Call for scores: 2022 Montgomery County Choral Society composer competition

Purpose

The MCCS emerging composer competition is designed to support young composers in their musical endeavours and to promote the performance of their original compositions for community and high school ensembles.

Eligibility

Composers must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Composers must have been born on or after 1 August 1975.
• Preference will be given to residents of Texas.

Compositions should adhere to the following requirements:

• Submissions should not have been previously published or received recognition/awards for other competitions. Works should not be currently in submission to other contests.
• SATB voicing with limited or no divisi is preferred; however, consideration will be given to SSA or TBB pieces.
• Compositions should be suitable for community and high school groups, with appropriate consideration given to vocal range, tessitura and compositional complexity for these types of ensembles.
• Compositions must be original. Source material for arrangements should be limited to music within the public domain.
• Text must be in the public domain unless the composer possesses written consent from the copyright holder to make use of the source material.
• Compositions may be accompanied or unaccompanied. Unaccompanied works should include a piano reduction in the score.
• Compositions should be between three and six minutes in length; shorter compositions will receive priority consideration.

Submission

Submission requirements:

• All submissions should be emailed to: artisticdirector@mcchoral.org before 16 December.
• Scores should be submitted in PDF format with the composer’s name removed. Text with translation (if applicable) and proper permissions (if applicable) must be submitted with the score.
• A performance or MIDI recording must be submitted along with the PDF file.
• A $10 application fee must be submitted with each submission (payment link to be provided upon receipt of submission).
• If publication is accepted by Carl Fischer Music, composers must agree to relinquish publishing rights of submission (with appropriate royalty contracts, etc.).

Prizes

All selected composers will receive:

• Print and online recognition of award status.
• Recording of their piece as performed at the MCCS Emerging Composer Concert (Date: 9 March 2023; location: First Methodist Conroe, 4308 W. Davis Street, Conroe TX, 77304).
• Opportunity for publication with Carl Fischer Music, pending editorial and publisher approval.

The winning composition will receive:

• Cash prize (1st, 2nd 3rd place; amount to be determined).
• Opportunity to workshop the piece with the MCCS.
• Invitation to attend the premiere during the MCCS Emerging Composer Concert.
• Featured performance and recording at the MCCS Emerging Composer Concert.
• Opportunity for publication with Carl Fischer Music, pending editorial and publisher approval.