Composer opportunity directory
Browse open composition competitions, compare deadlines and entry details, or research past calls in the archive.
Open calls
80 open
Your Next Award Starts HereWorld Classical Music Awards is open to all instrumentalists, singers, conductors & chamber musicians, and composers of all nationalities.2026 Season 3The application deadline: 21st August 20262026 Season 4The application deadline: 21st November 2026Apply now at:https:
The Bach International Music Competition UK 2026 is open online to all instrumentalists, singers, conductors & chamber musicians, and composers of all nationalities.2026 Season 3The application deadline: 26th August 20262026 Season 4The application deadline: 26th November 2026Apply now at:www.ba
World Grand Prix International Music Contest is an online classical music competition open to all talented musicians around the world - No Travel is Needed. The competition is open to all instrumentalists, singers, conductors & chamber musicians, and composers of all nationalities.2026 Season 3
25th Joan Guinjoan International Prize for Young Composers The competition is addressed to composers under age 35 by December 31st, 2026. The winner receives a 4000€ neto economic prize and the premier of the work in Barcelona in 2027. Works must be in contemporary style, 10 to 15 minutes long, with
Young composers (high school or equivalent) are invite to submit compositions for the 2027 Ballora-Wang Young Composer Award at Penn State. The Ballora-Wang Young Composer Prize is an annual prize which recognizes three composers at the high school level (9th-12th grade or equivalent) each year. The
Golden Hornet’s String Quartet Smackdown is a bracketed, NCAA basketball style tournament competition which brings original four-minute string quartet compositions head-to-head in front of a live, participatory audience. It’s like NCAA March Madness for the ears! Every other fall, composers from aro
Francesca Lebrun International Music Competition opens online to all Instruments, Voices, Conducting, Composition and Chamber Music.2026 Season 3The application deadline: 10th September 20262026 Season 4The application deadline: 10th December 2026Apply now at:https://www.lebruncompetition.com/
II International Composition CompetitionThe European Philharmonic Academy, promoter and organizer of the Diocesan Festival of Sacred Music in collaboration with the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano (Rome), announces the 2nd “Franz Liszt” International Composition Competition (Sacred Music Section).Re
We are glad to announce our 6th Electronic Music Composition Competition Iannis Xenakis. Please find information below and in our website Rules – The competition is anonymous and open to composers of any nationality and age, each of whom may submit only one work. – The winners of previous Xenakis co
The Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize seeks proposals from composer/librettist teams for a $25,000 Opera Commissioning Award for a Spring 2030 premiere. The narrative or overall theme of the proposed opera should explore subject matter, narratives, or themes that broaden cultural persp
NEIGHBORHOOD MUSIC SCHOOL presents The Renée B. Fisher Competition COMPOSER AWARDS Established 1987 The Renée B. Fisher Foundation and the Neighborhood Music School announce a call for scores for new piano works to be premiered in each division at its 2028 and 2029 piano competitions. The submission
Concert Bells of Fort Worth, under the direction of Yale alumni Stephanie Rhoades, is calling for submissions for their first ever composition contest. The top prize is $1500 and there is no entry fee. Applicants should submit a work of 3-6 minutes for 5-7 octaves of handbells, plus any listed auxil
Past listings
22 archived
First Prize: $10,000 USDSecond Prize: $6,000 USDEligibility: Composers residing in the United States, age 18-26 on the deadline for submission, September 1, 2026. Previous winners, as well as faculty and staff of the University of Louisville and their spouses and children are not eligible to enter.
COmpass REsonance (CORE)—an internationally acclaimed ensemble led by Zachary Carrettin and Mina Gajic—is seeking an original, unperformed work for conductorless string orchestra, offering a $3,000 prize and the possibility of a world premiere performance by CORE.The competition is open to composers
The PRIX ARS ADRIA Awards are dedicated to honoring artistic excellence and innovation across the field of contemporary classical music. The inaugural 2026 edition is open to both emerging and established artists, with the aim of highlighting exceptional artistic achievements, original works, and ou
Composition Competition for Irish ComposersIn the framework of the Irish EU Presidency, the Brussels Chamber Ensemble, a symphonic orchestra composed of 60 musicians, is launching a Composition Competition for Irish Composers, in official cooperation with the Irish Embassy of Brussels and the Irish
The Church of the Blessed Sacrament Competition in Liturgical Composition seeks to foster new music for the Roman Rite. There are no nationality restrictions; applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Submission Requirements The work may comprise any combination of vocal forces from a min
Dedicated to nurturing emerging talent, the Young Composer Initiative is a global contest established in 2022 that champions the creation of innovative wind band compositions by aspiring composers worldwide. The YCI provides: a live performance premiere, a free recording, invitations to serve as a g
THE 11th MATAN GIVOL INTERNATIONAL COMPOSERS COMPETITIONCompositions for 5-14 instruments from the following - One each unless otherwise indicated: Flute (doubling piccolo, alto flute and bass flute), oboe (doubling english horn), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone,
What is the SwanSongS Fund? Dr. Phillip A. Swan, has established himself as a supporter and promoter of new choral compositions. To honor his 15th anniversary season as Artistic Director of NEWVoices, we established the SwanSongS Fund. This fund will support an ongoing choral composition competition
Carl Reinecke International Music Competition is an online international music competition that aims to fully challenge the virtuosity and artistic excellence of performers. It opens to all Instruments, Voices, Conducting, Composition and Chamber Music, there is no age limit.2026 Season 3 Applicatio
The Brazosport Symphony Orchestra (BSO), located in Lake Jackson, Texas, is sponsoring a competition for student and amateur composers. PRIZE The BSO will feature the winning composition in a public performance. RULES • Entries shall be original compositions between six and ten minutes in duration.
TRUE CONCORD ANNOUNCES ITS SECOND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CAROL COMPETITION True Concord Voices & Orchestra, Tucson’s Two-Time Grammy-nominated ensemble, seeks new, unpublished Christmas works for its December 2026 Lessons & Carols by Candlelight Concerts and/or its Holiday Special. The winning pie
We invite all musicians worldwide — including all instruments, voices, composers, and ensembles — to take part in a refined international artistic experience.With five successful editions and over 1,400 distinguished participants, the competition has established itself as a respected platform for ar