Sibiu Jazz Competition – Concursul tinerilor muzicieni de jazz

📍 Museum of Contemporary Art · 6 Tribunei St., Sibiu

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✦ About the competition

The stage for young jazz musicians, since 1979.

Sibiu Jazz Competition is the contest for young jazz musicians up to 33 years old, soloists or bands of up to 5 members. It started in 1979, as part of the Sibiu Jazz Festival, and today it is a standalone event. On 4 and 5 December 2026, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sibiu, the contestants perform in front of an expert jury and the audience, competing for prizes worth a total of €2,500.

Best Band

The main prize, €1,500, for the band with the best overall performance: cohesion, interaction and a sound of its own. Winners are invited to Sibiu Jazz Festival 2027.

Best Instrumentalist

€500 for the best instrumentalist of the competition, judged on technique, improvisation and musicality. Vocalists may compete too.

Best Composition

€500 for the best original composition performed in the competition. The piece must be announced in the registration form.

✦ 2 competition evenings

✦ 3 prize categories

✦ Gala + workshop

✦ Program

Three days. One stage.

December · day 1

Opening & session 1

✦ 18:30 - Official opening

✦ 19:00 - Competition: first round

December · day 2

Session 2 & Gala

✦ 19:00 - Competition: second round

✦ Awards gala and winners' concert

December · day 3

Workshop

✦ Workshop for participants

Times and running order will be confirmed after registration closes.

✦ Official rules 2026

The rules of the game

Everything you need to know before registering for Sibiu Jazz Competition 2026, in short. The competition is organized by Asociația Concept Creativ and promotes jazz, new improvised-music projects and young musicians.

≤33

Years · born after 4 December 1993

Musicians maximum per band

22.11

Registration deadline

€2,500

Total prizes

Calendar

22 Nov · registration deadline

23 Nov · selection results

4–5 Dec · the competition

5 Dec · awards gala

6 Dec · workshop for participants

Who can enter

Young musicians of any nationality, born after 4 December 1993. Most band members must meet the age limit.
Bands of up to 5 musicians. Winners of the main prize in past editions may not take part.

What to send

Fill in the online form, then send to office@sibiujazz.eu, with the subject “Sibiu Jazz Competition 2026”:
✦ an mp3 recording (max. 5 min, max. 10 MB)
✦ a band presentation in Word (1,200–1,600 characters)
✦ a band photo at 300 dpi

Competition sections

Performance: all contestants. Musical qualities, cohesion and stage presence count.
Composition: optional, for original pieces, announced in the form and on stage. Improvisations on known themes are not scored.
Stage time: band max. 30 min, soloist max. 20 min.

Prizes

✦ Best Band: €1,500
✦ Best Instrumentalist: €500 (vocalists may compete too)
✦ Best Composition: €500
Prizes can be combined. The Best Band winner is invited to Sibiu Jazz Festival 2027. Payment is made by bank transfer by 15 January 2027, with legal taxes withheld.

The jury

Specialists appointed by the organizer, who evaluate:
✦ style and interpretation
✦ improvisation
✦ technique, diction and articulation
✦ musicality
✦ impact on the audience
The jury's decisions are final.

What the organizer provides

Free accommodation and half board, local logistics, sound and lighting with a technical crew, plus drums, acoustic/electric piano, keyboards and double bass. The concerts are open to the public and streamed live.
Transport to Sibiu is at the participants' own expense.

This summary is for information only. The official version, in English, is the one in the PDF.

✦ Location

Museum of Contemporary Art

Jazz arrives in the historic center of Sibiu, in a building with stories to tell: the Museum of Contemporary Art, part of the Brukenthal National Museum. Three days, a single stage and a setting where music and art complement each other.

✦ 6 Tribunei St., Sibiu · 4–6 December

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