The Walden School is happy to provide this list of Competitions, Awards, and Calls for Scores of interest to current and prospective members of the Walden community. In doing so, The Walden School in no way endorses these opportunities above others that may not appear, nor does it claim to have achieved a comprehensive listing. If you feel there is an opportunity that we have omitted from our list, we encourage you to contact us.
The ASCAP Foundation Composition and Performance Awards
BMI Student Composer Awards
Brian Israel Award
Cambridge Chamber Singers Annual Choral Composition Competition
Carlsbad Music Festival Composers Competition
Charles Olson Young Composers Contest
The Choral Composition Contest
Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel Award
DOWNBEAT Student Music Awards
Earplay Composers Competition
Finale National Composition Contest
From the Top Radio Show Call for Scores
Garth Newel Piano Quartet Composer Competition
Harvey Gaul Biennial Composition Competition
International Songwriting Competition
International Orange Chorale Competition
Lee Ettelson Composer’s Award
The Longfellow Chorus International Composers Competition
MATA Festival open call for submissions
MTNA Performance and Compositions Contest
National Academy of Music International Music Prize
The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC)
The New York Art Ensemble Young Composer Competition
Portland Chamber Music Festival Composers Competition
Symphony in C Young Composers’ Competition
United States Air Force Band Sammy Nestico Award For New Jazz Composition
The Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize
Wolfhead Music Call for Scores to Publish
The ASCAP Foundation Composition and Performance Awards
Competitions occur annually.
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Additional eligibility requirements vary by competition.
Deadlines vary.
The ASCAP Foundation provides awards to emerging composers and songwriters and recognition to honor the achievements of established composers and songwriters. Eligibility for awards and honors varies greatly. Please consult the ASCAP website For more information.
For more information: http://www.ascapfoundation.org/awards.html
BMI Student Composer Awards
Competition held annually.
Applicants must be citizens of countries in the Western Hemisphere and meet certain student qualifications. Consult website for more information.
Deadline in early February.
The BMI Student Composer Awards is a competition for young composers of classical music. Founded in 1951, the competition has become one of the most coveted and prestigious awards for young composers in the Western Hemisphere. Co-sponsored by the BMI Foundation and by BMI, the awards are made on an annual basis for compositions submitted by students actively engaged in the study of music and all works are judged under pseudonyms. The current Advisory Board for the competition includes John C. Adams, Milton Babbitt (Chair Emeritus), Del Byant, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, Susan Feder, Ralph N. Jackson, Lalo Schifrin, Gunther Schuller, and Joseph Schwantner. The Awards Chair is Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Applicants must be citizens of countries in the Western Hemisphere and must be either enrolled in accredited public, private or parochial secondary schools, in accredited colleges or conservatories of music, or engaged in private study of music with recognized and established teachers. Applicants must be under the age of 28 as of the competition postmark deadline. The postmark deadline is usually in early February and applications are available as of the preceding November. A special William Schuman Prize, given in memory of the late William Schuman, who served for 40 years as Chairman, then Chairman Emeritus, of the BMI Student Composer Awards, is awarded to the composer whose work is judged “most outstanding” in the competition. Additionally, two special Carlos Surinach Prizes, underwritten by a fund established by the late composer, are awarded annually to the two youngest winners of the competition.
For more information: http://bmi.com/foundation/program/bmi_student_composer_awards/
Brian Israel Award
Awarded annually.
Applicants must be 30 years of age or younger as of the submission deadline.
Deadline in early May.
The Society for New Music and the New York Federation of Music Clubs sponsor the annual Brian M. Israel Competition open to composers living in New York State who are 30 years of age or younger as of May 1, whose music has not previously been performed by the Society. Composers may submit one work for 1 – 7 performers, in any combination, and may include tape or solo voices, but no choral pieces. Scores and tapes must be submitted anonymously by May 1.
For more information: http://www.societyfornewmusic.org/resources.cfm
Cambridge Chamber Singers Annual Choral Composition Competition
Competition recurs annually.
