BCMTA STUDENT COMPOSITION COMPETITION

 

ATTENTION TEACHERS: Your studio must participate in Musicthon with a minimum fundraising of $200.00. Otherwise, you must contribute $50.00 to each competition your students enter.

 

OVERVIEW

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM

CLICK HERE FOR CONTEST CHECKLIST

The intent of the Composition Competition is to foster creativity and provide students the opportunity to submit original music for evaluation ­ by experienced teachers or professional musicians with a background in composition.

For each year, the Composition Chairperson will determine the number of qualified judge(s) to be assigned. Up to two qualified judges will review student compositions and provide written evaluations for the students. Content and musicianship will be taken into account when judged. Criteria, such as the following, typically are considered:

  • Creativity and originality
  • Formal organization of material, variety, unity, etc.
  • Logical use of rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic ideas
  • Idiomatic writing for instrument(s), voice, etc.,
  • Observance of the basic skills in music notation

AWARDS

  • Judges may, but are not required to, award a 1st Place, 2nd Place and Honorable Mention in each division.
  • Grand Prize: BCMTA will reimburse Division 1st place winners, the MTNA National Composition Competition Entry Fee  should the winner(s) choose to enter their winning compositions in that year’s MTNA National Composition Competition. NOTE: In the event of severe financial shortfalls relating to the competition, these posted award amounts may be adjusted downward. Entrants would be notified of the award change.
  • Framed certificates will be awarded for 1st place, 2nd place and Honorable Mention.
  • BCMTA will showcase 1st place winning compositions at its annual Fall Open House.

FOR BCMTA MEMBERS ONLY -  COMPETITION CONTACT:
Marie Budinsky-Maher, Chairperson Composition Competition
musicbymaher@gmail.com

(954) 933-6440

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: RULES AND GUIDELINES
Division                 Age Range:           Entry Fee:
Elementary*          A:       5-7              $15.00
B:      8-10              $15.00
Junior                             11-14            $20.00
Senior                             15-18            $25.00
In addition to the entry fees listed above, a Studio Fee in the applicable amount must be remitted. See the Studio Entrant Listing for information relating to the Studio Fee.

  1. All Entrants must currently be studying with a BCMTA teacher. All correspondence and communication relating to this competition will be solely between the teacher and the Chairperson.
  2. A student entrant may submit only one original composition. A student may not reenter a composition in the current year BCMTA Composition that had been entered in any previous years' BCMTA, other local MTA, State MTA, Divisional MTA or National MTA, Composition Competition.
  3. A composition may be in any style and for any medium.
  4. The performance time may not exceed 10 minutes. Multi-movement works are allowable, but must not be more than 10 minutes in total length.
  5. Only compositions for nine performers or less will be accepted. Electronic realizations or piano transcriptions of larger scale works are not allowed.
  6. Compositions for prepared piano are not encouraged, as they are not permitted in the MTNA National Competition.
  7. Two (2) legible copies of a fully realized score, completely notated by the composer, are required. (Please do not send original manuscripts.) The manuscript must be in the composer’s handwriting or in the form of a computer printout input and produced by the composer. If the manuscript is in the form of a computer printout, the composer must provide a copy of a portion (first 24 measures) of the original handwritten sketch to demonstrate the ability to hand notate the musical elements found in a composition.
  8. The manuscript copies must be labeled with the name of the composition, the PEN NAME of the student and the Division (Elementary, Junior, or Senior). The name of the teacher or any other identifying reference must not appear on the score.
  9. All measures of the composition must be numbered.
  10. The composition may not include copyrighted text unless written permission from the copyright owner has been granted (a copy of permission must be enclosed). If the text is in the public domain, a statement signed by the student and teacher indicating this fact must accompany the entry.
  11. A CD on which there is a recording of the student entry, whose label contains only the PEN NAME (no actual names) of the student, the title of the composition, and the entrant’s category, may accompany the manuscript at the local level.
  12. First place winners may not re-enter at the same level in subsequent years
  13. No change may be made to the manuscript once it has been submitted with the application. Any composition that does not meet the Submission Requirements will be disqualified.
  14. Neither Broward County MTA, Florida State MTA nor the National MTA is responsible for lost or damaged manuscripts, parts or CDs. Consistent with the practice of the National MTNA competition, submission materials will not be returned to entrants
  15. 1st Place award winners are expected to perform their compositions at the annual BCMTA Open House in September. If their composition is for chamber ensemble or voice, it is expected that the winning student will engage the necessary musicians for performance at the Open House recital. (Teachers may perform a student’s composition at any level.)

*NOTE: For purposes of adjudication, the Elementary Division will be split into two age groupings, age 5-7, age 8-10; however only one 1st place Grand Prize winner will be selected for the entire Elementary Division covering ages 5-10.