 1. General Information and Regulations
The Bella Music Foundation (BMF) International Music Competition is open to blind and visually impaired solo classical and jazz musicians of any nationality. Applicants must meet the following age requirements as of the application deadline:
The competition is open to instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers.
First Prize winners from the previous BMF International Music Competition may not compete in the same division at the next competition. They may return to the same division in the following competition. Winners advancing to a higher division are eligible to compete in the next competition. Applicants must meet the legal definition of blindness or visual impairment in their country of residence or citizenship and submit official medical documentation verifying their eligibility. Any documents submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied by an English translation. All deadlines are based on U.S. Eastern Time (ET). 2. Application Procedure Application Deadline: October 1, 2026 Application Fee: USD 90 (non-refundable) Applicants must submit the following:
3. Competition Procedure Preliminary Round – Recorded Video Audition
Final Round – Live Zoom Audition
4. Awards and Prizes Total Cash Awards: USD 10,000 Division I – Junior (Classical, Ages 10–14) First Prize: USD 500 Second Prize: USD 300 Division II – Young Artist (Classical, Ages 15–20) First Prize: USD 1,000 Second Prize: USD 600 Division II – Young Artist (Jazz, Ages 15–20) First Prize: USD 1,000 Second Prize: USD 600 Division III – Emerging Artist (Classical, Ages 21–30) First Prize: USD 2,000 Second Prize: USD 1,000 Division III – Emerging Artist (Jazz, Ages 21–30) First Prize: USD 2,000 Second Prize: USD 1,000 Additional First Prize Award Dancing Dots will provide each First Prize winner in the five competition categories with either the GoodFeel suite (currently valued at $1,895) or Lime Lighter Liberty (currently valued at $1,849), depending on which best meets the winner’s individual needs. Note: The Jury reserves the right to withhold prizes if the required artistic standard is not achieved. All decisions of the Jury are final. 5. Winner Performance Opportunities First Prize Winners: All First Prize winners will be invited and are required to participate in and perform at the Finale Concert of the 2026 Bella Music Foundation National Concert Tour Series on December 6, 2026, at Carnegie Hall – Weill Recital Hall in New York City. This invitation includes the opportunity to make a Carnegie Hall debut as part of the official concert program. Failure to participate may result in forfeiture of the First Prize, except in cases of serious and unavoidable circumstances, as determined by Bella Music Foundation. Second Prize Winners: Second Prize winners may also be invited to perform at the Finale Concert at the discretion of the Jury and Bella Music Foundation, based on artistic merit and programming needs. Such invitations are not guaranteed. Participation Information
6. Audition Repertoire No repertoire changes will be permitted after the application has been accepted. The same repertoire must be performed in both the Preliminary and Final Rounds. Repeat performances of works previously submitted to a BMF competition are not permitted. Performance length: minimum 3 minutes, maximum 15 minutes. Classical Division
Jazz Division
Composition Applicants must submit:
7. Additional Regulations
8. Contact Bella Music Foundation Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 (551) 255-0570 (USA) Website: www.bellamf.org  2024 Seoul International Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Artists in South Korea
Application Deadline: April 30th (Tue) Online Video Submission (No Application Fee) Announcement of Finalists: May 3rd (Fri) Finals & Awards Ceremony: June 6th (Thu) in Seoul, Korea Winners' Concert: June 8th (Sat) in Seoul, Korea Fill in the Application Form here: https://forms.gle/zcZVBPYwwjXirrK17 Eligibility: Limited to visually impaired music artists only 1) No age or nationality restrictions 2) Group applications not accepted Preliminary Audition Repertoire: A free piece of at least 3 minutes Categories: Piano, String Instruments, Woodwind Instruments, Brass Instruments, Vocal, Traditional Instruments (including Korean traditional instruments) Prizes: Total performance fee of KRW 20,000,000 and performance opportunities, festival participation tickets, and more. 1st Place: performance fee of KRW 4,000,000, orchestral collaboration 2nd Place: performance fee of KRW 3,500,000, orchestral collaboration 3rd Place: performance fee of KRW 2,500,000, orchestral collaboration 4th to 8th Place: performance fee of KRW 2,000,000 each Inquiries Regarding Applications: [email protected]  The winners of the 2023 BMF Int'l Music Competition for the Blind: DIVISION I : Junior Division (10-18) 1st Prize ($1,500) winner: Laura Parra Muñoz - Piano (Spain) 2nd Prize ($1,000) winner: Haowen Deng - Piano (China) 3rd Prize ($500) winner: Iolanta Mamatkazina – Voice (USA) Honorable Mention: Logan Riman - Piano (USA) DIVISION II : Young Artist Division (19-30) 1st Prize ($4,000) winner: Guillem León - Piano (Spain) 2nd Prize ($2,000) winner: Julia LaGrand - Violin (USA) 3rd Prize ($1,000) winner: Bohee Kim (S. Korea) Honorable Mention: Ying-Shan Tseng – Piano (S. Africa) *Dancing Dots' accessible music notation software was awarded to the winners as well.  Here is a captivating photo capturing our winners on stage, holding instruments and certificates, all smiles alongside our esteemed jury members:
JURY CHAIR: Thomas Muraco, Orchestra Conductor, Pianist, and Vocal Coach College Faculty, Manhattan School of Music JURY: Xiao Wang, violinist College Faculty, Manhattan School of Music JURY: Mira Kim, pianist Chief Executive Officer, Bella Music Foundation Thank you to all the contestants who participated in the 2023 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually Impaired! It's truly remarkable that we had such an impressive number of exceptionally talented musicians from various parts of the world. These included the United States of America, Australia, Spain, South Korea, China, Croatia, South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, and New Zealand for this year's 2023 BMF International Music Competition. Each contestant exhibited remarkable talent and thorough preparation, making the preliminary round process highly competitive. We are pleased to announce the names of the finalists of the 2023 BMF International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually Impaired, listed alphabetically.
