6th Apex International Music Competition

Global Musicians and Arts Association (GMAA) and Pioneer Arts and Humanities Association (PAHA) are excited to announce that 6th Apex International Music Competition (AIMC) is now open for application. Our competition is based on “Live audition + Live Concert” format. The contestants will still have the option to do virtual audition through YouTube Submission or Streaming audition. Please review the details listed below for information on application, audition, concerts, and winners’ awards.

Introduction to Apex Competition

Fulfill Your Music Dream, Express the best of yourself.

Apex International Music Competition (AIMC) is organized by Pioneer Arts and Humanities Association, a Non-profit Organization to promote youth arts, music and humanities events in the United States. AIMC is also co-organized by Global Musicians and Arts Association, Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States, Vera's Music School, and American Descendants of Dragon Foundation. Our goal is to provide an international music platform for all nationalities who love music and want to demonstrate their talents to the public.

We are very proud to announce our new partners and co-organizers for this year’s Apex Competition: Raysbrite Institute of Music in Princeton, NJ, Music Pathway Studio in Midtown Manhattan, NYC and Lancaster International Music Festival in Lancaster, PA.

Since it was founded in 2019, Pioneer Arts and Humanities Association with Global Musicians and Arts Associations has successfully hosted five competitions. AIMC is regarded by many parents and teachers as one of the most popular and valuable music competitions in Tri-state areas. Close to 2000 young musicians have attended our previous competitions in three branches including North America, China, and Europe. Over 1000 winners have performed in our winners’ concerts in Merkin Concert Hall and Carnegie Hall. Apex Competition winners have been recognized by many US Top 20 colleges as one of the notable awards for admission considerations.

We are proud of our past achievement and are committed to providing more opportunities and awards for our future participants.

Competition Process and Requirements

1. Eligibility & Repertoire Requirements

Eligibility: AIMC is open for young musicians that perform piano, other instruments, voice, chorus, and composition. Age 5-25 of all nationalities are welcome.

Repertoire:

Piano & Instrument:

One piece less than 10 minutes from the baroque, classical, romantic, modern, and contemporary. musical eras.

Voice (Including Chorus):

One piece less than 6 minutes from all seven voice styles (soprano, contralto, tenor, Etc.). Pop music and jazz music are also welcome.

Composition：

One piece less than 8 minutes of any style that is written for piano or a piano in an ensemble. The composition manuscript shall be submitted in PDF format to us by email prior to the audition.

The competition is divided into 5 different age groups:

Group Y: Age 5-7
Group J: Age 8-11
Group I: Age 12-14
Group T: Age 15-18
New! - Group P: College or professional Level (18+)

Contestants must perform their music pieces from memory.

2. Application

Please submit the completed application form through one of the following methods:

Download the 6th AIMC application form from our website. Complete and mail the form to our main office’s address.
Email the completed application form in DOC or PDF format to Globalmusicians8@gmail.com
Fill in the online application form on our website (www.gimaaa.com) - for individual applications only.

The application fee is $98 for solo and $76 for each member of duets and group of 3 or more. The application fee shall be submitted along with the application form by either a check or Zelle. Application fee is non-refundable.

All application forms and checks shall be submitted to the main office of AIMC:

Global Musicians & Arts Association

226 US Highway 1, Unit M

Edison, NJ 08817

Submit your payment using Zelle to account globalmusicians8@gmail.com (Name of the Account is Global Musicians & Arts Association)

Deadline for Application is February 17, 2025

3. Audition

Live Audition Location:

NJ Location:

3/22/2025 or 3/23/2025
Arts Building at Raritan Valley Community College,
118 Lamington Rd, Branchburg, NJ 08876

3/23/2025
Vera's Music School
258 King George Rd Floor 2, Warren, NJ 07059

3/23/2025
Raysbrite Institute of Music
112 Commons Way, Princeton, NJ 08540

NY Location:

3/16/2025
Music Pathway Studio
38 W 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001

3/15/2025
Glow Cultural Center
133-29 41st Ave floor 1, Flushing, NY 11355

Austria Location:

March 2025
Musikquartier
Mariahilfer Str. 51 1060 Wien

Once we receive the application forms with payments from the applicants, we will email the audition schedule with specific details including the exact audition time to all the applicants at the email addresses provided in their application forms, no later than 7 days prior to the scheduled live audition time. Judge Evaluation Forms will also be attached to this email and the contestants must print, fill out and bring the evaluation forms to the live auditions.

