In order to promote the development of the local music culture and enhance the training and performance abilities of young local musicians, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (CAB) promotes the 32nd Macao Young Musicians Competition. Applications are open from 28 February to 10 March, 2014 (weekends included), at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building, located in Tap Seac Square, Macao, from 9am to 1pm and from 2.30pm to 7.30pm (applications are not accepted during lunch time). The competition will be held at the Dom Pedro V Theatre from 14th June to 27th July, and comprises 45 different categories divided in Western instruments, Chinese instruments and vocal music. Western instrument categories include strings, plucked-strings, winds and percussion; Chinese instrument categories include Chinese winds, plucked-strings, bowed-strings and percussion; vocal categories include vocal solo and vocal ensemble. Group competitions are also available for Western instruments including Chamber Music for Strings, Wind and Percussion Instruments, as well as for Chinese instruments. The CAB made amendments to the competition regulations, prizes and assessment criteria this year. The competition is divided into preliminaries and finals. A total of three levels - 'Elementary Level', 'Intermediate Level' and 'Advanced Level' – comprise the preliminary round. All levels will offer a Certificate of Merit as well as a First, Second and Third Prize. In the preliminary round, participants who win a First Prize or individuals / groups recommended by adjudicators are eligible to enter the finals. To effectively reflect the performance level and skill of awarded participants, one Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize and First, Second and Third Prizes will be awarded at the finals for each Solo category at Elementary Level, Intermediate Level and Advanced Level, as well as one 'Best Ensemble Performance Prize' for the Group categories. The Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize consists of a scholarship for a Bachelor's programme of music performance (musical instruments or voice). The value amount of this scholarship equals the net amount of the first-year tuition fee and the winner will also have the opportunity to perform in concerts organised by the Macao Orchestra or the Macao Chinese Orchestra of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. Participants in the Chinese/Western instruments categories must be born in or after 1991, while those entering the vocal music categories must have been born in or after 1989. All participants must have a valid Macao Resident ID. To provide adequate time for participants to choose a satisfactory accompanist, the age of those accompanying is not limited although they must also hold valid Macao Resident ID Cards. The information of the accompanist need not be submitted during registration although they must present their original Macao Resident ID card at the competition venue in order to have their identity verified. Participants are required to submit completed forms with relevant documents upon registration. To facilitate applications, the Organiser allows participants to be registered by a representative or in groups in addition to conducting registration procedures in person. The relevant rules and regulations, registration forms and name list of compulsory pieces can be downloaded from the Cultural Affairs Bureau website (www.icm.gov.mo/cjmm). Participants who would like to look up the music scores of compulsory pieces are welcome to do so at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building from 9am to 5.30pm, from Monday to Friday, and at the Macao Central Library (No. 89 A-B, Av. Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida) from 10am to 8pm from Monday to Sunday. For enquiries, please contact the CAB through phone (853) 8399 6609 / 8399 6618 / 8399 6620 or (853) 8399 6621 during office hours. From 28 February to 10 March, please contact the CAB through phone (853) 8399 6911.