Asia-Pacific Drummer Competition 2025
ELIGIBILITY and APPLICATION
The Hong Kong International Drummer Festival (HKDrumFest) - Asia Pacific Drummer Competition 2025 invites online applications from February to June. This year, the competition will feature semi-finals and finals in Hong Kong for the top 10 contestants from categories 1, 2, and 3, as well as the top 5 from categories 4 and 5, scheduled for late June. The Semi-final will take place at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, while the Final round will be hosted at the prestigious Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Drummers from the Asia Pacific region are encouraged to participate in this exciting competition, which aims to bring together talented individuals from across the region, offering a platform for growth and the chance to learn from seasoned professionals while gaining valuable performance experience.
Following its inauguration from 2017, The Asia Pacific drummer Competition has not only developed into a platform for diverse drumming talents in Asia Pacific regions to show off their talents, meet drummers from all around Asia, and exchange their crafts, but has also expanded into a region celebration of cultures and music brought together by the drums and the drummers.
The Asia-Pacific Drummer Competition 2025 is divided into 5 categories:
1) Hong Kong Young Drumset Category (only open to HK residents)
Category 1.
Young person Junior- age 12 or below (HKYJ)
Application is open to Hong Kong resident with HKID card at age 12 or below (born on or after 1 January, 2013)
2) Asia Pacific Professional Drumset Category (open to all Asian Pacific Drummers)
Category 2.
Young Person Junior Advance -age 12 or below (APYJ) (born on or after 1 January, 2013)
3) Asia Pacific Professional Drumset Category (open to all Asian Pacific Drummers)
Category 3.
Asia Pacific Open -No age limit (APO)
4) Asia Pacific Professional Snare Category (open to all Asian Pacific Drummer)
Category 4.
Young Person Junior Advance- age 12 or below (APYJS) (born on or after 1 January, 2013)
5) Asia Pacific Professional Snare Category (open to all Asian Pacific Drummers)
Category 5.
Asia Pacific Open -No age limit (APOS)
ADMISSION
Material for submission
I. Entry Form
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Entry Form should be submitted online (www.hkdrumfest.com)
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Please submit the online application, get the set piece score download link. And then send us your Own choice video and Set piece performance link on or before 1 June 2025 via hkdrumfest.comp@gmail.com
II. Own Choice Video submission
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All competition entries must be accompanied by Link to an online video (either YouTube or Bilibili only) of the applicant performing a song/piece for within 5 minutes,
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Drum set Category 1, 2 and 3 on an acoustic kit, (Electronic Kits are not permitted) with no other musicians or live musical accompaniment.
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Marching Snare Category 4 and 5 on a Snare Drum with no other musicians (Electronic Kits are not permitted)
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No editing/splicing is accepted.
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The entrants’ face must be clearly visible.
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Entrants should say "Hong Kong International Drummer Festival" to the camera at the beginning of the video
III. Set Pieces Video submission
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The Set pieces is the set of rudiment exercise(s)
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Set pieces download QRCode will be enclosed with the application confirmed page
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3 rudiment scores will be provided for Cat 1, 2 and 4, 2 Rudiment pieces, choose one to perform and submit
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3 rudiment scores will be provided for Cat 3 and 5, 2 Rudiment pieces, choose one to perform and submit
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All competition entries must be accompanied by Link to an online video (either YouTube or bilibili only) of the applicant performing 1 rudimental study (Electronic Kits are not permitted)
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No editing/splicing is accepted.
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The entrants’ face must be clearly visible.
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Entrants should say "Hong Kong International Drummer Festival" to the camera at the beginning of the video
IV. The top 10 from category 1,2,3 and top 5 from category 4,5 Announcement
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The top three entry applicants list will be announced on 4th June in our website. All the finalists will receive an email.
V. Ceremony
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The top three winners will be invited to participate in the "Asia Pacific Drummer Competition Awards Ceremony" to receive the awards on 1st July.
