Competition

1. Competition is organized by the Karol Szymanowski Music Society in collaboration with the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice.
2. The subject of the competition is a piece for great symphony orchestra including:3 flauti (3. muta in fl picc.), 3 oboe (3. muta in cr.ing.), 3 clarinetti (3. muta in cl.b.), 3 fagotti (3. muta in cfg), 4 corni – 3 trombe, 3 tromboni, tuba batteria (4 esecutori), arpa, pianoforte (celesta), archi (16-14-12-10-8)
3. Required duration of the composition 10 – 20 min
4. The competition is open to composers of all nations regardless of age.
5. Each participant may submit more than one score.
6. It is possible to submit works already performed, excluding compositions already published and awarded in other competitions.

Prizes

1. Cash Prizes:
• I Prize 20.000 pln (founded by Minister of Culture and National Heritage)
• II Prize 15.000 pln
• III Prize 10.000 pln
2. All prizes are given in their gross amounts.
3. Special Prizes:
• Prize of Polish National Symphony Radio Orchestra Katowice – archive recording for Polish Radio or performance of one of the awarded compositions in 2016 – 2017
• Prize of Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Cracow – performance of one of the awarded compositions in 2016 – 2017
• Prize of His Magnificence Rector of Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice – performance of one of the awarded compositions by the Karol Szymanowski Academic Symphony Orchestra in 2016 – 2017
• Prize of PWM Edition – set of Polish contemporary scores

The deadline for sending the scores is 30th November 2015.

download competition rules
website: http://www.szymanowski-competition.com/en/home

Conditions for Participation

a) The competition is open to all composers born after August 15th, 1975.
Winners of the 2010 and 2013 editions are no longer eligible to enter.

b) The submitted score will preferably have been composed primarily for this competition.
It must not be older than three years and must not have already been utilized (in particular copied, distributed, performed publicly, broadcasted or made accessible on the internet).

c) Each composer may submit only one entire score, not just in part.

Details of the composition

The score should be for one piano (for one or more pianists), and can include all facets and possibilities of the instrument.

The pieces should be of a level of difficulty suitable for children/young adults and should be practically realizable in piano lessons.

The score is expected to be comprehensible and clear. Performance instructions must be written in German or English.

The piece or group of pieces is expected to have a total length of between 6 and 15 minutes.

Applications

a) The participants are to anonymously send an envelope which is to be marked on the outside with a freely chosen five-digit code which does not give any indication to the identity of the participant. The envelope should contain:

1. six copies of the piano score (all anonymous, the composer’s name should not appear on the score), each annotated with the same five-digit code.

2. an additional sealed envelope marked with the same code and containing the composer’s personal data, a short curriculum vitae and two recent photos.

b) All entries must be postmarked no later than August 15th, 2015 and should be addressed to:

Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien
Institut Ludwig van Beethoven
Rennweg 8
1030 Wien
Österreich

Deadline: 15 Aug 2015

Website: http://www.mauricio-kagel-kompositionswettbewerb.com/?PageId=1840

Application Requirements

• A full score for each of two (2) original compositions. Each score should be scanned and submitted as a PDF. You may be asked to submit full size scores in addition to the PDF’s.
• All scores should include instrumentation on the title page and timing of the work.
• One (1) work for solo or small ensemble (up to eight voices or instruments). Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit work in this category that does not exceed ten (10) minutes in length.
• One (1) work for large ensemble, either vocal or instrumental (nine or more voices or instruments).
• A digital video, audio recording or MIDI file for each work is required.

Media Submission Requirements

• Save and name your files as “[Title of the Work]” with each piece being a separate video file.
• Save and upload each printed score (PDF format) and video/audio recording separately indicating the title of the composition in the space provided.
• Do not put your name or any identifying information in or on your media submission.
• You may submit pre-recorded live performances, such as recitals or concerts.

Intellectual Property and Copyright Requirements

• All submitted work must be wholly original and may not infringe upon the copyright or other intellectual property or other legal or moral rights of any other person or entity.
• Applicants are responsible for obtaining and securing any and all rights, licenses, consent and permissions, if applicable, from third parties in relation to any copyrighted material that is not your own (e.g., lyrics, a composition, choreography or other dramatic works). Uploading any copyrighted or otherwise protected materials without permission may infringe the right holder’s copyright for which you may be held liable and for which may prevent you from being considered for participation in YoungArts programs and/or inclusion in the Student List Service. For more information on copyright, visit http://www.youngarts.org/copyright
• If your work has been submitted to other competitions, you are responsible for getting permission to submit to YoungArts.

