REGISTRATION & APPLICATIONS
All entrants must be enrolled as a full-time student at a BSME school. Entries will be processed through each school. Music staff should register their interest click here.
All entrants will be aged 18 years or under on 31 August 2021 and must apply by the deadline date – Thursday, 18 November.
There will be a small fee to cover the cost of adjudicators and awards. Irrespective of how many solos are entered, the fee is BD 20 per competitor.
Heads of Music are expected to coordinate all fee payments from students who wish to participate and complete a bank transfer to St Christopher’s School on or before Sunday, 5 December. Schools who have not made full payment by this date will be deemed to have withdrawn from the competition.
REGISTRATION DATES
Sunday 31 October
- School’s staff must register their interest by the above date (Click Here)
Thursday 18 November
- Deadline for completed school registrations
Sunday 5 December
- Online applications opened
- Deadline for all fee payments
- Young Musicians of the Gulf YouTube channel is launched
Thursday 3 February
- Deadline for Recordings for Round 1, 2, Semi-Final and Final
APPLICATION
All performances must be recorded in one continuous shot that includes any introductions or announcements. Pauses or stops in filming, cutting, or editing the video at any point of the performance, or the addition of audio or visual effects are strictly prohibited. For the Grand Final submissions, the performance must be recorded in one take, irrespective of how many pieces are presented.
Performance standards
Recommended entry levels for specific instruments are below.
Please note that the use of Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and/or Trinity examination levels are merely for guidance as an indication of the minimum standard required. Entrants do not need to have passed any examinations. However, it is recommended that entrants be at or around Grade 8 Standard in order to compete on equal terms with their peers.
The following levels are acceptable:
- Piano – Grade 8
- Flute – Grade 8
- Violin – Grade 8
- Cello – Grade 8
- Brass – Grade 7
- Clarinet – Grade 7
- Bassoon – Grade 7
- Saxophone – Grade 7
- Voice – Grade 7
- Oboe – Grade 7
- Viola – Grade 7
- Double Bass – Grade 7
- Guitar – Grade 7
In the event of entrants offering different instruments from the above list clarification should be sought from the organisers.
Initial Rounds and Awards
All entrants should choose repertoire which reflects the high level of performance expected.
Entrants who intend to improvise may do so provided the stimulus is submitted for the benefit of the judges. General criteria of the type used to assess GCSE/GCE performances which feature improvisation, will be applied.
As a general rule, Backing Tracks are not permitted, accompaniments must be recorded live.
During the initial heats:
- The Instrumental participants will compete exclusively against other Instrumentalists
- The Vocal participants will compete exclusively against other Vocalists.
Participants from both the Instrumental and Vocal category will be selected to advance to the Second Round, Semi-Final and Final within their respective categories at the Adjudicators’ discretion.
The following table outlines the approximate percentage of entrants from each category who will advance through each round.
*Please note that this is a guide and subject to alteration at the discretion of the adjudicators.
| Category | Round 1 | Round 2 | Semi-Final | Final |
| Instrumental | 100% | 70% of Round 1 | 30-40% of Round 2 | 5 Participants* |
| Vocal | 100% | 70% of Round 1 | 30-40% of Round 2 | 1 Participant* |
The following Trophies will be awarded:
Young Musician of the Gulf 2022 Winner (Trophy and Shield)
Young Musician of the Gulf 2022 Runner Up
The following Certificates will be awarded:
- Knights Bequest (Most promising Musician under 15 years of age)
- Owerkowicz Bequest (Best Bahrain-based Musician)
- Piano Award
- Brass Award
- Woodwind Award
- Bowed String Award
- Plucked String Award
- Female Vocalist
- Male Vocalist
- Percussion Award
- Finalist Awards
Music Selection
Instrumental
Round One and Round Two pieces will be of the performer’s choice and should be one piece (different for each round) lasting no longer than 6 minutes.
For Rounds One and Two, competitors should perform one piece (different for each round) lasting no longer than 6 minutes.
Entrants selected to advance to the Semi-Final must choose a different piece to that performed in Round One and Round Two. This will be one piece of the performer’s choice and should last no longer than 7 minutes.
Entrants selected to advance to the Grand Final, Instrumentalists and Vocalists, may include any works previously performed in the Competition or choose new repertoire. Grand Final repertoire should consist of at least two contrasting works. Grand Final repertoire should last no longer than 12 minutes.
Competitors are encouraged to perform pieces that are new to Young Musicians Of the Gulf but they will not be penalised for playing music performed at a previous competition.
Vocal
The recommended entry level for all vocalists is Grade 7 and it is expected that pieces will reflect this minimum standard. The Organisers have decided that vocalists must perform repertoire from a variety of genres within the initial rounds of the competition. The three genres they will showcase are:
Round One: An Aria or an Art Song in any language (Maximum 6 minutes)
Round Two: Own choice (Maximum 6 minutes)
Semi Final: Musical Theatre (Maximum 7 minutes)
Grand Final programme must be no longer than 12 minutes and include at least two contrasting pieces. Chosen pieces should specifically fit the requirements of the category. Performers who do not meet the programme requirements will not progress to the next round or be adjudicated for the round in which the discrepancy was made.
© YMOG 2021-2022