Music Makers is a small chamber choir in London. We are looking for new works on the theme of ‘In celebration of life’. A shortlist of up to six entrants will be performed by the choir at a concert on December 10. Your entry can be a carol but this is not compulsory. The judges will be the composer Gabriel Jackson and the distinguished choral conductor Stephen Jackson. They will award a first prize of £500 and a runner-up prize of £200. For full details see below or visit our website: www.musicmakersoflondon.org.uk
COMPETITION RULES
Brief:
A short a cappella work for SATB choir, suitable for an amateur chamber choir. Occasional divisis are acceptable.
Duration:
3 – 4 minutes
Text:
Composers may choose their own text, which may be sacred or secular in content, on the theme of ‘in celebration of life’. This must be non-copyright and in the public domain. Suggested texts can be found here. The work may or may not be a carol, as long as the theme is followed.
Performance:
Saturday 10 December 7.30pm 2016 at St Michael and All Angels, Elm Bank Gardens, London SW13 0NX
Presented by the Music Makers of London, conducted by Hilary Campbell.
Deadline:
Monday 19 September 2016. Entries received after this date will not be considered.
Adjudicators:
Gabriel Jackson and Stephen Jackson
Anyone,regardless of age or nationality, may enter, other than those persons affiliated with the competition. Members of the Music Makers of London and their close relatives, and persons connected to the competition and their close relatives, are not eligible to enter.
Prizes:
1st Prize: £500 2nd Prize: £200
All shortlisted composers will receive a complimentary pair of tickets to the concert.
Submission:
Candidates should submit two bound, double-sided hard copies of the score, computer typeset (handwritten copies are not acceptable). The score must include a piano reduction for rehearsal purposes. Candidates should also submit a CV and/or biography, and include contact details.
Entries should be sent to: The Music Makers of London, 50C Valleyfield Road, London, SW16 2HR
An electronic copy (in PDF format) of the score and a midi file should also be e-mailed to:
Selection Process:
A shortlist of up to 6 entrants will be chosen and notified no later than Monday 3 October 2016. We hope that shortlisted entrants will attend the concert on Saturday 10 December 2016, when the pieces will be premiered in front of an audience and a panel of judges. The judges will select and announce the winners at the end of the concert and will award prizes.
The judges’ selection of the winners is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Text Copyright and Permissions:
It is the candidate’s own responsibility to ensure that the text they have set is in the public domain and not subject to any copyright conditions. Failure to do so will disqualify the entry concerned.
Copyright in your composition will remain with you after the premiere and the aforementioned permission is non-exclusive. You can continue to use the material in any way you wish and you can also permit others to use the material.
All entries, including composers’ details, may be used in publicity campaigns post competition. Photographs of winning entries may also be used in publicity campaigns. The shortlisted entrants agree to take part in any post-competition publicity if required.
General Competition Rules
By submitting your composition, you grant to the Music Makers of London, free of charge, permission to use the material in any way they wish. In order that the Music Makers of London can use your composition you must confirm that your composition is:
– Your own original work.
– Has not previously been performed or published.
– Does not infringe any UK laws.
You have the right to give the Music Makers of London permission to use it for the purposes specified above.
All candidates submitting entries must enclose a signed affirmation that the submitted composition is entirely their own original work and free from plagiarism of the work of others. This affirmation should also state that the text set in the submission is in the public domain and copyright free. The candidates themselves are liable if either of these assertions turns out to be untrue.
The Music Makers of London reserves the right to alter the competition rules due to unforeseen circumstances.
Any competitor under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The adjudicators’ decision is final.
Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and agree to be bound by them by entering the competition.
Frank E. Warren says
This sounded like a good opportunity until:
“By submitting your composition, you grant to the Music Makers of London, free of charge, permission to use the material in any way they wish.”
This is totally unreasonable. If Music Makers of London would like specific use of prize-winning compositions for a very limited time, that might be more acceptable.
Also, I don’t understand the purpose of sending a .pdf file of the music when the hard copies are already required. Please choose one or the other, but don’t make the composer have to leap through extra, unnecessary hoops! And the midi-file of an unperformed work? There is still much wonderful music being written by hand, why so eager to eliminate those composers? We trust the judges can read the scores . . .
Just some thoughts from an old-timer. Best of luck with your competition.