CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

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1. The Competition is open to candidates of all nationalities, at least 16 years of age, who have not yet reached the age of 30 (born after March 30, 1996 and before March 30, 2010).

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THE APPLICATION FILE

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2. All entries must be submitted using the registration form available on the Contest website 

 

3. Applications must be sent before January 15, 2026.

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4. Candidature files must include :

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- a copy of identity document (passport or identity card)

- a recent, high-resolution photograph

- a biography in French and / or in English (in Word format)

- a pre-selection video of professional quality, uploaded on the YouTube or Vimeo platform

- the payment of registration fees of 100€ (around 1000 Dhs) which will not be returned in any cas

On line payment 

or by bank transfer at:

Name of the bank : BANK OF AFRICA - BMCE Group

Adress : 614, Bd 6 novembre, cité Djemaa. Casablanca

IBAN: MA64 011794000038210000570118

SWIFT: BMCEMAMC

 

Philharmonic Orchestra of Morocco

Adress : 106 rue Abderrahman Sahraoui Casablanca, Morocco

Zip code: 20150

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EXAMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

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5. The nomination files will be examined by the Contest management. Once the administrative file has been accepted by the management, it will be sent to the appointed jury and examined to establish the list of the 8 candidates selected for the semi-finals

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6. Once the pre-selection videos have been screened by the Screening Board, the response to the acceptance of the applications will be given on January 30, 2026.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7. By entering the Contest, the candidates agree with these rules.

8. By entering the Contest, entrants undertake to participate in all events, ceremonies and concerts for which they will be nominated by the jury or the contest management.

9. In the event of non-respect of one of the rules and conditions of participation, the faulty candidate is exposed to a disqualification without appeal.

10. A candidate who is unable to perform at the required time will be disqualified, unless he / she justifies his / her absence in advance with the Competition Management who may then modify, at his / her discretion, the order of the candidates.

11. The candidate must interpret all his memory program, with the exception of works composed after 1950, after application to the Contest Committee.

12. By taking part in the Competition, candidates give their permission to be filmed (photo, audio, video) and consent to the images taken by the Competition photographers also being used by third parties. Candidates assign to the Competition the right to record, archive, reproduce, have reproduced and distribute their performances in the Competition and at the concerts, as well as the images, on all the different media available at present or in the future, including in digital format, as well as the right to communicate their performances to the public by any television or radio means. 
The assignment covers all performances during the Competition, the prize-winners' concerts and the prize-giving ceremony, and is granted for the entire duration of the protection of the rights in question in accordance with the laws in force today and in the future.

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13. Accommodation

Homestay accommodation is offered free of charge to applicants who wish to do so. The host families provide accommodation for the candidate 3 days before the start of the competition, until the day after the winners' concert. The three finalists are accommodated until the day after the Gala concert, which takes place the day after the winners' concert.

          Host families may not accommodate members of the candidates' families.

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14. Travel expenses

The 3 finalist candidates will be reimbursed their travel expenses (a return trip to Morocco), upon presentation of supporting documents, and up to a maximum of 300€.

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TESTS, CALENDAR, PROCEDURE AND PROGRAM
 

15. Calendar of events

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January 15, 2026                     Deadline for application submissions
January 30, 2026                     Announcement of selected candidates
March 27, 2026                        Arrival of candidates and drawing of performance order
March 28–29, 2026                  Initial rehearsals according to performance order
March 30–31, 2026                  Semi-finals
April 1–2, 2026                         Grand Final rehearsals
April 3, 2026                             Grand Final and Awards Ceremony
April 4, 2026                             Winners’ Concert
April 5, 2026                             Gala Concert

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*Candidates undertake to take part in rehearsals. If they fail to do so, their prize will be withdrawn.

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STAGES

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Preselection

16. The preselection takes place by video, by an international jury appointed by the competition management.

17. Videos must have been completed within 18 months of the registration deadline. ​

- Each work or movement must be recorded in a single uninterrupted sequence.
- The recording must be made from a single fixed shot; no change of angle is permitted.
- Editing is strictly forbidden.
- The candidate's hands and face must remain perfectly visible throughout the shoot.
- The videos may be shot in different locations and on different dates.
- Each recording must have been made less than two years before the closing date for entries.
- Any video that does not meet these criteria, or whose image or sound quality does not allow the jury to properly assess the candidate's skills, will be rejected.

18. Preselection Program:

 

-A piece for solo cello, composed after 1920, lasting at least 6 minutes  

-An etude or caprice of your choice by C.A Piatti or F. Servais  

-A piece or movement by R. Schumann, J. Brahms, F. Mendelssohn or L.V. Beethoven

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Final round

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         19.The members of the Jury shall designate the name of the 1st Grand Prize by anonymous vote. The Candidate                  who receives the most votes is designated 1st Grand Prize.

          - A similar vote is then held for the 2nd Prize, between the remaining candidates. The Candidate who receives the                most votes in his/her favour is awarded the 2nd Prize.

          - By deduction, the 3rd Prize is awarded to the 3rd candidate.

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SEMI-FINALS

20. 8 candidates are selected for this stage.

21. The final stages are accompanied with Morocco Philharmonic Orchestra.

The test is preceded by a rehearsal the day before, and a dress rehearsal the same day.

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22. The candidate chooses :

-A classical concerto of their choice           

-A virtuoso work for solo cello lasting between 4 and 8 minutes

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FINAL

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          23. Musical program for the second part of the final:

           

            A cello concerto chosen from :

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            Shostakovich, Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107
            Dvorak, Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 
            Elgar, Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
            Schumann, Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
            Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

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THE DRAW

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24. The purpose of the draw is to determine the order in which the candidates will pass.

25. Candidates are required to attend the draw. If a reason of force majeure prevents a candidate from attending, he must justify himself, and will be represented by a candidate of his choice, or by a member of the administration of the contest.

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THE JURY

 

26. The jury of the Competition is sovereign, and is appointed by the Contest Direction.

27. Jury members may not vote for a candidate of whom they are, or have been, the professor. Is considered to be a "student" the one who has taken at least 5 lessons with the teacher.

28. The jury will be announced a few weeks before the competition.

29. Each member of the jury will provide the Competition Secretariat with a signed statement identifying candidates who are, or have been, their student.

30. Each candidate will submit to the Competition Secretariat a signed declaration, designating the members of the jury who are, or have been, their professor.

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JURY SELECTION PROCESS

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31. Preselection process

The jury will assess each application by listening to the entirety of the submitted recordings. Candidates also have the option to request feedback on their recordings.

Members of the jury signify by secret ballot, if "YES" or "NO", they wish to see this candidate in the final stage. The ranking of the candidates will be fixed by the number of "YES".

32. Final stages

          The members of the jury give on a secret ballot, the name of the candidate to whom he wants to award each of the              prizes

          After the total number of votes, the candidates receiving the most votes are awarded the prize.

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In the case of a tie, the President of the Jury could decide to award the same prize twice.

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COUNTING OF THE VOTES

 

33. Any discussion of candidates is prohibited between the members of the jury.

34. The counting of ballot papers is carried out by the competition's secretariat
 

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AWARDS

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35. The Prizes awarded will be as follows:

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       First Prize: 15 000 €
       Haydn Prize: 10 000 €
       Grand Concerto Prize: 5000 €
       Audience Award:  3000 €
       Orchestra Award : 2000 €

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36. The Executive Committee of the Competition has the possibility to accept other donations, scholarships and concert offers for the benefit of the candidates and laureates.