Agnesi
International Music Competition
International Music Competition
Regulations
The Agnesi International Music Competition, Composition Section aims to offer visibility and performance opportunities to composers of different generations and educational backgrounds, fostering dialogue between contemporary research, tradition and new aesthetics, and supporting the dissemination of new works for the piano repertoire. Winners will have the opportunity to have their works performed by professional pianists, access scholarships, publication opportunities and the programming of winning pieces within music series and festivals at national and international level.
The Composition Section serves as an active observatory connecting composers, performers, higher music education institutions, publishers and audiences, and is open to composers from both academic backgrounds and to musicians working in independent professional contexts, welcoming the full plurality of compositional languages present today in research, tradition and new aesthetics. The competition is therefore open to composers of any nationality, aged 16 and above, with no upper age limit.
The Jury of the Agnesi International Music Competition is composed of composers, performers and figures from the musical world of recognised standing, active on the national and international contemporary music scene, with particular attention to representing the diversity of compositional poetics and languages. The Jury’s composition will be announced on the official Competition website by 15 April 2026.
The Jury will assess works on the basis of the following criteria: originality and creativity, quality and consistency of compositional writing, technical and formal awareness. All decisions of the Jury, at every stage of the competition, are to be considered final and binding.
The Composition Section is divided into 5 categories, designed to reflect the principal orientations of contemporary composition, presented below.
A. Research and Contemporary Languages This category is dedicated to compositions that explore new possibilities within musical language through timbral, formal and structural research. Works are admitted that employ extended techniques, new notation systems, electronics, live electronics and coherent experimental approaches, with the exclusion of sound spatialisation alone (e.g. Acousmonium, quadraphonic diffusion, etc.).
B. Tradition and Form This category welcomes compositions that engage consciously with the Western musical tradition, from the 17th to the 20th century. The focus is on contrapuntal writing, form, harmonic organisation and thematic development, within a perspective of continuity with and renewal of tradition.
C. Cross-Influences and New Aesthetics This category is open to compositions that move between different languages and expressive domains: minimalism, post-minimalism, music for theatre and film, popular art music, hybrid writing and stylistic cross-influences. The communicative capacity of the work and the personal identity of the composer are particularly valued.
D. New Piano Writing The category New Piano Writing is dedicated to compositions for piano that develop a personal and recognisable language, not necessarily aligned with traditional academic canons. The category welcomes works that foreground the evocative, timbral and narrative dimensions of sound, with particular attention to time, listening and atmosphere. Languages akin to minimalist, post-minimalist and ambient aesthetics, as well as new forms of contemporary piano writing, are admitted, provided they are characterised by formal coherence, compositional awareness and artistic identity. This category aims to celebrate the plurality of present-day piano languages, offering a qualified listening space to composers who work outside strictly academic pathways.
E. Special Category – “Homage to Maria Teresa Agnesi” Within the Composition Section, the Special Category “Homage to Maria Teresa Agnesi” is established as an artistic and identity-defining feature of the Competition.
This category aims to foster creative dialogue between historical memory and contemporary writing. Composers who wish to do so may submit a piece inspired by the figure and style of Maria Teresa Agnesi, or more broadly by the musical language of her time, developing one of the melodic themes made available by the Organisation at www.agnesicompositioncompetition.com/maria-teresa-agnesi-download/. Each composer may freely develop the given material in accordance with their own personal artistic vision.
For the 2026 edition, the Composition Sectionof the Agnesi International Music Competition is dedicated to Piano (soloist and 4 hands). Each applicant may enter a maximum of three categories, submitting for each a single original composition for piano conceived for live performance.
For Category A – Research and Contemporary Languages only, the use of electronic and/or experimental instruments and equipment in a supporting role is permitted, provided that the piano remains the principal instrument of the composition and that the work is performable live in its entirety. The Organisation will provide an audio amplification system as described in Article 8 below. Each submitted work must have an indicative duration of between 4 and 6 minutes. Works previously presented at other events are admissible, provided they have not received prizes at comparable international competitions.
By entering the Composition Section of the Agnesi International Music Competition, the composer declares that no editorial or other constraints exist that would prevent the Organisation and Competition Partners from potentially disseminating and/or publishing the work, or undertakes to provide all necessary authorisations and releases.
