Programme & Schedule

Preliminary Round – CBSO Center

Thursday, 3 September 2026: 10:15–17:15
Friday, 4 September 2026: 10:15-13:15

18 candidates

• Each candidate should chose one piece from the lest below:
• Beethoven: Leonora Overture n°3 opus 72b
• Beethoven: Coriolan Overture opus 62
• Beethoven: Egmont Overture opus 84
• Mozart: The Magic Flute Overture K.620
• Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite n° 3 in G major opus 55, Scherzo (3^rd movement)

The round will be held in closed session.

The results of the Preliminary Round will be announced at CBSO Center following the Jury’s deliberation on Friday, 4 September 2026, at approximately 14:30.

8 candidates will be selected for the Semi-finals.

Semi-finals – Symphony Hall

Saturday, 5 September 2026: 10:15–17:15

8 candidates

All pieces are compulsory for each candidate:

1. Wagner: Lohengrin Preludes to Act III
2. Mozart: The Magic Flute Sprecher and Tamino, Act I, Scene 11, Recitative for Sprecher and tenor, without aria.
3. Tchaikovsky: Symphony n°6 in B minor opus 74, “Pathetique”, (1^st movement)

The round will be held in the presence of the public.

The results of the Semi-finals will be announced following the Jury’s deliberation on Saturday, 5 September 2026, at approximately 18:30, in the presence of the public.

Four candidates will be selected for the Finals.

Finals – Symphony Hall

Sunday, 6 September 2026: 14:00–21:00

4 candidates

1. Evgeny Svetlanov: Symphony, Largo (3rd movement) (score will be sent electronically to participants)
2. A contemporary work (approx. 6 minutes), specially commissioned for the Competition (score provided to finalists one hour and a half before performance.)
3. One of three works chosen by the candidate in the application. The jury will select which of the three is performed.
   
   The list of proposed works:

• Balakirev : Symphony n°1 in C major
• Beethoven: Symphony n°4 in B flat major opus 60
• Dvorák: Symphony n°7 opus 70
• Elgar: Enigma Variations opus 36
• Franck: Symphony in D minor
• Mozart:  Symphony n° 41 in C major K. 551 “Jupiter”
• Mendelssohn: Symphony°5 in D minor opus 107 “Réformation”
• Schumann: Symphony n°3 in E flat major opus 97 “Rhénane”
• Schumann: Symphony n°4 in D minor opus 120
• Sibelius: Symphony n°2 in D major opus 43
• Shostakovich: Symphony n°9 in E flat major opus 70
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony n°2 in C minor opus 17

The Finals shall take place in the presence of the public, in the form of a dress-rehearsal (general rehearsal). No prior rehearsal shall be scheduled. Finalists shall be free to repeat and work on passages they deem necessary and to manage the time allotted for the entire program.

The results of the Finals shall be announced at Symphony Hall following the Jury’s deliberation on Sunday, 6 September 2026, in the presence of the public.