Competition Rules
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
1.1. The 14th Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition shall be held in Hamburg, Germany — April,28 - May, 1 2025, on-line,
New Haven, Connecticut , USA — May, 5- May 10, 2025, on-line. Seoul, South Korea, - May 15-17, 2025 live
Moscow, Russia — August 28–31, 2025, live.
Thereafter, the selected contestants move to Kaliningrad to participate in the second and third rounds (Kaliningrad, Russia — September 3–9, 2025, live).
1.2. The contestants are free to choose the place of their participation in the first round.
1.3. The Competition may be participated by organists born not earlier than January 1, 1985.
1.4. Application forms duly filled in should be sent
a) By e-mail to: tariverdi@mail.ru
b) from the official website of the competition: www.organcompetition.ru
Information as to participate in the Competition may be received from:
Moscow:
Olga Spiridonova, Executive Secretary of the Competition
Phone: +7 (903) 255 9467
E-Mail: icf.moscow@gmail.com
Varvara Trofimova, press-secretary
Phone: +7 963 674 77 10
E-Mail: tro.va@mail.ru
Hamburg:
Mrs. Christine Mielsch, Communications Manager of the Competition in Germany
Phone: +49 40 53789892
E-Mail: kristinagamburg@mail.ru
Ms. Laura Jörres
Phone: +49 151 28598862
E-mail: whenthemusicsover@web.de
New Haven:
Mr. Matrin Jean, Professor of the organ, Yale University
E-mail: martin.jean@yale.edu
https://ism.yale.edu/academic-life/graduate-study/music-degreesprograms/organ
Seoul:
Mr. Jisung Kim, professor of the organ, Seoul Theological University
Phone 82- 032-340-9255,9256
E-mail bachjskim@gmail.com
1.5. Deadline: the documents shall be sent not later than March 20, 2025 (New Haven), March 20, 2025 (Hamburg), March 20, 2025 Seoul and June 1, 2025 (Moscow). Date of filing is deemed the date of sending the documents.
1.6. The application form shall be accompanied with the following documents:
a) copy of the passport;
b) copy of the certificate of music education;
c) artistic curriculum vitae stating the places of study and work in English;
d) letter of recommendation of the music education institution, organ professor or a famous musician or figure of music art;
e) two photos;
f) completed application stating the detailed program to be performed per every round.
All documents may be sent via e-mail.
1.7 All contestants admitted to the 1-st round will get a letter of invitation (via e-mail) by the Organizing Committee not later than April 15, 2025 (New Haven, Hamburg, Seul), not later than July 1, 2025 (Moscow).
RULES OF THE COMPETITION
2.1. Outstanding musicians from various countries will be invited to join the panel of the International Jury of the Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition.
2.2. The competition shall be conducted publicly and comprised of three rounds: first selection round and two final rounds. Each piece may be performed only in one round.
2.3. The order of performance is determined by casting of lots before the first and second rounds.
2.4. Winners of other international or national competitions are not released from the participation in the first round.
2.5. Contestants of the first round in Hamburg, New Haven and Seoul are not admitted to participate in the first round in Moscow.
2.6. The selection rounds in New Haven, Hamburg, Seoul and Moscow are judged by separate groups of jury members (up to five persons). The Organizing Committee shall provide participation of at least one representative of each of the groups in the work of further two final rounds (up to nine members).
2.7. The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be reviewed.
2.8. No more than 50% of the contestants of the first round will be admitted to the second round.
2.9. Not more than 6 contestants will be admitted to the final Third Round. The final ranking and awards will be decided at the concluding meeting of the Jury.
2.10. The Jury shall have the right to curtail the program or stop the performance if all its members decide so.
2.11. All laureates and diploma winners shall perform in 3 concerts after the Competition free of charge.
2.12. The Organizing Committee reserves all rights of audio and video recording of all stages and concerts of the Competition and their further distribution, as well as the right to have them broadcast via radio or television. The Organizing Committee also has the exclusive right to enter into agreements on the distribution, marketing of the above recordings and/or broadcasting the Competition with third parties.
2.13. The contestant shall have the right to participate in the Competition with its own assistant to be mentioned in the application. Otherwise the Organizing Committee shall provide an assistant for two rehearsals and competition performances free of charge.
PRIZES AND AWARDS
3.1. The following prizes and awards are offered by the Organizing Committee for the Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition:
– First Prize USD 5000 and the title of laureate;
– Second Prize USD 3000 and the title of laureate;
– Third Prize USD 2000 and the title of laureate;
– Two Diplomas USD 1000 each and the title of Diploma Winner;
– Special Prize ‘For the best interpretation of Mikael Tariverdiev’s works’ USD 1000;
The prizes will be paid in rouble equivalent at the official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Russian Federation on the date of payment.
3.2. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to award special prizes and diplomas.
3.3. The Jury shall have the option:
a) to refrain from awarding all prizes;
b) to divide the prizes between performers (except for the First Prize).
3.4. State and public organizations, artistic unions, mass media, institutions and companies may award special prizes subject to approval of the Organizing Committee and the Jury Panel.
3.5. The followings bodies have announced their special prizes: – The St. Petersburg D. D. Shostakovich Academic Philharmonia: A Special Award “For the laureate of the Competition, showing the best performance of the concert program in the Third Round” — the right to hold a solo concert at the Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia in the 2026–2027 season. As well the Special Prizes had founded St. Michael’s Church in Hamburg, Kaliningrad Cathedral, Philharmonic Societies of Kaliningrad, Perm, Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, Belgorod, Organ festival in Krasnodar, Tavricheskaya Chapel and others. Art of the Goodness Foundation: Solo recital at the Immaculate Conception Church at Moscow in the 2026–2027 season for one of the contestants selected for the Third Round.
FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
4.1. The Organizing Committee shall cover all expenses of accommodation of contestants during the Competition in Moscow and Kaliningrad.
4.2. The Organizing Committee provides visa support.
4.3. The Organizing Committee provides an assistant. The contestants shall have the right to participate with their own assistants, in this case all costs and expenses of travel and stay of their assistants shall be covered by the contestants themselves or by corresponding organizations.
4.4. Subject to prior request, the Organizing Committee will render help to the persons, accompanying the contestants, in booking a hotel, tickets for competition events and cultural programs, at the expense of the accompanying persons.