There are no restrictions according to race, sex, age, or residency. The text may be in any language. A composer may submit no more than two pieces.
Deadline in early October.
The Annual Choral Composition Competition is an opportunity for composers to submit an original composition for a capella, 4-6 part mixed choir. The winning composition will be performed in May at the Cambridge Chamber Singers concerts in the Boston area.
Carlsbad Music Festival Composers Competition
Competition occurs annually.
Deadline at the beginning of December.
The Carlsbad Music Festival, in partnership with its Founding Ensemble-in-Residence, the Calder Quartet, announces its seventh annual composition competition with a prize of $3,000. The Festival and Quartet seek to commission a new string quartet from a highly original, creative, and compelling composer age 35 or under at the time of application (born after 12/9/1975). The winning composition will be premiered at the 9th annual Carlsbad Music Festival in September 2012. The $3,000 prize includes the commission fee and a travel stipend for the Carlsbad Music Festival concert, free room during residency, and a professional recording of the premiere.
Further information: http://www.carlsbadmusicfestival.org/competition/
Charles Olson Young Composers Contest
Competition occurs annually.
Applicants must be between 15 and 22 years of age.
Deadline at the beginning of May.
This prize has been created to encourage developing composers 15-22 years of age and to promote the performance of high-quality wind band literature in honor of the Encore Wind Ensemble’s founding conductor Charles B. Olson.
Entries must be original unpublished compositions for wind ensemble, utilizing standard wind band instrumentation. No transcriptions or arrangements (except those of the composer) will be eligible. The composition may already have been performed, but shall have been written within the past two years. The compositions must be conceived and constructed by the composer. Entries shall be between 5-8 minutes in length. Instrumentation may be written for as few as 8 and as many as 42 individual parts. Compositions must be submitted with a full score. Recordings are welcome but not mandatory.
Further information: http://www.encorewind.com/a_composer_contest.html
The Choral Composition Contest
Contest held annually.
Open to all composers.
Deadline in mid-August.
The Choral Composition Contest, sponsored by the Ithaca College School of Music and Theodore Presser Company, has been held annually for more than 30 years. Entries must be mixed choir (SATB), unaccompanied, or keyboard accompaniment, be 3 to 5 minutes in duration, and an unpublished work. Rights to text must be cleared, and evidence of copyright holder’s permission must be shown. Entries can be secular or sacred, and suitable for public high school. Open to all composers except prior winners (up to 5 years prior) and Ithaca College faculty, staff, and students.
For more information: http://www.ithaca.edu/music/current_students/competitions/choralcompetition/
Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel Award
Contest held irregularly, but never more than once per year. Consult website for confirmation.
Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States.
Deadlines vary.
This prestigious competition, named for the conductor emeritus of The United States Air Force Band, solicits unpublished works for symphonic band. Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. Persons currently involved in a military music program or who have been commissioned to write a composition for an Air Force Band are not eligible to compete. When a composition is selected, the United States Air Force Concert Band will produce a professional quality recording for the winner and perform the composition during a special concert. Additionally, the winner will have an opportunity to receive a $5,000 follow on commission for an additional work.
For more information: http://www.usafband.af.mil/gabrielaward/
DOWNBEAT Student Music Awards
Contest held annually.
Contestants must be US or Canadian citizens in grades 6-12, or full-time undergraduate or graduate students to apply.
Deadline mid-December.
The DOWNBEAT Student Music Awards are open to students (U.S. or Canadian citizens) in junior high school, high school, or college. Various categories are available, including instrumental performance (jazz, classical, pop/rock), arranging, and composition. Instrumentalists should submit a cassette or CD of a performance 10-20 minutes in duration and recorded within the past year. Composition entries must include copy of full score (accompanied by CD or “low noise” cassette tape) and notice of copyright or copy of signed application for copyright registration. To ensure anonymity, do not include names of composer and school on the score. Be sure to make a copy of all submissions; after the competition is over, all materials will be destroyed. The competition is not open to student musicians engaged in full-time professional work. There are a variety of prizes, including scholarships and cash awards. To enter, follow the steps carefully as listed on the website (see below). Judging criteria are similar to those used by DOWNBEAT in its CD reviews: Musicianship, creativity, improvisation, technique, sound quality and balance, excitement, authority, etc. High school students are judged as aspiring professionals, college students are judged as working professionals.
