Since 2004, the Young Composers Competition has recognized and encouraged 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 an open competition which has received submissions nationally and internationally. Each year brings a new nationally known guest composer who is passionate about working with future generations of composers.

The Community Music School of Webster University partners with Chamber Project Saint Louis for the Young Composers Competition. Musicians from Chamber Project Saint Louis perform and record all winning works and selected works from the Guest Composer at the Young Composer Competition concert held in the CMS Center at Webster University in March.
young composeres logo
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Competition Guidelines and Instructions

  • Level I: students ages 12-16
  • Level II: students ages 17-21
  • $20.00 Application Fee required

  • Public performance of winning compositions by Chamber Project Saint Louis
  • Professional recording of the concert
  • Critique of work and conference with the guest composer

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  Oct. 20, 2023. The winners will be announced in January.

  • Each applicant may submit only one work for consideration.
  • Compositions must fulfill the formatting and medium requirements listed above.
  • Compositions must be wholly original works composed by the applicant.
  • Composition should be performable by university faculty-level professional musicians. Works requiring amplification, computer, tape, or CD are not eligible.
  • Composer’s name should not appear on the score. Scores should be identified by pseudonym.
  • Previous first place winners not eligible to enter the competition for one year - exception being if Level I winner aged into Level II for the following year. 

Composition Guidelines:

  1. Format: Compositions should be for 2 to 7-member music ensembles and 3-15 minutes in length utilizing instruments from standard orchestral instrumentation.
  2. Medium: Traditional manuscript and audio recording or MIDI realization required.
  3. Evaluation: Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, Style, Form, Instrumentation, Labeling, Notation, Musicality
  4. Panel of Judges: Published composer(s) and school/university theory and composition faculty

We are no longer accepting applications for the 2023-2024 Competition.  

  1. Complete the online entry form. After you have submitted the form, you will be directed to pay the entry fee by credit card online. All submissions must be accompanied by payment to be considered.
  2. Upload the computer-engraved score and parts, program notes and composer bio (each 200 words or less) where indicated on the form (ALL IN PDF FORMAT).
  3. Send the link to the Teacher Certification Form to your instructor.
  4. Email audio recording/MIDI realization, in MP3 format to jblackburn77@webster.edu
  5. You will receive an automatic email response if you've completed the entry form correctly. You will also receive email notification when the Teacher Certification Form has been completed by your instructor. THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION FORM MUST BE COMPLETED to be considered.

Past Winners & Guest Composers

2022-2023
Guest Composer: Nina Shekhar

Level I
First Place: Frazar Henry, 16, Bonita Springs, FL
Second Place: Zachary Jarvis, 16, Danville, CA
Level II
First Place: Jonah Cohen, 18, Farmington Hills, MI
Second PlaceJosé Vargas, 21, San Francisco, CA

2021-2022
Guest Composer: Mark Camphouse

Level I
First Place: William Masters, 16, Elk Grove, CA
Second Place: Frazar Henry, 15, Bonita Springs, FL
Level II
First Place: Kyle Soliz, 20, Algonquin, IL
Second Place: Zixuan Chen, 17, San Diego, CA

2020-2021
Guest Composer: David Werfelmann

Level I
First Place: Luca Pasquini, 16, Denver, CO
Second Place: Frazar Henry, 14, Bonita Springs, FL
Level II
First Place: Daniel DiMarino, 20, Cleveland, Ohio
Second Place: Connor Johnson, 20, Dexter, Michigan

2019-20
Guest Composer: Angélica Negrón
Level 1
First Place: Noah Tan, 16, Stevensville, Michigan
Second Place: Madeline Cheng, 15, Los Altos, California
Level 2
First Place: Jane Meenaghan, 18, Los Angeles, California
Second Place: Sami Seif, 21, Cleveland, Ohio

2018-19
Guest Composer: Niloufar Nourbakhsh
Level 1
First Place: Yusei Hata, 16, New York City, New York
Second Place: Caroline Bragg, 15, Brookline, Massachusetts
Level 2
First Place: Paul Novak, 20, Reno, Nevada
Second Place: Jenny Yao, 18, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Honorable Mention: Nathaniel Heyder, 19, Cleveland, Ohio

