The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition

Competition Date and Venue

◎ Address：China · Beijing

China National Opera House

01

Organization

Directed by

Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports
China National Opera House

Organizer

Aram Khachaturian Culture Foundation
JINGSE(Beijing) International Education Technology Co., Ltd.

Organizer of

Khachaturian International Competition Organizing Committee
JINGSE(Beijing) International Education Technology Co., Ltd.

Support Units

Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Armenia
Embassy of Armenia in China

02

Prizes

1st prize:
10,000€
Gold medal, Global performance opportunities

2nd prize:
5,000€
Silver medal, Global performance opportunities

3rd prize:
3,000€
Bronze medal, Global performance opportunities

Other awards:

Best Chinese Work Award

Best Instructor Award

Background

The Khachaturian International Competition is one of the world’s most respected annual events in the field of classical music. Khachaturian’s works transcend borders, touching the hearts of audiences around the globe. His legacy stands as a pillar of 20th-century classical music and a timeless cultural treasure shared by humanity. Established in 2003 to honor the legendary Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, the competition pays tribute to his creative genius and his profound contribution to world musical culture. Held each year on June 6, Khachaturian’s birthday, the competition rotates among four disciplines—violin, piano, cello and conducting—and attracts exceptional musicians from around the world.

The board members of the competition includes distinguished politicians, artists, and cultural leaders such as Sergey Smbatyan, Prof. Jonathan Freeman, Prof. David Attwood and Valery Gergiev. Since 2013, the competition has been a proud member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) in Geneva, a recognition of its artistic excellence and international stature. Over its 22-year history, the event has welcomed participants from more than 20 countries, including Russia, the United States, America, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Spain,Italy, Belgium , England and China.

In 2023, marking both the 120th anniversary of Khachaturian’s birth and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the 19th Khachaturian International Violin Competition was successfully held in Beijing’s Shijingshan District — the first time in the competition’s two-decade history that it was hosted outside Armenia. Jointly organized by the People’s Government of Shijingshan District and the Khachaturian Cultural Foundation, and co-hosted by the Shijingshan Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the 19th Khachaturian Competition Organizing Committee, and JINGSE(Beijing) International Education Technology Co., Ltd., the event became a milestone in global classical music exchange and a cultural bridge between China and Belt and Road countries.

Following the success of this landmark event, the competition established a long-term development plan in China. With the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, the China National Opera House, the Shijingshan District Government, and both embassies, the Khachaturian International Youth Competition will now be held biennially in China, marking the country’s official role as a permanent host of this prestigious international event.

The next major event in the series — The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition (Senior Division) — will take place in Beijing in December 2025.

Dedicated to professional musicians and emerging artists, this flagship competition represents one of the most important pillars of the Khachaturian competition system. Its presence in Beijing signifies the continued expansion of the Khachaturian brand in China — extending from youth education to the highest levels of professional artistry. 

The event will once again be led by Sergey Smbatyan, Artistic Director of the Khachaturian Competition, together with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, and will be broadcast live worldwide. In addition to prestigious prizes, outstanding participants will gain opportunities for international performances, agency representation, and career development — empowering the next generation of artists to realize their musical dreams.

In December 2025, Beijing will stand at the center of the global classical music stage once again. The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition will not only carry forward the legacy of the 2024 series but also serve as a bridge toward the 2026 International Youth Competition, completing the Khachaturian brand’s artistic presence in China. Let us look forward to an inspiring new chapter of music, creativity and cultural dialogue.

