Our list of competitions, awards, and calls for scores of interest to current and prospective members of the Walden community.
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. We also encourage you to check out The Composer’s Site, which maintains extensive and up-to-date opportunity listings.
Apply for 2023 today!
Young Musicians Program for musically-inclined students ages 9-18
Creative Musicians Retreat for adult musicians
You can search for a particular month to bring up a list of opportunities with deadlines in that month: for example, “March” will bring up all opportunities with March deadlines. Also, you can search “free” for a list of opportunities without an application fee.
Name of opportunity | Details | Deadline month | Eligibility | Application fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “GINO CONTILLI” International New Music Composition Competition | In honor of Maestro Gino Contilli, works for female voice and piano will be considered for recording, performance, promotion, and inclusion on internet archive, SuonoSonda | September | Anyone | Free |
| Academia Musica of Vienne International Composer Prize | Composers are invited to submit works in two different categories: piano solo and chamber works. Composers that receive high scores receive medal and diploma, with highest scored composer in each winning 500 euro. | May | Anyone | 50 Euro |
| American Composers Forum (ACF) NextNotes High School Composition Awards | Six winners receive mentorship from professional composers & musicians at a two-day workshop; paid travel and room/board for the workshop; a public concert of the winning works; a $1,000 scholarship to be used for composition studies; a recording of their concert; and may be eligible for up to $500 in "bring it home" funds to share their work in their hometown. Winners also receive free Finale software. Up to 30 applicants will be chosen for Honorable Mention and receive written feedback on their submissions. ALL entrants deemd eligible applicants receive a free ACF student membership and 1-year subscription to Noteflight Premium. | January | Students in grades 9-12. | Free |
| American Composers Forum Programs | ACF has a variety of opportunities for composers at various stages of their careers | Varies | Varies | See website |
| American Prize | The American Prize in Composition recognizes and rewards the best composers in America of works for orchestra, chorus, concert band, chamber ensemble, pops, or theater music (opera-musical theater, theater, film, dance) that have been read or publicly performed. | February (with final deadline in April) | Separate awards for student and professional composers | $50 |
| Arizona Pro Arte Call for Scores | The winner will receive a performance of his or her work by Arizona Pro Arte with the possibility of professional recording. | September | Anyone | Free |
| ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award | The ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards (the “Award”) honors the late Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and The ASCAP Foundation’s former president Morton Gould’s lifelong commitment to encouraging young creators. Open to composers of original, classical concert music, the Award encourages developing music creators during the earliest stages of their careers. | February | The Award is open to young composers (each, an “Entrant”) who have not reached their 30th birthday by the application deadline. Entrants must also be, at the time of entry, a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or enrolled student with a valid and current U.S. student visa. Entrants under 18 may apply with parental consent. | Free |
| ASCAP/SEAMUS Student Composer Commissioning Program | First prize winner receives $1250 for the commission of a new electro-acoustic work, performance at the SEAMUS Nat'l Conference, and a recording on SEAMUS Compact Disc Series. Second prize winner receives $750 for the commission of a new electro-acoustic work and performance at the SEAMUS Nat'l Conference. | October | Must be a student member of SEAMUS AND either currently enrolled in an academic program in the USA (high school through doctoral studies) or a US citizen studying abroad. The submitted work must have been completed while the applicant was a student, and the applicant must have student status at the time the work is submitted to the competition. | Free |
| Astoria Choir Call for Scores | $250 cash prize and performances/recording by the choir for each selected work. | December | Open to composers who identify as female and who reside in Northeast United States. | $10 |
| Baltimore Composers Forum Call for Scores | Call for works for mezzo soprano, baritone, piano and their subsets up to 8 minutes in length | January | Open to members of the Baltimore Composers Forum. | Free |
| Barlow Prize Competition | The winning composer will receive a $12,000 commission to compose a major new work, performed by a consortium of musicians. | June | Anyone | Free |
| BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship | Residency for aspiring film, television, and video game composers. Awards $2,000 stipend for three to four weeks of intensive, in-studio mentorship with established composers in Los Angeles, and also offers the opportunity to consult with other distinguished leaders in the entertainment industry. | June | At least 21 years old, pursuing a career in TV, film, and/or video game composition and must be a US Citizen or resident with a valid visa or green card, and eligible for employment during the residency period. | Free |
| BMI Student Composer Awards | Awards totaling $20,000 are determined annually for vocal, instrumental, and/or electronic compositions submitted by students of classical music. | February | Must be a citizen of a country in the Western Hemisphere currently studying music, either in an educational institution or privately, and under the age of 28 as of time of submission. | Free |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) New Music Festival Call-For-Scores | The MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music at BGSU calls for works to be performed on the Annual Bowling Green New Music Festival. Several categories are offered each year. Composers are offered a $200 honorarium to offset travel costs to attend the festival. | March | Composers of any age, nationality or institutional affiliation, except those currently enrolled at or employed by Bowling Green State University, are eligible to submit scores. | Free |
| Brooklyn Youth Chorus Men's Ensemble Composer Competition | World premiere performance of new work for Brooklyn Youth Chorus Men's Ensemble, along with a recording of work and a $500 prize. | November | Anyone | Free |
| Cambridge Chamber Singers Composition Competition | $700 and two performances of a 3-6 minute work for a capella, 4-6 part mixed choir. | October | Anyone | Free |
| Central European String Quartet International Composition Competition | Call for string quartet works. Winning compositions garner cash prizes and 1st prize winning piece will be premiered and performed three times by the Central European String Quartet. | April | Anyone | 40 Euro per composition |
| Centre International Nadia et Lili Boulanger Scholarships | One scholarship each per year for a performer, composer, and musicologist, carrying out studies in France, adapted to the needs of each candidate. | February | Candidates must be at least 20 years old and at most 32 years old by the deadline, and must pursue their studies in France. | Free |
| Chorosynthesis Call for Scores | Chorosynthesis Singers is currently seeking new, forward-looking, and distinctive choral compositions for use in a June 2020 concert performance. | January | Anyone | Free |
| Claremont Chorale Composition Competition | The Claremont Chorale, a 60-voice volunteer SATB chorus, is holding a composition contest for an original work to be premiered by the ensemble. In addition to performance, winner is awarded prize of US$1,250.00. | December | Anyone | $25 |
| Community Music Center of Boston Young Composers Festival | A day of workshops, panel discussions, and concerts by and for students from elementary school to adults. Students work alongside professional composers and performers to create, perform and enjoy contemporary music. | No sign-up required | Anyone | Free |
| Composers & Schools in Concert: Composer Commissions and Workshops | Commissions for professional composers to write pieces for high-school students; opportunities to develop music-creation workshops for students. | Rolling | Professional composers | Free |
| Composers, Inc. Ettelson Award | Call for works for one to five performers plus confuctor drawn from core senmble of Wild Rumpus. $1000 award and a performance by Composers Inc. during their concert season in Berkeley. | January | Anyone | $25/score |
| Delta Omicron Composition Competition | Delta Omicron seeks works for male voice & piano of 7-15 minutes in length, to be performed at the 2021 Delta Omicron International Fraternity Conference. Winning composer will receive $1,000. | March | All composers of college-age or older. Submitted works must not have been previously commissioned, published, or publicly performed. | $25 |
| Downbeat Student Music Awards | The award categories include various genres and styles, including jazz, blues/pop/rock, Latin, and original compositions for small and large ensembles; there are also awards for sound engineering. | December | Separate awards for students in middle school, high school, and college. Students may not be enrolled in full-time professional work. | Free |
| Dustin White, Flutist Call for Scores | Call for scores for works <6 minutes for flute solo or flute and electronics. Selected works will be performed and recorded within a year. | September | Anyone | Free |
| Earplay Donald Aird Composers Competition | $1000 cash prize and a performance by Earplay in their next season, for compositions for 1-6 players, with or without electronics. | April | Anyone | $26/score |
| Ecce Ensemble Composers Chamber Music Program | Composition fellows will have a work rehearsed and performed in festival, as well as pariticpate in group lessons and masterclasses with faculty composers. | May | Anyone | $22 |
| Ecce Ensemble Experimental Opera Program | Composer and liberettist fellows will work daily with faculty and guest composers. Sessions will include daily critiques, improvisations, and workshop development methods that will result in workshop and festival performances. Audio / Video documentation of works-in-process will be made. | May | Anyone | $27 |
