New Voices Project For Composers Under Age 30

Call for Scores

Since its inception in 2005, our New Voices project for young composers has showcased winning compositions each season. The first prize winner receives a $1000 cash prize, and all winners receive a professional-quality recording of the performance.

2012–13 Competition: Submissions should be mailed by March 1st, 2013.

Theme

For our June concert entitled Omens, Dreams and Curses, we seek a new and creative work based on the theme of Jewish superstitions.

Note: The composer is responsible for obtaining relevant rights to use copyrighted material.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: We seek an unperformed work. Composers must be under age 30 as of January 1, 2013, and USA residents.

Requirements of the Work

  1. Up to 4 minutes in length.
  2. For SATB a cappella chamber choir. May include some body percussion; divisi to 8 parts or fewer.
  3. The work should address the required theme.
  4. Text may include spoken word, and may be in any language; a typed copy of the full original text (and facing line-by-line English translation) must be provided. If non-standard language(s) are used, a pronunciation guide must be included. If texts are copyrighted, written proof of permission of use must be provided.
  5. Up to three works per composer may be submitted. If submitting paper copies, please include 2 unbound copies of each work.
  6. The submitted work(s) must not have had prior public performances or recordings.
  7. Tapes, CD recordings, or mp3 files will be accepted in addition to scores.
  8. Composer’s name and complete composer contact information should be included on each score.

Please include your date of birth and full contact information with your submission(s).

Composer Benefits

The composer(s) and work(s) selected for participation in this program will receive the following:

  1. The selected work(s) will be premiered by SFCA at three subscription series concerts, in Oakland, Palo Alto, and San Francisco, California.
  2. The first-prize winner will receive two long-distance or face-to-face consultations, up to one-hour each, with SFCA’s Artistic Director, in order to prepare the work for rehearsal and premiere. All winners will have the opportunity to consult with the Artistic Director, Magen Solomon, on vocal and performance issues.
  3. Four complimentary tickets for each performance of the work
  4. A professional-quality recording of one performance of the work
  5. Up to three winners will be selected. The first prize winner will receive $1000.

Submissions

Submissions should be mailed by March 1st, 2013 as a PDF file with covering email to info@sfca.org.

PREVIOUS NEW VOICES WINNERS:

2012:

1st Place: Katherine Saxon, Santa Barbara, CA
2nd Place: Daniel Galbreath, Laramie, WY

2011:

No submissions qualified for awards

2010:

1st Place: Patrick Gullo, East Lansing, MI
2nd Place: Colin Woodford, Granada Hills, CA
3rd Place: Zina von Bozzay, San Rafael, CA

2009:

1st Place: Eleanor Aversa, Philadelphia, PA
2nd Place: Nick Vasallo, Santa Cruz, CA
3rd Place: Winton Yuichiro White, San Francisco, CA

2008:

1st Place: Kala Pierson, New York, NY
2nd Place: David Philip Norris, Minneapolis, MN
3rd Place: Nathan Heidelberger, Oberlin, OH

2007:

1st Place: Peter J. Durow, Tallahassee, FL
2nd Place: Jamie Klenetsky, Wharton, NJ
Honorable Mention: Benjamin J. Williams, Akron, OH

2006:

1st Place: Matthew Van Brink, New York, NY

2005:

1st Place: Cheng Zhi Anna Huang, Los Angeles CA
2nd Place: Eric Knechtges, Bowling Green, OH
3nd Place: Ted Hearne, New York, NY