Contestants who cannot attend live auditions, may provide a YouTube link to a video of their performance, and email the link to globalmusicians8@gmail.com. Please indicate the recording on the application form. Video recording must be continuous and cannot be altered, edited, or rearranged. The email with the YouTube video link must be accompanied by the name of the performer and the title & composer of the music piece.

YouTube Recording is due on 03/16/2025.

*In-person live audition is recommended by Apex Judge Committee.

4. Audition Results and Judging Criteria

Both the Live Audition and YouTube recordings will be evaluated by the Apex Judge Committee, which includes the college professors, music teachers or local famous musicians. Judges will score each contestant’s audition performance based on the following categories:

For Instrument and Voice: Technical, Performance and Music Interpretation
For Composition: Music Content, Creativity and Knowledge of Instrument

Each Category is worth 10 points and the highest score for each contestant is 30 points. The award ranking will be determined based on the audition scores with consideration of the contestant’s age group. The following awards will be determined by the judge committee and marked on the contestant’s evaluation form:

Grand Award
First Place Plus
First Place
Second Place
Third Place

5. Winners’ Concert

Selected grand award winners, first place winners and second place winners will be eligible to perform in Apex Competition’s Winners Concert, which will be held in Merking Concert Hall, Neidorff - Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music, Carnegie Hall between May to July.

Concert for grand award winners

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, 1pm on June 8, 2025
Concert fee: Solo- $690, Duet: $450 per person, Group of 3 or more: $360 per person
Complimentary Concert Photos included (No Video Recording)

Concert for grand award winners and 1st Place Plus Winners

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 8pm on May 31, 2025
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 1pm on June 29, 2025
Concert fee: Solo- $310, Duet: $215 per person, Group of 3 or more: $190 per person
Complimentary Concert Photos included (No Video Recording)

Concert for 1st place and 2nd place winners

Merkin Concert Hall: 10am on May 24, 2025,
Merkin Concert Hall: 3pm on May 24, 2025,
Concert fee: Solo- $270, Duet & Group of 3 or more: $190 per person
Complimentary Concert Photos and Archive Video recordings included

Concert for 1st place and 2nd place winners:

Neidorff - Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music: 10am on June 7,2025,
Neidorff - Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music: 2:30pm on June 7,2025,
Neidorff - Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music: 7pm on June 7,2025
Concert fee: Solo- $270, Duet: Duet & Group of 3 or more: $190 per person
Complimentary Concert Photos and Archive Video recordings included

Recital for 3rd place winners:

Marc A. Scorca Hall at Opera America: 7:30pm on May 17, 2025,
Recital fee: Solo- $160, Duet: Duet & Group of 3 or more: $120 per person
Complimentary Recital Video recordings included

The concert fee shall be submitted by check or Zelle two weeks prior to the concert date.

The winner can select a repertoire that is different from what's performed in the audition with the music teacher's written permission. Final concert repertoire shall be one piece less than 6 minutes. An overtime charge will be applied to the concert fee if the winner selects a piece longer than 6 minutes.

Important! For contestants that are eligible to receive awards and are current residents in the NJ/NYC areas, the winners’ concert is part of the competition. In order to receive paper certification and any awards shown in the section below, the eligible winner participants shall physically perform in the winners’ concerts and may not leave the concert until its conclusion. Eligible contestants who do not participate in the concert may be considered withdrawn from the competition and may not receive awards.

For Contestants from other states or overseas, the winners’ concert is optional and a digital copy of the certificate will be emailed to each winner. Paper copies of the certificate and trophies can be ordered for winners out of tri-states (Shipping & Handling fee must apply). More information regarding the winners’ concert will be sent out to eligible winners through emails prior to the concert.

For 3rd place winners, a digital certificate (PDF) will be emailed to each winner. Paper copies of the certificate and trophies can be ordered for an extra fee.

6. Winner Awards

Selected winners will receive special awards from Apex Competition Committee which include:

Customized winner’s certificates by AIMC (See Section 5 for conditions)
Customized teacher’s certificate
Customized trophies included for winners attending winners' concerts.
Special Certificates for 3, 4 & 5-year consecutive winners
Special award and college recommendation letter (if required) for 5-year consecutive winners.
Five levels of cash prizes (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Prize) up to $1000 for selected top winners.
Publicity promotions by Global Musicians and Arts Association
Performance award to selected winners attending winners’ concerts.

All awards will be distributed at the winners’ concert only.

Registration and Zelle Account Email：

globalmusicians8@gmail.com

Main Office Address:

Global Musicians & Arts Association

226 US Highway 1, Unit M

Edison, NJ 08817

201-349-7912

908-451-5452