ANCA Composition Competition 2018
The results are in!
ANCA recently held its Inaugural Composition Competition to encourage and support Australian Composers. The results are in and winners were officially announced at Choralfest 2019.
Open section for chamber choir
Criteria: Entries were to be A capella or with piano accompaniment, with a maximum of 9 minutes duration.
2nd Place: Composer: Joshua Adams. Title of Piece: Come to Me in My Dreams
1st Place: Composer: Bryan Connell. Title of Piece: Secret Music
Description:
Poem by Siegfried Sassoon (1886 – 1967)
Secret Music was written in 1916 when Siegfried Sassoon was on the Western Front in Flanders.
The words “Secret Music” do not appear in the original poem except for the title, and have used the title as a ‘chorus’ between the setting of each of the three stanzas and to introduce and finalise the piece.
Secret Music wanders through different tonalities. However, the chord progressions, particularly from bar 23 onwards, are intended to create a sense of growth and wonder.
Ideally, this work requires a large, but well controlled choir to realise the dynamics and nuance of the writing – a choir that can sing gloriously beautiful pianissimos would be ideal. The sound in the quiet passages should have a mysterious, shimmering quality. Voices should be strong but not strident in the louder passages. The use of vibrato and ‘operatic’-style voices should be totally avoided.
Primary School Choir or Children’s Choir
Criteria: Entries had to be accompanied by piano and have a maximum of two vocal parts. Duration of these pieces were a maximum of 4 minutes.
3rd Place: Composer: Katherine Ruhle. Title of Piece: A Beautiful, Sparkling Diamond
2nd Place: Composer: Russ Bauer. Title of Piece: Horses, Camels & Kangaroos
1st Place: Composer: Glyn Lehmann. Title of Piece: Giant Of The Forest
Description:
In the south-west of Tasmania a massive Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) stands 100 metres tall. It is the world’s second tallest tree and the tallest flowering plant. For five hundred years it has survived fires and evaded the saws of humans – unlike other trees that were even taller. It was given the name Centurion, because it was the one-hundredth of the giant trees to be registered. The name however, perfectly embodies not just its height but also the character of this majestic survivor.
The song traces Centurion’s journey from a tiny seed, just 2 millimetres, striving to reach up into the light from the forest floor and to send its roots deep into the soil below. After five centuries it continues to grow. When finally its life ends, through the wonder of regeneration its seeds will take root and continue the legacy of the mighty Centurion – giant of the forest.
APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED
ANCA is pleased to announce its Inaugural Composition Competition to encourage and support Australian Composers. Two sections have been announced and the link to the online entry form can be found below.
SECTIONS:
Open section for chamber choir
- A capella or with piano accompaniment (may include optional additional solo accompanying instrument)
- Duration – maximum of 9 minutes
- PRIZE money $3,000/ $1,000/$500
Primary school choir or Children’s Choir
- Must be accompanied by piano and of a maximum of two vocal parts.
- Duration - maximum of 4 minutes
- PRIZE money 1,000/$500/$300
This section is sponsored by the Devirra Group who will also sponsor the publishing of the 1st prize winner (conditions apply)
Prizes
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners will be awarded cash prizes.
- The 1st prize winning work from each section will be performed at Choralfest in April 2019 in Fremantle.
- The 1st prize winning work in each section will also be awarded a Manhasset music stand provided by Hal Leonard
GENERAL CONDITIONS
- There is no fee to enter
- ANCA reserves the right not to award a prize if a suitable standard is not reached
- The adjudicators decisions are final and no discussion will be entered into regarding prize winners. Adjudicator reports will not be given out.
- Proof of Australian citizenship required (Certificate or Passport, certified copy of citizenship certificate) required at the time of entry
- ANCA is an equal opportunity organisation and encourages people of all genders and ages to apply
- Entries are anonymised (ie judges are not aware of the composer)
- The judging pane consists of 2 women/ 2 men eminent in the field of composition plus an industry representative
- Compositions to be unperformed and unpublished and original by only one composer
- We encourage composers to write works that are accessible to choirs and audiences, and therefore of wide potential impact
- Each composer may enter one work in one section only
- Composers need to have obtained written permission for the use of the text if not in the public domain.
- While the publisher has agreed to publish the winning work and provide prize monies to the first, second and third prize winners, the publisher reserves the right not to proceed with a Publishing Contract should it be deemed that the work would not be commercially viable.
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The entry form (link below) is hosted by Google Forms. In order to use the form to upload your entry, you will need to have a Google account. If you don’t have one (NB: if you have a Gmail address, you have a Google account) you can create one here
TIMELINE
- December 19, 2018 - Deadline for receipt of entries
- End January 2019, Winners advised
- 13-16 April 2019 – Choralfest in Fremantle – Section winners to be announced and performed – Announcement and Concert time TBA
APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED
You will need to read/provide/have access to the following to complete the online submission form -
- A google account - The online form is hosted by Google Forms. In order to use the form to upload your entry, you will need to have a Google account. If you don’t have one (NB: if you have a Gmail address, you have a Google account) you can create one here
- Make sure you have read the General Conditions (listed above)
- Name and Phone Number
- Google email address
- State
- Title of Piece
- Short description of piece (150 words)
- Duration of piece
- PDF of your music manuscript
- Proof of Australian Citizenship
