Annual composition awards for current students
Deadlines and submission information will be announced in composition seminar at the beginning of each academic year.
Undergraduate and Graduate Spark Awards ($1,000 each)
Submit an electro-acoustic composition written during your time at CU. The winner will be commissioned to write a piece for the following season Atlas Pendulum New Music Concert. In the event that the recipient will not be in Boulder for that season, the award may be given as a cash amount without the commission.
While any electro-acoustic work will be considered for the awards, preference will be given for music created with the aid of technology with an emphasis on innovative use of technology to simultaneously advance the frontiers of music and technology in creation of new musical forms, instruments, styles, and genres.
Undergraduate and Graduate Composition Awards ($1,000 each)
Submit your strongest composition from your time at CU. The winner will be commissioned to write a piece for the following Pendulum New Music concert season, or for another CU venue. In the event that the recipient will not be in Boulder for the following season, the award may be given as a cash amount without the commission.
Wind Ensemble Award ($1,000 award and premiere by a CU Band)
Submit a work for symphonic band or wind ensemble to be considered for premiere during the following season by the CU Symphonic Band or the CU Wind Symphony, and a $1,000 prize. The work or a major revision of the work should have been completed at CU. Preference will be given to un-premiered works. Students who have previously won this award may submit another piece. The composition faculty will work with Professor McKinney to pick a winning composition and to schedule the work for performance.
CU Choral Composition Award ($1,000 and a performance by a CU Chorus)
The University of Colorado Choral and Composition Departments present the CU Choral Composition Award to any current CU Composition student with an eligible choral work. The composer with the winning work will be awarded a cash prize of $1,000 and receive a recorded performance by one of the university choirs.
Pro Musica Young Composer Award ($1,000 Commission)
The Pro Musica Young Composer Award is a $1,000 commission for the professional Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra. Submit two scores with recordings. If possible, include an orchestra piece or another work for large ensemble. If you are selected, you must be able to commit to the proposed deadlines for delivering the commission in order to receive the award. The composition faculty will work with Maestro Cynthia Katsarelis to pick a winning composer.
