Korean Art Song Competition
for Young Singers
Application Deadline - May 1, 2026
Finalists Announcement - Early June, 2026
Final Round Concert - August 15, 3:00 pm, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Korean Art Song (Gagok) is a musical setting of a poem or a text written based on the Western European classical art tradition and notation system that was embraced in Korea at the end of the nineteenth century. The Korean Art Song Competition (KASC) is designed to celebrate the history and the genre of Korean art songs, Gagok.
With the increasing interest and popularity in K-pop, K-drama & K-movie cultures and the Korean language in the United States, the time is ripe to make Gagok more accessible to Americans. This competition will be a unique opportunity for American singers to experience a broader study on Gagok including analysis of phonetic alphabets, compositional styles, text-melody relations, the poetry, and historic and cultural backgrounds of the text. Furthermore, we hope that this event will build a greater appreciation for Korean culture and its art songs.
Prizes
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The First Place: USD $2,000
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The Second Place: USD $1,500
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The Third Place: USD $1,000
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Honorable Mention: USD $500
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KCSB reserves the right to award all or patial prizes at its discretion.
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Finalists must be able to travel to Boston for rehearsal and the final round on August 15, 2026. A travel honorarium will be provided to finalists traveling to Boston.
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Performances presented during the final competition may be recorded and published, in whole or in part, on YouTube or other media platforms.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
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Be between the ages of 18 and 29 as of May 1, 2026
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Currently reside in the United States
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Be singers whose native language is not Korean
The First Prize Winner of the previous competition is not eligible.
Repertoire Requirements
Each applicant must submit recordings of two Korean art songs:
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One selection composed prior to 2000
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One selection composed after 2000
Applicants are responsible for obtaining legal copies of all sheet music. Please refer to the Resources section below for available options.
Video Submission – Preliminary Round
Recording Submission Guidelines
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Submit a separate, unedited video for each selection.
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Camera must remain fixed in an audience-centered position.
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Your face and entire body must be clearly visible.
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At the beginning of each video, introduce:
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Your name
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Voice type
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Song title
Performance Requirements Guidelines
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Perform with a live pianist, who must be at least partially visible on camera.
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Perform from memory (no score permitted).
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Pianists must use copyright-compliant sheet music or scores.
YouTube Upload Guidelines
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Set each video to “Unlisted” in the privacy settings.
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Title each video using your full name followed by the song title only.
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Include only the song title, composer, and lyricist in the description.
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YouTube is the sole accepted video platform for submissions.
Submission Guidelines
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Paste the full video URL into the online application form.
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Ensure that the audio and video are properly synchronized and that the link functions correctly.
Adjudication
A panel of five judges will review all preliminary video submissions and select up to ten finalists. Finalists will be announced in early June.
The final round (open to public) will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 3:00 PM in Seully Hall, Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
A panel including the Chair of the Competition Committee, the Artistic Director of KASC, and guest judges will determine the winners. Judges' decisions are final. Winners will be announced immediately following the final round.
Copyright
KCSB retains unlimited performance and mechanical rights to all performances and recordings made during the competition.
Resources
(For purchase inquiries: emusicbiz@naver.com.)
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Korean Art Songs: An Anthology and Guide (Vol. 1 & 2) – link
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Digital Scores from SEIL Music and Culture Foundation – link
Application Checklist
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Copy of ID (Driver’s License or Passport)
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Two YouTube (Unlisted)
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Biography (120~150 words, in Word format)
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Headshot (TIFF or JPEG format)
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Application fee: USD $30
Application Form: link
Competition Committee
Ryu-Kyung Kim, Chair of Competition Committee
Yoo Sun Na, Artistic Director
Lauren Woo, Executive Administrator
Inquiries: kartsong@kcsboston.org