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Rules and Regulations:

  1. Participants must have been born OR currently reside OR have studied/currently study with a teacher in the Inland Empire in the previous 2 years.
  2. All music must be performed from memory.
  3. There will be 2 age categories: Junior (under 12) and Senior (13-17)
  4. Participants must provide ONE copy of all original sheet music for the judges during the finals round. No photocopies will be accepted, with the exception of sheet music available in the public domain on IMSLP (which must be thus indicated on the prints).
  5. Application fee: Early bird $75 by January 1st or Regular $95 by February 1st. Application fee must be paid via Zelle to ieyoungartists@gmail.com. (IEYAC is administered by S.D.G. Performing Arts, LLC). Applications cannot be evaluated until application fee payment is received. Application fees are non-refundable. You may submit the application and fee before the early bird deadline (January 1st) to take advantage of the reduced price and submit your video by the final deadline (February 1st).
  6. The competition will take place in TWO ROUNDS.
  7. ROUND ONE: Participants must complete the application form and send it via email to: ieyoungartists@gmail.com along with their UNLISTED YouTube video link and proof of fee payment (it is acceptable to submit the application and fee separately from the video, but the names have to match to avoid confusion). Finalists selected to advance to the in-person round from each age category will be notified via email approximately 1 week after the submission deadline.
  8. ROUND TWO: The selected finalists will compete in-person on Sunday, March 1st, 2026 at the Loma Linda Civic Center (Address: 25541 Barton Rd., Loma Linda, CA 92354). Time assignments will be sent directly to the finalists via email approximately 2 weeks before the live competition date. There is NO additional fee for the finals.
  9. Repertoire: Any piece of your choice up to 12 minutes in length (movement of a concerto, showpiece, sonata, etc.). There is no penalty for longer repertoire in the video or live round, but the judges will only listen to the first 12 minutes of your performance. The repertoire you select should be the best representation of your technical abilities and artistry on your instrument. If selected for the finals, you may perform different repertoire if you wish, but you must inform us of your change in repertoire before February 15th via email.
  10. Video guidelines: Recordings should show the applicant clearly in a way that displays his/her instrument, hands, posture, and technical aspects of instrument playing. The camera must be stationary and the recording must be from a single angle, continuous, without any interruptions or editing. Any edited videos will be disqualified. The video should be uploaded to YouTube as unlisted (if the video is accidentally uploaded as “private”, the judges will not be able to view and evaluate it).
  11. Judges’ comments will be given to the finalists after the competition. There will be NO judges’ comments for the video round.
  12. All winners are eligible to compete in subsequent years until they age out of the competition’s age limits.
  13. Benefits of participation: Beyond the cash prizes, medals and certificates, which we hope will enhance your music education and development, it is the aim of this competition to provide an opportunity for Inland Empire students to perform in front of renowned judges, receive valuable feedback, celebrate their progress through diligent practice and inspire each other to continue to reach for excellence. The process of preparing for a music competition/audition, regardless of the outcome, is one of the most important aspects of music training as it motivates young artists to reach higher and higher towards their full potential.
  14. The judges’ decisions are final. All prizes will be awarded on the day of the finals competition during the Awards Ceremony.
  15. There will be a minimum of 3 judges during the finals, in-person audition. Each judge will evaluate the young artists’ performance and will give a numerical score. The judges’ scores will then be combined, and the average score will be recorded for each contestant. If the contestant is a member of a judge’s studio, that judge will refrain from evaluating his/her own student and the average score of the remaining 2 judges will be recorded as the contestant’s final score. It is the goal of this competition to reward merit.