Jury Rules

1.  All members of the jury must attend an official jury orientation scheduled prior to the competition, during which they will be given an official notebook containing information and all materials necessary for the adjudication of the competitors. Each juror will also be given a notebook in which to write comments on the performances. These notebooks must be treated as documents containing privileged information, which may not be divulged to anyone during the course of the competition.

2.  With the exception of the first jury orientation, all official gatherings of the jury for the purpose of briefing, discussion, or voting will be closed to everyone except the jurors, a qualified software designer and computer operator responsible for the tabulation of the votes, and an official of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. At the discretion of the official, and in consultation with the secretary general, key competition artistic collaborators (e.g. the conductors of the second phase of the instrumental disciplines of Round II and the Round III) may be invited to appropriate meetings to give their impressions of performances in which they had collaborated.

3.  Jurors will not discuss with any person whatsoever outside official jury meetings, their opinion of competitors' performances or any other aspect of their adjudication responsibilities.

4.  Jurors may not communicate at any time during the competition with competitors who are still participating in the competition.

5.  Any juror having or having had during the preceding four years a familial, teaching, or professional relationship with a competitor must declare such relationship and, if asked to do so by the secretary general, abstain from voting on that competitor's performance. Any juror who has had a long-term teaching or close relationship of any kind with a competitor at any time is encouraged to disclose such relationship.

6.  Each member of the regular jury must attend every performance of each round. Failure to do so will disqualify the juror. Each member of the Round III jury must attend all performances of Round III.

7.  Jurors must refrain from verbal comment, demonstrative behavior, or any form of communication during competitors’ performances.

8.  No individual or composite jury votes may be disclosed at any time to any person who is not a juror, the computer operator responsible for the tabulation of the votes, or the general director of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, except the final composite decision (without ranking) of the jury at the conclusion of each round of the competition. The results of these votes will be announced to the public following the conclusion of Round I and of Round II. Final ranking will be disclosed at the Awards Ceremony following Round III.

9.  At the discretion of the secretary general, the jurors may engage in discussion at any time during their deliberations. It is suggested, however, that discussion normally be reserved for those occasions when it appears to be required.

10.  Any infraction of the rules in paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 above by a juror may result in the dismissal of that juror and/or the disqualification of a competitor.