Society of Organists Victoria

New Organ Music Awards

Regulations

 

  1. The Society of Organists Victoria is offering these awards to encourage composers, both students and established professionals, to consider the artistic possibilities of the organ as a medium for new music.

  2. The Society proposes to select up to 12 works for publication in an anthology of new organ music by Australian composers.

  3. The successful entrants will receive the following awards:

    1. First prize (regardless of category, defined below): $1000.00

    2. Second prize (regardless of category): $500.00

    3. Six prizes of $250.00

    4. The Council of the Society of Organists may vote to award four further prizes on the recommendation of the review panel

    5. All successful entrants will receive an equal share in the royalties of the published anthology.

  4. Entrants are invited to submit a work in one or both of the following categories:

    1. Liturgical Piece

    2. Free Composition

  5. The Liturgical piece shall make use of pre-existing thematic material associated with current day worship in the Australian churches. This piece may be in an established genre (e.g.: chorale prelude, interlude) or the composer’s own conception, so long as it makes use of a pre-existing theme such as a hymn tune, Gregorian chant or other material used in public worship. It should relate to the needs of liturgical worship, and be no longer than 5 minutes in duration.

    1. This work must be composed within the following guidelines:

      1. Instrumental resources: two manuals and pedals; registrations may be specified.

      2. Skill level: intermediate (AMEB grade 5 standard)

  6. The Free Composition may take any single-movement form, and is not required to make use of pre-existing thematic material. It should be at least 7-10 minutes in duration.

    1. This work must be composed within the following guidelines:

      1. Instrumental resources: three or more manuals and pedals (but adaptable to two manuals and pedals)

      2. Skill level: open, but this should be considered to be a work intended primarily for more advanced players.

  7. General guidelines:

    1. Entrants are encouraged to explore examples of idiomatic writing for the organ as demonstrated in the literature. Entrants are strongly advised to undertake this study through recordings or live performances of identified or chosen works in conjunction with scores.

    2. Entrants are very strongly advised to explore current manuals of organ construction and technique. The following are highly recommended:

      1. Bush, Douglas E. (ed.). The organ: an encyclopedia. (New York : Routledge, 2005).

      2. Davis, Roger E. The organists' manual: technical studies and selected compositions for the organ. (New York : W.W. Norton, c1985)

      3. Dupré, Marcel. Cours complet d’Improvisation a L’Orgue. (Paris: Leduc, 1962 [English tr.: 1973])

      4. -----------------. Method for the Organ. (Paris: Leduc, 1927)

      5. Hakim, Naji. The Improvisation Companion. (London: United Music Publishers, Ltd, 2000)

      6. Hancock, Gerre. Improvising: How to Master the Art. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994)

      7. Hurford, Peter. Making music on the organ. (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1988).

      8. Wills, Arthur. Organ. (London : Macdonald, 1984)

  8. Entrants are required to submit their scores with a cover sheet giving their name, title of the work, category in which it is being submitted, institutional affiliation (where relevant) and return mailing, email addresses and a daytime telephone number. Adjudication will be by a process of double blind review. The entrant’s name is not to appear in any form on any page of the submitted score. Scores containing any information identifying the entrant will be automatically disqualified from entry.

    1. Prior to publication, the Society reserves the right on behalf of the review committee to request amendments to works accepted for publication.

  9. Copyright of published works remains with the composer.

The Entry Closing Date is Friday, 28th March, 2008, having been extended from the original date of Friday, 15th February, 2008.

 

Submissions must arrive postmarked no later than Friday, 28th March, 2008.

Late entries will not be accepted.

 

Entrants will be advised of results in the week beginning Tuesday 22nd April 2008.

The accepted works will be performed  at a future concert in 2008, with publication to follow later in 2008.

Entry Fee: $25.00 per piece.

Submissions will only be received in hard copy, and should be mailed to:

The Honorary Secretary

Society of Organists [Victoria] Inc.
PO Box 315 Camberwell Victoria  3124

Australia May, 2007