WHY MAP-IMC ?

The Appreciation Certificate from MAP-IMC is evidence of the beneficiary’s participation as a judge of the work of others in the music field. USCIS concedes this would satisfy both occupations as intended on the I-140.

The significance of MAP-IMC lies in its emphasis on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, with music serving as the vehicle for advancing these goals. It envisions an integrated music platform where multicultural values are fundamental to the musical development of aspiring, talented young musicians.
(Delta David Gier, Music Director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, former assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, 2011 Pulitzer Prize Music Jury, 2023)

MAP-IMC has benefited artists throughout the field of music: music students have had the chance to prepare for and record a performance goal; music teachers have been allowed to pass along nuggets of wisdom from their careers; American music institutions and schools have been able to learn from the database about the trends of students for possible future recruiting; and finally, music lovers have had the chance to hear all the next generation of artists through these young musicians’ performances on the MAP-IMC YouTube channel.
(Melinda Lee Masur, Pianist | The Lee Trio; Artistic Director | Chelsea Music Festival; Director of Piano Chamber Music & Co-Director Young Artist Piano Program | Boston University; Tanglewood Institute; Piano Faculty | University of Chicago, 2023)

When travel costs are a big issue for young musicians and their families, online international music competitions like MAP-IMC, typically a stage for music students to encourage them to achieve higher-level skills for their future careers, offer fair opportunities for everyone to be heard on a real “international” stage. MAP-IMC has become an essential stage for young musicians to prepare for live international competitions.
(Marek Szpakiewicz, Polish-born cellist, Judge at the Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld International String Competition, 2023)