Competition Information
For Immediate Release: April 15, 2023
Cleveland, Ohio: Case Western Reserve University is excited to announce the second year of our Undergraduate Choral Composition Competition.
This annual competition is perfect for undergraduate students enrolled in Ohio colleges and universities who are looking to get professional reflections on their choral works. There is no fee to enter. The work will be premiered by the CWRU Concert Choir, an ensemble dedicated to championing new and diverse choral music, made up of the best choral singers from CWRU’s student body.
View/download the 2023-24 competition flyer >>
The top work will receive:
- A premier of the work at the CWRU Concert Choir’s February Concert in the Maltz Performing Arts Center
- A recording of the work to distribute
- $250 prize money
- Comments from the judging panel on potential edits to the work prior to performance
All submissions will receive:
- Comments from the judging panel on potential ways to strengthen the submitted work
- Potential for honorable mentions
Rules:
- Students should be between 18-25 years of age enrolled in an Ohio college or university. Students do not have to be enrolled in a composition program.
- 1 (one) submission per student
- 3-5 minutes long
- Mixed Choir, up to SSAATTBB divisi
- A cappella, keyboard accompaniment, and/or up to 1 melody instrument
- Text must be public domain or copyrighted if a letter of permission from the copyright owner is included with the submission.
- Text may be in any language.
- Judging panel’s decision is final in regard to the winner and any honorable mentions.
- CWRU students and any students singing in the CWRU Concert Choir are ineligible.
- Work should not have been performed in public. Having been workshopped is acceptable.
- Work should be digitally engraved and submitted in pdf format, with numbered pages. A cappella works should include a keyboard reduction. Handwritten scores will not be accepted.
- Works should have no identifying markings on them. The judging panel will receive unidentified scores and judge them blind.
- A midi rendering of the work is appreciated, but not necessary.
- Copyright to the piece remains with the composer, but the composer grants CWRU the right to premiere the work at their February concert.
Timeline:
- April 15, 2023: Competition announced
- October 1, 2023, 11:59 PM (Eastern Time): Submissions Due
- November 1, 2023: Winner announced
- February 2024: Performance of winning composition
Submissions should be made to this Google Form.
Specific questions should be directed to Dr. Christopher L. Clark, Director of Choirs.