| Encore Wind Ensemble Charles Olson Young Composers Contest | Call for 5-8 minute compositions for wind band. The winning composition will receive a $1,000 cash award with a public performance. | May | Composers must be 15-22 years old at the time of application | $25 |
| Face the Music Composer Program | The Face the Music Composition Program welcomes composers at all levels and with varying stylistic interests. Instrumentalists who have never composed before but have always wanted to can use this as an opportunity to compose their first piece of music! Student-composers who have experience and are working on larger-scale works may be invited to write a piece for a Face the Music ensemble and have the opportunity to develop that piece in a laboratory environment. | May | Composers under college age, and studying a musical instrument. | $40 |
| Foundation for Modern Music: Robert Avalon Composition Competition | $75-$1,000 cash prizes and performance by FMM performers of the winning submissions in a variety of categories | December | 4 Divisions ranging from through 8th grade to professional. | Varies by category ($30-$75) |
| Fromm Commission Grant | $12,000 commission for all compositions regardless of idiom, instrumentation, style, or the use of technology. Submissions in jazz, hybrid, electronic, or other idioms are welcome. | June | To be eligible, a composer must be a legal resident of the United States for a term of one year or more during the time of the application. For these purposes, "residents" shall be deemed to include U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, temporary residents, asylees, refugees, and nonimmigrants who have been lawfully admitted to, and reside in, the United States and can ensure they are legally able to be paid for services by Harvard University. | See website |
| Gil Soundtrack Award | Composers may submit a score for the short film, Somos Tierra. The winning composer will receive 50,000 euros. | August | Composers must be between the ages of 18 and 36 and scores must match instrumentation listed at gilsoundtrack.com | |
| Heckscher Foundation-Ithaca College Composition Prize | $1750 cash prize for a new composition to be premiered by Ithaca College Contemporary Ensemble. | October | Anyone | Free |
| I Creation/Mivos Quartet Prize for Chinese Composers | Winning composer receives $1,000 cash prize and performances of their work in NYC and Hong Kong by the Mivos Quartet | April | Emerging Chinese composers | $35 early deadline / $45 late deadline |
| ICEBERG Young Composer Award | These awards are intended to reward composers and music-makers of exceptional ability who hail from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship. | November | Applicants must be at least 16 years of age, a citizen or permanent resident of USA, and currently enrolled in an accredited high school (or homeschooled). Preference will be given to applicants who self-identify as being from a traditionally underrepresented community. This includes, but is not limited to, applicants who identify as female, nonwhite, and/or LGBTQ+. | Free |
| Intermusic SF (Formerly SF Friends of Chamber Music) Musical Grant Program | Grants for composers, performers, and presenters to cover composer fees, performance and rehersal fees, production costs, etc. for a concert series or festival. | March | Must reside in one of the 15 counties of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Must be at least 18 years old. Must confirm eligibility with the organization prior to applying. | Free |
| International composition competition Città di Udine | Cash prizes between 200-1000 Euros, and public performances and recordings of the winning works | March | Anyone | 35 Euros |
| International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) ICEcommons | ICEcommons is a crowdsourced index of newly composed music. It is a searchable repository of the catalogs and works of emerging, established, published, and unpublished composers. By collecting the metadata (instrumentation, duration, composer name, title) of living composers’ works, coupled with the means of acquiring sheet music (links to score downloads, rental, and purchase sites), ICEcommons aggregates and organizes new score information into one place—an open, public index hosted by metafields.org, through which performers, scholars, composers, and listeners can discover and obtain new works. | Rolling | Anyone, however ICE encourages applicants who are female-identifying, POC, transgender, LGBQ, immigrant, individuals with disabilities, as well as people of diverse social, educational, and economic backgrounds. | None |
| International Society for Contemporary Music | Ongoing list of competitions for composers | See website | Varies | See website |
| International Society of Bassists: David Walter Composition Competition | $1000 and world premieres for new works in four categories: 1. unaccompanied solo bass, 2. chamber ensemble featuring bass, 3. bass ensemble, and 4. bass and electronic media | June | Anyone | $50/composition |