DIVISION I : AGES 10 - 18 Haowen Deng - Piano (China) Iolanta Mamatkazina – Voice (USA) Laura Parra Muñoz - Piano (Spain) Logan Riman - Piano (USA) DIVISION II : AGES 19 - 30 Bohee Kim – Cello (S. Korea) Guillem León Vivas - Piano (Spain) Julia LaGrand - Violin (USA) Ying-Shan Tseng – Piano (S. Africa) The Finalists' Concert is scheduled to take place on November 25, 2023, at 7:45 PM, at Marc A. Scorca Hall (330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA), and will be open to the public. The next BMF Music Competition is planned for 2025.  The Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition is open to any blind and visually impaired solo musician of any nationality who, on the application deadline, will be ages 10-18 (Division I: Junior Division) and ages 19-30 (Division II: Young Artist Division) and who will comply with all other conditions specified below. The competition is open to all classical instrumentalists, composers, and vocalists.
1) Preliminary Round: Recorded Video Audition All contestants must submit a link to a video of their performance (maximum 15 minutes) on YouTube or another video sharing service via the application form by October 31, 2023. Video submissions must be in one continuous shot, without edits. The contestant’s face and hands must be clearly visible throughout the recording. The video must be filmed within 6 months of submission and must comply with all specifications mentioned above. * The finalists will be notified by email and announced on the website on November 6, 2023 at 1PM EST. 2) Final Round: Live Audition at the Finalists' Concert on November 25, 2023 at 7:45 PM @ Marc A. Scorca Hall (330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 in USA) A total of 6 to 8 finalists, with 3 to 4 from Division I and 3 to 4 from Division II, will be invited to the final round, which will take place as a live Finalists' Concert. Each finalist's performance will be strictly limited to 10 minutes. All finalists are required to perform with an accompanist if applicable. They are responsible for covering their own travel costs to and from the Finalists' Concert venue. However, BMF will provide an official pianist at no cost. If a finalist chooses to bring their own accompanist, they will be responsible for any accompanying expenses. A short rehearsal will be scheduled before each performance, and the final round repertoire should be the same as the preliminary round. The Finalists' Concert will be recorded, and BMF will retain the rights to the video. The Winners will be announced on the same day as the Finalists' Concert, right after the judges make their final decision. A ceremony to honor the winners will follow the announcement.
Second Prize: 1,000 USD & Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software (Price: $1,595)* Third Prize: 500 USD & Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software (Price: $1,595)* 2. Division II: Young Artist Division (19-30) First Prize: 4,000 USD & Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software (Price: $1,595)* Second Prize: 2,000 USD & Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software (Price: $1,595)* Third Prize: 1,000 USD & Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software (Price: $1,595)*
Important Dates: 10/31/23 Application Deadline @11:59PM EST 10/31/23 Preliminary Round Video submission Deadline @11:59PM EST 11/06/23 Finalists announced @1PM EST 11/25/23 Final Round: Live Audition at the Finalists' Concert @7:45 PM EST @ Marc A. Scorca Hall (330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 in USA) Questions about the rules? Please email [email protected] or call 1-551-255-0570 - Bella Music Foundation Inc. www.bellamf.org BMF Winners’ Concert reviewed by New York Concert Review / Watch BMF Winners' Concert Highlights9/10/2022
Congratulations to all the winners again!
