The Ithaca College School of Music announces the 12th biennial Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize contest. The prize succeeds the Walter Beeler Memorial Commission Series established in 1975. The Prize has been created to further encourage the composition and performance of the highest quality wind band literature in honor and memory of Ithaca College's renowned first director of bands.
Cash Prize: $3000
Contest Rules
1) Entries must be original unpublished compositions for wind ensemble/concert band, utilizing standard wind band instrumentation. No transcriptions or arrangements (except those of the composer) will be eligible. Faculty of the Ithaca College School of Music are not eligible to enter the contest.
2) The composition may already have been performed, but shall have been written within three years of the contest deadline.
3) The purpose of the prize is to encourage the composition and performance of the highest possible quality wind literature. Therefore, the composition should be conceived and constructed to ensure and effective performance by professional, university and high school bands alike.
4) Entries shall be between 7 and 20 minutes in length.
5) Compositions must be submitted with a full score and compact disc recording. Composition without recordings will not be considered. Computer renderings will be accepted but a recording of a live performance is preferred. Please do not send parts with your scores.
6) The composer's name must not appear on the score or recording. A sealed envelope with the name and address of the composer should be affixed to the title page of the score. The date of the composition must appear on the title page.
7) All entries must be received by the committee chair no later than October 15, 2010. Entries received after that date will not be considered.
8) The winning composition will be selected and the composer notified no later than December 30, 2010. Parts for the winning composition must be received by the Ithaca College School of Music no later than January 15, 2011.
9) The composer of the winning composition will receive a cash prize of $3000. With a performance of the work to occur in the spring or fall of 2011. The winner is strongly encouraged to attend, and will receive modest assistance with travel expenses.
10) The Ithaca College School of Music has the option of withholding the award if no entry is found to be suitable.
11) All rights, including copyrighting, remain with the composer. Any composer having already received a commission from the Walter Beeler Memorial Commission is ineligible to enter, as are past winners of the Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize.
12) Composers must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of their materials. All precautions will be taken to ensure that manuscripts and CD's are returned safely, but Ithaca College cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage in transit.
13) Composers should send their manuscripts and CD's to: Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize, School of Music, Ithaca College, Whalen Center for Music, 953 Danby Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. All inquiries should be sent to the same address. Email inquiries may be sent to Steve Peterson, Director of Bands, at speterson@ithaca.edu.