Barnett Chamber Music Competition
The fourteenth annual A.N. and Pearl G. Barnett Chamber Music Competition was held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Gottlieb Hall.
The 2026 Competition Results Have Been Announced!
The fourteenth annual A.N. and Pearl G. Barnett Chamber Music Competition was held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Anne & Howard Gottlieb Hall at Merit School of Music in Chicago.
The competition is open to musicians aged 18 and under with two divisions:
- Strings and Piano
- Winds, Brass, and Percussion
Contestants compete for $11,000 in cash prizes. There are prizes for winners in each of the two divisions, as well as an award for the overall winner. There is also a special award for the top finishing group from Merit School of Music.
The Barnett Chamber Music Competition is free and open to the public.
Registration will open on December 5.
Enter the Competition
Applications must be received no later than Friday, February 15, 2026 and will not be considered complete until both this application and the payment are both received.*
*Once you’ve submitted your application, you will receive an invoice via email within 2-3 business days. Payment can be made at this link via card, bank account, or e-check. Electronic payment is preferred, but checks also accepted.
Early Bird Registration – $100 per ensemble if application is submitted by February 1, 2026.
Regular Registration Fee – $200 per ensemble for applications submitted between February 1 – February 15, 2026.
For questions, please contact the competition manager, Leah Schuman.
About the Competition
Eligibility
- Ensembles may consist of 3 to 6 musicians.
- Competitors must be 18 or younger on March 15, 2026.
- A maximum of one pianist is allowed per ensemble.
- No individual may compete in more than one ensemble.
- Ensemble members can perform on various instruments within the same ensemble.
- All performances must be acoustic; no microphones or electric amplification will be allowed.
- Ensemble division placements are made by Barnett Chamber Music Competition staff.
Repertoire
- Ensembles must prepare a program of no less than 10 minutes and no more than 15 minutes.
- Repertoire must contain a minimum of two contrasting movements from at least two separate chamber works.
- Individual movements and/or stand-alone pieces must be performed in their entirety, although repeats may be omitted.
- Repertoire must feature all members of the ensemble in each piece.
- Once program information is submitted, no changes will be allowed to repertoire, performance order, or personnel.
Competition Day
Check-In
- Ensembles must check in at least 60 minutes prior to their performance time.
- Competitors are required to provide one complete set of original scores as well as two additional copies.
- Each ensemble will be assigned a 30-minute warm-up prior to their performance time.
- A piano will be available in the warm-up room for any ensemble with a pianist.
Competition
- Performance order will alternate by division and will be chosen by lot.
- Ensembles will be heard by a three-member jury.
- Ensembles are allotted a total of 20 minutes on stage, which includes set-up, performance, breaks between pieces, and tear-down. Any performance which exceeds this time limit, or which does not meet the above repertoire requirements, will be subject to disqualification at the discretion of the judges.
- Winners will be announced via email, as well as posted on this webpage and Merit’s social media.
Prizes
The Barnett Competition awards a monetary prize to the top ensemble of the competition, as well as to the 1st and 2nd place winners within each division. Monetary amounts are to be determined, and this page will be updated when more information is available.
- The Barnett Chamber Competition Grand Award: $5,250 (Includes $2,250 Division prize)
- Strings and Piano Division Winner: $2,250
- Strings and Piano 2nd Place: $1,000
- Winds, Brass, and Percussion Division Winner: $2,250
- Winds, Brass, and Percussion 2nd Place: $1,000
- Merit School of Music Ensemble Award: $1,500
2026 Competition Results
Strings & Piano Division: Honorable Mention
Quartet Meraviglia, Music Institute of Chicago Academy
Winds, Brass, & Percussion Division: 2nd Place
Fort Sheridan Woodwind Quintet, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory
Strings & Piano Division: 2nd Place
Phoenix Quartet, Merit School of Music
Winds, Brass, & Percussion Division: 1st Place
The Bone Rangers, Merit School of Music
Strings & Piano Division: 1st Place
Tikaani Quartet, Music Institute of Chicago Academy
Barnett Chamber Competition Grand Award Winner
Tikaani Quartet, Music Institute of Chicago Academy
Merit Ensemble Award
The Bone Rangers, Merit School of Music
Questions?
For questions, please contact competition director Leah Schuman.
