Application

Apply as a solo artist, duo or with your band if you are between 11 and 21 years old and not already under contract. You can apply with up to three self-written songs, electronic music, digital sound productions, vocal art or sound experiments in any language. 

The competition is open to all modern styles: Songs by soloists, duos or bands from the fields of pop, singer-songwriter, rap, rock, electronic music, sound experiments, sound design, video, radio play or game music in any language can be submitted. 

The Treffen junge Musikszene offers young musicians a platform to present their self-written, self-penned or self-produced music. In addition to public concerts, the meeting creates a creative space where the prize winners can further develop their musical signature in intensive workshops, receive tips and knowledge from professionals, and get to know each other, exchange ideas and jam together.

All costs for participating in the Treffen junge Musikszene are covered.

Start for applications 5 March 2026
Deadline for applications 31 July 2026
Q&A on the application with the team (digital) 7 July 2026, 17:00, registration via treffenjungeszene@berlinerfestspiele.de
Announcement of the final selection 8 September 2026
Treffen junge Musikszene 25 to 30 November 2026

You can apply if:

• You are between 11 and 21 years old
• You are not yet a professionally trained musician and do not yet have a contract with a music label or management
• The submitted tracks are your own productions

As this is a national competition, unfortunately only applications from within the German Federal Republic can be considered.

Participation with the same entries in other competitions is not excluded. A repeated application is possible. 

Please submit your application via our Application Portal). Once you have registered, you can enter all the details of your application there.

What is important to us is what you express and represent with your music. The songs and tracks should be suitable for playing or presenting in a live situation on stage.

Please upload the following application materials:

• Music: up to three songs, titles or tracks, including one unedited recording from the rehearsal room or a performance or live situation.
• Lyrics: the complete song lyrics or set-to-music texts, stories or content that you have set to music. Even with instrumental pieces, we are interested in finding out what themes, thoughts or stories you have explored.
• Self-presentation: a text written by you about yourself and your musical development and work.    
• If applicable, explanation of the use of artificial intelligence (AI): 
  Do you use AI in your artistic work process? Please explain exactly how you use AI, what you use it for, and why you decided to use AI as a tool. Please indicate what was created with AI.

You can apply with:

• Songs you have written yourself in any language
• All modern music styles (e.g. pop, hip-hop, jazz, funk, rock, chanson, folk, blues, electronic music, experimental music, sound design)
• Any kind of self-produced music that works with lyrics, contains messages or tells stories and themes (e.g. texts set to music, radio plays, games, podcasts, voice art and sound experiments)

If you have any questions or problems using our application portal, please contact us by phone on +49 30 254 89 113 or by email treffenjungeszene@berlinerfestspiele.de.

An independent jury will select around ten soloists, duos or bands, each with one song, from the applications received. The selection process is completed in early September. The jury’s decision is final – there is no legal recourse.

The jury is looking for remarkable and exemplary songs, tracks and compositions by young musicians. In order to be able to compare the applications submitted, the jury looks for certain characteristics in the entries.

These qualities are important to the jury:

• Inventiveness in composition, lyrics, arrangement
• The relationship between lyrics and music in songs
• Skills on the instrument, vocal quality
• For electronic music: skills and mastery of the technology and the means and the creative use of them
• Expressiveness and attitude of the artists in their music
• Music and/or lyrics touch the listener
• Experimentation, willingness to take risks in the musical idea and design, avoidance of copying styles
• Creativity, wit and originality of the music submitted
• Mastery of the stylistic basics within the respective stylistic directions
• A personal view of the world is recognizable through the music
• The world is captured in coherent musical and lyrical images, e.g. through the imagery of the lyrics or motifs in the music.
• The music refers to the current state of society and addresses important socio-political issues
• The music conveys credibility, has persuasive power and shows awareness of the use of the chosen artistic means
• Performability as a live performance (applies to pre-produced songs, playbacks, effects devices, natural and digital instruments). Electronic and digital music should also be created live in the moment of a concert
• The musicians convey an awareness of a discrimination-sensitive and privilege-conscious approach to lyrics and instrumentation or arrangement.