MA-ASTA Master’s Composition Competition

Composers currently living in New England are encouraged to submit works for solo string instrument or string instrument and piano.

 

Eligibility

  • Open to composers of any age residing in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine. ASTA membership and affiliation with a local chapter is not required.

  • Previous winners of a MA-ASTA Composition Competition must wait two full years before entering again.

Requirements

  • The work must not have won any other competitions, and must not be published.

  • The submitted work must feature one of the specified instruments for this year. For the 2020 competition, contestants have their choice of one of the following: viola, cello, bass, or harp. The work may be unaccompanied or with piano.

  • The work may be up to 3 minutes in duration.

  • The work may be submitted as a pdf file. The pdf of the score and parts must have the composer's name omitted. Please include the title of the work and the composer's name, address, telephone number and email address in the body of the email.

  • If the composer elects to send a hard copy, the score and parts must also be anonymous, with an envelope attached containing the name of the work and the composer's name, address, telephone number and email address.

  • Completed scores/parts and a processing fee of $5.00 must be postmarked by March 1, 2020. Checks should be made payable to MA-ASTA and mailed (separately if score is submitted electronically, or with scores if submitted by mail) to the address below:

    Sharan Leventhal, coordinator, MA-ASTA Composition Competition
    3 Newbury Terrace
    Newton, MA 02459

    or in PDF format to:
    sharanleventhal@gmail.com

Prizes

  • The winning work will be announced in the end of March of 2020.

  • A second prize and honorable mention may also be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Those pieces may be made available through the MA-ASTA website under the same arrangement as the winning work, at the discretion of MA-ASTA.

  • The winning composer agrees to ensure MA-ASTA is acknowledged through the use of the following language (“credit”) in the manner described here: Winner of the 2020 MA-ASTA Composition Competition

    • Work: Composer shall use the Credit on the original manuscript of and all other copies of the Work

    • Promotional Materials: Composer shall ensure the Credit prominently and  permanently appears on any and all publicly distributed materials, whether in hard copy, electronic form, or as part of any live announcements and broadcasts referring to the Work.