2025 Competition Repertoire Announced!
Applications for the 2025 ITA Solo and Ensemble Competitions will be accepted October 13 through December 8, 2024. Applications should be submitted at: https://app.getacceptd.com/ita.
For full submission instructions, rules and information, please visit the competitions pages. The 2025 competition finals will be held during the 2025 International Trombone Festival. We hope to see you there!
Competition Rules and Repertoire
Each of the 14 ITA Solo and Ensemble Competitions has its own specific rules and repertoire published on the individual competition pages. See dropdown menu in navigation bar above.
General Information
Three finalists, selected from a preliminary recorded round, will be chosen by international judging panels in 12 different competition categories—Fontana, Johnson, Smith, Marsteller, Wiehe, Gagliardi, ITA Alto, Roberts, Yaxley, Van Haney, Kleinhammer and Quartet. Those applicants selected as finalists will be invited to perform in a live final round at the International Trombone Festival. All finalists will receive a full tuition waiver to attend the 2025 ITF. Housing, food and travel expenses will NOT be covered by the International Trombone Association or the International Trombone Festival.
A winner and one runner-up will be selected from submitted recordings in the Emory Remington and Kai Winding trombone ensemble categories. Each winning ensemble will receive a featured performance at the International Trombone Festival. Its members and teacher/conductor will receive a full tuition waiver to attend the ITF. Housing, food and travel expenses will NOT be covered by the International Trombone Association or the International Trombone Festival.
Winners of the Remington and Winding Competitions will be obligated to perform at the 2025 International Trombone Festival.
Submission Instructions
Completed applications must be submitted prior to the deadline and meet ITA membership and other requirements outlined on this page. Application fees (see below) will be charged at the time of application (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club are accepted.)
Applications will be open October 13-December 8, 2024.
To apply, visit: https://app.getacceptd.com/ita
Recording Guidelines
The 2025 Recording Guidelines must be strictly observed to avoid disqualification.
General Requirements (applicable to all competition categories):
- Failure to strictly adhere to the General Requirements, Recording Guidelines, or Competition Rules will result in immediate disqualification. In the event of a disqualification, the application fee will not be refunded.
- Each competition participant (except piano accompanists or rhythm section players) must be an ITA member in good standing on December 8, 2024. Please register or renew BEFORE beginning the competition registration process, as you will need to enter ITA member information on the application. Library or promotional (e.g. “pBone”) memberships will not fulfill the membership requirement
- Entries will be submitted by online application and digital audio or video file upload, depending on the competition. The format for the submission will be specified in the rules for each competition. Specific submission instructions may be found under “Submission Instructions.” When recording, applicants must strictly follow the “Recording Guidelines.”
- Each competition category has its own set of specific rules and repertoire requirements. These must be strictly followed in addition to the General Requirements and Recording Guidelines.
- Registration will open on October 13, 2024 and close on December 8, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST).
- A non-refundable application fee of $60 ($30 ITA fee + $30 Acceptd fee) is required for each solo entry—Fontana, Johnson, Smith, Marsteller, Wiehe, Gagliardi, ITA Alto, Roberts, Kleinhammer and Van Haney. A non-refundable $105 application fee ($75 ITA fee + $30 Acceptd fee) is required for each ensemble entry—Quartet, Winding and Remington.
- Age requirements must be met as of December 31, 2024. Proof of age (i.e. photocopy of driver’s license, visa or birth certificate) must be included (PDF or JPEG file format.)
- Applicants should strictly follow the Recording Guidelines document. Absolutely no editing of any kind is permitted within a solo piece. Editing is defined as any alteration to the recorded performance from the first to the last note. (It is permitted to trim the beginning or end of each file, i.e. before the music begins or after it concludes.) Individual movements or excerpts may be recorded separately only where specifically allowed in the individual competition rules.
- Applicants are not allowed to post pictures, video, or audio from the recording sessions online or to social media until after finalists have been formally announced by the International Trombone Association.
- Attendance at the 2025 International Trombone Festival is required of all finalists. Finalists and winning ensemble members are required to confirm their participation at the 2025 ITF by March 15, 2024 in order to guarantee their finalist position. Alternates or runners-up may be invited to replace any finalist who fails to confirm by March 15, 2024.
- All finalists will be required to perform in the final round with the accompanist or rhythm section provided by the ITA.
- All finalists will be allotted equal rehearsal time with the provided accompanist on the day before the competition.
Frequent Reasons for Disqualification
- Failure to remove all identifying information from audio file names or metadata.
- Failure to record with prescribed accompaniment.
- Failure to provide an unedited recording.
- Failure to record prescribed repertoire according to stipulated rules.
- All performers not visible in the submitted video
- Failure to avoid all spoken dialogue.
- Failure to submit required proof of age.
- Failure to meet specified age requirements.
- Failure to meet ITA membership requirements.
- Posting of pictures, video, or audio from the recording sessions online or to social media before the preliminary round results have been announced.
Questions regarding the ITA Solo and Ensemble Competitions may be directed to Chase West, ITA Competitions Coordinator at: chase@trombone.net.
Make sure to like ITA’s Facebook page to receive the latest competition news directly in your news feed.