Open call: Composition Award for women composers in Sweden

The international competition aims to support and highlight women composers and their contributions to choir music.

The competition is open to women composers of any nationality, age, or professional background. Submissions must be unpublished and not previously performed. Compositions should be written for a mixed-voice a cappella choir with between four and twelve parts, and have a duration of six to seven minutes. Lyrics may be in any language.

“The award was created to inspire the composition of new choir music and to highlight the work of women composers internationally,” the organisers said. “We welcome all women with a passion for choir composition to submit their entries.”

The winning composition will be published by Gehrmans Musikförlag AB, and the winner will receive a prize sum along with a diploma. All entries will be assessed by a reputable international jury.

Allmänna Sången, established in 1830 in Uppsala, Sweden, is one of the country’s most acclaimed choirs and the oldest university choir in Scandinavia. Originally a male student choir, it has become a mixed choir with no formal connection to the university, while maintaining its ties to local student life and musical traditions.

The competition was first launched in 2013 to mark Allmänna Sången’s fiftieth anniversary. Since then, it has been held four times, with previous winners including Maria Löfberg (2014), Anna-Karin Klockar (2016), Eva Holm Fosnæs (2019), Gittan Glans (2021), and Erika Hammarberg (2024).

For the latest information on application terms and deadlines, visit Allmänna Sången’s website or follow the choir and the Anders Wall Composition Award on social media. Questions can be directed to info@allmannasangen.se or award@allmannasangen.se.

View the original call here.