New Dublin Voices 20th Anniversary Choral Composition Competition
One of Europe’s leading chamber choirs announces a new competition for composers.
As part of the choir's 20th anniversary celebrations in 2025, New Dublin Voices is thrilled to inaugurate the New Dublin Voices Choral Composition Competition.
Prizes total €2100, and successful entries will receive both a world premiere and recording by New Dublin Voices. The deadline for submission is 31st January 2025.
The distinguished international adjudication panel is made up of the renowned composers Jaakko Mäntyjärvi from Finland and Dr Seán Doherty from Ireland, and the founder-conductor of New Dublin Voices, Dr Bernie Sherlock.
With a legacy of championing new music – 87 world premieres and counting since 2005 – New Dublin Voices is excited to hear the fresh perspectives, music and words that all participating composers will bring to its 20th anniversary season next year.
Introduction
Founded in 2005, New Dublin Voices is a leading light in commissioning and premiering music by living composers. In addition to numerous Irish premieres, the choir has - over the past 20 years - world premiered 87 new works by composers including Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Ola Gjeilo, Paweł Łukaszewski, Roxanna Panufnik, Sarah Quartel and Vytautas Miškinis.
2024-2025 marks New Dublin Voices 20th season, with a year-long series of events leading up to the 20th anniversary in October 2025. To mark the celebrations, the choir is delighted to launch its inaugural Choral
Composition Competition, demonstrating its continued commitment to championing new music.
Entrant Eligibility
● The competition is open to all composers over the age of 18 by the submission date (31 January 2025), regardless of nationality.
● Applications are welcomed from both established and emerging composers.
● The competition is not open to current members of New Dublin Voices, their close relatives or anyone else connected with the creation or administration of this competition.
Entry Eligibility
● An applicant’s entry must be an original work (not an arrangement) that has not been performed and will not be performed before the present competition is resolved.
● Entrants must warrant that their entries are original, entirely their own work and do not infringe copyright or other third-party rights. New Dublin Voices reserves the right to contact entrants to verify this. New Dublin Voices accepts no liability if entrants ignore these rules and entrants agree to fully indemnify New Dublin Voices against any claims by any third party arising from any breach of these rules.
● The composer may select their own choice of text(s), ensuring it is/they are suitable for public performance.
● If the text(s) used is/are not in the public domain, the composer must have or obtain the right(s) to use such text(s) in the context of the entry and must do so prior to submitting the entry to the present competition.
● The selected text(s) may be original or existing; if not in English, a pronunciation guide or phonetic transcription (IPA) of the text should be included in the performance notes.
Composition Parameters
● An a cappella composition for mixed voices (SATB), scored for 5-8 parts (but division into more parts is acceptable).
● A work 3-5 minutes in duration.
Score Presentation
● Entries must be submitted in the form of a sheet music score typeset using notation software (Sibelius,
MuseScore, Dorico etc.), formatted in A4 page size and exported as a PDF file.
● The score must contain front matter inclusive of text and translation, and programme note and performance note if necessary.
● Do not include your name anywhere on the score or front matter; the submitted score must contain the title of the work but not the composer’s name (or any other identifying information).
● Entries must be accompanied by an exported audio file of the score in MP3 format.
Application/Submission Process
● There is no entry fee.
● Only one entry per entrant will be accepted; if an entrant submits multiple entries, only the first entry will be considered.
● The closing date is 31 January 2025 at 11:59pm GMT.
● When submitting your entry, name the PDF and MP3 files with the title of your entry and "_NDV20", i.e. if the title of your entry is "YourPiece", name the files YourPiece_NDV20.pdf and YourPiece_NDV20.mp3.
● Competition entries will be submitted via Google forms.
● The online application form can be accessed via this link:
● The online application form consists of two separate sections (Composer’s Contact Details and Score Submission).
● The application process will ensure that all applicants are anonymous to the adjudicators.
Rights
● All entrants will retain copyright in their entries.
● Winning entrants shall grant New Dublin Voices the exclusive right to give the world premiere and make the premiere recording of their winning entries for a period of one (1) year from the date when the results of the competition are announced.
● New Dublin Voices shall have the right to make copies of the scores of the winning entries for the purposes of said premiere performance and recording and for any subsequent performances in perpetuity, notwithstanding any subsequent submission of the winning entries by their composers to a
publisher, and composers of the winning entries shall have the right to submit said entries to a publisher notwithstanding the aforementioned right granted to New Dublin Voices.
Adjudication
● The adjudicators are internationally renowned Finnish composer, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, internationally acclaimed Irish composer, Dr. Seán Doherty, and Dr. Bernie Sherlock (founder-conductor of New Dublin Voices).
● The adjudicators’ selection of winning scores is final; no correspondence will be entered into.
Outcome and Awards
● Subsequent to the decision of adjudicators, the information provided in the first section of the application form (Composer’s Contact Details) will be accessed, and all entrants will be informed of the outcome of the competition.
● A first prize of €1,300 - and a recording of the world premiere - will be awarded.
● A second prize of €500 - and a recording of the world premiere - will be awarded.
● A third prize of €300 - and a recording of the world premiere - will be awarded.
● New Dublin Voices may award additional runner-up prizes.
● The prizes are as stated and cannot be deferred or transferred; no alternatives will be considered.
General
● All queries should be directed to ndvcompositioncompetition@gmail.com.
● No feedback will be provided to entrants.
● New Dublin Voices reserves the right to cancel this competition at any stage.
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