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Choral Composition Contest

Kelly Oakes, Winner, 2012The FVA Choral Composition Contest has been established to encourage efforts in original composition and to give recognition for outstanding achievement.

Rules

  1. Eligibility: The applicant must be a secondary school music student under the direction of an active member of FVA. A letter of sponsorship from the director shall accompany the submitted work.
  2. The time duration of the composition must be at least two minutes and long enough to be consistent with good form and taste.
  3. The manuscript must be legible and marked for complete understanding.
  4. To be eligible the composition must:
    • Allow one staff for each voice part. If a voice part divides, the two may remain on the same staff.
    • The accompaniment must be on two staves below the voice parts.
    • If the composition is a cappella an accompaniment must be provided for rehearsal.
    • Four tapes or CD’s of the composition, prepared by a choral group from the applicant’s school, and five scores must be sent to the chairman of the senior high music committee by June 15.
    • The musical form need not be complicated nor should the composition necessarily be extensive. The quality and originality of the musical ideas are the elements to be evaluated.
    • The manuscript should be submitted in a sealed envelope with another self – addressed and stamped envelope for return mailing included.
    • Include a signed statement by the student that this is a completely original work.

Judging

  1. The entries shall be evaluated by 3-5 selected composers-in-residence at Florida Universities.
  2. General considerations to be used in the evaluation are as follows:
    • originality of the ideas expressed
    • text use
    • interpretation of text through the music
    • range of voices
    • proper voice leading as associated with the harmonic structure
    • form and taste reflected in the style of the music

Recognition

  1. The composer of the winning composition will receive a plaque and a check for $250.00.
  2. All entrants shall receive a certificate of recognition from the FVA.
  3. Each participant shall receive written critiques of the entry