Choral Composition Competition:

The New York Virtuoso Singers will devote its entire 2011-2012 season to the music of women composers throughout the world. Therefore, the next competition is limited to women composers.
It is not required that you send recordings. However, you may send one if you wish, as a MP3, a MIDI, or by snail mail. Published works are acceptable.
The winners will receive a public performance in New York City of their choral compositions by THE NEW YORK VIRTUOSO SINGERS.
Founded in 1988 by conductor Harold Rosenbaum, The New York Virtuoso Singers has become this country's leading exponent of contemporary choral music. Although the chorus performs music of all periods, its emphasis is on commissioning, performing, and recording the music of living composers.

ELIGIBLE SUBMISSIONS
All a cappella works for 16-voice mixed chorus, male chorus, or female chorus, and those with piano or organ accompaniment, or works for chorus and up to 3 instruments may be submitted. If the text is not in the public domain, composers must submit a letter confirming that permission has been given from the author or poet to set the text to music.
APPLICATION FEE
None. There is no limit to the number of scores submitted.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
There is no formal application form required with the submission of scores. The postmarked deadline for the 2011 competition is April 8, 2011.
Scores should be sent to:

Canticorum Virtuosi, Inc.
2 Cove Road,
South Salem, New York 10590-1023.
Scores and CDs will not be returned.

 

 

2010 Winners

First Prize:
Nicholas Reeves
In Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich

Second Prize: Two Winners:
Frank Stemper
by night my mind
and
Richard Rice
In the Bleak Midwinter

Third Prize:
Kurt Leland
Cantata on a Poem of Thomas Hardy ("Drinking Song")

Also on the program:
Milton Babbitt:
Music for the Mass (New York Premiere)

This year's judges were John Harbison, William Payne, and Harold Rosenbaum.

 

RESULTS OF THE 2009 COMPETITION:

Although many fine compositions were submitted to our 2009 competition, it was decided that no clear winner had emerged.

 

2008 Winners

First Prize:
Michael Fletcher
H

Second Prize:
Kurt Leland
Gott Spricht Zu Jedem Nur, Eh Er Ihn Macht

Third Prize:
Stanley Hoffman
Anim Zemiros

Seven Honorable Mentions:
a) Thomas Lavoy
White Stones
b) Dan Senn
S(H)e Visits Me
c) Timothy Dwight Edwards
Forme of Cury
d) William Popp
Daybreak
e) Scott Wheeler
Prospects
f) Alex Guerrero
Tenebrae factae sunt
g) Richard Rice
Like as the Waves (from Four Shakespeare Sonnets)

 

2007 Winners

First Prize:
Ramin Amirarjomand
Alma Redemptoris mater

Second Prize:
David Chaitkin
Seasons Such as These

Third Prize:
Timothy Dwight Edwards
Reaching

Two Honorable Mentions:
a) F. William Sherrill
Ave Verum Corpus
b) Jeffrey Steven Cobb
Absalom

 

2006 Winners

First Prize:
Richard McIntyre
Vitium Cantorum

Second Prize:
Michael Eckert
Echo's Song

Third Prize:
Chung Shih Hoh
Variations on the Brink

Three Honorable Mentions:
a) Derek Healey
Pioneering Days
b) Jonathan Kolm
Cedo Maiori
c) Richard Rice
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

2005 Winners

Two First Prizes:
a) Joelle Wallach
Therefore: Accepted for publication by G. Schirmer
b) Devlyn Case
Tenebrae factae sunt

Second Prize:
David McMullin
Magnificat

Third Prize:
Stephen Miles
De Profundis Clamavi

Three Honorable Mentions:
a) Alan J. Higbee
The Water Dragon
b) Jonathan Kolm
Winter Heavens
c) Elizabeth Alexander
Climb