The Ithaca College School of Music announces the 2022 Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize. This prize succeeds the Walter Beeler Memorial Commission Series established in 1975. Funded by the Ithaca College School of Music, its alumni, and friends, this highly successful original series has recognized over a dozen compositions for wind band. The Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize has been created to further encourage the composition and performance of the highest quality wind band literature in honor and memory of Ithaca College’s renowned director of bands.
Submission deadline: January 1, 2022
Guidelines:
Entries must be original compositions for wind ensemble/concert band, utilizing standard wind band instrumentation. No transcriptions/arrangements (except those of original music by the composer) will be eligible.
There is a limit of one entry per composer.
The composition may have already been performed, but shall have been written (completed) no more than two years prior to the contest deadline. [That is, since January 1, 2020.]
The composition should be conceived and composed to ensure an effective performance by professional, university, and high school bands alike. Performance time shall be a minimum of seven minutes.
Compositions must be submitted with a full score and compact disc or Flash Drive digital (WAV) recording. A “hard copy” (paper) version of the score is required. Scores may be in manuscript (hand-copied) form, but composers are highly encouraged to submit computer-typeset scores. Compositions without recordings will not be considered; while synthesized versions are acceptable, they are discouraged. Do not send parts with your submission.
All rights, including those pertaining to copyright, remain with the composer.
The competition is open to all composers except:
• Past winners of the Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize
• Any composer who received a commission from the Walter Beeler Memorial Commission
• Ithaca College faculty
Prize:
There will be a cash prize of $6,000, with the performance of the work in spring or fall of 2022. The winner is strongly encouraged to attend the performance. Travel and accommodation support, up to a further $1,000, is available to the winner upon the furnishing of the appropriate receipts.
The Ithaca College School of Music has the option of withholding the award if no entry is found to be suitable.
Submission and Return Guidelines:
A sealed envelope containing (only) the name and address, (physical and email), of the composer should be paper-clipped to the title page of the score. The date of the composition must appear on the title page of the score and the outside of this envelope. The composer’s name, (or any other identifying marks), must not appear on the score, the recording, or on the outside of the envelope.
All entries must be received by the committee chair not later than January 1, 2022. Entries received after that date will not be considered. Do not include any materials other than those specifically asked for with your submission.
The winning composition will be selected and the composer notified no later than February 1, 2022. Parts for the winning composition must be received by the Ithaca College School of Music no later than March 1, 2022. Prize monies will be processed on receipt in good order of the performance parts.
A self-addressed, stamped mailer must be included for return of materials (if desired). All precautions will be taken to ensure that manuscripts and CDs are returned safely, but Ithaca College cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage in transit.
The Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize specifically encourages submissions from under-represented composers.
Mail entry to:
Walter Beeler Memorial Composition Prize, 2022
Attention; Professor Grant Cooper
Ithaca College
School of Music
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850-7000
All Inquiries:
Grant Cooper
Interim Director of Instrumental Ensembles
gcooper@ithaca.edu
Deadline 1 January 2022
Website gcooper@ithaca.edu
