As part of it three-year Youth Inspiring Youth project, WomenSing is pleased to announce its first regional choral composition competition. Young composers (ages 18 through 25) who are residents of California are eligible to submit samples of their works for consideration.

Project Description

WomenSing and River of Words, both Bay Area non-profit arts organizations, are creating the opportunity for young composers to create new choral music, mentored by nationally recognized composer Libby Larsen. The project includes a regional annual competition, adjudicated by nationally recognized composers and conductors. The two winners of the competition will be commissioned to write treble choral works to be premiered by WomenSing in June 2010, based on the highly inspired children’s poetry from the River of Words project. The two commissioned composers will receive a stipend of $500 and a recording of the work.

Founded in 1995 by former US Poet Laureate and 2008 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, Robert Hass, along with writer Pamela Michael, River of Words has energetically enlisted youth from around the world to compete annually in both art and poetry on the subject of the environment. This contest is done in affiliation with the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

Details

1. The competition is open to California residents who have reached their 18th birthday but have not yet reached their 25th birthday by the submission deadline of April 6, 2009 (deadline extended from March 6).

2. Submissions must be an original work for accompanied or unaccompanied chorus, must have been composed within the last two years, and the length of the work should be between three to five minutes.

3. All submissions must be anonymous. The composer’s name must not appear on the score. Please remove all names and identifying marks.

4. Judges for the competition will be Libby Larsen, composer; Charles Bruffy, conductor and advisor to WomenSing; and Martín Benvenuto, artistic director for WomenSing. The decisions of the judges are final, and the two winners will be notified by May 29, 2009. WomenSing reserves the right not to award a prize.

To Enter

Submit three clearly legible photocopies of the work. A sealed envelope labeled with the title of the work must accompany each submission. The envelope shall contain the composer’s name, address, phone, email, title of the work, a brief biographical profile, and an entry fee of $25 (checks made to WomenSing). Please send submissions to:

WomenSing Youth Inspiring Youth Regional Composition Contest
P.O. Box 2014
Orinda, CA 94563

Scores and applications must be postmarked by April 6, 2009 (deadline extended from March 6). Scores will be returned if a stamped, self-addressed envelope is included with your submission.