For more information: http://www.downbeat.com/sma
Earplay Composers Competition
Competition held annually.
Applicants may be of any nationality and age.
Deadline in late March.
Applicants may be of any nationality and age. Works may include electronics. Works may be or any duration (8-15 minutes preferred). Any number of pieces may be submitted. Works limited to 1-4 players chosen from Earplay’s ensemble.
For more information: http://www.earplay.org/competitions/
From the Top Radio Show Call for Scores
Open call. No deadline.
Entrants must be ages 8 – 18 and live in or have a significant training connection to the United States. Further restrictions may apply.
From the Top, a non-profit organization that celebrates the passion, dedication and personal stories of the nation’s outstanding young classical musicians, seeks talented young musicians, ages 8-18, to participate in its unique radio, television and education programs. Musicians must live in the United States or have a significant training connection to this country. Classical soloists, small ensembles, large ensembles and composers are encouraged to apply. 2,000 young people ages 8-18 from nearly all of the 50 states have been featured on From the Top’s radio and television programs.
For more information: http://www.fromthetop.org/
Finale National Composition Contest
Application deadline: midnight on November 15, 2011 (electronic submission)
In partnership with MakeMusic, Inc. , and the acclaimed American string quartet JACK Quartet, the American Composers Forum announces the 2012 Finale® National Composition Contest.
Three students from the total applicant pool will be chosen as finalists. Each will receive a cash prize and be asked to write a string quartet for JACK Quartet, which will be workshopped and performed by the ensemble in New York City in September, 2012. Ultimately, one of these pieces will be chosen to receive the final prize, which includes an additional cash award and future public performances by JACK Quartet.
For more information: http://www.composersforum.org/
Garth Newel Piano Quartet Composer Competition
Deadline November 15, 2011.
Since its founding in 1973, Garth Newel Music Center has been one of the most active chamber music organizations in the country. Its resident ensemble—the Garth Newel Piano Quartet—performs over 50 concerts annually both at the Center and on tour. Through this competition, the Quartet seeks to broaden the piano quartet repertoire and to support the Center’s ongoing commitment to contemporary music.
For more information: http://www.garthnewel.org/Home/Composer-Competition-2012.aspx
Harvey Gaul Biennial Composition Competition
Held in odd-numbered years.
Contestants must be US citizens. No age restriction.
Deadline January 1 of odd-numbered years.
The Harvey Gaul competition was established in memory of Pittsburgh composer and conductor Harvey Gaul, who was Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside for many years in the 1920′s and 30’s. Following Gaul’s sudden death in 1945, the “Friends of Harvey Gaul” was established to “perpetuate the name and remembrance of the humanitarianism of Harvey Gaul, the furtherance of music and other arts, and the promotion of musical education and appreciation. ”
In 1980, The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble took over administration of the contest and became its sole sponsor. PNME is honored to continue recognizing the contributions of Harvey Gaul by commissioning new works by composers of the highest caliber and professionalism. The biennial competition is held in odd-numbered years, and the winning compositions performed in the following even-numbered years.
For more information: http://www.pnme.org/HarveyGaul/HarveyGaul.html
International Orange Chorale
Deadline for submissions: December 31, 2011.
The International Orange Chorale of San Francisco announces a call for scores as part of a composer competition to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Composers are invited to submit works for a cappella chamber choir of 32 voices (SATB with or without divisi) of no longer than 5 minutes duration. The work must set text or poetry related to the Golden Gate Bridge and its surroundings. The work will be performed in San Francisco on May 27, 2012 at an outdoor public Waterfront Celebration for the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge (expected attendance over 10,000 people), and again at two regularly programmed IOCSF performances in June, 2012.
