A vocalist performing on stage at the NTD International Chinese Vocal Competition
Rules & Eligibility

Rules
and Eligibility

From eligibility and repertoire to procedure, fees and copyright terms.

Eligibility

Who may enter

  1. Ages 18 to 50 at the time of the competition.
  2. Professional vocal instructors, vocal artists and students, as well as enthusiasts of professional calibre, are welcome to apply.
  3. Contestants who have won a Gold Prize at a previous NTD vocal competition may not enter again.
  4. Qualification: after the Organizing Committee reviews all application materials, a formal invitation is sent by email to those who meet the criteria. Contestants may use this invitation to apply for a U.S. visa and to register on the day of the competition.
Repertoire

Designated Chinese repertoire

All repertoire must be selected from the designated list published by the Organizing Committee, in two categories.

I

Chinese Art Songs

Chinese art songs enriched by five thousand years of cultural heritage, carrying deep poetic imagery and aesthetic tradition. These works ask for genuine command of the Chinese language and an understanding of the culture behind it.

Chinese Art Songs
II

Original Shen Yun Compositions

The competition is honoured to have received formal authorisation from Mr. D.F., Artistic Director of Shen Yun Performing Arts, to designate selected works from his twenty years of compositions as official competition repertoire.

Shen Yun Original
View the designated repertoire list
Rounds

Three rounds, progressive selection

Round 01 · Preliminary

Preliminary

Perform one designated Chinese piece.

Round 02 · Semi-final

Semi-final

Perform two designated Chinese pieces, not repeating the preliminary repertoire.

Round 03 · Final

Final

On the final stage at a Manhattan concert hall in New York, perform two designated Chinese pieces. Repertoire may repeat pieces from the Preliminary or Semi-final.

Accompaniment

Piano accompaniment: your choice

  1. The organizer may provide piano accompaniment.
  2. Contestants may also bring their own accompanist, arranging and paying for that pianist’s travel and related costs themselves.
Submission

Three items to submit with your application

At the time of registration, submit the following for every piece to be performed in the preliminary, semi-final and final rounds, so the Organizing Committee can review them:

  1. Sheet music
  2. Lyrics
  3. Piano accompaniment scores

Personal materials  Each applicant must provide a digital photograph and a copy of a valid identity document, together with a recent recording of a recital as an online video link. No subtitles or logos revealing the applicant’s identity may appear in the video, and the recording must not be edited or enhanced; otherwise the submission is invalid.

Fees

Registration fee and payment

  1. Fee  USD $120. The registration fee is non-refundable.
  2. Payment  Online payment, credit card, traveller’s cheque or money order. Make cheques payable to NEW TANG DYNASTY and write “Vocal Competition” on the cheque.
  3. Deferred payment  An application normally becomes valid only once the fee is paid. Applicants facing particular difficulty may submit a formal written request to defer payment until the competition; a USD $20 surcharge then applies.
  4. Courier fee  Contestants who need an original invitation letter for a U.S. visa application pay an additional USD $50 for international express delivery. Please indicate this on the registration form.
  5. Postal address  129 W. 29th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, U.S.A. Attention: NTD Television International Chinese Vocal Competition.
Copyright

Copyright notice and usage policy

The lyrics, melodies and associated sheet music provided for this competition are protected by copyright law, and the copyright belongs to the original creators or relevant rights holders.

Sheet music made available on this website by the organizer may be downloaded and printed by participants solely for personal practice and performance in this edition of the competition. Any other reproduction, forwarding, public dissemination or use for other purposes is not permitted.

Without prior authorisation, no individual or group may reproduce, reprint, disclose, distribute, transmit or disseminate all or any part of the sheet music in any form.

Violation of the above may result in disqualification, and the organizer reserves the right to pursue legal action.

Other Terms

Accommodation, travel and other terms

  1. Accommodation  The organizer will recommend hotels for contestants and accompanying persons.
  2. Costs  Travel, accommodation, meals and transport for contestants and accompanying persons are entirely at their own expense.
  3. Conduct  Contestants must comply with the competition regulations and all arrangements made by the organizer. The organizer reserves the right to disqualify a contestant and revoke any award in the event of a breach.
  4. Music rights  Responsibility for the copyright of music used in performance rests with the contestant.
  5. Awards ceremony  All prize winners must attend the awards ceremony in person; awards cannot be collected by proxy and absence is treated as forfeiting the award.
  6. Recordings  All audio and video rights during the competition belong to NTD Television.
  7. Visas  Anyone who obtains a U.S. visa and enters the United States through this competition’s invitation but fails to register bears full legal responsibility.
Register

Ready to apply?

Registration and video submission close on July 6, 2027. Registration fee USD $120.

View repertoire Register  →