Young Composers Competition

COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL

Sponsored by Arden and Harry Fisher

Since 2004, the Young Composers Competition recognizes and encourages the efforts of those between the ages of 12 and 21 who are involved in the creative process of composing music.  This program, unique to the St. Louis region, is open to nationwide participation and has recognized young composers from St. Louis to both sides of the continent.

Awardees have their works performed by professional musicians in a public concert that is professionally recorded. Each awardee receives a CD of the performance and a written critique and personal conference with a guest composer of note. Guest composers have included Shulamit Ran, Chen Yi, Dino Constantinides, Claude Baker, John Cheetham, James Mobberly, Jared Spears, Steven Dankner, and Zack Browning. 

AGES: Level I: students ages 12-16; Level II: students ages 17-21
FEES: $20 application fee payable to Community Music School of Webster University

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2013-2014 Young Composer Competition Dates & Deadlines

SUBMISSION DEADLINES: All submissions must be post-marked or received by October 25, 2013. The winners will be announced no later than January 6, 2014.

YOUNG COMPOSERS COMPETITION WEEKEND EVENTS:
WORKSHOPS: Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 9 am – 12 pm
CONCERT AND RECEPTION: Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 3 pm
CONFERENCE WITH GUEST COMPOSER: Sunday, March 30, 2014 at 10 am

Download the 2013-2014 guidelines and entry form 

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 2013-2014 Guest Composer
Beth Denisch

Beth Denisch’s music has been performed in Moscow, Russia and Bangkok, Thailand, at Jordan Hall in Boston, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, across the U.S.A., and in Canada, China, Ecuador, Finland, Greece, Japan, Scotland, Mexico, and Russia. It has received radio play and tracks are available online; CDs from Albany, Juxtab, and Interval record labels. Scores are published and/or distributed by Juxtab Music, ClearNote Publications, and TrevCo Music.

Denisch frequently draws inspiration from artists as well as authors such as Henry James in Sorrow and Tenderness, commissioned by the Handel and Haydn Society; and Jeanette Winterson, for Jordan and the Dog Woman, commissioned by the Equinox Chamber Players. Many ensembles and organizations have awarded Denisch including the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin in Moscow for Fire Mountain Intermezzo; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Philadelphia Classical Symphony for The Singing Tree, inspired by the Maxfield Parrish painting; and the Composers Guild for Motherwell Lorca’s Bagpipe Lament (piano solo version). The PatsyLu Fund of Open Meadows Foundation, American Music Center, Our Bodies Ourselves, and Berklee and Simmons Colleges supported Denisch’s song cycle on women’s life cycle events, One Blazing Glance.

Denisch is Professor at Berklee College of Music and active in the Feminist Theory and Music organization. She was the founding director of the American Composers Forum New England, 1996-2005, and Co-Chair of the Gender Research in Music and Education Inc., 2009-2011 (B.M. North Texas State University; M.M and D.M.A. Boston University).

• “…fierce rhythmic patterns,” Bernard Holland, New York Times
• “... brimmed with personality and drive ...” Anthony Tommasini, The Boston Globe
• “... wonderfully evocative ... simply splendid,” David Cleary, New Music Connoisseur

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Past Young Composer Competition Winners:

 Questions? Call (314) 968-5939 or email Katie Myler at myler@webster.edu.