The scores will be adjudicated by a panel of IOCSF members and music professionals. The criteria for the selections are based on text setting, innovation, imagination, and originality. This call for scores is open to composers of any age or nationality. With a high-profile judging panel, ISC offers songwriters and artists the unprecedented opportunity to have their music heard by iconic recording artists, as well as many major and indie record label Presidents, A&R executives, producers, music supervisors, and more. Amateur and professional songwriters are invited to participate.
For more information: http://iocsf.org/composer_competition.php
International Songwriting Competition
With a high-profile judging panel, ISC offers songwriters and artists the unprecedented opportunity to have their music heard by iconic recording artists, as well as many major and indie record label Presidents, A&R executives, producers, music supervisors, and more. Amateur and professional songwriters are invited to participate.
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has extended its deadline to November 1, 2011. Entries will be accepted online until 11:59 PM EST. Mail-in entries must be postmarked on or before November 1. Online entry platforms include Sonicbids, Broadjam, ReverbNation, Myspace; and ISC’s own platform.
ISC gives away more than $150,000 in cash and prizes (shared among the 68 winners) including an overall Grand Prize consisting of $25,000 (US) cash and $20,000 in prizes. Open to all levels of songwriters, ISC offers 22 categories that include all genres of popular music. Past winners have included artists from Grammy winners to hobbyist songwriters and everyone in between.
For more information: http://songwritingcompetition.com
Lee Ettelson Composer’s Award
Awarded annually.
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Deadline in autumn.
The purpose of this award is to recognize the best in current American composition and to provide composers with a prominent forum for their work. All composers who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States are eligible to enter. Submit works requiring 1-5 performers, with or without electronic media.
For more information: http://www.composersinc.org/ettelson.html
The Longfellow Chorus International Composers Competition
Competition held annually.
Please see website for eligibility requirements.
Deadlines vary.
Since 2008, The Longfellow Chorus and The Longfellow Chorus Orchestra of Portland, Maine, Charles Kaufmann, director, have premiered and recorded over thirty new vocal/instrumental settings of the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — all winners and finalists of The Longfellow Chorus international Composers Competition.
For more information: www.longfellowchorus.com/
MATA Festival open call for submissions
Call held annually.
Applicants must not have reached their 40th birthday by the submission deadline.
Deadline in early March.
Music At The Anthology (MATA) holds an annual open call for scores from which a panel of established composers selects composers who will participate in that year’s festival. For most of these composers, the performance of their work on the MATA Festival represents one of their first commissions and their first significant exposure to New York audiences. MATA prides itself on giving young composers an outlet for their work, thereby helping them acquire the skills necessary to begin their musical career. MATA will consider works of any instrumentation and duration; please send whatever you consider to be your best work. In addition to traditional instrumental and vocal combinations, MATA also accepts works that include digital media, speaker-based sound pieces, electro-acoustic compositions, and audio/visual presentations.
For more information: http://matafestival.org/submit-your-work-2/composers/
MTNA Performance and Compositions Contest
Competitions occur annually.
Various competitions for entrants ages 26 and under. Further restrictions may apply.
The 2011/2012 competition season begins in August 2011.
The Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) offers many annual performance and composition contests to students in grades 1 -12; college students; or applicants up to age 26. Each has its own eligibility requirements for entrance and prizes vary. Students must enter through a teacher who is a member of MTNA and there are strict teacher / student residency guidelines. Carefully read all rules on the MTNA website, both the set that apply to all MTNA Competitions and those that apply specifically to the Student Composition Competition.
For more information: http://www.mtna.org
National Academy of Music International Music Prize for Excellence in Composition
Prize awarded annually.
Competition open to composers of all ages and nationalities.
Deadline in early October.
