Misbin Family Memorial Chamber Music Competition 2026

Important Dates

Preliminary Video Round application deadline: Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Live Finals: Sunday, April 19, 2026 at Levine Music DC Campus: NW.

Levine Music and Washington Performing Arts are proud to jointly present the thirteenth annual Misbin Family Memorial Chamber Music Competition. Open to instrumental chamber music ensembles, competitors can compete in one of three divisions: Junior, Senior, and Adult Amateur. The jury panel consists of prominent chamber musicians from the greater Washington music community.

The preliminary round of the competition will be by video submission, due by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

The competition’s finals will be held in person at Levine Music’s NW campus on Sunday, April 19, 2026, between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The finalists will be assigned a specific performance schedule closer to the finals date.

This competition is made possible by the generous support of Dr. Robert Misbin.

MISBIN COMPETITION APPLICATION

Applicants will compete in one of three divisions:

• Junior (average age of ensemble is under 14 years old by March 22, 2026).
• Senior (average age of ensemble is 14 or above and under 19 years old by March 22, 2026).
• Adult Amateur (all group members must be 19 years or older and not professional musicians or not currently in a music degree program).

Completed applications and video submissions are due by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Application Fees

All application fees are per group.

Before March 1, 2026:
Duos: $50 per group
Trios/Quartets: $75 per group
Quintets, Sextets, Septets, and Octets: $100 per group

After March 1, 2026:
Duos: $60 per group
Trios/Quartets: $90 per group
Quintets, Sextets, Septets, and Octets: $120 per group

Prizes and Awards

First Prize

• Cash prize $100 per member.
• Certificate.
• Participation free-of-charge in the Play-In with the Pros workshop on Sunday, June 14, 2026, between 12 PM and 4:30 PM at Levine’s NW campus. Play-In with the Pros is a unique workshop, offering a chance for the winning groups to play in a side-by-side chamber coaching with professional musicians. The workshop also includes a roundtable discussion for all participants and an informal final performance.
• Possible performance opportunities through Levine and WPA.

Special Award

• Misbin Family Memorial Award is awarded to the best group with piano (one group from Junior and Senior divisions only) $100 cash prize per group member.
• Certificate.
• Participation free-of-charge in the Play-In with the Pros workshop on Sunday June 14, 2026, between 12 PM and 4:30 PM at Levine Music’s NW campus. Play-In with the Pros is a unique workshop, offering a chance for the winning groups to play in a side-by-side chamber coaching with professional musicians. The workshop also includes a roundtable discussion for all participants and an informal final performance.
• Possible performance opportunities through Levine and WPA.

Second Prize

• Certificate.
• Second prize winners could be considered for possible performance opportunities through Levine and WPA, as well as possible participation in the Play-In with the Pros workshop.

Honorable Mention

• Certificate.

Competition Rules (All Divisions)

Categories

The competition is open to instrumental chamber music ensembles (any string or wind instruments, with or without piano) in the following age categories:

• Junior (average age of ensemble is under 14 years as of March 22, 2026).
• Senior (average age of ensemble is 14 or above and under 19 years as of March 22, 2026).
• Adult Amateurs (all members are 19 years and up and not professional musicians or in a music degree program).

All divisions must have at least two participating groups to go forward. Under-enrolled divisions will be canceled.

Repertoire

One or two movements from a major instrumental chamber music work of any musical period. The total program must be no longer than 10 minutes per chamber group.

Concertos and solo concert pieces with piano accompaniment will not be accepted.

Baroque ensembles are encouraged to use standard baroque performance practices (e.g. well-researched editions, unrealized continuo parts, etc.).

Application Process

Each group must complete one online application form per group (follow the link below). The application includes a secure link for the online payment of the application fee. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

• The preliminary round will be conducted by video submission. All videos must be recorded straight through without interruption or editing. Preliminary application and video submission deadline: Sunday, March 22, 2026. Applying by the application deadline does not guarantee admittance into the finalist competition.
• Applicants will be adjudicated based on their musicianship, technique, interpretation, stage presence, and overall presentation.
• Applications and videos will be reviewed by the judges, and the list of finalists will be announced by Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
• Groups admitted to the Final round of the Misbin Competition will be competing in person at Levine Music’s NW campus on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Performing in person at Levine Music’s NW campus on Sunday, April 19, 2026 is the only way to participate in the finals.

