TARTINI COMPETITION

RULES OF THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL

TARTINI COMPETITION - PIRAN 2026


  Art. 1
THE ORGANIZER

The 5th International Tartini Competition of Piran for young violinists and pianists is organized by the Koper Music School (Glasbena šola Koper) and the Rotary Club Portorož.



  Art. 2
DATE AND VENUES OF THE COMPETITION

The Competition will take place in Piran (Slovenia) from May 29th to May 31st, 2026, in several venues including:
- Sala delle Vedute (Hall of Views) - Tartini House, Tartini Square,
- Sala Tintoretto (Tintoretto Hall) - Municipality of Piran, Tartini Square,
- Tartini Theatre.

Practice rooms will be available before the competition performance at the Piran Music School in Levstik Street 8.
The final concert of the selected winners will be at the Tartini Theatre on Sunday, May 31st, 2026.



  Article 3
DISCIPLINES AND AGE CATEGORIES

The competition is intended for young violinists and pianists in the following disciplines:
- Piano,
- Violin,
- Piano Four Hands (on one piano),
- Chamber groups for strings or strings and piano (3 to 6 performers).

The Piano and Violin disciplines are divided into 6 age categories:
Piano/Violin  1st Category: born after January 1st, 2016 (up to 10 y.o.),
Piano/Violin 2nd Category: born after January 1st, 2014 (up to 12 y.o.),
Piano/Violin  3rd Category: born after January 1st, 2012 (up to 14 y.o.),
Piano/Violin  4th Category: born after January 1st, 2010 (up to 16 y.o.),
Piano/Violin  5th Category: born after January 1st, 2008 (up to 18 y.o.),
Piano/Violin  6th Category: born after January 1st, 2006 (up to 20 y.o.).

The discipline Piano four hands is divided into 2 age categories:
1st Category: the average age of the competitors must not exceed 12 years,
2nd Category: the average age of the competitors must not exceed 15 years.

The discipline Chamber groups with strings or strings and piano are divided into 3 age categories:
Category A: the average age of the competitors must not exceed 14 years,
Category B: the average age of the competitors must not exceed 18 years,
Category C: the average age of the competitors must not exceed 22 years.

The prescribed number of performers in a chamber ensemble is from three (3) to six (6). The category will generally be activated with the participation of at least 3 competing groups.



  Art. 4 
PROGRAMME

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Programme for the Violin discipline

1st and 2nd Category:
- compulsory piece: one piece of free choice from the collection Anastazijine violinske pravljice (Anastazija's Violin Fairytales) by composer Anastazija Juvan.
- Free choice pieces up to the prescribed time limit.
- Own composition (optional)*. 

Link to the publisher for the compulsory piece: https://www.zrss.si/izdelek/anastazijine-violinske-pravljice-notno-gradivo/
Two scores from the collection for the 1st category: Maček Sushi (Sushi cat) and Gusarski mars (March of the pirates), and two scores for the 2nd category: Piranska promenada (Piran promenade) and Spomin (Memory), are available for free on our website.

3rd to 6th Category:
- Compulsory piece: one movement (fast or slow) of a sonata or concerto by Giuseppe Tartini.
- Free choice pieces up to the prescribed time limit.
- Own composition (optional)*. 

Only original works for violin may be performed. The entire programme must be performed from memory.

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Programme for the Piano discipline

All Categories:
- Compulsory piece: one piece from the piano works of Piran composer Bojan Glavina**. 
- Free choice pieces up to the prescribed time limit.
- Own composition (optional)*. 

Only original works for piano may be performed. The entire programme must be performed from memory.

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Programme for Chamber Ensembles with strings or strings and piano discipline

All Categories:
- Free choice pieces up to the prescribed time limit.

Original works and arrangements may be performed, provided they are not simplified. The programme must include works from at least two different historical-musical periods. Performing the programme from memory is not mandatory. 

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Programme for Piano Four Hands discipline

Both Categories:
- Compulsory piece: one piece from the collections Piknik (Picnic) or Glasba letnih časov (Music of the Seasons) by Piran composer Bojan Glavina**.
- Free choice pieces up to the prescribed time limit.

Only original works for piano four hands and arrangements of the composers' own compositions are permitted. Performing from memory is not mandatory.

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Duration of performances for Piano and Violin disciplines:
 1st Category: up to   7 min. (+ 1 min. for own piece),
2nd Category: up to 10 min. (+ 2 min. for own piece),
3rd  Category: up to 13 min. (+ 2 min. for own piece),
4th  Category: up to 17 min. (+ 3 min. for own piece),
5th  Category: up to 20 min. (+ 3 min. for own piece),
6th  Category: up to 23 min. (+ 4 min. for own piece).

Duration of performances for Chamber Ensembles with strings or strings and piano discipline:
Category A: up to 10 min.
Category B: up to 15 min.
Category C: up to 20 min.

Duration of performances for Piano Four Hands discipline:
1st Category: up to 8 min.
2nd Category: up to 12 min.

The jury may interrupt the performance of the competitor or chamber ensembles if they exceed the prescribed time limit. The order of performance is not prescribed. Upon request of the jury, the competitor must present the original score edition of the performed piece. The decision regarding the performance of repeats is left to the competitor.

*Special Programme Feature:
The competition supports the compositional creativity of young people, therefore the performance of one's own, original piece is possible (not mandatory) in every discipline. In this case, the competitor may add 20 - 25% of the time to the prescribed time limit, or as indicated above. The piece may also be separately awarded upon proposal of the composer evaluator.