2017-18 
Guest composer: Kyong Mee Choi
Level 1
Co-1st Place: Solomon Ge, 14, from San Jose California
Co-1st Place: Bo Huang, 16, Rutherford, New Jersey
Co-2nd Place: Brinson Moore, 15, Greenwood, South Carolina
Co-2nd Place: Avik Sarkar, 16, Chestnut Hill, Massachusett
Level 2
First Place, Josiah Sprankle, 21, Kansas City, Missouri
Second Place: Julian Freyo, 21, Cleveland, Ohio

2016-17 
Guest composer: Elizabeth Ogonek
Level 1

First Place: Stella G. Gitelman Willoughby from Cambridge, Massachusetts 
Second Place: Li Chibing from Beijing, China
Honorable Mention: Andrew Courtney from Corona del Mar, California
Level 2
First Place: Alex Williams from Kansas City, Missouri
and Lucy McKnight from Los Angeles, California
Honorable Mention: Shiwei Liu from Shanghai, China
Best from St. Louis: Zach Fendelman

2015-16 
Guest composer: Dr. Lansing McLoskey
Level 1
First Place: Simon Cohen, Chicago, Illinois 
Second Place: Stella Gitelman Willoughby, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Level 2
First Place: Alex Berko, Solon, Ohio
Second Place: Alex Williams, Columbia, Missouri

2014-15
Guest composer: Dr. Don Freund
Level 1
First Place: Paul Novak, Reno, Nevada
Second Place: Julia Riew, St. Louis, Missouri
Honorable Mention: Molly Monahan, Holland, Michigan
Level 2
First Place: Erin Hoerchler, Jefferson City, Missouri
Second Place: Gus Knobbe, St. Louis, Missouri
Honorable Mention: Kelly Stathis, Poughquag, New York

2013-14
Guest Composer: Dr. Beth Denisch 
Level 1
First Place: Joseph Jordan, New York City, New York
Second Place (tie): Molly Monahan, Holland, Michigan and Paul Novak, Reno, Nevada
Level 2
First Place: Cooper Minnis, St. Louis, Missouri
Second Place: Gus Knobbe, St. Louis, Missouri

2012
Guest Composer: Dr. Zack Browning 
Level 1
First Place: Michael Parsons, Stirling, New Jersey
Second Place: Stuart Ross Carlson, Dexter, Michigan
Level 2
First Place: Jack Hughes, Reston, Virginia
Second Place: Wesley Devore, Centennial, Colorado

2011
Guest Composer: Dr. Stephen Dankner
Level 1
First Place: Ari Korotkin, Birmingham, Michigan
Second Place: Eleanor Bragg, Brookline, Massachusetts
Honorable Mention: Michael Parsons, Stirling, New Jersey and 
Felix Jarrar, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Level 2
First Place: Thomas Feng, Fremont, California 
Second Place: Wesley Devore, Centennial, Colorado
Honorable Mention: Riley Crabtree, Vancouver, Washington

2010 
Guest Composer: Shulamit Ran
Level 1
First Place: Alexis Lerner, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Second Place: Andrew Stock, St. Louis, Missouri
Honorable Mention: Jared W. Hedges, Lindenhurst, Illinois and Sidarth Jayadev, Saratoga, California
Level 2
Co-First Place: Daniel McCallum, London, UK and
Mahlon Berv, Stamford, Connecticut
Honorable Mention: Alexander Blank, Rock Hill, Missouri and Riley Crabtree, Vancouver, Washington

2009 
Guest Composer: Dr. Chen Yi
Level 1
First Place: Jack Hughes, Reston, Virginia
Second Place: Riley Crabtree, Vancouver, Washington
Honorable Mention: Sam Reising, Portland, Oregon
Level 2
First Place: Anthony Hernandez, Columbia, Missouri
Second Place: Lauren Wells, Kansas City, Missouri
Honorable Mention: Cole Perkinson, Portland, Oregon

2008
Guest Composer: Dr. Dinos Constantinides
Level 1
First Place: Cole Perkinson, Portland, Oregon
Second Place: Riley Crabtree, Vancouver, Washington
Honorable Mention: Ian Evans Guthrie, Washougal, Washington
Level 2
First Place: Kristen Walker, Liberty, Missouri
Second Place: William Bryant, Murphysboro, Illinois
Honorable Mention: Marta Sofia Botelho Vieira, Evanston, Illinois/Portugal