Complete applications must include a YouTube video link. No incomplete applications will be considered for participation. The application fee is non-refundable.

Please e-mail misbincompetition@levinemusic.org with any questions about the application process.

Preliminary Round: YouTube Video Guidelines

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 22, 2026 (video must accompany application submission).

Please review the following guidelines for submitting Preliminary Round videos.

• Time Limit: Video must include one or two movements from an instrumental chamber music work of any musical period. The total program must be no longer than 10 minutes per chamber group. Concertos and solo pieces with piano accompaniment will not be accepted.
• Video must include unedited, complete movements or pieces.
• Excerpts from movements/pieces are not accepted.
• The video repertoire must be the same pieces intended for the finalist competition.
• Video recordings must be made in the last 6 months.
• The video must clearly show all the performers (videos shot from far away will be disqualified).
• It is recommended that competitors submit recordings with a high quality of sound. The use of phones or similar recording devices that reproduce good quality sound are acceptable.
• Each competing group should create a group name to participate in the Misbin Competition (e.g., Trio con Brio, etc.). The group name must not reflect an affiliation with a teacher or institution and cannot reveal the names of the members of the group. Groups whose names do not adhere to this rule can be disqualified. The jury should not know the names of the competitors, their teachers or the educational institution with which they are affiliated.
• Each group should enter the following information in the video description box: Category; Name of group; Name of Composer, Title of piece, key of piece, opus number of piece; number and title/ tempo indication of movement (I. Allegro con Brio).
• Video and audio editing are prohibited. Judges want to see continuous playing (examples: no straight cuts, dissolves, cross dissolving, fading in and out in the middle of the piece). Videos with signs of editing will be disqualified.
• Please make sure that your video link is working properly before submitting. If the video link does not work by the application deadline, the group’s application will be disqualified.
• Recital recordings are acceptable as long as they meet the criteria mentioned above (editing between pieces is fine in this case, as long as the pieces are performed in the same recital).

The competition applicant agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of Washington Performing Arts’ and Levine Music’s Misbin Family Memorial Competition. The applicants and parents/guardians must ensure that all information provided in the competition application is accurate.

All competition results, as determined by the official competition judges, are final.

YouTube Submission Information

Mandatory YouTube submission is due with the completed application by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

STEP 1: Upload Video to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/upload

• VERY IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT identify players or coaches in the video or its description. Please choose a name for your group that DOES NOT identify players, coaches, or organizations.
• VERY IMPORTANT: Please provide the following information in the video description box:
  1. Category (Junior, Senior, or Adult)
  2. Name of group
  3. Name of Composer, Title of piece, key, opus number, tempo indication of movement(s) performed. Please follow the format of this example and provide complete and accurate information: “L. van Beethoven, String Quartet in F major, Op. 18 # 1, I. Allegro con brio”. Please do not use this incomplete format: “Beethoven, String quartet # 1, first movement”
• Change privacy setting from ‘PUBLIC’ to ‘UNLISTED’. This way, only people with the specific video URL can watch the video.
• Please make sure that your video follows the recording guidelines listed above.

STEP 2: Complete the application on the following page.

STEP 3: Email a PDF of the music score to misbincompetition@levinemusic.org.

2025 Competition

On Sunday, April 6th, 2025, community members gathered to watch the live finals of the 12th Annual Misbin Family Memorial Chamber Music Competition. Congratulations to the Winners of the 12th Annual Misbin Family Memorial Chamber Music Competition and special thanks to this year’s judges Dr. Lisa Cella, Cleveland Chandler Jr., and Jon Goldberg.

Awards

Junior Division

• First Place: Bellissima Duo
• Second Place: Harmonics Quintet
• Honorable Mention: The Clefhangers Trio

Senior Division

• First Place: Quintessence Quintet
• Second Place: Reinecke Trio & Caravan Quartet
• Honorable Mentions: Ayr Hill Trio & Del Frutal

Adult Amateur Division

• First Place: Q Street Trio
• Second Place: Duo for Democracy

Misbin Family Memorial Award

• On the Other Hand