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Composition Competition 2024

Violin 7775182 1280

The West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival is delighted to announce details of its Composition Competition 2024 for emerging composers, in partnership with the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.

Competition entrants are invited to submit a piece of circa 5 minutes duration.

The piece should be written for the violin and piano.

Entry is free and open to emerging/early career composers (i.e. composers who have not had works professionally published to date) currently based on the island of Ireland or holding Irish citizenship. In particular we would like to encourage applications from emerging/early career composers working in all genres from under-represented and under-served communities.

The winning composers will receive:

  • A prize of €500
  • World premiere performance of the winning work at the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival’s “Rising Star” recital on Saturday 16th November 2024 performed by the festival’s selected rising stars.
  • A pre-concert Composer’s Voice interview with the winning composer and the performers, presented by the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.
  • Collaboration and rehearsal with the performers. The competition will accommodate additional support for the selected composer who is disabled and/or who has other specific needs to facilitate rehearsal with the performers.
  • Inclusion in festival publicity.

Application criteria:

The work should not have been previously performed in public prior to its world premiere at the festival.

The competition is open to composers of all ages and backgrounds currently based on the island of Ireland or holding Irish citizenship who would describe themselves as ‘emerging/early career composers’ (i.e) (composers who have not had works professionally published to date). In particular, we would like to encourage applications from emerging/early career composers working in all genres from under-represented and under-served communities.

Entrants can only submit one work.

Entries will be judged anonymously.

The adjudication panel will be selected by the Festival and the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. It will consist of one representative from the Festival as well as two independent adjudicators, at least one of whom will be from an under-represented and/or under-served community working in the areas of contemporary music and composition.

Previous winners of the competition are not eligible to apply.

How to apply:

Entries should be submitted via our online Application Form.

Proof of Irish citizenship or current residency plus the title, MIDI file and PDF score of the new work must be uploaded.

In order to ensure that entries are judged anonymously, the festival will only accept entries of scores with no mention of a composer’s name / address.

Deadlines:

Friday 20th September at 5pm

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