At the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival musicians compete in four divisions. Euphonium and Tuba players compete separately and each instrument has two age/experience divisions.
Participants in the Student Level Competition must not have reached their 20th birthday prior to September 1 of the Festival year. For the 2025 Festival, a participant who will be 20 years old or older on September 1, 2025, is not eligible to apply in either student division. To compete in the Artist Level Competition, participants must not currently be or have formerly been a full-time paid professional in either a performance position or a college teaching position as of August 1 of the Festival year. There is no age limitation, and participants may be of any gender, race, or nationality.
In addition, previous first place winners of the Student Level Competition must enter the Artist Level should they compete in ensuing years.
The required music for all divisions and all rounds for a Festival is published in August shortly after the previous Festival concludes. In the Preliminary Round, participants prepare the required accompanied piece/s and submit them as part of the application process. Preliminary Round adjudicators listen to and rank the anonymous recordings for selection of Festival semi-finalists and alternates.
At the Festival, Semi-Final Round participants perform both unaccompanied and accompanied pieces. Festival adjudicators listen to and rate the performances at the Festival, but competitors are screened from the judges and identified by letters, not by name. The Final Round competitors are announced at the Sunday luncheon and have until the following day to polish and rehearse. All Festival adjudicators rate the final round competitors. The public is invited to attend all Final Round performances.
The presentation of medals and awards takes place following the Artist Final Round competition.
