Bologna, June 9, 2026. Voting opens today to select the tenth finalist of the Conad Jazz Contest , a competition promoted by Conad and the Umbria Jazz Foundation, dedicated to young jazz musicians between the ages of 18 and 28.

In total there will be 10 finalists who will perform live on the stage of Umbria Jazz (Perugia, 3-12 July 2026): 9 selected by the technical jury , chaired by Manuele Morbidini, director of the Umbria Jazz Orchestra and saxophonist composer, and the tenth selected by the popular jury , open to all music lovers.

Voting is very simple : simply register for free on the official Contest website www.conadjazzcontest.it and express your preference, assigning up to a maximum of 10 votes in total.

Online voting will close on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

220 musicians have registered for the 2026 edition of the Conad Jazz Contest, divided into 63 groups, including bands and soloists, from 18 different countries. Foreign jazz musicians are also welcome to participate, as long as they are in groups with at least one Italian musician.

The 10 finalists thus selected will perform live on the stage of Umbria Jazz and it will be the artistic jury composed of Marco Molendini , journalist, Manuele Morbidini , former president of the technical jury and chaired by Stefano Bragatto , Director of Radio Monte Carlo , who will decree the overall winner of the 2026 edition of the Conad Jazz Contest, who will be announced live on the radio from the Radio Monte Carlo mobile station in Corso Vannucci in Perugia at the end of the performances.

THE PRIZES:

• All finalists will receive a “Pro” subscription to Hat Music, the digital platform that connects emerging musicians with other musicians and music industry professionals—teachers, producers, sound engineers, studios, and coaches—creating valuable collaborations and easy access to quality services.
• The most voted artist by the popular jury will receive a €500 voucher to record their album in a professional recording studio.
• The overall winner , chosen by the artistic jury, will receive a €5,000 check to support their musical career and the opportunity to play in a tour of live performances starting with “Jazz Italiano per le lands del sisma” (L’Aquila, 5-6 September 2026) and then continuing with “Umbria Jazz Winter” (Orvieto, 30 December 2026-3 January 2027) and “Welcome back Tony Scott” (Salemi, summer 2027), and some of the most famous jazz clubs in Italy, with promotion on the Contest’s official social media channels for the entire duration of the tour.
• Furthermore, confirmed also this year, the EP ( extended play ) of the overall winner will be distributed digitally by Universal Music Italia.
• This year too, there will be a special prize for the most promising individual musician , who will be awarded a place at the Berklee Summer School “Clinics” at Umbria Jazz 2027. The winner will be selected by the technical and artistic jury from among all the musicians registered for the competition.

Listen and vote at www.conadjazzcontest.it 

Conad Burson Press Office | Via Morimondo, 26 | 20143 Milan Contact:

Daniele Rurale | [email protected] | +39 346 501 1546

Sofia Lorenzini | [email protected] | +39 347 990 1134

Umbria Jazz Press Office | Piazza Danti, 28 | 06122 Perugia | Tel. 075 5732432 Contact: Cristiano Romano | [email protected] | +39 338 3086249.