Setnor School Announces 2017 Gregg Smith National Choral Composition Contest

In honor and memory of the historic work of American composer/conductor Gregg Smith and the Gregg Smith Singers, the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music has announced the 2017 Gregg Smith National Choral Composition Contest. The award is given biennially to a composer between the ages of 21 and 35 who has written and submitted a musical composition for a Setnor School choral ensemble.

The University Singers

• The award-winning composer will receive a $1,325 prize. The selected composition will be premiered by the Syracuse University Singers under the direction of Setnor faculty member John Warren on April 4, 2018, at 8 p.m. in Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College, on the SU campus. Travel expenses to the premiere are the responsibility of the prize recipient.
• Composer must be 21-35 years of age at the time of submission.
• Scores must be postmarked no later than Sept. 30, 2017.

Submission Criteria:

• Submission must be 3-4 minutes in duration.
• Competition is open to unpublished and unperformed works only.
• SATB a cappella or accompanied by piano or organ; additional instruments optional
• The Syracuse University Singers is the flagship choral ensemble at Syracuse University and is comprised of 34 auditioned undergraduate and graduate students, mostly majoring in music. The University Singers has recently won the Grand Prix de Florilège de Tours, France, and competed in the European Grand Prix in Varna, Bulgaria.
• Rights to texts must be cleared, and evidence of copyright holder’s permission must be shown.
• Composer will retain the copyright of the piece.
• Submission may be secular or sacred.
• The Setnor School of Music Department of Choral Studies will retain winning manuscript for future performances.
• The composer must reside in North America.
• Composer must include a biography, list of works and proof of age (copy of driver’s license, passport, etc.) with submission.

Please include your name, email address, postal address, and phone number(s) in a sealed envelope, together with your score. Size of manuscript must not exceed 8 ½” x 14”. No scores will be returned unless a self-addressed mailer and postage are provided. The winner will be notified by Oct. 30.

Submit to:

Gregg Smith Choral Composition Contest
Department of Choral Studies
215 Crouse College
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13244-1010

For additional information, contact suchoral@syr.edu or 315.443.4106.