The 2nd Khachaturian International Youth Competition Opens in 2026

On January 26, the press conference for the 2nd Khachaturian International Youth Competition was held at the Central Opera House in Beijing. Guests in attendance included Liu Yunzhi, President of the Central Opera House and Honorary Artistic Director of the competition; Martin Tovmasyan, Chairman of the Khachaturian Foundation; Misak Balayan, Head of the Cultural Section of the Embassy of Armenia in China; and representatives of Jingse International Culture & Education.

The press conference announced a comprehensive upgrade for the 2026 competition. In addition to expanded categories and a broader competition framework, the event will introduce new public participation mechanisms, aiming to create a global music celebration that connects professional excellence with public aesthetic education. The organizing committee also released a five-year development plan, marking a new stage of systematic and long-term growth for the competition in China.

The Khachaturian International Competition is a recognized member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) and enjoys a global reputation for artistic quality and professional standards. Since its adult competition system entered China in 2023 and the first youth competition was successfully held in 2024, the event has quickly become one of the most influential youth classical music competitions in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The 2026 edition will continue to be jointly organized by the Khachaturian Foundation and Jingse (Beijing) International Education Technology Co., Ltd., with guidance and support from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, the Central Opera House, and the Chinese and Armenian embassies. This structure forms a high-level and stable international cooperation framework.

Building on the three core disciplines of violin, piano and cello established in 2024, the new edition adds viola and chamber music, forming five competition tracks across strings, keyboard and ensemble performance. The addition of viola completes an important part of the string competition system, while chamber music emphasizes collaboration, listening and balance, supporting the development of well-rounded young musicians.

For the first time, the competition will hold offline preliminary rounds in multiple regions around the world. Preliminary events are expected in North America, Europe, Asia, Armenia and across China, allowing young musicians to connect with an international stage closer to home. Regional preliminaries are scheduled to take place from July to September 2026, and selected finalists will gather in Beijing for the global finals in November.

The 2026 edition will also introduce online voting and a Best Audience Award. In addition to professional adjudication by an authoritative jury, audiences worldwide will be able to watch contestants online and vote for their favorites. This initiative brings classical music competitions closer to public life and turns a high-level artistic event into an open platform for aesthetic education.

The competition will be divided into amateur and professional divisions. The amateur division includes global preliminaries and finals, while the professional division includes global preliminaries, a first round, semifinals and finals. The competition is open to young musicians under the age of 18 worldwide, with separate age groups.

The jury will bring together renowned performers, conductors and educators from around the world. Sergey Smbatyan, the internationally acclaimed conductor and Artistic Director of the Khachaturian International Competition, will continue to collaborate with the event. The Central Opera House Symphony Orchestra and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will participate throughout the competition, with global livestreaming planned. Prize winners will receive not only cash awards, but also professional recording opportunities and career development support through international artist management channels.

The Khachaturian Youth Music Week, held alongside the competition, will also be expanded. In addition to masterclasses, lectures, winners' tours and music activities, the organizers will introduce new formats for classical music engagement, with further details to be announced.

Original Chinese title: 【人民日报】2026年第二届哈恰图良国际青少年比赛启幕
Original link: https://www.khachaturiancompetition-cn.com/?p=202&a=view&r=204