| International Songwriting Competition | The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is an annual song contest whose mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena. Winners receive cash prizes and career development opportunities. | September | Anyone - various categories | $30 per song or category |
| Iowa State University Carillon Competition | Competition to encourage young composers to write for carillon | See website | See website | See website |
| Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest | Cash prizes up to $1200 and performances for 3-5 minute works for mixed choir. | December | Anyone | $25/score |
| Jâca Emerging Composers Competition | Composers are invited to submit 5-12' works for Bb clarinet and guitar that deal with the theme of culture. Winning composers will receive cash prize, performance, and publishing deal. | January | Limited to ages 16-30 | $25 |
| Jerome Foundation Grants | 2-year Artist Fellowship supports creation of new work workspace/studio/rehearsal rental, research, travel, professional development, professional equipment purchase, residency participation, development of new skills, and/or other needs directly related to artistic and career development as defined by the Fellow. | May | Open only to non-student early career generative artists who are legal residents of Minnesota or the five boroughs of New York City and not-for-profit arts organizations that serve those artists. | Free |
| Juventas New Music Ensemble Call for Scores | Juventas New Music Ensemble seeks chamber music and art songs responding to current affairs, to be performed at their February concert, "Freedom of Speech" in Boston. | November | Any composer who identifies as both an emerging composer at the early stages of their career | $10/composition |
| Keuris Composers Contest | Winning pieces are premiered by the Amersfoort Youth Orchestra and Keuris Ensemble. | February | Anyone | See website |
| Lake George Music Festival Composition Competition | Call for works for 3-8 players, under 25 minutes. 1-2 winners receive $500 and performance of their work at LGMF. Winner is invited to be "Composer In Residence" to work with the musicians performing their work. | January | Anyone | $10 |
| League of American Orchestras Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program | Selected works will be read by various partner orchestras. Selected composers will receive $15000 commisions. | See website | All female/female identifying/non binary composers | See website |
| League of Composers/ISCM Composition Competition | Works no longer than 20 minutes for solo, chamber ensemble, and chamber orchestra may be submitted. Winners are awarded cash prizes up to $1000 and performance in NYC by Orchestra of the League of Composers | August | Anyone | $25/work |
| Left Coast Chamber Ensemble Composition Contest | Call for works between 5 and 20 minutes for 1-7 instruments. Winners are awarded $2000, a performance by Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, and a recording of the performance. | See website | Anyone | $16/work |
| Luna Composition Lab | Yearlong program in which young composers write a piece to be performed at the end of the program. Includes 1:1 mentorship and bimonthly lessons with an established female composer, performance opportunity as part of the Face the Music season, recording of their work, and networking opportunities. | September | Applicants must be self-identified female, gender nonconforming and non-binary composers, ages 12-18 | $15 application fee; $600 program fee. Scholarships available. |
| Lydian String Quartet Commission Prize | The winning composer will receive a $15,000 commission to compose a large- scale (15- to 30-minute) string quartet that will be premiered by the Lydian String Quartet in spring 2022. | December | Anyone, except for current Brandeis students and faculty | $30 |
| MATA Festival Call for Submissions | Selected works will be performed at the MATA Festival in New York City. All sorts of music is accepted: fully notated, improvised, sound art, video, electronic, found instruments, toys, installations, and everything in between. | March | Composers under age 40 | Free |
| Mata Jr. Festival | Six school-aged composers will be paired with one of MATA’s alumni composer-mentors and asked to write a new work for the Bergamot String Quartet. Works will be rehearsed and performed in concert in New York City during MATA’s 2020-2021 season. | June | Composers who have not yet graduated high school | Free |
| Miquel Llobet Guitar Composition Contest | Call for scores for 3-6' unpublished classical guitar works. Winning compositions will receive performances and winning composers will receive cash prize and honorary certificate. | June | Anyone | 15 Euro |
| mise-en Music Festival Call for Scores | Selected works will be performed at the Mise-En Festival in NYC, and composers are offered free housing to attend and participate. | December | Anyone | $25 per entry |
| Mivos/Kanter String Quartet Composition Prize | The competition is designed to promote works of talented emerging composers currently residing in the United States. Its winner will receive a $650 cash prize, and a performance of the submitted piece in New York City during Mivos Quartet’s 2020-21 season. | July | Composers must be currently residing in the United States and in the early/middle stages of developing an international career and for whom this prize would represent a significant career opportunity. | Free |
