I had never entered a composition competition before in my entire life. I have been composing since I was a little kid.  I “wrote” my first piece at age six, although I didn’t have the skills to write it down.  I majored in composition in college and duly received the coveted piece of paper saying […]

The requirements of the competition were very clear.  The page posted in January 2014 began with a description that might appeal to any classical music lover: Simply Stunning …  That’s what the audience will say when your piece is premiered and recorded in May 2014.  Future performers will add this exquisite piece to their repertoire.  […]

Everything about the competition sounded like fun! The year was 2011. The sponsor was a performance group in Hanover, Germany, who was giving their third annual Composers Competition. The Plathner Eleven chamber group certainly had a sense of humor and creativity. The rules for the competition were similar to other competitions, except for the theme […]

Composition competitions can be daunting, delightful, stressful, playful … it all depends on the competition! What makes a successful composition competition?  What environments and incentives bring composers back again and again to enter another new piece? I’ve had a lot of experience with composition competitions, since my own students enter them faithfully every fall, and […]