Your Experience With Composition Competitions - Monthly Compositions On This Site Don't Count!

http://ericwhitacre.com/blog/advice-for-the-emerging-composer-competitions

This is by far most useful article about composition competitions I have ever read. I am actually "luckier" than my famous contemporaree since I have actually won a few composition competitions in my career but who's career is more successful at the moment? ;)

I am wondering how you fellow composers feel about composition competitions and why would you actually attend one. Many thanks for your answers!

Yours

Crt S. V.

I've entered 3 competitions so far and I've had no luck in any of them. I don't regret entering them though. For a start, they were all free to enter so there was nothing to lose. Also, I wrote the pieces specifically for the competitions and wouldn't have wrote them otherwise so there are 3 good pieces that I can add to my portfolio that wouldn't have existed had I not entered the competitions. I also felt that the fact that I knew they were being judged forced me to make an effort to improve the presentation of my scores.

I disagree with Eric Whitacre about fees though. Putting together a competition costs money and the money has to come from somewhere. I imagine that the only way some ensembles are able to put out a call for scores is if they are charging a fee. As long as it isn't an astronomical fee, I think that is completely fair and people should stop expecting to get something for nothing (though if something is being offered for nothing, of course you should take advantage!). I also don't think the competition organisers are lucky to be getting applications; if anything, the composers are lucky to have professional performers actually willing to take time to look at their scores, 90% of which will surely be terrible, and have a chance (albeit a very slim chance) of a performance.

Despite my total lack of formal training, I've entered a number of composition competitions during the years. I've not been as lucky to win one, but I have reached the final rounds at least twice. My experience has been positive despite not having carried home anything or even getting a performance. As Tuohey noted, I've ended up with some works that I would hardly have written otherwise - and since they are to be judged,by reputed musicians this tends to push a composer into an extra effort in terms of quality, so that's good for a challenge.

I also try to use the competition as a means to know where I am standing as a composer - not only if I'm "good enough", but also to detect what are the current trends and what can I get from them to expand my own musical language. For example, I got high marks on a competition when I was 20 - but I got this avant-gardist composer who, while praising my work, pointed out that I had to get myself acquainted with Lutoslawski and Penderecki's work. I would never have gotten any feedback at all by then if not for these kind of chances.

I always enter a competition with the knowledge that carrying the top prize (and the associated cash) is a long shot - but a long shot is always better than no shot ;) .

I haven't won any; however, one comp I entered was to present a paper and I was selected. Glad I did it

I only got to be a finalist in a couple, but that's it.

Besides, what does winning one say about you anyway? That you randomly were able to "beat" a select group of composers simply based on opinions of judges? Few competitions really are reputable for choosing actual "quality" works rather than stuff that just fits with the judge's aesthetic or technical ideal of music.

I only got to be a finalist in a couple, but that's it.

Besides, what does winning one say about you anyway? That you randomly were able to "beat" a select group of composers simply based on opinions of judges? Few competitions really are reputable for choosing actual "quality" works rather than stuff that just fits with the judge's aesthetic or technical ideal of music.

I couldn't agree more. Recently I am not entering many competitions, but my students do. And there was some success recently... :) It will do them good for some funds, stipends for later studies.

I was finalist once too. But I think that is not saying only something about the prefernces of the jury. Albeit it a rather subjective choice by the jury, it serves as a sample survey of what professionals think of it.

For me, as someone that did not went to a conservatory, that kind of input is very very valuable, albeit subjective.

I agree with a lot of what Whitcre said in that article. I think its important to enter competitions, even if you have no intentions on winning. Some one has to listen to your music to determine if you will win or not. And even if you dont win a judge that liked your piece could contact you for a commission or remember you when you are applying for that composition professor job. I also like competitions as its a motivator to get music performed. Often times, composers only get music performed on their universities one composition studio concert or their recital. So competitions, and even conferences and conventions, are another arena for performances.

I personally have entered more competitions that I can remember and have won one of them. And Im not going to lie, I liked winning. Even though I know music composition competitions are so subjective that winning is like saying your the best at thinking, but its nice to know that your hard work is recognized by people outside of your bubble. And the prize money I won was nice too.