03

Competition rules

1. The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition does not impose any nationality restrictions on the participants. The age limit for participation is not less than 16 years old and not more than 35 years old on the date of the opening ceremony of the competition (December 22, 2025). Participation is restricted to cellists who have won the first prize of the Competition.
2. The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition consists of a Pre-Selection Stage Competition (submit video) and three rounds of the live Competition : the First Round, the Second Round (Semi-Final), and the Third Round (Final).
3. The Competition Organizing Committee may adjust some of the terms and conditions up to one month before the start of the competition.
4. All pieces must be played from memory (except for sonatas with piano and the first-round piece by Aram Khachaturian). The repertoire chosen by the contestants cannot be changed after submission. 
5. All contestants must strictly follow the requirements of the regulations, fill in the registration information completely and accurately, and ensure its authenticity. Contestants must be fully responsible for the authenticity and correctness of the age,  repertoire and other information they have reported, such as anyone found to have reported false or erroneous information will be treated as a violation, and the organizing committee has the right to disqualify him or her from participating, and all consequences will be borne by the participants. If you have any questions about the contents of the charter, you can consult the organizing committee’s customer service.
6. All contestants can decide by themselves the order of the repertoire to be performed in each round of the competition. The performance order of the finals must be based on the determined order of the competition.
7. All contestants must perform the entire repertoire.
8. Contestants must participate on time, register and check in on-site within the designated time, and bring valid documents such as ID card or household registration booklet, passport, etc. for on-site confirmation. Participants who do not participate in the competition on time will be automatically forfeited, and the organizing committee has the right to disqualify the participants from the competition.
9. Please bring your own collaborating pianist for the qualifiers. During the official competition，the competition organizing committee will provide professional collaborative pianists (you can also provide your own collaborative pianists).
10. After the video pre-selection phase of the competition, no more than 34 participants from the competition will be selected to enter the one round； no more than 10 participants will be selected in the second round ；and no more than 3 participants will be selected in the third round .
11. Participants in each group will draw lots to determine the order of playing, and it will be a unique serial number.
12. After selection in the pre-selection stage of the competition, the competition organizing committee will announce the shortlist within three days.
13. The final performance will be performed by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the official orchestra of this competition.
14. Orchestra and piano standard pitch: 442Hz.
15. The contestants will be provided with a practice room 1 hours before the performance of each round.
16. All competition sites for this competition are open to the public. The entire three rounds of the competition will be broadcast live online. The live broadcast will continue until the end of the performance of the last contestant on each competition day.  The rights to broadcast the entire competition and its individual rounds, all audio and video recordings and their further use rights belong to the competition organizing committee and will only be provided to the contestants upon request. Entrants may not use or make available to third parties video recordings of their performances without the written permission of the Contest. The entire broadcast platform of the competition must be authorized by the organizing committee.
17. The organizing committee owns the ownership of all video, camera, and picture content related to the competition, and can use it for competition-related publicity during the preparation, hosting, and after the competition without paying any compensation to the participants.
18. The Jury fully reserves the right to allocate award places or to allocate award places among candidates. The decision of the judging panel is final, and contestants are not allowed to appeal.
19. Score statistics and performance review are carried out by full-time staff assigned by the organizing committee, and no other personnel are allowed to intervene. The contestants’ scores in each round are the final decision of the judging panel, and contestants are not allowed to check scores or appeal.
20. After the promotion results of each round of competition are announced, all contestants who did not advance will receive written opinions from the jury on their performance.
21. The prize money received by the winning participants is before tax, and the participants should pay personal income tax in accordance with relevant laws.
22. All contestants are requested to always pay attention to the official WeChat account of the competition "Khachaturian International Music Competition" and the official website: https://www.khachaturiancompetition-cn.com/ for all relevant information and notices of the competition, including schedule, time changes, The results of the competition will be released uniformly on the official WeChat public account and official website platform. Please check the official WeChat information of the competition in a timely manner to avoid delays in the competition.

04

Application

• Requirements for the preliminary selection and recording

All competitors are required to submit 1-2 video links, each with a duration of no less than 15 minutes.

1. Requirement for the repertoire：one piece from the Baroque or Classical period，and one piece from the Romantic period.
2. The preselected round repertoire can be reused in subsequent rounds of the competition.
3. Competitors sign up to record a video must perform the entire qualifier repertoire. The video must not be edited, it must be shot to the end.
4. The video shooting time must be later than December 22, 2024.
5. The complete title of the repertoire, the recording date and the duration must be indicated in the application form.
6. The results of the preliminary round will be announced on the official platform of the competition on December 5, 2025, and the contestants will be notified by email.
   

