Guitar and harp are included in the 'Strings & Plucked Instruments' section. You can check the full list of instruments in ART. 1 of the Regulations page.

No, all instruments within the same section are judged together to determine the ranking. For example, all participants in the 'Strings' section, such as violin, cello, and guitar, will compete together.

Yes, you can. You may apply to a category for an older age group than your own (e.g., a 13-year-old applying to the Junior category). However, the reverse is not possible (e.g., a 20-year-old applying to the Junior category). The Professional category is open to participants of all ages and levels.

Yes, you can. The Professional category has no restrictions on age or major. However, you are required to submit a CV (Curriculum Vitae) when applying.

Yes, you can. However, you must fill out a separate application form and pay the respective participation fee for each category.

No, memorization is not mandatory. It is acceptable to perform while looking at the sheet music. However, even if you use sheet music, your face and hands must be clearly visible as per the video regulations.

No, as per the regulations, all participation fees are non-refundable. This is because administrative procedures, such as assigning judges, begin immediately upon payment. Please make your decision carefully before applying.

You can freely include details that showcase your expertise, such as your music-related education, awards, and performance history. There is no set format.

You cannot edit the application yourself after submission. If you have missed a required document or entered incorrect information, please request a correction through the contact form at the bottom of the 'FAQ' page. When making a request, please provide the exact information you entered on the application form, such as submission time, name, email address, and video link, so that the administrator can verify and make the correction.

The confirmation email sent after submitting the application is an automated system, so it may sometimes be filtered into your spam folder. Please check your spam folder first.

No, you must submit only one video link per application. All pieces you perform must be included in a single, unedited video.

It is entirely the participant's responsibility to ensure that the video link works correctly. If the link cannot be opened during the judging process, the application cannot be evaluated and may be disqualified. Videos set to 'Private' cannot be viewed by the jury, so please ensure your video is set to 'Public' or 'Unlisted'.

This competition and WAAO (World Arts Award Organisation) apply strict criteria for the composition of the jury to ensure professionalism and credibility. We only invite authoritative professors and musicians who are world-renowned performers, hold a master's or doctoral degree in the instrument field being judged, and have a history of winning international competitions.

To ensure fairness and independence, the identities of the jury members are kept confidential. This system ensures that jurors can focus solely on the participant's performance without external influence, and any attempt by a participant to contact the jury will result in immediate disqualification.

All jury scores are collected by an independent results announcement team, which calculates an average score to determine the final ranking. This prevents any single juror's opinion from being overly influential and ensures the most objective evaluation.

Furthermore, WAAO will continuously review and strive to introduce the WAAO jury and collaborating world-class artists through the 'Artists' section of its website in the future to provide greater inspiration and motivation to participants.

Yes, the jury reserves the right not to award a winner for a specific rank if they determine that no participant's performance meets the artistic standards required for that rank.

All diplomas are provided as digital files (PDF) and sent to the winners via email. You can print them yourself if needed.

The prize amount may vary depending on the scale of participants and sponsorship for that year's competition. Detailed information will be provided individually to the Grand Prize winner.

As stated in the regulations, all fees incurred upon receiving the prize money and taxes in the winner's country are the sole responsibility of the winner.

Yes, by submitting an application, participants agree to the use of their performance videos (in part or in full) and photos on the competition's website, social media, and other promotional channels.

WAAO Points are annual ranking points awarded to winners of WAAO-affiliated competitions. In this competition, all participants in the Professional category will receive points based on their ranking. Click the button below to check the detailed regulations.

Based on the rankings compiled at the end of the year, top-ranked musicians will receive special benefits such as cash prizes and opportunities to be appointed as jury members for WAAO-hosted competitions. Click the button below to check the detailed regulations.

WAAO Ranking Points are automatically aggregated based on the email address used at the time of participation. If your points are split because you accidentally used a different email address, you can request to have them merged after a verification process through the contact form at the bottom of the page. However, to ensure smooth point management and accurate aggregation, we strongly recommend always using the same email address.

A list of all competitions affiliated with WAAO can be found on the 'Competitions' page of the official WAAO website, and detailed information about the ranking system can be found on the 'Tournament' page. Also, you can check the current rankings on the 'Ranking' page.