General information
1. Finnish Cultural Foundation will host the 10th Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in Turku from 5 —17 June 2027.
2. The competition is open to singers born in or after 1995.
3. By entering this competition, the singer agrees to abide by the competition rules, the rules governing performance and the jury’s decisions. At the same time, by entering the competition, the singer affirms that they will be free from all professional obligations for the duration of the competition.
Applications
5. The application period for the competition begins on Monday 2 November 2026 at 9 am Finnish time (UTC+2) and closes on Monday 30 November 2026 at 4 pm Finnish time (UTC+2). Applications to the competition are to be submitted using the form provided on the website mirjamhelin.fi. When submitting their application, singers are required to provide a high-quality audiovisual recording for preselection (no links). The application should include the singer’s competition repertoire. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
6. The preselection jury will select the competitors to be invited to Turku based on their audiovisual recording. Singers accepted into the competition will receive written confirmation by 15 January 2027.
7. If a competitor wants to make changes to the repertoire they have submitted, these will be considered until 12 February 2027.
8. Competitors are required to register in person at the Competition Office on 6 June 2027 between 10 am and 1 pm and attend the draw at 2 pm which determines the order of performance.
Sheet music and pianist
9. The competition provides each participant with a pianist. Each competitor is entitled to one rehearsal session (max. 60 minutes) before the preliminary round and one before the semifinals (max. 60 minutes). If a competitor wants additional rehearsal sessions, they are responsible for arranging and paying for these themselves.
10. In the final round, each finalist will rehearse with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra at leas once before the final.
11. If they wish, a participant may use their own pianist during the competition. If they do, they shall bear the costs of the pianist’s travel and accommodation, as well the pianist’s fees, if any.
12. If a competitor does not have their own pianist, the following rule applies:
Clear, legible sheet music (PDF) in the key the singer will sing in should be submitted to the competition pianist by 28 February 2027.
13. All competitors should submit the following electronically by 28 February 2027:
- lyrics to the pieces and their English translations
- piano reduction of the pieces they intend to perform in the final round, with any cuts and cadenzas marked.
14. The competition staff will procure both the score and the orchestral parts required by the orchestra. If a composition performed with orchestral accompaniment does not have a publisher or is not generally available, the competitor is required, at the request of the competition director, to submit both the score and the orchestral parts of the composition by 31 March 2027.
The course of the competition
15. The competition consists of three rounds:
- preliminary round 7–9 June 2027
- semifinals 11–12 June 2027
- final 17 June 2027
16. From the preliminary round (approx. 36 singers), the jury will select 16 singers to advance to the semifinals. Six competitors will be selected for the final round.
17. The order of performance will be determined by a draw on 6 June 2027 and will remain the same for all rounds throughout the competition.
18. A competitor who is not ready to perform when it is their turn may be disqualified. A competitor who is ill may be allowed to perform later in the round if they have a certificate from the competition doctor.
Repertoire
19. The competition repertoire must include:
- pieces in at least three different languages
- at least one piece by a Finnish composer
- at least one piece composed in or after 2000
- pieces by composers of different genders
You can only perform each piece once. We recommend that participants design their repertoires to reflect the diversity of music and its creators.
20. Preliminary round:
- one aria from an oratorio, mass or cantata
- one opera aria
- two solo pieces
Each competitor will have a maximum of 20 minutes, including any breaks between the pieces.
21. Semifinals:
Each competitor will present a programme that reflects their artistic talent as well as possible. The programme must include, in addition to songs, at least one opera aria. Except for arias, all songs must be composed for voice and piano or arranged for voice and piano by the composer.
Each competitor will have a maximum of 30 minutes, including any breaks between pieces.
22. Final:
Two pieces with orchestral accompaniment, at least one of them an opera aria. Each competitor will have a maximum of 20 minutes, including any breaks between pieces.
In addition to an opera aria, competitors may perform an orchestral piece or an aria from an opera, operetta or musical in the final. The aria must be composed for orchestral forces.
Performances
23. In all rounds, each singer will perform their entire set in one continuous performance.
24. The repertoire and the order of the pieces, which the participant will have confirmed by 28 February 2027, will remain unchanged throughout the competition.
25. All pieces, including arias from oratorios, shall be performed from memory. Arias shall be performed in their original key or in commonly used transpositions. Solo pieces may be transposed. The works must be performed in their original language.
26. All the competition events will be open to the public and streamed live in real time for general viewing.
Adjudication
27. The adjudication criteria and procedure are outlined in the jury rules.
28. When choosing the finalists and adjudicating the final round, the jury will consider the overall impression given by each competitor across all rounds.
29. The decisions of the jury will be final.
Prizes
30. The competition offers cash prizes and opportunities to perform at specific venues. The cash prizes in euros:
- I €60,000
- II €40,000
- III €30,000
- IV €10,000
- V €10,000
- VI €10,000
In addition, the competition will award a €5,000 Lied prize and a €5,000 prize for the best performance of a Finnish composition to a singer whose native language is neither Finnish nor Swedish. The jury reserves the right to award the prizes differently.
The competition also features a media and student panel. Both the media panel’s and the student panel’s favourites will each receive an award of €3,000. The audience will also vote for their favourite, who will receive an award of €3,000.
All those selected for the semifinals, with the exception of the finalists, will receive an award of €1,500.
31. The cash prizes will be awarded in the evening after the final concert.
32. The opportunities to perform at specific venues will be announced in the months following the competition. Several performance opportunities in Finland and abroad will be offered to the finalists. In addition, the winner will receive career coaching for at least one year.
Additional rules
33. Principles for a safer space
It is important that the Mirjam Helin Singing Competition fosters an open atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable being themselves and respecting others:
- We communicate respectfully and openly. Together, we create a positive and inspiring atmosphere. In our actions and choice of words, we actively strive to avoid making assumptions about others’ life situations, identities, backgrounds, abilities or gender. Everyone is free to decide for themselves who they are and how their experiences have shaped them.
- We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment.
- We take action against harassment and disrespectful behaviour. If you feel uncomfortable in any situation, please let the event organiser or the designated person in charge know.
- If we make a mistake, we will take responsibility for it and apologise. We are committed to critically evaluating our own operations and continuously improving them. We welcome feedback both during and after the event.
34. The competition organiser has the unrestricted exclusive right to record and transmit content, as well as to broadcast competition performances on television, the radio, the organiser’s website and other information networks without paying compensation to the competitors or their accompanists.
In addition, the competition organiser or a third party designated by it has the right to archive and show contestants’ content, as well as to broadcast competition performances on television, the radio and online without any time or geographical restrictions.
35. Those who are eliminated in the preliminary round or semifinals will be given an opportunity to get feedback from the jurors.
36. The competition director may disqualify any competitor who fails to comply with the competition rules.
37. The original language of these rules is Finnish. In the event of a conflict, the Finnish rules shall apply.