The NAFME Electronic Music Composition Contest

The National Association for Music Education (NAFME) is sponsoring an Electronic Music Composition Contest for middle and high school students. The contest is open to any student enrolled in a middle or high school music program.

Introduction

The National Association for Music Education (NAFME) is pleased to announce The NAFME Electronic Music Composition Contest. The contest is open to students in grades 6-12 who are currently enrolled in an active music program. Students may submit an original composition for solo piano, vocal, or instrumental ensemble.

What is the NAFME Electronic Music Composition Contest?

The NAFME Electronic Music Composition Contest is designed to encourage the creation and performance of new music for electronic instruments. The contest is open to all composers, regardless of age or experience. There is no entry fee.

Contestants must submit an original composition for electronic instruments, with a maximum length of five minutes. The composition must be unpublished and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Up to three compositions may be submitted by each composer.

Contestants will be judged on the originality, creativity, and overall musicality of their composition. A panel of professional musicians and composers will select the winners.

The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $500, and their composition will be performed at the annual NAFME conference. The second-place winner will receive a cash prize of $250, and their composition will be featured on the NAFME website.

How to Enter the Contest

All currently enrolled high school, college, and university students are eligible to enter. There is no entry fee. To enter, fill out the online entry form and submit it by the deadline. You will need to include your name, email address, school name and contact information, a link to your composition, and a short description of your piece. You may also be asked to provide additional information about yourself and your work.

Only one composition may be submitted per student. All compositions must be original works that have not been previously published or performed. Works that have won other competitions are not eligible. Collaborative works are not eligible.

Contest Rules

This electronic music composition contest is open to any currently enrolled high school student. Entries will be accepted until May 1, 2020 at 11:59pm EDT. Late entries will not be accepted.

To enter, contestants must submit an original composition for solo acoustic instruments and electronics no longer than 10 minutes in length. The piece may be of any style, but should show evidence of compositional thought and skill. It must be created using notation software, such as Sibelius or Finale, or a similar program. A recording of the piece is not required but strongly encouraged.

The composition must be authored by the contestant and may not have been previously published or performed. It must be an original work and may not infringe on the rights of any other person or entity. By entering the contest, the contestant gives NAFME permission to use his or her name, likeness, and composition on its website and in other promotional materials.

Contestants should email their completed entry form and PDF score to [email protected] with “Electronic Music Composition Contest” in the subject line.

Eligibility

To be eligible, an applicant must:
-Be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, or conservatory in the United States, its possessions or territories, Canada, or Mexico during the academic year preceding the contest deadline
-Be studying music composition, music technology, or a related field
-Be 21 years of age or younger as of October 1 of the year preceding the contest deadline

Prizes

There will be prizes awarded in each of the three categories:
-Best Overall Score
-Best Use of Technology
-Best Performance

Judging Criteria

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

-Originality: How creative and original is the piece?
-Composition: Does the piece show evidence of careful planning and craftsmanship?
-Arrangement: Is the piece well- arranged and easy to follow?
-Instrumentation: Does the piece make effective use of the chosen instruments?
-Performance: Is the piece able to be performed as written?

For More Information

For more information, please visit the NAFME website at www.nafme.org/emc.