Composition Contest 2022

Calling all composers!! Litha Symphony Orchestra is proud to present our first annual Composition Contest! This year, we are looking to feature a world premiere piece for full orchestra in our concert on July 16th, 2022. The piece should be approximately 10 minutes in length, and may be orchestrated from as little as string ensemble to as large as a full orchestra.
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Our July performance will be the "Autumn" concert in our 2022 summer season "Tis the Seasons." This concert will be all about celebrating autumn (think festivals, farmers markets, harvest celebrations...fall). You may choose to submit a piece that follows this theme, or a completely different theme altogether. The style and subject of the piece is entirely up to you!

Guidelines:

• This contest is open to any composer, anywhere in or outside of NY
• Your piece must be an original composition (no arrangements of other works, please)
• Your piece must be approximately 10 minutes in length
• If chosen, the performance of your piece must be World Premiere (this would be the first performance)
• Instrumentation should not exceed a standard full orchestra of:
         2, 2, 2, 2 - 4, 3, 3, 1 - timpani, percussion - strings
         Common doublings are acceptable (piccolo, E. horn, bass clarinet), and
         your piece may also include harp and/or piano
• Multiple submissions are not only allowed, but encouraged! Each piece must be submitted individually.

The composer of the winning composition will receive a $300 cash prize and have their piece performed by Litha Symphony on July 16th, 2022.

The deadline for submissions is Monday, May 16th, 2022. 
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Once chosen, the winning composer must provide a printed and bound score and a digital set of parts no later than June 1st, 2022.

To submit a piece please fill out the form to the right and upload a PDF of the full score, MIDI/audio file of the piece, description of your piece, and brief biography about you. If you would like to mail in your entry, please send a printed score along with a brief biography, written description of your piece, and a CD/flash drive with an audio sample of your work (optional) to:

Litha Symphony Orchestra
Attn: Composition Contest
P.O. Box 8085
New York, NY 10116

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected].

All entries must be submitted/postmarked by Monday, May 16th, 2022. Mailed entries will not be returned. Submissions will be carefully reviewed by a select committee comprised of members of the Litha Symphony Board of Directors as well as independent third-party judges. The winning composer will be notified via email on or before Wednesday, June 1st, 2022. If the winner fails to respond within seven (7) days of notification, we reserve the right to disqualify the entrant and chose a new winner. Litha Symphony also reserves the right to not choose a winner for this contest.​

We are no longer taking entries for this contest.

Thank you to all who submitted their compositions!