KANTOS CHRISTMAS CAROL COMPETITION 2026

Winner’s Prize Money: £500

Guest Panellist: Cecilia McDowall

The winning entry will be performed in our Candlelit Carols with Kantos concerts on Thursday 3 December at St John’s Church, Chester and Saturday 5 December 2026 at St Ann’s Church, Manchester.

THE SMALL PRINT

• Your piece must be related to Christmas time in some way. It may be a sacred or secular text (or both).
• You may use any text or combination of texts that you have the correct permissions to use.
• It must be an a capella choral composition, with no accompanying instruments.
• Your piece may be up to 6 minutes long and must be for voices only with divisi allowed up to and including: SSSAAATTTBBB.
• Works that have already been performed by a professional ensemble in concert and/or released on a commercial recording are not eligible.
• There is no age limit.
• The deadline for entries is Thursday 5 November at 17.00 GMT. Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
• The entry fee is £10. (You may enter more than one piece, but each submission requires an entry fee.)
• The winner will be announced on Friday 20 November.

HOW TO ENTER

Submit your score as a single PDF file using the submission form at https://www.kantoschamberchoir.com/carol-comp

Make your £10 entry fee payment via Zeffy by clicking the button on our website as soon as you have submitted your score.