• Documents required to apply for participation

Submit your application materials through the official email of the organizing committee（Applications are now open）:

Competitors applying for participation should submit the following documents:

1. Passport copy (UPEG or PDF format);
2. Autobiography in English and Chinese (mandatory) (Microsoft Word format);
3. One high‑resolution art photograph (minimum size 2 Mb, JPEG format) to be used in the promotional materials of the competition;
4. Application form Link: 
5. Proof of payment must be sent together with other documents and videos. Fees are non‑refundable.

All the information of the applicants should be sent to the email address of the organizing committee： info@khachaturiancompetition-cn.com

Scan the QR code to download the application form

• Instructions for contestants

1. When accepting registration, the competition organizing committee will collect the personal information of the participants to meet certain program needs of the competition. Personal information is stored in reliable databases. Only the following details about the entrant will be published: name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, resume, photo, personal website and social media profiles.
2. By submitting a competition application, entrants confirm their acceptance of all conditions of the competition.
3. After receiving the official invitation letter from the competition, non-Chinese contestants should apply for a visa to the Chinese embassy or consulate in their country.

(ps：The competition reserves the right to reject applications that do not comply with the rules of the competition. When the competition requires more information, entrants may be asked to provide supplementary information. Thank you for your cooperation.)

• Competition application fee

Qualifiers application:

150 Euros (1400 RMB)

Registration fee for the competition:

250 Euros (2200 RMB)

Proof of payment must be sent together with other documents and footage. Fees are non-refundable. And indicate " name and the cost of participating in the 2025 The 22nd Khachaturian International Cello Competition " in the payment remarks column. 

Khachaturian International Competition Organizing Committee Official account:

Account name: JINGSE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 

Account number: 110954229710806

Company Address: NO 6,1201,SHIJINGSHAN ROAD,SHIJINGSHAN DIS,BEIJING,CHINA

Beneficiary Bank Address: China Merchants Bank Tower NO.7088,Shennan Boulevard, Shenzhen,China

Beneficiary Bank: CHINA MERCHANTS BANK H.O. SHENZHEN

SWIFT: CMBCCNBSXXX

• Application deadline

December 5, 2025

05

Notes for foreign participants

1. Non-Chinese participants should apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence upon receipt of the official invitation letter for the competition.
2. During the competition, the organizing committee will provide free meals for the participants. The competition will not cover the accommodation and travel expenses of the contestants. For those who do not advance to the second or third round and choose to continue competing in Beijing until the end, all meal expenses and costs must be borne by themselves.

06

Program

『 1st Round 』（4 pieces in total）

Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach - Prelude and two other movements from one of the 6 suites for solo (at competitor’s choice).
David Popper
David Popper - any 2 etudes from “High school of cello playing” Op. 73
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian - Sonata-Fantasy for Unaccompanied Cello

『 2nd Round 』semifinal（4 pieces in total）

One of the following sonatas for Cello and Piano (at competitor’s choice):
① Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata No.3 in A major, Op.69
② Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata No.4 in C major, Op 102
③ Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata No.5 in D major, Op.102 No.2
④ Johannes Brahms - Sonata No.2 in F major, Op.99
⑤ Franz Schubert - Sonata in A minor, D.821 “Arpeggione”
⑥ Dmitry Shostakovich - Sonata in D minor, Op. 40
⑦ Sergei Prokofiev - Sonata in C major, Օp.  119

Choice

One piece at competitor’s choice (not more than 12 minutes).

Choice

One Chinese pieceat competitor’s choice(The organizing committee needs to be provided with the electronic version of the performance sheet music.)

