NORTHERN IRELAND INTERNATIONAL ORGAN COMPETITION RULES AND CONDITIONS

Rehearsals will take place in Armagh between Saturday 9 and Monday 11 August 2025. Applicants are requests to keep these dates free.
The competition is administered by the Board of the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition. The Board reserves the right to amend the rules as it deems necessary.

Teachers are not allowed to attend rehearsal slots with their students. The Competition Registrant will be the only person permitted to discuss technical set-up with each competitor. The decision of the Jury is final. No correspondence will be entered into. It is possible that prizes may not be awarded if an appropriate standard is not met. Each competitor may enter one competition category only. The first prize winner in the Senior Category is not eligible to compete in subsequent competitions. However, winners of other sections are eligible to enter classes which they have previously won.Any instructions given by the Board must be strictly observed.

The competition shall be open for the public to attend and the use of cameras, video cameras and sound recorders during the competition is prohibited.

Entries must be emailed to info@niioc.com and the full fee paid at this point.  Entry fees will not be refunded. Payment can only be made by bank transfer to:

Northern Ireland International Organ Competition 

Danske Bank
For UK Transfers – Sort Code: 950679 / Account Number: 00256269
For International Transfers – IBAN: GB16 DABA 9506 7900 2562 69 BIC/SWIFT: DABAGB2B

NB If your bank transfer facility does not accept the full name of the competition, please try the abbreviation NI Int Organ Comp. The system may then give an amber alert suggesting the full name of the account that you are wanting to transfer to. If you check the other details - sort code/account number/ IBAN etc - and are happy it is safe to proceed, please do so. Please also note ours is a Business and not a Personal account.


For the Junior and Intermediate Category:
One copy of each piece must be made available to the Competition Administrator at least 30 minutes before the start of each category. Responsibility for obtaining the necessary permission to copy music rests with the competitor.

For the Senior Category:
We are happy to accept MP3 or mobile recordings for shortlisting.

Each applicant in this category is required to submit a recorded performance not exceeding 10 minutes. It must include a performance of JS Bach and any other work(s) of choice. Competitors may perform different music to that in their competition programme. The Competition Application Form should have your name and pieces clearly marked on it. The recording and application form should be emailed to info@niioc.com. 

If shortlisted, three copies of each piece must be made available to the Competition Administrator no later than one week prior to the competition. Responsibility for obtaining the necessary permission to copy music rests with the competitor.

A playing time of 20 minutes must be strictly observed. Breaches may cause disqualification.

Page turners will be allowed to offer reasonable assistance with registration.

The order of performance will be decided by a draw, conducted by the Board.

Applications close Friday 11 July 2025 at 12 noon.

We will be happy to suggest accommodation to all competitors when application forms are received.