ANNOUNCING THE 2024 COMPOSITION COMPETITION
ELIGIBILITY
‣ The competition is open to Sonoma State University students only.
‣ Only unperformed, unpublished, and un-awarded compositions will be considered.
DATES
‣ Entries must be submitted no later than February 1, 2024 .
‣ The winning composition will be announced no later than February 15, 2024.
‣ Finished scores and parts of the winning composition must be submitted no later than March 1, 2024. Students may be requested to make revisions between February 15 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 concert on Saturday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. in Weill Hall.
DETAILS
‣ Compositions to be considered should be scored for the following orchestration: 3 (1.2.3/picc) 3 1/2/EH) 3 (1/2/BCL) 2 3230 timp+3 hp pno (or smaller) and should be approximately 5-10 minutes in length. Questions regarding instrumentation (auxiliary instruments, etc.) can be addressed to Dr. Kahn.
‣ The piece will be premiered on our final concert of the season, entitled Perspectives on America. The piece should use music as a vehicle for reflection, on the part of the composer and the audience, on the American experience today. 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
SUBMISSIONS
‣ Anonymous copies of the score 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.
‣ Composers should also include a separate sheet with their name, contact information, a brief biography, and program notes for their composition.
‣ All materials should be sent to: Thom Limbert, Ph.D. (tlimbert@sonoma.edu)
PREVIOUS COMPOSITION CONTEST WINNERS
Cameron Kaiser, Moritura Terra (2017)
AJ Gonzales, La osa y la amopola (2019)
Thomas Gosnell, home (2020)
Michael Garrett, A Walk Home (2020)
Emerson Kimble, Divertimento for Orchestra (2022)
Jon Iten, The Main Attraction (2022)