Reviewers and Panelists are looking for:

• Musical Ideas – the quality of the musical material on which the composition is based.
• Musical Structure – the extent to which an underlying structure exists and is apparent.
• Control of Medium – understanding of and idiomatic use of voices and instruments.

About YoungArts

YoungArts identifies and nurtures emerging artists ages 15-18 (or in grades 10-12) in the visual, literary, design and performing arts. Winners are provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, significant access to scholarships and national recognition. YoungArts ensures the nation’s most outstanding young artists are encouraged – at critical junctures in their lives – to pursue careers in the arts.

Website: http://www.youngarts.org/apply?gclid=CN_J54mW8cUCFQYTHwodURgAVg#discipline_music_composition.html

Download Application Guidelines here.

OVERVIEW
From November 15 to 21, 2015, The American Composers Forum (ACF) will send an artist delegation to Havana to participate in the 28th season of the Festival de Música Contemporánea de La Habana (Havana Contemporary Music Festival). The artist delegation will comprise the selected composers and New York City-based ensemble Third Sound (Sooyun Kim, flute; Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet; Karen Kim, violin; Michael Nicolas, cello; Orion Weiss, piano), which will prepare a program of American music to present at the Festival.
Selected composers will travel to Cuba to attend the Havana Contemporary Music Festival, November 15-21, 2015. All travel and lodging expenses (including necessary visa and government paperwork, medical and travel insurance, etc.) will be covered by ACF.
The artist delegation’s residency at the Festival will include performances of the selected scores at Festival concerts, as well as attendance at all other Festival events and interaction with other composers and performers featured at the Festival. The artist delegation will moreover have the invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves in Havana’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape.
In addition to Festival performances, selected scores will receive further performances as part of Third Sound’s 2015-16 season.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Works must be submitted electronically, via the “Submission Process” link printed below, no later than 11:59pm EDT on May 31, 2015.

ELIGIBILITY
The call for scores is open to composers living in the United States. There are no restrictions with regards to age, nationality, student/professional status, etc., nor with regards to performance history, publication status, or previous awards of the submitted works.
Composers selected to join the artist delegation must be members of the American Composers Forum. Applicants need not be members in order to submit, but non-members will be required to become members if selected.
Applicants must have a valid passport.
Submitted works must be scored for flute (piccolo and alto flute acceptable), clarinet (bass clarinet acceptable), violin, cello, and piano, or any subset thereof. Works with electronic elements may be considered, but may ultimately not be practical, depending on the technical requirements and the Festival’s available resources.
Each applicant may submit one work for consideration.
Submitted works may be up to 10 minutes in length.
Employees and board members of the American Composers Forum are not eligible to apply.

SUBMISSION PROCESS
To submit a work for consideration, please upload the following materials to Dropbox (or similar web service), and email the link to download to:
Patrick Castillo at pacastillo131@gmail.com.
PDF score – Please name PDF file as follows: [First initial][last name]–[work title].pdf, eg, CIves–TheUnansweredQuestion.pdf.
mp3 recording (if available) – Please name mp3 file as follows: [First initial][last name]–[work title].mp3, eg, CIves–TheUnansweredQuestion.mp3.
NB. A live recording of any quality is preferable to MIDI; no recording is often preferable to MIDI. But a well-made MIDI file can also be useful if no live recording is available. Use your judgment.
Bio and/or CV (PDF), including mailing address, email address, and telephone number – Please name PDF file as follows: [First initial][last name]–Bio.pdf, eg, CIves–Bio.pdf.

There is no application fee.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Works must be submitted electronically, via the “Submission Process” link printed above, no later than 11:59pm EDT on May 31, 2015.

SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
Submissions will be adjudicated and selections will be made by the members of Third Sound.
Selected composers will be notified by September 1, 2015.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Patrick Castillo (pacastillo131@gmail.com).

Website: https://composersforum.org/program/acf-artist-delegation-cuba-nov-15-21-2015

Lukas Foss, a German-born American composer, pianist and conductor, died at his home in Manhattan on Sunday. He was 86 years old. His music has an important place in the world of American composition, along with the music of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber and Elliott Carter. Mr. Foss was an explorer of the avant-garde, focusing at different times on techniques from serialism and electronic music as well as on Minimalism and improvisation. As a conductor, his specialty was contemporary music.

In addition to his wife Cornelia, he is survived by a son, Christopher, and a daughter, Eliza Foss.

Read the full New York Times article on Lukas Foss here.