2025 Ochestral Composition Competition

Announcing the 2025 Orchestral Composition Competition:

Featuring the Sonoma State University Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Kahn, Director

ELIGIBILITY

DATES

Entries must be submitted no later than December 5, 2025.
The winning composition will be announced no later than December 12, 2025.
Finished scores and parts of the winning composition must be submitted no later than January 23, 2025. Students may be requested to make revisions between December 12 and this due date.
Composers of the winning composition should be prepared to attend all rehearsals of their composition, the schedule of which will be announced by the orchestra director.
The winning composition will open the SSU Symphony Orchestra performances at the 2026 Band & Orchestra Festival, alongside the Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition.

DETAILS

Compositions to be considered should be scored for a full symphony orchestra and must not exceed 3-5 minutes in length. Applicants are encouraged to take inspiration from the scoring of the Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition and the personnel roster of the SSU Symphony Orchestra.
The piece should be inspired by a work of visual art. The piece must be accompanied by a program note.
The piece should be of minimal difficulty, requiring little rehearsal time for a young university orchestra.
The score and parts must be complete, legible, and professional quality, adhering to the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association music preparation guidelines: http://mola-inc.org/article/Music-Preparation-Guidelines-for-Orchestral-Music.pdf

SUBMISSIONS

Anonymous copies of the score and program note should be submitted via email. The composer’s name or any reference to the composer must NOT appear on the scores. Non-anonymous entries will be disqualified. Midi files are welcome but not required.
All materials should be sent to Brooke Tester ([email protected])