AGE CATEGORIES

Junior:

Category A: up to 8 years

Category B: 9–10 years

Intermediate:
Category C: 11–12 years

Category D: 13–15 years

Senior:
Category E: 16–21 years

*Age categories may be adjusted depending on the number of entries. The Organisers reserve the right to combine adjacent age groups if entries in any single category are fewer than 6, or to introduce a preliminary video selection if entries exceed 10 per category.


REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

Each participant must prepare at least two pieces, within the time limit specified for their category:

1.Compulsory Piece (all categories)

At least one work chosen from the following options:

• an original work by Helen Hopekirk from her piano repertoire (including simplified arrangements or adaptations where appropriate);
• a work by a Scottish composer;
• a work inspired by Scottish folk material, culture, or landscape.

The chosen repertoire should be appropriate to the participant’s age and technical level.

• Participants are particularly encouraged to explore the piano music ofHelen Hopekirk as acentral artistic focus of the competition.

2.Free Choice Piece
A contrasting work, chosen freely by the participant (any composer, style, or period).


*The selected repertoire may consist of short works or movements forming part of a cycle or set (including suites or groups of miniatures).
Participants may perform more than two pieces, provided that:

• the total programme remains within the time limit for the category;
• at least one work fulfils the thematic repertoire requirement.

Time limits:
Category A (up to 8 years) → up to 4 minutes
Category B (9–10 years) → up to 5 minutes
Category C (11–12 years) → up to 7 minutes
Category D (13–15 years) → up to 9 minutes
Category E (16–21 years) → up to 12 minutes

Performance Details:

• Repertoire must be indicated in the application form and cannot be changed after submission except in exceptional circumstances and with the prior approval of the Competition administration.

Schedule:

• 22-24 May: Competition days

Deadline:

• Submissions must be received by 23 April 2026

Repertoire Resources
A selection of Helen Hopekirk’s piano works, Scottish folk-based pieces and works by Scottish composers recommended for the competition are available to participants on this website *Repertoire Resources
These materials are intended as guidance and support. The final choice of repertoire remains with the participants, provided it meets the competition requirements.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
The dates for the Online Competition and the application period have been updated.

• Applications open: 1 August 2026
• Application deadline: 25 August 2026
• Results announced: 10 September 2026

ELIGIBILITY:

Open to participants worldwide.

AGE CATEGORIES

Junior:

Category A: up to 8 years

Category B: 9–10 years

Intermediate:
Category C: 11–12 years

Category D: 13–15 years

Senior:
Category E: 16–21 years


REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS


Each participant must prepare at least two pieces, within the time limit specified for their category:

Compulsory Piece (all categories)

One work chosen from the following options:

• an original work by Helen Hopekirk from her piano repertoire (including simplified arrangements or adaptations where appropriate);
• a work by a Scottish composer;
• a work inspired by Scottish folk material, culture, or landscape.

The chosen repertoire should be appropriate to the participant’s age and technical level.

• Participants are particularly encouraged to explore the piano music of Helen Hopekirk as a central artistic focus of the competition.

Free Choice Piece
A contrasting work, chosen freely by the participant (any composer, style, or period).

*The selected repertoire may consist of short works or movements forming part of a cycle or set (including suites or groups of miniatures).
Participants may perform more than two pieces, provided that:

• the total programme remains within the time limit for the category;
• at least one work fulfils the thematic repertoire requirement.

Time limits:
Category A (up to 8 years) → up to 3 minutes
Category B (9–10 years) → up to 5 minutes
Category C (11–12 years) → up to 7 minutes
Category D (13–15 years) → up to 9 minutes
Category E (16–21 years) → up to 12 minutes


Submission Requirements

• Video Recording: participants must submit a single video file containing all pieces, uploaded to Google Drive. A shareable link must be provided in the application form (please ensure access without additional permission).
• All accepted recordings will be uploaded to the official YouTube channel of the Helen Hopekirk International Competition and made publicly available.

Audience Award

An Audience Prize will be awarded to the participant whose video receives the highest number of “likes” on the official YouTube channel by 9 September 2026.


Repertoire

A selection of Helen Hopekirk’s piano works, Scottish folk-based pieces and works by Scottish composers recommended for the competition will be made available to participants on this page *Repertoire Resources
These materials are intended as guidance and support. The final choice of repertoire remains with the participants, provided it meets the competition requirements.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

The dates for the Online Competition and the application period have been updated.

• Applications open: 1 August 2026
• Application deadline: 25 August 2026
• Results announced: 10 September 2026

Eligibility:

Open to participants worldwide.

Age Categories

This competition is open to young composers up to 21 years of age.
Junior
Category A: up to 10 years
Intermediate
Category B: 11-15 years
Senior
Category C: 16-21 years

Theme & Inspiration

All compositions must be inspired by Scottish musical heritage, following the example of Helen Hopekirk, who frequently drew on folk material, song, and national idioms as a source for original composition.
Composers may choose one of the recommended themes below as a starting point, or draw inspiration from:

• a traditional Scottish folk melody;
• elements of Scottish musical style or tradition;
• Scottish culture, landscape, or history.

The selected source may be referenced directly, transformed, abstracted, or freely reimagined. Direct quotation of a melody is not required.

Recommended Themes (optional starting points)

• Land O’ The Leal
• Turn Ye to Me
• Eilidh Bhan
• Dance to Your Shadow
• Auld Lang Syne
• The Skye Boat Song
• Loch Lomond
• The Flowers of the Forest
• Annie Laurie
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
• The Bluebells of Scotland

Duration

• Junior (Category A): up to 3 minutes
• Intermediate (Category B): up to 5 minutes
• Senior (Category C): up to 7 minutes

The duration applies to the total length of the submitted work.

Form

The submission may consist of:

• one original composition, or
• a short cycle or set of pieces,

provided that the total duration remains within the specified time limit and the submission forms a coherent artistic whole.

Submission Requirements

Compositions must be written for piano solo or organ solo.
The submitted work must be an original composition and must not have been previously published or publicly performed.

Each submission must include:
1.Score (PDF format)Clearly notated and legible. The score must not contain any identifying information (name, address, etc.) to ensure anonymous judging.
2.Recording (MP3 format)A high-quality audio recording must be provided. This may be either:

• a live performance, or
• a MIDI rendering exported as an MP3 file from notation software (e.g. Sibelius, Finale, MuseScore, Dorico).

Project files (.sib, .musx, etc.) will not be accepted.

Applicants will be asked, in the event of winning, whether they wish to perform their own composition at the Winners’ Concert or have it performed by an invited musician.

Deadline & Selection Process

All submissions and recordings must be received by 25 August 2026.
Winners will be announced on 10 September 2026.

Winners' concert

• Winners compositions will be performed live in Autumn 2026, in Edinburgh.