Composer Competitions

This page serves as a central location for listings of composer competitions for which members of ComposerCraft and Face the Music may be eligible. The competitions are from various sources and may or may not be open to all, so please read the guidelines for each competition VERY carefully (and several times) before applying. This page will be updated from time to time with the latest competitions.

If you hear about a competition you would like to post here, write to Robin McClellan at robin@robinsonmcclellan.com.

Scroll down for the listings.

Note: some competitions ask for an entry fee. These are marked with $$$ below. It's difficult to know what to do in those cases: ideally they should not ask for those fees, and you should not feel you have to pay for competitions you apply to. But some organizations really have very little funding, and they feel they have to do this. It's a judgment call whether you feel it is worthwhile!

There are comprehensive listings kept by the American Composers Forum and the Society of Composers, Inc. Both require membership, but it is well worth it! The postings here are meant to be those most relevant to members of ComposerCraft and Face the Music.

American Composers Forum Listings

Society of Composers, Inc. Listings

The Composer's Site

So... go out and compete!

Competitions in Chronological Order

PARMA Recordings Student Composer Competition - DEADLINE May 16, 2014

NYSSMA Young Composer Honors Concert - DEADLINE June 3, 2014

Face the Music - DEADLINE June 6, 2014

(HS only) ACF NextNotes - DEADLINE January 12, 2015

Looking ahead, some summer festivals

soundSCAPE

Fresh Inc