  Art. 5
REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION FEE

Registration for the competition is possible exclusively on the website: tartini-competition.com, where forms for all competition disciplines are available.
The number of participants is limited to approximately 70 competitors for the Violin discipline, 70 for the Piano discipline, and for up to 20 Chamber ensembles discipline and for up to 20 piano duets in the Piano Four Hands discipline.

Candidates must submit their registration applications no later than April 18th, 2026.
Upon receiving the reply email from the organizer, the proof of payment of the participation fee to the organizer's account and a copy of a valid identification document in PDF format must be sent within 3 days. 
Payment instructions for the participation fee will be sent to the candidate via email. In case of non-participation, the registration fee will not be refunded.

The amount of the participation fee is:
- Violin/Piano 1st Category: 60 €,
- Violin/Piano 2nd Category: 60 €,
- Violin/Piano 3rd Category: 60 €,
- Violin/Piano 4th Category: 70 €,
- Violin/Piano 5th Category: 70 €,
- Violin/Piano 6th Category: 70 €,
- Piano Four Hands: 40 € per competitor,
- Chamber groups with strings or strings and piano up to 3 members: 40 € per competitor,
- Chamber groups with strings or strings and piano from 4 to 6 members: 25 € per member,

The official piano accompanist 
If necessary, it is possible to request a piano accompanist for the Violin discipline. One rehearsal, the competition performance, and the possible performance at the winners' concert will be guaranteed.

The payment for the official piano accompanist amounts to:
1st and 2nd Category: 50 €,
3rd and 4th Category: 60 €,
5th and 6th Category: 70 €.



  Art. 6 
ASSESSMENT COMMISSION – TECHNICAL JURY

The jury is composed of internationally recognized Slovenian and foreign concert musicians, pedagogues, composers and/or conductors. The jury's decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Jury members do not evaluate candidates who are their students or relatives. The jury reserves the right not to award prizes if the competitors do not demonstrate a sufficiently high artistic interpretation. 
Competitors may compete in a higher category, but they cannot compete in multiple categories. 
The order of performance for participants will be determined and published on the competition website by drawing the starting letter.



  Art. 7
OBLIGATIONS OF THE AWARDED COMPETITORS

Winners of the top prizes must perform at the final winners' concert, if invited by the organizer, where the awards will be presented. Failure to participate in the concert will result in the forfeiture of the prize.
All competitors waive all rights related to the radio, television, or internet streaming of their competition performance and the final winners' concert.



  Art. 8 
SCORING AND PRIZES

Competitors will be evaluated according to the following scoring scale:
- 1st Prize, 1st Place: Cup,
- 1st Prize, 2nd Place: Cup,
- 1st Prize, 3rd Place: Cup,
- from 90 to 100 points: First Prize, diploma and gold medal,
- from 80 to 89.99 points: Second Prize, diploma and silver medal,
- from 70 to 79.99 points: Third Prize, diploma and bronze medal,
- under 70 points: Certificate of Participation.

The organizer may decide to award cups to the highest-ranked competitors within the individual categories. 
Results will be published a maximum of two hours after the conclusion of the category.

Special prizes:
- 400 € for the Best Violinist of the entire competition,
- 400 € for the Best Pianist of the entire competition,
- 400 € for the Best Chamber Ensemble,
- 200 € for the Most Promising Young Violin Soloist,
- 200 € for the Most Promising Young Piano Soloist,
- 200 € for the best performance of the compulsory G. Tartini piece,
- 200 € for the best performance of the compulsory B. Glavina piece,
- 200 € or other prize for the competitor's own composition,
- Other prizes (sheet music, summer schools, musical accessories... etc.) could be awarded.

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**Recommended Piano Pieces by B. Glavina:
1st Category, up to 10 years: Klavirske miniature 1 (Piano Miniatures 1):
- Mala cvetlična suita (Small Floral Suite) (at least 1 of the 4 movements)
- Trije mali preludiji (Three Little Preludes) (at least one of the 3 movements)
- Dve melodiji za levo roko (Two Melodies for the Left Hand) (one of the 2)
- Pustne maske (Carnival Masks)
- Uspavanka (Lullaby)
- Na telovadbi (In the Gym)
- Luči v temi (Lights in the Dark)
- Ping pong
- Glej kako že veter piha skozi našo vas!
(Look how the wind is already blowing through our village!)

2nd Category, up to 12 years: Klavirske miniature 1 (Piano Miniatures 1):
- Mala cvetlična suita (Small Floral Suite) (at least 1 of the 4 movements)
- Trije mali preludiji (Three Little Preludes) (at least one of the 3 movements)
- Dve melodiji za levo roko (Two Melodies for the Left Hand) (one of the 2)
- Trije valčki: Morski, Snežni, Romantični (Three Waltzes: Sea, Snowy, Romantic) (one of the pieces)
- Gozdne ptice (Forest Birds)
- Delfin (Dolphin)
- Nekega zimskega večera (One Winter Evening)

3rd Category, up to 14 years: Klavirske miniature 2 (Piano Miniatures 2):
All pieces, except the first: "10 krajših skladb" (10 Short Pieces)

4th Category (up to 16 years), 5th Category (up to 18 years), 6th Category (up to 20 years):
- at least one of the 15 pieces from Klavirske miniature 3 (Piano Miniatures 3)
or 
- at least two pieces from the collection Štiri meditacije (Four Meditations)