TERMS AND CONDITIONS
PARTICIPANTS
The Competition is open to singers of all nationalities and countries of residence. Entries from the South Auckland area are particularly encouraged. The Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition is divided into three divisions:- Junior Division (18 years & under)
- Emerging Artist Division (19–35 years inclusive)
- Tarling Trophy Division (36 years & over)
ENTRIES
Entries for the Digital Round open on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and must be submitted online via www.tarlingaria.org.nz. Entrants must complete the online application form and provide an accessible YouTube link to their performance. Entries close at 11.59 pm on Sunday 15 November 2026. Late entries will not be accepted.DIGITAL ROUND
Videos submitted for the Digital Round must:- provide a clear, uninterrupted view of the participant;
- include clear, uninterrupted audio;
- be accompanied by piano only; and
- not be edited in any way.
LIVE ROUND
Participants selected for the Live Round must be available for: Wednesday 17 February 2027- Official Accompanist rehearsal (from 2.00 pm)
- Junior Division and Tarling Trophy Division – 4.00 pm
- Emerging Artist Division – 6.30 pm
GALA FINALE
The six Emerging Artist Division finalists will compete in the Gala Finale. The winners of the Junior Division and the Tarling Trophy Division are invited to perform in the Gala Finale. All performers must be available for: Friday 26 February 2027- Orchestra rehearsal, 7.30pm
- Orchestra rehearsal, 2.00pm
- Gala Finale performance, 5.00 pm
REPERTOIRE
All repertoire performed in the Live Round and Gala Finale must be sung from memory. Participants may perform a different aria in the Live Round from that submitted for the Digital Round. The aria performed in the Gala Finale must be the same aria performed in the Live Round.ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE
The organisers may require a participant to substitute an alternative work for the Gala Finale where orchestral materials are unavailable, prohibitively expensive to hire or otherwise impracticable for performance. Any alternative repertoire must be approved by the Director. Participants who are unsure whether their chosen repertoire is suitable for orchestral performance are encouraged to contact the Director before submitting their repertoire.PRIVACY
Digital Round videos will be viewed only by the judges and authorised Competition personnel and will not be published, distributed or shared by the organisers without the participant’s express permission.JUDGES
Communication with the judges by participants or any other interested parties during the Competition is prohibited. Judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.PRIZES
Prizes will be awarded at the judges’ discretion. Should an equal placing be awarded, any prize money will be divided equally between the recipients. All monetary awards will be paid as the Nicholas Tarling Voice Scholarship.Emerging Artist Division
- First Prize – $5,000
- Runner-up Prize – $3,000
- Most Promising Singer Prize – $1,000
Junior Division
- Junior Division Winner – $1,000
Tarling Trophy Division
- Tarling Trophy – the winner will receive the engraved Tarling Trophy, which they may retain for one year.
Special Awards
- Sally Stone Award – $1,000 awarded at the judges’ discretion to a participant from any division who demonstrates outstanding talent, promise, excellence, and financial need.
- Audience Favourite Award – $TBC awarded by audience votes to the most popular performance presented during the Live Round; open to participants from any division.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE LIVE ROUND
Participants selected for the Live Round will be notified by email within 15 days of the closing date for entries (i.e., by 30 November 2026). Each participant will perform one aria. Maximum Performance Times- Emerging Artist Division – 9 minutes
- Junior Division – 6 minutes
- Tarling Trophy Division – 6 minutes
- a recent photograph;
- a short biography; and
- a digital copy of the piano reduction score, clearly showing the title and composer of the work, for the Official Accompanist and judges.
TRAVEL ASSISTANCE
Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, New Zealand participants travelling from outside the Auckland region may apply for travel assistance to attend the Live Round. Travel assistance is intended to support participants who can demonstrate financial need and is subject to available funding. Participants selected for the Gala Finale who are required to travel to Auckland again may apply for additional travel assistance. The level of assistance will be determined by the organisers, taking into account the participant’s place of residence, demonstrated financial need and the funding available.ORDER OF PERFORMANCE
Participants will perform in the order in which they appear in the official programme. Any alteration to the published order of performance must be approved by the Director of the Competition.ACCOMPANIST
The Competition will appoint an Official Accompanist for the Live Round. Participants must perform with the Official Accompanist and may not provide their own accompanist. The Accompanist for the rehearsal on Wednesday 17 February 2027 and the Live Round performance on Thursday 18 February 2027 are provided by the Competition. Participants wishing to arrange additional rehearsals with the Official Accompanist may do so at their own expense. Appointments should be made directly with the accompanist once selected.MARKETING AND PUBLICITY
By entering the Competition, participants acknowledge that the Live Round and Gala Finale may be photographed, audio recorded, video recorded and livestreamed by or on behalf of the Competition. Participants further acknowledge that these recordings may be used by the Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition and the Manukau Symphony Orchestra for promotional, educational and archival purposes in print, broadcast and digital media. Official Competition photographs will be made available to participants free of charge.WITHDRAWAL
Should a participant withdraw after being selected for the Live Round or Gala Finale, the organisers reserve the right to invite the next highest-ranked participant.RESULTS AND FEEDBACK
Judges’ decisions are final. No written or verbal adjudication, score sheets or individual feedback will be provided unless otherwise determined by the organisers.CANCELLATION OR ALTERATION
Should circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the organisers make it necessary to alter, postpone or cancel any stage of the Competition, the organisers reserve the right to do so. The organisers accept no liability for any costs incurred by participants as a result.DISQUALIFICATION
The organisers reserve the right to disqualify any participant who:- provides false or misleading information;
- fails to comply with these Terms and Conditions;
- behaves in a manner that brings the Competition into disrepute; or
- whose conduct, in the reasonable opinion of the organisers, compromises the fairness, integrity or reputation of the Competition.