Composition Competition

The Sheffield Chorale Composition Competition 

The Sheffield Chorale is delighted to announce the Choral Composition Competition in celebration of our 50th anniversary. We invite composers from around the world to participate and contribute to the rich tradition of choral music.

The Sheffield Chorale is a mixed voice choir which sings all kinds of music, accompanied and a cappella, from early music to modern part-songs, as well as major choral works.

The winning work will be premiered on Saturday 16 November 2024 as part of the finale of a year long programme of celebrations for the choir’s 50th anniversary.

Eligibility:

•   The competition is open to composers of all ages and nationalities.

•   There are no geographical restrictions for participation.

•   Composers may only submit one entry.

•   Members of the choir and organising committee and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

Prizes and Awards

★       1st prize: £1000. Performance of the winning work by The Sheffield Chorale. Four free tickets for the premier performance in Sheffield on Saturday 16 November 2024 (no travel expenses can be reimbursed).

★       2nd prize: £500. Performance of the runner up work by The Sheffield Chorale. Four free tickets for the premier performance in Sheffield on Saturday 16 November 2024 (no travel expenses can be reimbursed).

Theme or Topic:

There is no specific theme for this competition. Composers are encouraged to create a work that resonates with the spirit and history of The Sheffield Chorale, is celebratory and fitting with the occasion.

Composition Brief:

•   Must be an original choral composition written for a mixed choir (SATB) of around 50 singers. Occasional splits in the voice parts are acceptable (particularly in Soprano and Alto lines).

•   Work can be a cappella or accompanied by piano or organ.

•   Duration of the work should be at least 3 minutes and under 6 minutes (please include a metronome marking at the beginning of the score and also mark any changes in tempo during the work).

•   Work should be celebratory and suitable for the occasion.

•   Text must be the composer’s own OR out of copyright OR composer must have secured permission to use text from author/publisher (proof of which must be included within your submission email).

•   Text can be in any language. If it is in a language other than English, Latin, Italian, French, German, Japanese or Spanish, please provide a pronunciation guide. If it is in a language other than English, a translation must also be provided.

•   Works must be original, not premiered and not previously awarded at any other competition.

•   Arranged or adapted versions of previous works by the same composer and which have been already released or published will not be accepted.

Judging Criteria:

Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

            Creativity and originality.

            Musicality and expressiveness.

            Relevance to the occasion.

•   Submissions must meet the listed Composition Brief.

•   Applicants waive all rights for publication, broadcasting, and recording of the premiere performance.

•   The decisions of the judges are final.

•   The judges reserve the right not to award one or more prizes if the standard is not sufficiently high, commensurate with the value of the prizes.

•   The judges and The Sheffield Chorale cannot be held responsible for any damages, claims, liabilities, and costs, or losses of any kind or nature whatsoever, which may in any way arise from the rehearsals, performance and recording of the competition entries.

Timelines:

Submission Deadline: 31 January 2024

Shortlisting Period: 1 February - 31 March 2024

Judging and Evaluation Period: April 2024

Winners Announcement: 1 May 2024

Judges

Kate Shipway - Musical Director of The Sheffield Chorale, composer and arranger
Kevin Haighton - Assistant Musical Director of The Sheffield Chorale
Sue Hughes - Assistant Musical Director of The Sheffield Chorale, composer and arranger
Linda Wareham - Accompanist of The Sheffield Chorale

Intellectual Property and Rights:

•   Composers retain the copyright to their compositions.

•   Applicants waive all rights for publication, broadcasting, and recording of the premiere performance.

Submission:

Please submit a score of the work. An audio file of your piece would be useful but not essential.

•   File Format: Composers must submit the score in PDF format only. Please ensure that the PDF is clear, legible, and formatted appropriately for choral notation. The pages should be numbered.

•   Email Submission: Composers should send their entries as attachments via email to competition@sheffieldchorale.org

Please note the following guidelines when submitting via email:

•     Use the subject line of the email: "TSC - Composition Submission - [Composer's Name].”

Ensure that the email body includes the following information:

•     Composer's full name

•     Contact information (email address and phone number)

•     A brief composer biography - no more than 250 words

•     Details of the text, proof of permission to use and a translation if relevant

•   File Naming Convention: Name your PDF file in the following format: "[Composer's Name]_[Composition Title].pdf.” This naming convention will help us organise and identify submissions accurately. Similarly for your optional audio file.

•   Anonymous Submissions: To maintain impartiality during the judging process, composers should avoid including their name or any identifying information within the score itself. This includes watermarks, composer signatures, or any other markings that could reveal their identity.

•   Confirmation Receipt: Upon receiving your submission, The Sheffield Chorale will send a confirmation email to acknowledge the receipt of your composition. Please allow 7 days for this confirmation.

•   Deadline: All submissions must be received by 31 January 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.

•   Technical Assistance: If you encounter any technical difficulties during the submission process, please contact James at competition@sheffieldchorale.org for assistance.

•   Backup Copies: It is advisable to keep backup copies of your submitted composition in case of any email transmission issues.

Agreement and Acceptance:

By submitting an entry, composers acknowledge that they have read and agreed to abide by the competition rules set out in this document.

Final Thoughts:

The Sheffield Chorale looks forward to receiving your creative compositions and celebrating our 50th anniversary with the world of choral music. Thank you for being a part of this special occasion!