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All shortlisted drummers(top 10 from category 1,2,3 and top 5 from category 4,5) and winners must be presented in the Live performance in Hong Kong on 1st July
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The award ceremony will be released on the HKDrumFest YouTube channel on 10th July 7pm.
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Due to the epidemic situation policy in different countries, winners’ need to arrange their own visits to Hong Kong
Admission period
I. Submission of Entry Form, Enrolment Fee Partially and the TWO Videos
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Must be submitted:
o Hong Kong Categories: February 15th – June 1st (GMT+8 1700)
o Asia-Pacific Categories: February 15th – June 1st (GMT+8 1700)
o The rudiment set pieces score download link will be shown in the application confirmation page after your application have finished
o the top 10 from category 1,2,3 and top 5 from category 4,5 will be announced on 4th June in our website. All shortlisted applicants will receive an email.
II. The top 10 from category 1,2,3 and top 5 from category 4,5 announcement Date
o Hong Kong Categories: 4th June (GMT+8 1700)
o Asia-Pacific Categories: 4th June (GMT+8 1700)
Registration fee
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For All Category, the registration fee is USD $55 / HKD $420 / RMB ¥390 per participant per category in the competition, is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline on 1st June
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For the drummers entering the semi-final, the full fee has to be settled, is on top USD $55 / HKD $420 / RMB ¥390 per group per category in the competition, is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline on 10th June (after announced on 4th June)
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All the payments (including registration fee and full competition fee) are non-refundable. If applicants cannot settle the fee before the deadline, the HKIDF will consider the application unsuccessful.
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A proof of payment (receipt) has to be provided.
Registration Fee submission
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Paypal (for International & Hong Kong Participants)
OR -
Bank transfer (for Hong Kong Participants)
Bank: Bank of China (Hong Kong)
Account number: 012-758-2-0090421
Account Holder: Hong Kong International Drummer Festival Limited
*Bank in slip should submit along with application
For applicants who do not have Paypal or Bank Account, they can authorize third parties to pay on behalf him/her.
COMPETITION DETAILS
I. Preliminary selection
• Applicants must be selected by the One Own Choice Song Video and One Rudiment Set Piece Video.
• Participants will be shortlisted in each category. The result will be announced 3 days after deadline on www.hkdrumfest.com, Facebook Page and via email to the finalists.
II. 1st round shortlisted applicant announcement
Date: 4th June 2025
III. The rudiment video submit requested *for the all applicants:
Competition items:
All Categories
• Pick of 1 rudiment study out of 3 by applicant (Scores will be announced in our website on 15th Feb)
• Applicant need to prepare the score by themselves
• Submission of the rudiment video on or before 1st June
Category 1: 10 candidates shortlisted
Category 2: 10 candidates shortlisted
Category 3: 10 candidates shortlisted
Category 4: 5 candidates shortlisted
Category 5: 5 candidates shortlisted
For the top 10 from category 1,2,3 and top 5 from category 4,5:
• The top 10 shortlisted drummers of Cat 2 and 3 only need to
• prepare a Free drum solo, everyone arranges one drum solo within 2 minutes
• Single stroke speeding up battle
• More information will be announced soon
• The top 5 shortlisted drummers of Cat 5 only need to
• Chase 4 battle
• a Free drum solo
• More information will be announced soon
Judging criteria
Participants will be marked out of 100 on six separate competencies, including technique (20), accuracy (20), musicianship (15), color and timbre (15), creativity and innovation (15), and virtuosity (15). With the agreement of the jury panel, the finalist with the highest score will be the winner. All participants will be awarded with a graded certificate. The decision of the jury panel is final.
The total number of marks available in a competition is 100.
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60 marks to pass;
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80 marks to pass with Merit;
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90 marks to pass with Distinction.
Asia Pacific Drummer Competition - Semi-final Battle
Date: 26-27th June 2025
Venue: The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Asia Pacific Drummer Competition - Final Battle
Date: 1 July 2025
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
Asia Pacific Drummer Competition Final Battle Concert video premiered
Date: 10 July 2025
Time: 7:30pm