Open call: Contrapuncta International Composition Competition

Requirements

Works submitted must meet the following criteria:

• Be original compositions; arrangements or adaptations of existing works are not permitted
• Be written for solo piano (two hands) without electronic elements
• Have a duration of between 6 and 12 minutes
• Have not been commercially exploited prior to submission
• All scores must be submitted anonymously to ensure impartial evaluation.

Application process

• Applicants are required to submit their materials by 30 June 2026 at midnight to assocontrapuncta@gmail.com
• Submissions received after this deadline will not be considered.

Each application must include:

• A completed and signed registration form (available via the HelloAsso competition page under the “récapitulatif” tab)
• A musical score produced using notation software and submitted in PDF format, with no identifying information included
• A registration fee of €35 per work, payable via the HelloAsso platform or by alternative arrangement with the association (registration is only confirmed once payment has been received)

Participants may submit multiple works, provided that a separate fee is paid for each submission.

Selection process

• A jury comprising a composer, a doctor in musicology, and a pianist-performer will select six works from all eligible entries. Jury decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
• The selected works and the identities of their composers will be announced by 1 September 2026.

Concert and awards

Contrapuncta will organise a public concert in Bordeaux or its surrounding area, scheduled no earlier than December 2026, where the six selected works will be performed by a single pianist. The performance order will be determined by the organisers.

At the conclusion of the concert, prizes will be awarded:

• Jury Prize: €1 000 (about $1 175), decided by jury deliberation after the concert
• Public Prize: €500, awarded based on audience votes from ticket holders

In the event of a tie for the Public Prize, the award will be divided equally among the highest-ranked composers.

Audience members attending the concert will vote after the performances. Composers whose works are selected for performance and who attend the concert will do so at their own expense and will not be eligible to vote for the Public Prize.