The BMF Winners’ Concert in NYC on Sep. 3rd, 2022 was very successful and has been well reviewed by New York Concert Review Inc. Highlights from the concert will be available on our website in the near future. Below are some parts from the review, but you can read the whole article at BMF International Music Competition for the Blind Winners’ Concert in Review | New York Concert Review, Inc. Bella’s mission statement is: “supporting musically talented individuals and schools for the blind by presenting opportunities for world-class education in classical music.” Judging from these talented performers, it is a resounding success. All took the stage for the official presentation of the prizes. The audience, naturally, was wild with ovation for everyone. Bella’s motto is: “In every note there is hope.” I’d venture to add, even more than hope: realization, the ultimate achievement. - by Frank Daykin for New York Concert Review; New York, NY We would like to thank everyone who has supported us to make this event possible. We hope you will consider donating to our cause so more blind musicians can find their “ultimate achievement”. Donate to Bella Music Foundation 2020 BMF Int'l Music Competition for the Blind Winners' Highlights Division I Julia LaGrand, USA, Division I, 1st Prize Violin Sonata No. 2, movement 1, "Obsession" by Eugène Ysaÿe Ryan Maxwell, USA, Division I, 2nd Prize Rhapsody Op. 79, No. 2 by Johannes Brahms Sihu Hwang, S. Korea, Division I, 3rd Prize Piano Sonata Op.49, No.2, 1st mvt. by Ludwig van Beethoven Laura Parra Muñoz, Spain, Division I, Encouragement Award A la amiga by Ricardo Lamotte de Grignón Division II Fernando Apan, Mexico, Division II, Encouragement Award Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 by Frédéric Chopin Guillem León, Spain, Division II, 3rd Prize Prelude Op. 23, No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff Mackenzie Jacquemin, USA, Division II, 2nd Prize Ach, ich fühl's from Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Jisun Kim, S. Korea, Division II, 1st Prize Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 by Pablo de Sarasate Thank you all finalists for participating in the 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition and congratulations on making it as a finalist! With a large number of very musically talented contestants from all over the world including the United States of America, Australia, Spain, South Korea, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand, our 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually impaired was very successful and the final round was extremely competitive. Our 2020 competition jury, Dr. Julia Bullard (Head Judge), Mr. Hyong Jo, and Ms. Mira Kim, was touched by everyone’s beautiful music and wishes them all the best in their musical careers. Special thanks to Dancing Dots, Seong Min Kim & Youn Suk Lee, Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, and our head judge, Dr. Julia Bullard! The winners of the 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition: DIVISION I : Junior Division (10-18) 1st Prize: $600 / 2nd Prize: $400 / 3rd Prize: $300 * Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software will be awarded to the winners. 1st Prize winner: Julia LaGrand - Violin (USA) 2nd Prize winner: Ryan Maxwell - Piano(USA) 3rd Prize winner: Sihu Hwang - Piano (S. Korea) Encouragement Award winner: Laura Parra Muñoz - Piano (Spain) DIVISION II : Young Artist Division (19-30) 1st Prize: $2,000 / 2nd Prize: $1,000 / 3rd Prize: $500 * Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software will be awarded to the winners. 1st Prize winner: Jisun Kim - Violin (S. Korea) 2nd Prize winner: Mackenzie Jacquemin - Voice (USA) 3rd Prize winner: Guillem León - Piano (Spain) Encouragement Award winner: Fernando Apan - Piano (Mexico)   Thank you to all the contestants who entered the 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually impaired! Amazingly, we had a large number of very musically talented contestants from all over the world including the United States of America, Australia, Spain, South Korea, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand for the 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually impaired this year. Every contestant was very talented and well prepared, so the preliminary round process was highly competitive. We appreciate all of the contestants for their beautiful music and wish them all the best in their musical careers. Congratulations to the finalists of the 2020 Bella Music Foundation International Music Competition for the Blind and Visually impaired! DIVISION I : AGES 10 - 18 Jaebaek Lee - Piano (South Korea) Julia LaGrand - Violin (USA) Laura Parra Muñoz - Piano (Spain) Madeline Mau - Piano (USA) Matthew Herrera - Voice (USA) Ryan Maxwell - Piano (USA) Sihu Hwang - Piano (South Korea) DIVISION II : AGES 19 - 30 Daniel Gillen - Composition (USA) Fernando Apan - Piano (Mexico) Guillem León - Piano (Spain) Jeong Woo Lee - Voice (South Korea) Jisun Kim - Violin (South Korea) Mackenzie Jacquemin - Voice (USA) Yookyung Kang - Voice (South Korea) We are pleased to announce that Dancing Dots’ accessible music notation software, donated by Dancing Dots, will be awarded to the winners along with the cash prizes. APPLY by October 31st, 2020! https://www.bellamf.org/bmf-international-music-competition |