The goal of this competition is to stimulate composers of all ages and nationalities to write new, high-quality music for educational purposes and motivate highly talented composers to persist in building a career in composition by rewarding them with recognition and honor. Each entry consists of an original composition, an online entry form and an entry fee. The competition’s Artistic Committee, a team of composers, performers, theorists and musicologists, will evaluate all submissions and select the winning entries
For more information: http://composition.musicprizes.com/
The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC)
Competitions held annually.
Entrants must be native-born or naturalized American citizens. Further restrictions may apply. Please consult the NFMC website for details.
Deadlines vary.
The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) offers more than $750,000 in competition and award prizes on the local, state and national level. The Biennial Young Artist and Ellis Duo-Pianists competitions award a total of $50,000 in awards and two years of performance bookings. Additional competitions are sponsored by the Federation in a wide range of categories, including voice, instrumental music, composition, dance, conducting, handicapped and visually impaired, and music therapy. NFMC also sponsors more than 40 annual and biennial awards for students desiring to attend Summer Music Centers.
For more information: http://www.nfmc-music.org
Competitions information: http://www.nfmc-music.org/Competitions/CompetitnsAwards.htm
The New York Art Ensemble Young Composer Competition
Contest held annually.
All composers who are US citizens or permanent residents under 24 years of age are eligible.
Deadline in early January.
The New York Art Ensemble’s two-fold purpose is to encourage outstanding young composers in America and to provide a prominent forum for their recognition.
For more information: http://www.nyae.org/Pages/Competition.html
Portland Chamber Music Festival Composers Competition
Contest held annually with occasional hiatus years. Consult website for current information.
Consult website for eligibility requirements.
Deadline in early February.
Please visit website for past winners and information on recent competitions.
For more information: http://www.pcmf.org/
Symphony in C Young Composers’ Competition
Contest held annually.
Contestants must be under the age of 30 and US citizens, permanent residents, and current foreign students at American schools may apply. Consult website for details.
Deadline in early October.
This competition is open to composers born after February 6, 1980 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. Orchestra. Works of a duration between 8-15 minutes are required. Performance of the winning work by Symphony in C, conducted by Maestro Rossen Milanov, on February 6, 2010. Professional archival recording of the performance. Round-trip domestic airfare to attend rehearsals and concert. Winning work to be considered by Theodore Presser Company for inclusion in its rental library.
Website: www.danieldorff.com/youngcomposers.htm
The United States Air Force Band Sammy Nestico Award For a New Jazz Composition
Contest held annually.
Open to composers 35 years of age or younger, with certain few additional restrictions. Consult website for more information.
Deadlines vary.
Named after a former director of the Airmen of Note and famed jazz arranger, composer and orchestrator Sammy Nestico, this competition is a call for unpublished works for jazz ensemble. Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States age 35 or younger. Individuals who are currently involved in a military music program or who have been commissioned to write a composition for an Air Force Band are not eligible to compete. When a composition is selected, the Airmen of Note will produce a professional quality recording for the winner and perform the composition during the Jazz Heritage Series. Additionally, the winner will be flown to Washington, D.C., for the performance and will have an opportunity to receive a $2,000 follow-on commission for a second work.
For more information: http://www.usafband.af.mil/nesticoaward/index.asp
The Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize
Contest held in even-numbered years.
Open to all composers with certain few restrictions. Consult website for more information.
Deadline in mid-October.
This prize succeeds the Walter Beeler Memorial Commission Series established in 1975. Funded by the Ithaca College School of Music, its alumni, and friends, The Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize has been created to further encourage the composition and performance of the highest quality wind band literature in honor and memory of Ithaca College’s renowned director of bands.
For more information: http://www.ithaca.edu/music/current_students/competitions/beelerprize/
Wolfhead Music Call for Scores to Publish
Open call to all composers.
No deadline.
Wolfhead Music publishes classical music of all ages. We are a small publishing house offering works ranging from those of Heinrich Ignaz Biber to twenty-first century composers. At the present time Wolfhead Music is accepting only editions and arrangements of works by early baroque composers. Of primary interest are works for one to three solo instruments and keyboard.
For more information: http://www.wolfheadmusic.com/submit.htm