Registration will be open from 15 March to 31 August 2026. Compositions may be submitted at the time of registration or subsequently, but no later than 30 September 2026. Registration fees for the 2026 edition, which are non-refundable, are as follows:
Payment of the applicable fee may be made by bank transfer to the account held by New Star aps, IBAN IT20F0200801643000106140781, with the following payment reference: Iscrizione all’Agnesi International Music Competition – Sezione Composizione and the participant’s name.
To complete registration, applicants must fill in and submit by 31 August 2026 the online registration form at https://www.agnesicompositioncompetition.it/modulo-iscrizione, attaching the following documents via the designated fields:
Following registration, participants may submit their composition materials via the link on the website or the regulations page. For each work, the composer must submit the following in digital format by 30 September 2026:
IMPORTANT: scores must be produced in digital format. Handwritten scores will not be accepted, even if digitised.
Each Jury member will receive from the Competition Organisation an anonymised copy (i.e. without the composer’s name) of the scores and audio files of the works in competition.
The Jury, whose decisions are final and binding, will identify the Overall Winner and the Category Winners. Each juror will cast their vote independently and anonymously, awarding each work a mark between 1 and 100.
The Jury reserves the right not to award one or more prizes should it find no candidates of a sufficient standard, and to award prizes ex aequo. In such cases, the corresponding scholarship will be divided equally between the joint winners, whilst trophies, medals and diplomas will be awarded to each joint winner individually.
The Jury also reserves the right to commend particularly meritorious compositions, as well as to award special mentions and further artistic opportunities.
Results will be communicated to participants by email by 9 October 2026 and the list of winners will be simultaneously published on the Agnesi International Music Competition website.
For each Category of the Composition Section, a Category First Prize will be awarded, consisting of:
From among the individual Category Winners, the Overall Winner of the Agnesi International Music Competition – Composition Section will be proclaimed, and will receive:
All participants will receive a Participation Diploma, issued online. The Jury may also award Second Prizes and Special Mentions. Additional Special Prizes may be made available and awarded directly by Partners and Sponsors of the Agnesi International Music Competition.
The Overall Winning work of the Agnesi International Music Competition – Composition Section will be performed at the Gran Galà Agnesi on 29 November 2026 by a professional pianist selected by the Competition Organisation, whilst the winning composer is given the option to perform their own work in person.
Should the Overall Winner belong solely to Category A. Research and Contemporary Languages (ref. Art. 4), and should the work require the use of specific software and/or audio diffusion equipment other than that provided by the Competition, these must be supplied by the composer. The Organisation will provide only the acoustic piano and, if applicable, an audio amplification system comprising:
Following the close of registrations and after reviewing the technical riders submitted, the Organisation may assess the possible adaptation or reduction of the audio system described above.
Should the Overall Winning work, even if belonging to the aforementioned Category A, be written for solo piano, the same conditions as for the other categories shall apply: it will be performed at the Gran Galà Agnesi by a professional pianist selected by the Competition Organisation, with the winning composer again given the option to perform their own work in person.
Should composers wish to attend the Gran Galà Agnesi in person, all travel, accommodation and subsistence costs are to be borne entirely by the composer.
The Gran Galà Agnesi, to be held on 29 November 2026, will be streamed live and published on the Halidon Musicplatform — the official partner publisher and music distribution company of the Competition, with over 5 million subscribers on its YouTube channel — which will handle the publication and distribution of selected works through its digital and physical channels.
Winning compositions may benefit from the visibility and distribution provided by Halidon Music, reaching an international audience.
Works will be recorded in high quality by the Organisation, which will entrust their performance to one or more professional pianists should the composers not wish or be able to record them personally. Such recordings will then be published and distributed by Halidon Music.
Admission to the competition and the assessment of candidates are based exclusively on the requirements set out in Art. 2 and on artistic merit. The Organisation endeavours to ensure that no distinctions are made on the grounds of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, religion, personal beliefs, or personal or social circumstances. Candidates with disabilities or with specific requirements may optionally notify the Organisation through the designated field in the registration form. In the absence of such notification, the Organisation cannot be held responsible for any inability to provide support. The Organisation, subject to the architectural characteristics of the venue, undertakes to adopt every reasonable measure to ensure that participants with disabilities can fully access and enjoy the competition.
