on the Road

At the conclusion of the First Round, competitors who have not advanced in the competition will be invited to perform as part of “CMIM On the Road,” at a concert venue in the Greater Montreal area.  

 

Semifinal

The ten semifinalists must each perform a program of 50 to 55 minutes of music with piano accompaniment. 

The repertoire for the Semifinal round must comprise a minimum of three works, including the following elements:  

  • A complete sonata by composers such as but not limited to:  

Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Enescu, Fauré, Franck, Janáček, Prokofiev,  

Ravel, Schnittke, Schumann, Schubert, or R. Strauss 

  • A work of the candidate’s choice by any composer 
  • A work of the candidate’s choice by a Canadian composer. The CMIM will provide a reference list of suggested works. 

Five violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Final. 

 

Final

The Final comprises two stages: 

 

I – Mozart Final 

Five violinists will present a concerto by W.A. Mozart for violin and orchestra with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, from the following list: 

  • Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat Major, K. 207 
  • Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major, K. 211 
  • Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216 
  • Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218  

Three violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Grand Final.  

 

II – Grand Final 

Three violinists will present a major concerto for violin and orchestra with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The choice of concerto must be selected from the works listed in Appendix 2 of this document. Any other choice of concerto is subject to prior approval from the CMIM.