Bartók World Competition Budapest – Composition 2026

The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest, founder of the Bartók World Competition, is pleased to announce the Bartók World Competition Budapest – Composition 2026, featuring works for string quartet.

The objective of the competition is to present new works that are suitable for performance within a fundamentally traditional string quartet repertoire, while offering performers opportunities to demonstrate both musical expression and technical skill. This will be a key consideration in the jury’s evaluation.

All scores must be submitted anonymously, with only a pseudonym appearing on the score.

Compositions should be submitted according to the following guidelines:

·         Duration: 6–8 minutes. One or more movements from a longer work may be submitted if all other criteria are met. Works shorter than 5:40 or longer than 8:20 will not be accepted.

·         Instrumentation: Classical string quartet (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Violoncello).

·         The composition cannot include use of fixed audio media or any other instruments.

·         Extended Techniques: Only techniques found in Béla Bartók’s string quartets are permitted.

·         No scordatura allowed.

·         One composer may submit more than one work.

·         Authorship and use of artificial intelligence: The submitted composition must be an original work by a human author. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools may not autonomously generate or determine the musical content of the submitted work.

Submitted works must

·         be unpublished and unlisted,

·         not have won a prize at a national or international composition competition,

·         not have been recorded commercially

·         not have been performed publicly prior to 29 November 2026

Candidates: The competition is open to composers of all nationalities born on or after 1 January 1986.

Registration fee: €50 per composition, to be paid by card (on the registration site) or by bank transfer:

Account holder: Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem (Liszt Academy of Music)

Account number:

IBAN: HU22 1003 2000 0142 6768 0000 0000

Swift-BIC code: MANEHUHB

Remark: “Bartók World Competition Budapest – Composition 2026”

All transfer and bank charges are to be covered by the applicant. 

Submission deadline: 25 August 2026 (CET)

Submissions must be made electronically by uploading the required material to

                          www.bartokworldcompetition.hu

Submissions must include:

·      a composition’s score for string quartet in pdf format (A4 sheet music). All scores must be sent anonymously; only a pseudonym can appear on score pages. The file is to be named: chosenpseudonym_Bartok2026.pdf

·      An mp3 recording of a non-commercial recording or a non-public performance. (MIDI or other purely technical realisations are accepted.) The file is to be named: chosenpseudonym_Bartok2026.mp3

·      proof of payment of the application fee

·      programme notes on the composition (max. 1000 characters) N.B.: The programme notes shall not form part of the evaluation process.

·      a scanned ID or passport

·      a short biography of the composer (max. 1500 characters)

·      a portrait photo (min. 1 MB, 300 dpi)

If a composer chooses to submit more than one work, each work has to be a separate submission.

A coordinator will be the only person to see submitted materials. Only the sheet music with the pseudonym and the mp3 audio file will be circulated among judges.

Only the composers of the 15 shortlisted works will become known to judges and the public, after the Award Ceremony on 29 November 2026.

Selection and Jury

A Preselection Jury, consisting of distinguished professors of the Liszt Academy, will review all submissions and shortlist 15 works for the International Jury, which will determine the final results.

Members of the Preselection Jury are:

Gergely Barta

Máté Bella

Gyula Fekete

Balázs Kecskés D.

Péter Tornyai

Members of the International Jury are:

Anders Hillborg (S) -- Chair

Dr. Natalie Nicolas (AU)

Matthew Aucoin (USA)

Gyula Fekete  (HU)

Xiaogang Ye (CN)

 The decisions of the Jury are final. 

Prizes:             1st prize           €5 000

                        2nd prize          €3 000

                        3rd prize           €2 000

Special prize: Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest will publish one of the prize winning works.

The Jury may decide to divide prizes or not to award a prize at all. The Jury may also select works for honourable mention.

Prizes are subject to tax as required by Hungarian taxation laws.

Prize-winning works will be presented at a Gala Concert on 29 November 2026 in the Solti Hall of the Liszt Academy in Budapest, where the awards will be handed to the winners.

The composers of the works selected for performance will be invited to attend the Gala Concert in Budapest. The organisers will cover travel expenses and provide two nights of accommodation.

The Gala Concert will be available to follow online via live stream, as well as on public radio channels.

Two pieces selected from among prize-winning or honourable mention compositions will be included in the repertoire of the semi-final of the Bartók World Competition Budapest – String Quartet 2027 competition.

For more information, please visit bartokworldcompetition.hu

Questions should be addressed to office@bartokworldcompetition.hu

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Submission of sheet music implies the unconditional acceptance of all conditions set forth herein.