By registering for the Competition, the candidate declares that no personal, professional or legal circumstances exist that would prevent their participation or that could harm the image, reputation or regular conduct of the event. The Organisation is indemnified against any liability arising from false information, declarations and/or statements provided by participants. The Organisation accepts no responsibility for any accidental or caused damages or incidents occurring before, during or after the competition as a result of participants’ negligence or failure to observe the standards of conduct expected in the context.
A list of partner hotels and restaurants located near the competition venue, with preferential rates reserved for registered participants, will be published on the official competition website. Accommodation and meal bookings must be made directly and independently by participants. All travel, accommodation and subsistence costs incurred in attending the Agnesi International Music Competition are to be borne entirely by participants.
The data controller is New Star a.p.s., Via Mosca 30, Milan — direzione@newstarmilano.it. Candidates’ data are processed for the purpose of managing registration, conducting the competition, awarding prizes and fulfilling related tax obligations, on the legal basis of contractual performance and legal obligations: the provision of data is necessary, and without it participation is not possible. This purpose includes the publication of lists and rankings and the presentation of candidates during the competition.
The Organisation also retains edition materials in its historical archive pursuant to Art. 89 of EU Regulation 2016/679. The promotional dissemination of images, voice recordings and audio/video recordings is governed by Art. 15 below and requires a specific, separate and revocable consent.
Candidates may exercise at any time the rights set out in Arts. 15–22 of EU Regulation 2016/679 — including the right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, portability and objection — by writing to the data controller at the address indicated above.
The exercise of such rights is subject to the limits provided for by applicable law: in particular, erasure cannot apply to data whose retention is necessary for compliance with legal obligations or for archiving purposes in the public interest pursuant to the aforementioned Art. 89. Candidates also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali). The full privacy notice is published on the official competition website and forms an integral part of these regulations.
The in-person stages of the Agnesi International Music Competition are recorded in audio and video by the Organisation for documentation and archiving purposes. The dissemination of images, voice recordings and audio/ video recordings for promotional, documentary and communications purposes related to the Agnesi International Music Competition is subject to specific prior consent, given by means of a dedicated release form signed free of charge by the candidate at the competition accreditation stage.
This release is also required for the purpose of presenting participants to institutions, theatres and artistic agencies within the international circuit. Consent is freely given and optional: withholding it does not in any way affect participation in the competition or the Jury’s assessment. Consent may be withdrawn at any time by written notice to the Organisation at the email address or postal address indicated in Art. 17.
Withdrawal of consent operates prospectively and does not affect materials already lawfully acquired, disseminated or transferred to third parties. Where consent has not been given or has been withdrawn, the Organisation will exclude the candidate from disseminated materials to the extent technically possible without compromising the integrity of the event documentation. General shots and images in which the candidate appears incidentally and without individual identification, within the context of events open to the public, remain unaffected.
The Organisation reserves the right, where necessary, to amend or supplement these regulations, communicating any changes promptly through the official competition channels. Registration and participation in the Agnesi International Music Competition constitute full and unconditional acceptance of the current version of these regulations and any future versions thereof. Any documents supplementing the regulations, such as registration forms and release forms, are to be considered an integral part thereof. The regulations and updated registration forms are always available on the official competition website: www.agnesicompositioncompetition.it.
Further information is available by contacting the Organisation at composizione@agnesiinternationalcompetition.it, by visiting the official website www.agnesicompositioncompetition.com or via WhatsApp at +39 392.65.40.292 (messages only).
The Organisation is indemnified against any
liability arising from false information, declarations and/or statements provided by participants. The Court of Milan shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any related disputes. The Italian version of the regulations shall prevail.
An international composition competition honours Maria Teresa Agnesi, one of the first significant female composers of the eighteenth century, who made a substantial contribution to classical music at a time when the role of women was marginalised. The initiative keeps her innovative spirit alive, offering contemporary composers an opportunity to express themselves and contribute to the evolution of music.
A jury of internationally renowned composers, performers and teachers will assess the works with sensitivity and expertise, balancing tradition and innovation. Participants will have the unique opportunity to engage with some of the most important figures in contemporary music, receiving a qualified assessment and an open-minded perspective on the current musical landscape.
The competition offers composers an important opportunity for visibility and artistic growth. Among the prizes on offer, the publication of winning works stands out, guaranteeing lasting dissemination of the compositions. Additional prizes enable the performance of selected works in high-profile contexts, fostering not only the promotion of individual works but also the professional development of participants within the contemporary music landscape.
