ICDA/ICF Choral Composition Competition (January 1, 2020)

Click here for a pdf version of this announcement.

In 2000, the Iowa Choral Directors Association, Inc. (ICDA) and the Iowa Composers Forum (ICF) began a collaboration to support the composition of new choral music for Iowa choirs. This collaboration has resulted in commissions and performances of many new works, all of which have been made available to ICDA members for their use, without charge, for one year.

Eligibility: Open to ICF and ICDA members, Iowa residents, or full-time students at Iowa institutions. One submitted work per composer.

Description:

• Submissions may be written with the choral voicing of the composer’s choosing. Among ICDA members there is particular interest in music for developing choirs of all ages and voicings.
• Submitted works must be unpublished (self-published is fine).
• Arrangements of pre-existing compositions (e.g., hymns, carols, show tunes, etc.) will not be considered.
• Entries may have been previously performed or submitted in other contests, providing that no part of a composition has been a prize-winning entry.
• Compositions can be a cappella or with an accompaniment limited to three instruments (including keyboard).
• Pieces without accompaniment must be scored with a piano reduction.
• Submissions may include an mp3 recording of either midi generated material or live performance.
• Composers may use sacred or secular texts of their choosing. If a copyrighted text is used, a letter of permission from the copyright owner must be included with the submission.
• Eligible composers will submit a pdf of their composition to the address below. The composition must not bear the name of the composer so that judging may be done anonymously. In the body of the e-mail, indicate the name of the person making the submission. No attachments should be larger than 10 MB.
• The winning pieces are to be available for use free of royalty/rental fees by ICDA members and their choral ensembles for one year after the July ICDA Symposium date on which they are performed.
• Previous winners will not be eligible to compete for a period of five years.

Prize: A $600 prize will be awarded to one or two winners each year. Judges reserve the right to award no prize if an appropriate piece cannot be selected. The winning composition(s) will be either read or performed at the annual ICDA Summer Symposium in July 2020.

Judges: Two members of ICDA and two members of the ICF will serve as adjudicators for the competition. Judges will not be eligible to enter the competition during the year they are on the judging panel.

Deadline:
January 1, 2020 – deadline for submission
March 1, 2020 – winners will be announced

Submit to: Jill Wilson vice-president@iowachoral.org