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2nd WBAS Wind Band Composition Contest 2019

in conjunction with

7TH SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL

BAND FESTIVAL 2020

Introduction

The main objective of this contest is to encourage composers to write original wind band compositions of high artistic and educational merits. The WBAS Composition Contest has four categories. Each category differs in music difficulty level, performance duration and instrumentation. 

 

The winning entries may be selected as one of the test pieces at the 7th Singapore International Band Festival 2020. 

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Discover more about the winning works for 2018!

Objectives

  1. To promote wind band as a serious and distinctive medium of musical expression and cultural heritage in Singapore and the region;
     

  2. To encourage composers to write new compositions of high artistic value with consideration of education merits;
     

  3. To connect and enhance the communications and exchanges among composers, performers, band directors and audience;
     

  4. To increase the diversity and quality of compositions available for our learning and professional musicians.

Music . . . can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.

 

- Leonard Bernstein

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Categories

Table below presents the categories for your considerations:

Rules & Regulations

  1. For grading references, please refer to the American Band College Music Grading Chart (Revised) by Dr. Cynthia Hutton.
     

  2. Qualifying compositions should be unpublished and original.
     

  3. Compositions may be written in multiple movements but it must not exceed the stipulated duration - refer to 'Categories'.
     

  4. All submitted compositions must include a synopsis of his/her composition and description that explains his/her work and musical materials used. The word limit of the synopsis is 500 words.
     

  5. Compositions for solo instruments will be not be accepted. (For example, concertos, concertinos, etc.)
     

  6. The Organiser reserves the right to screen, reallocate the composition to a different category or reject any application. The Organiser reserves the rights not to disclose any reasons for such applications.
     

  7. There will be no tie on the finals.
     

  8. The Organiser is not responsible for any misprint or mistakes on the score and parts of the selected compositions.
     

  9. Participation in this contest means that each participant agrees and accepts to all rules and regulations.
     

  10. All decisions made by the Organiser are final. No appeals will be accepted.

Selection

  1. No more than five (5) compositions will be selected from each category to qualify for the finals. At this stage, the title of the compositions and respective composers will be announced through official email and website.
     

  2. The winning composition for each category will be selected by a jury panel of Board members from WBAS and SIBF.

Awards

  1. All entries will receive a “Certificate of Participation”, qualifying finalists will receive a “Certificate of Participation – Finalist” and winning composers in each category will receive and the following cash prizes:​

    Certificate “Category Winner – Grade 2” & USD500
    Certificate “Category Winner – Grade 3” & USD1,000
    Certificate “Category Winner – Grade 4” & USD1,500
    Certificate “Category Winner – Grade 5” & USD2,000
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  2.  Honorable mention will be given to the “Most Promising Young Composer” for composers aged 25 years or below as of 31 July 2020.
     

  3. The selected winning compositions from Grade 2 to 4 (for Divisions 2B, 2A and 1) will be listed as one of the required pieces to be performed by participating bands at the 7th Singapore International Band Festival 2020.
     

  4. Selected compositions in the final round may also be listed as one of the required pieces to be performed by the participating bands at the festival.
     

  5. The Organiser will contact publishers who may be interested in publishing new repertoire of all selected final entries.
     

  6. In addition, respective composers will receive a percentage of royalties if your composition is purchased by any SIBF participating bands for the 7th Singapore International Band Festival 2020.
     

  7. The jury panel reserves the rights of not awarding any prize on the finals if compositions do not meet the artistic and technical level to be the winners.

Jury Panel

Assoc. Prof. Ho Hwee Long​

President, Wind Bands Association of Singapore

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ME6 Philip Tng

Senior Director of Music, Singapore Armed Forces Bands

 

Joop Boerstoel

Board Member, World Association for Symphonic Bands & Ensembles

 

Prof. Dennis Fisher

ret. Professor of Music in Conducting and Ensembles, University of North Texas

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Prof. Felix Hauswirth

Professor of Conducting, Basel Conservatory

 

Copyright & Permissions

  1. The participating composers agree to grant the Organiser all rights to perform and record any compositions selected at the final round without any form of payment to the composers; either directly or indirectly through an authorised copyright licensing agency.
     

  2. The Organiser may conduct written, audio or video interviews with the participating composers and reserves the rights to publish information related to you in this contest.
     

  3. The Organiser reserves the rights to promote, publish, sell and distribute all compositions selected as test pieces for the 7th Singapore International Band Festival 2020.
     

  4. The winning compositions in the four categories can only be published and distributed by interested publishers from 1 August 2020 onwards.

Application

  1. An application fee  per composition is chargeable by the Organiser as follows. There is no limit to your submissions for multiple categories in this contest.






    *Student applicant's submission must be accompanied by a recommendation letter from teacher or school. Letter must contain composition title and applicant's name.
     

  2. The completed application form must be submitted via email info@wbas.org.sg before 15 October 2019. The online submission must include the following:
     

    1. One (1) copy of the composition’s full score in PDF format (Do not include your name in the full score);

    2. One (1) copy of the composition’s MP3 of good quality recording of the instruments indicated in the score, either performed by an ensemble or electronic one with acoustic instrument samples;

    3. One (1) copy of your passport or ID, and

    4. One (1) copy of your resume or CV and photograph (minimum 300dpi, in JPEG).
       

  3. Qualifying finalists will be announced by 30 November 2019 via email and website. All finalists must prepare and submit all performance materials in PDF before 1 December 2019.

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