| MIZZOU New Music Summer Festival Call for Scores | Eight composers from around the world will be selected through a portfolio application process to compose a work to be performed by the internationally acclaimed new music ensemble, Alarm Will Sound. Composers will take part in discussions and masterclasses with Chen Yi and David T. Little; take part in workshops with Alarm Will Sound and receive a professional live recording of the premiere performance of their work. | November | See website | $22 |
| MTNA Distinguished Composer of the Year Award | The award is given to a selected composer of a state-commissioned work. | See website | MTNA membership required | Free |
| Music International Grand Prix Competition | Musicians in four age groups in the categories of Voice, Piano, Strings, Woodwinds and Brass will be selected for performances at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall and will receive cash prizes. | October | Anyone (four different age categories) in four different vocal/instrumental categories | $25 |
| NAfME Electronic Music Composition Competition | The NAfME Electronic Music Composition Competition recognizes outstanding compositions and highlights the effectiveness of music technology in the school curriculum. Entries will be judged based on their aesthetic quality, use of electronic media, and the power of the composition. The schools of the winners in each category will receive a subscriptions to music softwares and plugins | May | Students, or teachers of students in grades K-grad school. 3 Categories: K-8, High School, and Collegiate. Entrants must be sponsored by an NAfME member teacher, or be a NAfME Collegiate member in good standing. | $40 |
| National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Student Composers Competition | Students (K-grad school) are invited to submit original music to be performed at the Young Composers Concert. Up to ten winning composers will receive cash awards and all entrants receive written feedback. | May | Students, or teachers of students in grades K-grad school. 3 Categories: K-8, High School, and Collegiate. | $40 |
| National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Junior Composer Awards | Cash prizes for various types of pieces: choral works, piano solos, small ensemble pieces, and pieces for voice and accompaniment. | Varies by state | Various awards and categories for composers under 9 through 18 years old. | $5 |
| National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Student Collegiate Division | Cash award for student/collegiate composition students | March | Must have reached the 19th, but not the 26th birthday by the application deadline. Must be a junior, senior, or graduate student in college, majoring in composition | $10 |
| National Flute Association Flute Choir Composition Competition | This annual competition selects one work each year to be premiered by the Professional Flute Choir, High School Flute Choir, or Collegiate Flute Choir, in rotation. The winning composition will be performed by the High School Flute Choir during the NFA Convention. The winning composition will also be displayed in the Exhibit Hall during the convention and deposited in the NFA Music Library at the University of Arizona. | February | Must be a current NFA member | Free |
| National Guild of Piano Teachers Composition Contest | Various prizes and categories for new compositions for piano & piano chamber music | November | See website | between $20-$60, depending on category |
| New England Philharmonic Call for Scores | Performance of a 15 minute or shorter orchestral work on a New England Philharmonic concert. | April | Emerging composers | $40/score |
| New Music on the Bayou Festival | Selected works in one of several instrumentation categories will be performed, in addition to participation in 3-day festival, and eligibility for $500 commission for a new work. | March | Anyone | $20 for first three works submitted, $5 for each additional work submitted |
| nief-norf Summer Festival Call for Scores | Selected works are premiered by Performance Fellows at the nief-norf Summer Festival. | January | Anyone | $15 for the first composition, $10 for each additional work. |
| North/South Consonance Call for Scores | Selected works will be performed and recorded by North/South Consonance (NYC). | See website | Anyone | See website |
| Pacific Musical Society Annual Competition | One $1300 prize. | January | Various age categories. Applicants must be residents of San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, or Placer counties. | $80 |
| Parma Recordings Call for Scores/Sphinx | The Sphinx Organization, PARMA Recordings, cellist Thomas Mesa, and pianist Michelle Cann present a call for scores open exclusively to Black and Latinx composers. Selected composers will receive studio recording produced at no cost to the composer, full ownership of the resulting master recording, commercial release of the recording on an album with worldwide digital distribution, all post-production, design of all album visual elements, and promotional support at no cost to the composer, a majority share of received royalties from resulting streams and sales, invitation to attend the recording of their piece either virtually or in person, and a $250 honorarium. | November | The Call for Scores is open to Black and Latinx composers of any nationality, state, or country of residence. | Free |
