RED NOTE New Music Festival Composition Competition

The RED NOTE New Music Festival is pleased to announce its Fifth Annual Composition Competition. The competition is open to all composers, regardless of age or nationality. This year, there are two categories: Category A (Works for Chamber Ensemble), and Category B (Works for Chamber Orchestra). Information on how to enter is at the bottom of this page. For details on past competitions, including winners, runners-up, and judges, please visit the links to information on previous festivals to the left.

GENERAL GUIDELINES (applicable to both Categories)

• Works may include non-interactive electroacoustic elements (e.g., CD playback).
• Works may have been performed before, but should not have been composed before 1999.
• An entry fee of $25 must be included with the first score submitted, regardless of category. There is an entry fee of $10 for each additional score submitted, regardless of category.  For example, a composer who submits one score to Category A and another to Category B must submit a $35 entry fee. Composers may submit as many works as they like in either category.
• Previous winners in either category of the RED NOTE New Music Festival Composition Competition may not enter.
• Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Illinois State University may not enter.
• The winning composer in each Category must agree to provide parts by January 20, 2015, in order to guarantee a performance of the winning work at the RED NOTE New Music Festival.
• Attendance at the Festival is encouraged but not required.
• In the event that no entry is worthy of the award, the University reserves the right to award no prizes or prize money.
• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 15, 2014. This deadline applies to BOTH Categories. Results in both Categories will be announced by January 1, 2015.
• See below for additional details regarding Category A and Category B.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES - CATEGORY A (Chamber Ensemble)

Submitted works should be scored for any number of players/vocalists drawn from the ensemble listed below. In addition, ONE more instrument or vocalist may be added (e.g., a second violin, an oboe, etc.).

Flute (1) (doubling piccolo or alto flute)
Clarinet in B-flat (1) (doubling A, E-flat, bass)
Bassoon (1) (doubling contrabassoon)
Trumpet (1)
Trombones (2)
Tuba/Euphonium (1)
Violin (1)
Viola (1)
Violoncello (1)
Double Bass (1)
Pianos (2)
Percussion (2 players)
Soprano (1)
Mezzo-soprano (1)
Tenor (1)
Baritone (1)
Acoustic Guitar (1)
Saxophones (2)

The composer of the winning work in Category A will receive a $1000 prize, and the work will be performed by faculty members of the Illinois State University School of Music at the RED NOTE New Music Festival in Normal, Illinois, on March 30, 2015.
If the instrumentation of the winning work is for string quartet or woodwind quintet, it may instead be considered by Momenta Quartet or the City of Tomorrow for performance at the RED NOTE New Music Festival.
Works must not exceed 15 minutes in duration.
The final round of the Competition will be judged by established composers from around the United States.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES - CATEGORY B (Chamber Orchestra)

Submitted works should be scored for chamber orchestra, with the following maximum instrumentation:

2 Flutes (1 doubling piccolo or alto flute)
2 Oboes (1 doubling English horn)
2 Clarinets in B-flat (1 doubling A, E-flat, or bass clarinet)
2 Bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon)
2 Horns
2 Trumpets
1 Trombone
Percussion (3 players including timpani)
Keyboard
(no harp)
Strings

The composer of the winning work in Category B will receive a $750 prize, and the work will be performed by the Illinois State University Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Glenn Block, at the RED NOTE New Music Festival in Normal, Illinois, on March 29, 2015.
The ISU Chamber Orchestra is an advanced ensemble which features the School of Music's top performers. However, judges reserve the right to consider playability in their deliberations.
Works must not exceed 12 minutes in duration.
Works featuring soloists (e.g., concertos) may be submitted with the understanding that the soloist must be supplied at no expense to the ISU Chamber Orchestra, and that the soloist must be able to attend at least one full rehearsal with the orchestra in advance of the concert date, as well as the dress rehearsal before the concert.
The final round of the Competition will be judged by Dr. Glenn Block, conductor of the ISU Chamber Orchestra.

HOW TO ENTER

• Submit an ANONYMOUS pdf and audio file (mp3 or MIDI) of each score via THIS LINK.
• After submitting all entries, payment may be made at THIS WEBSITE.
• Exceptions to the mp3/MIDI requirement may be made in the case of works which use unconventional notation.
• The submitted pdf's and audio files must be free of names and identifying marks (including composer, dedicatee, performer, and publisher names).
• Composers should make every effort to enter and submit payment electronically, but hard copies and payments by check are also acceptable if necessary; contact the RED NOTE New Music Festival director for details about payment or concerns about online submission.
• Questions may be addressed to Professor Carl Schimmel at rednote@ilstu.edu.