『 3rd Round 』final（2 pieces in total）

One of the following concertos for Cello (at competitor’s choice):
① Joseph Haydn - Concerto No 2 in D major, Hob. VIIb/2
② Joseph Haydn - Cello Concerto No.1 in C major, Hob. VIIb/1
One of the following concertos for Cello (at competitor’s choice):
① Aram Khachaturian - Concerto in E minor
② Aram Khachaturian - Concerto-Rhapsody for cello and orchestra in D minor
③ Antonin Dvorak - Concerto in B minor, Op.104
④ Robert Schumann - Concerto in A minor, Op.129
⑤ Edward Elgar - Concerto in E minor, Op.85
⑥ Édouard Lalo - Concerto in D minor, op.37
⑦ Camille Saint‑Saëns - Concerto No.1 in A minor, Op.33
⑧ Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No.1 in E‑Flat Major, Op.107

07

Contact information

Khachaturian International Competition Organizing Committee
Official website: http://www.khachaturiancompetition-cn.com/
Tel: 010-68802975
Email: info@khachaturiancompetition-cn.com
Address: Room 803, Shijingshan Cultural Center, Building 1, No. 10, Pingguoyuan South Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing

Official Organizing Committee WeChat for Inquiries

08

Khachaturian works score download

① Aram Khachaturian - Sonata-Fantasy for Unaccompanied Cello  Download
② Aram Khachaturian - Cello Concerto in E minor  Download
③ Aram Khachaturian - Concerto-Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra  Download

*Concerto sheet music contains the solo part and the piano part.

09

CONDUCTOR OF FINAL ROUND

Sergey Smbatyan

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Official orchestra

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Armenian State Symphony Orchestra
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Sergey Smbatyan

A celebrated symphony orchestra at home and overseas, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra emerged from a group of devout enthusiasts of classical music with the shared vision of championing spiritual excellence through music and upholding the musical traditions of their native Armenia. Reputed to have finely distinct quality of sound and emotionally charged performance style, the orchestra has long become an awaited guest in leading concert halls around the world.

The orchestra performs over 50 concerts in Armenia and across the world annually. The rich and diverse repertoire of the orchestra covers multiple genres and performance formats, ranging from symphonies to ballet and opera music to symphonic arrangements of popular and cinematic music or jazz interpretations of classical music. Along with recurrent debut performances of great masterpieces from the world heritage of classical music, the orchestra places a considerable importance in exposing contemporary and young composers as well, featuring new works in its mainstream programmingthroughout concert seasons.

Together with its Founding Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Sergey Smbatyan, the orchestra has established four annual classical music festivals, hosting in Armenia a multitude of internationally renowned virtuoso performers and conductors over years. The orchestra treasures years of friendship and cooperation with remarkable contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt, Sir Karl Jenkins, Qigang Chen and Eric Whitacre.

Driven by its belief in the meaningful dialogue between classical music and modern technologies, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra is profiled as a tech-driven and innovative orchestra. By embracing AI and other cutting-edge technologies, the orchestra continuously explores experimental approaches to expand the boundaries of its artistic expression.

The orchestra has a growing input in the education of young people in Armenia. Launched in 2018, the Symphonic DasA program strives to incite curiosity, understanding and liking for classical music amonghigh school students. The program is designed to bring the youth and high quality musical art closer together and share entertaining knowledge about classical music.

With a committed awareness of its social responsibility, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra ensures the cultural engagement of vulnerable social groups by regularly issuing invitations and making available complimentary attendances to the orchestra’s performances, along with holding charity concerts for fundraising purposes.

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra has established itself as a global cultural ambassador, regularly touring and performing in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls. With a mission to promote Armenian performing arts and showcase the works of Armenian composers, the orchestra has captivated audiences across the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, France, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and beyond. Recent milestones include a debut tour in the United States, featuring performances at Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, and Walt Disney Concert Hall; an acclaimed debut at Philharmonie de Paris during a tour to France; and a memorable tour to China.

Earlier in 2024, the orchestra released an album honoring the 100th anniversary of the legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour, under the renowned "Deutsche Grammophon" label. The orchestra also maintains an active presence in the recording industry, regularly releasing albums under its own "ArmSymphony Records" label. Most recently, it released an album featuring the celebrated film and theatre music of Armenian composer Tigran Mansurian.

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