| Portland Percussion Group Call for Scores | First prize winner receives $500, work published by Tapspace Publications, professional recording, and performance by PPG. 2nd & 3rd prize works will be performed and recorded by the Portland Percussion Group. | March | Anyone | $25 |
| Pulitzer Prize in Music | One $15,000 prize. | December | Anyone. Works submitted must have their premiere in application year. | $75 |
| Quadre Composition Competition | Call for scores for horn quartet or horn quartet + 1 percussionist. 1st and 2nd place compositions will receive cash prizes ($500 and $300, respecitively) and will be performed the following season by Quadre. | April | Anyone | Free |
| Quator Bozzini Composers Kitchen | Professional residency for composers who will write a new piece for string quartet, in a combination of workshop, laboratory, master class and concert settings. Works are performed in Utrecht, Netherlands, as a part of Gaudeamus Muziekweek. | December | Canadian (or permanent resident) composers | Free |
| Random Access Music Call for Scores | Each year, RAM collaborates with an ensemble to present a concert of world premieres. As part of this collaboration, RAM conducts an anonymous call for scores on which the winning composition is included. | February | Anyone | Free |
| Red Note Composition Competition | Composers may submit to up to three categories: Works for Chamber Ensemble and works for String Orchestra. Winners receive performance of work on Red Note Festival in Illinois State University and a cash prize. | November | Anyone | $25 |
| Red Note Composition Workshop | Invited participants will each compose a 5 to 10-minute piece for one of the guest ensembles. Each composition will be carefully rehearsed during the Festival, and will be premiered at a formal concert. Each composer will receive a recording of his or her piece. | November | Anyone | $25 for first score, $20 for each additional score |
| Rivers School Conservatory Young Composers Commission Award | The Rivers School Conservatory invites high school-aged composers to compete for a chance to create a commissioned 6-8 minute work for four-hand piano to be performed at The Rivers School Conservatory Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young in April of 2021. Winning composer will also be awarded $1,000. | March | Applicants must be at least 14 years of age, enrolled in an accredited high school or home-schooling program and be a US resident or citizen | $35 |
| San Francisco Choral Artists "New Voices Project" | Call for works up to 4 minutes for SATB a capella chamber choir. Winners will receive cash prizes up to $500. | March | Must be under 30 & a US resident | Free |
| San Francisco Contemporary Music Players Call for Scores | one winning composer will receive a private score reading and feedback session with SFCMP players and SF Search panelists, a public performance on a subscription-series concert, and an archival recording. In addition the winning composer will receive a $1,000 stipend | November | Composers under 30 with a permanent address in the US. Composers in the Bay Area are required to attend workshops and performances. | $10 |
| Society for New Music: Brian Israel Award | Two prizes — one for $1,000 and one for $750 — are awarded. Also, each of the two prize-winning compositions will be performed by the Society for New Music during the following season. | May | Open to any composer in New York State who are 30 or younger | Free |
| SoundWebs MicroCommissions | Up to 6 composers will receive a $500 commission fee and be given 4-6 weeks to create their works. Commissioned composers will be assigned a public space in Cincinnati and an ensemble to work with. They'll be asked to create a space-specific work that is an impactful part of the event. | April | Anyone - must be able to workshop in Cincinnati | Free |
| Suzanne and Lee Ettelson Composer’s Award 2020 | An award of $1,000 will be given for a new chamber work. The winning work will be performed in the San Francisco Bay Area during Ninth Planet’s 2020-21 concert season. Award winners are expected to attend performances. Works not awarded prizes will also be considered for programming. | January | Anyone | $25 for one submission; $20 for subsequent submissions |
| Symphony in C Young Composers’ Competition | Winning composition will be performed and recorded by Symphony in C, with subsequent broacast on radio, round-trip airfare, and consideration for publication by Theodore Preser Company | March | Only composers born after May 2, 1990 may apply. Must be US citizens, permanent residents, or current foreign students at American schools. | Free |
| Talea Ensemble Emerging Composer Commissioning Program | Talea will commission one selected composer to create a 10-15' chamber ensemble work for the ensemble, to be premiered in New York City. Selected composer will receive a commissioning fee of $1,500, a $500 travel stipend to work with Talea in New York City and attend the piece’s premiere, audio documentation of the premiere performance, and promotional support. | September | Composers of all nationalities and ages (18+) who consider themselves emerging are welcome to apply. | Free |
