North Dakota State University 2021 Edwin Fissinger Choral Composition Competition

2021 Guidelines

This year we welcome submissions for a mixed choir.

Entries should be:

• For an SATB choir-divisi is acceptable
• Unaccompanied, or with piano accompaniment
• One or two obbligato instruments would be acceptable
• Three to eight minutes in duration • original and unpublished (by an established commercial firm) works only.
• The text may be sacred or secular, either in the public domain or copyrighted, as long as a letter of permission from the copyright owner is included with the submission
• Submission deadline – August 1, 2021

Prizes / Performance
• First: $1,500
• Second: $1000
• NDSU reserves the right to not award prizes in any given year.
• The composer of the first prize work is invited to be present at the performance.
• For the performance, NDSU will reimburse actual travel, lodging and food expenses, up to a maximum of $750.
• Winners will be announced by September 15, 2021.
• The first prize winner’s piece, with the approval of the composer, will have their composition considered for publication in Pavane Publishing for placement in the Jo Ann Miller Choral Series.
Judging Panel

Jo Ann Miller, Director of Choral Activities, NDSU
Michael Weber, Associate Director of Choral Activities, NDSU
Charlette Moe, Assistant Director of Choral Activities and Music Education, NDSU
Jocelyn Hagen, Composer, Adjunct composition faculty, NDSU
Allan Petker, Pavane Publishing, composer, conductor

Submission Guidelines

There is a $25 submission fee for each work submitted.
Include name, address, phone number(s), and email address when making payment via NDSU Marketplace or if paying by check, in a sealed envelope accompanying the score.
Send by PDF file to
Submitted scores must be in Finale or Sibelius.
An audio file is strongly recommended.
All scores selected for performance will be reproduced by NDSU.
Submissions must be submitted via email by 11:59 PM on August 1, 2021 or postmarked by August 1, 2021.
If not submitting a PDF, mail submissions to:
Dr. Jo Ann Miller, NDSU Challey School of Music, Dept 2334, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Email compositions to:
Jo Ann Miller, Director of Choral Activities,