Composers’ Invitational

Call for Scores

The San Francisco Choral Artists Composers’ Invitational is a periodic call for scores. Below is our most recent call. Join our mailing list or follow us on Facebook to receive announcement of our 2018-19 Composers’ Invitational!


Composers are invited to submit works to San Francisco Choral Artists to be considered for the June 2018 concert program, More Pianos Than Bathtubs: America’s Music. The submission deadline is March 15, 2018.

Download the 2018 Composers’ Invitational Flyer (PDF)

More Pianos Than Bathtubs: America’s Music
Performances June 10 (San Francisco), June 16 (Palo Alto), June 17 (Oakland)

It’s true! One hundred years ago, there were more pianos than bathtubs in American homes. Join the Choral Artists around the piano for a cozy evening of music-making in the parlor. We’ll revisit a time when every living room was filled with music, and sight-singing was part of the American school curriculum. Music by Foster, Billings, MacDowell, Parker, spirituals and shapenote hymns, folk songs, work songs, and play songs.

In order to be considered, a work should be:

  • Related to or drawing influence from American folk songs, spirituals, parlor music or music for the home or field
  • Scored for SATB choir, tenor soloist optional
  • Not longer than 6 minutes in duration
  • Cleared for performance by all rightsholders including authors of any copyrighted texts; if text is under copyright, composer must include letter of permission

An individual composer may submit up to three works for consideration. Each submission should be accompanied by the following information: a) length of the work; b) the full text for reprint in the program; c) a brief explanation of how the work fits the theme of the concert; d) whether it has been performed.

Scores should be submitted electronically to info@sfca.org, and must be received by March 15, 2018. Sound files may be included but are not required.

Winning works will be performed at all three More Pianos Than Bathtubs concerts. Composer(s) will be provided with a performance recording, and offered up to four complimentary tickets for each performance. SFCA regrets that it cannot offer travel compensation.

Composers’ Invitational Premieres*

2018

Brian Kogler, Australia

2015

Tina Harrington, California

2014

William Vollinger, New York

2013

Tina Harrington, California

2012

Russell Burnham, California
Paul Seiko Chihara, New York
Tina Harrington, California
Patricia Julien, Vermont (west coast premiere)
Michael Kaulkin, California
Carleton Macy, Minnesota (west coast premiere)

2011

Wayne Eastwood, Ohio
Tina Harrington, California
John Kelley, California

2010

Herbert Bielawa, California (2)
Tina Harrington, California
John Kelley, California

2009

Tina Harrington, California

2008

Herbert Bielawa, California (2)
Wayne Eastwood, California
Richard Festinger, California
Tina Harrington, California (2)
Henry Mollicone, California
Elaine Romanelli, New York with T. Harrington

2007

Maia Aprahamian, California
Wayne Eastwood, Ohio
Tina Harrington, California

2006

Maia Aprahamian, California
Herbert Bielawa, California (2)
Peter L. Deutsch, California
Frederick Himebaugh, Michigan
Brian Holmes, California
Christopher Marshall, Florida (west coast premiere)
Benjamin Taylor, California (set of 3 works)
Matthew Van Brink, New York
Robert Ward, California

2005

Robin Estrada, California
Charles Griffin, New York
John Kelley, California
Jerry Mueller, California (2)
Martha Stoddard, California

2004

Ted Allen, California
Maia Aprahamian, California
Allen Bonde, Massachusetts
Russell Burnham, California
Tina Harrington, California
John Kelley, California
Mark Kilstofte, South Carolina
Kirke Mechem, California (west coast premiere)
Roger Nixon, California
Susan Pierce, California

2003

Maia Aprahamian, California
Tina Harrington, California (2)
Kirke Mechem, CA (3; premieres shared with Volti, SJ Choraliers)

2002

Paul Crabtree, California
Nancy Bloomer Deussen, California
Lawrence Pech, California
Robert Ward, California

2001

Brian Banks, Washington (2)
Christopher Marshall, Florida (USA premiere)
Wayne Peterson, California

2000

Maia Aprahamian, California
Paul Crabtree, California (2)
Nancy Bloomer Deussen, California
Jack Dubowsky, California
John Kelley, California
Hans Latour, Netherlands (USA premiere)
Christopher Marshall, Florida (2; USA premieres)
Jerry Mueller, California

1999

Maia Aprahamian, California
Russell Burnham, California
Sondra Clark, California
David Conte, California
Mark Kilstofte, South Carolina
Trent Morant, California
Jerry Mueller, California (2)

1998

Paul Crabtree, California
Benjamino Granchio, California-Italy
Peter Hilliard, Pennsylvania (2)

1997

Peter Hilliard, Pennsylvania
Linda Hirschhorn, California
Robert Starer, New York (west coast premiere)

1996

David Conte, California
John Kelley, California (2)

1995

Wingate Greathouse, California
John Kelley, California
Richard K. Winslow, Pennsylvania

1994

John Kelley, California (set of 3 works)
Roger Nixon, California

Premieres before establishment of SFCA’s
formal Composers’ Invitational program

1993

Roger Nixon, California (set of 3 works)

1992

Russell Burnham, California (set of 3 works)
Sanford Dole, California (set of 3 works)

1991

Dominick Argento, Minnesota (west coast premiere)

1988

David Raksin, California

1987

Donald Aird, California (set of 5 works)
Ralph Hooper, California
Roger Nixon, California (set of 5 works)

1986

Kirke Mechem, California
Conrad Susa, California (set of 6 works; west coast premiere)

*By calendar year. Except where otherwise noted, all works were SFCA World Premieres.