| Texas New Music Ensemble (TNME) Student Composers Competition | One winner will be commissioned to write an 8-10 minute piece for flute, clarinet, and cello, to be premiere at the annual TNME summer concert in July. | March | Open to any composer currently enrolled in a music degree program at a Texas institution or a High School student attending school in Texas | $35 |
| The Chelsea Symphony Composition Competition | Early-career composers are invited to submit a previously unperformed work of 5-12 minutes to be performed and recorded by The Chelsea Symphony. Winners will receive a $250 honorarium. | January | Applicants must reside in the United States and be in the early stages of their compositional careers. | Free |
| The Choral Project's Rachel Moore Composition Contest | High school and undergraduate students are invited to submit original choral works. First prize is $1,500, a live performance and recording, and possible publication with Santa Barbara Music Publishing. 2nd prize is $750; 3rd prize is $500. | December | Open to High School (grades 9-12) and undergraduate students of any nationality. | $20 per entry |
| The Composer's Site Calls for Submissions List | Extensive list of regularly updated Calls for Scores and other composer opportunities | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| The Flute New Music Consortium Composition Competition | Call for scores for solo flute, flute/piano, and/or flute plus another instrument. Winning composers receive a cash prize, one or more performances, and a live recording from one or more of the performances. Winning scores will be provided to current FNMC Commissioning and Performing Level members. | June, July, or August, depending on instrumentation | Anyone | $15 per work submitted |
| The International Competition of Choral Competition Ennio Morricone | First prize: 2000 Euros cash, publication of the work and its premiere during the festival; second prize: 1000 Euros; third prize: 750 Euros. | March | Anyone | 75 Euros |
| Third Angle New Music Composer Submissions | Third Angle New Music accepts submissions on a rolling basis for works to be considered for performance | Rolling | Anyone | Free |
| Toolbox Percussion International Composition Competition 2021 | Toolbox Percussion is presenting the Toolbox Percussion International Composition Competition (TPICC) as a part of the Toolbox International Creative Academy (TICA), which will be held during 4-22 January 2021 in Hong Kong. TPICC is an annual competition for emerging composers across the globe who share our vision to create percussive arts practices with creativity, originality and potentials. | November | Composers of any nationality under the age of 30 | Free |
| Toru Takemitsu Composition Award | One cash prize of 3,000,000 yen and performances of selected orchestral works. | September | Any person, regardless of nationality, who is not over 35 years old at the end of the year of the application deadlines. | Free |
| Tribeca New Music Festival Young Composer Competition | The winner in each division will receive $1,000, a performance at the festival, and a recording. | January | Two divisions: 1. composers ages 22-35; 2. composers ages 21 and younger. Must be a US Citizen or permanent resident. | $35/work |
| Underwood New Music Readings and Commission | Chosen composers will have their pieces workshopped and recorded by the American Composers Orchestra (NYC). Composers also participate in a series of professional development workshops covering such topics as promotion, score preparation and publishing, copyright and commissioning agreements, and other career essentials. | Dec-Jan | U.S. citizens or non-citizens lawfully and permanently residing, or studying full-time, in the United States. | Free |
| Versipel New Music Call for Scores | Call for works for between 1-6 players to be performed by Versipel New Music | June | Anyone | $13 |
| Vox Novus Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame Project Call For Scores | Vox Novus commissions fifteen 1-minute scores to be performed by that year's performer | Rolling | Anyone | Free |
| wasteLAnd Featured Composer | Performances of selected works on the wasteLAnd ensemble's concert series. | See website | Anyone | See website |
| Women Composers of Hartford Festival: Composer in Residence Application | The Composer-in-Residence will have her music showcased on the Festival, will give talks and masterclasses to area schools, participate in other outreach and publicity activities, compose a new work to be premiered at the Festival, and more. | January | Women composers | Free |
| Emory University Symphony Orchestra – Call for Compositions | Emory University and the Emory University Symphony Orchestra are excited to announce a commissioning opportunity for BIPOC female-identifying composers. The selected composer will receive $5000, workshop time with the orchestra, a premiere in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts and a professional recording of the performance. | May | BIPOC women composers | Free |