Choral Music

Purpose
The purpose of this sacred choral music
composition contest is to promote and inspire
the composition and arranging of quality new
Composition Competition 2020 music for worship of various forms, including
traditional, blended, multicultural, etc...

Theme: Unity
This includes any text and music that directly or indirectly promotes or inspires unity.
This can be unity of: journey, circumstance, thought, being, spirit, belief, cause, etc…

First Prize: $1000

+ composition featured in worship service in November 2020

Second Prize: $500 + composition featured in worship service in November 2020

Third Prize: $250 + composition featured in worship service in November 2020

Criteria
• Written for SATB (or SAB) mixed choir (divisi, solos and ensembles are allowed)
• Please fill out a competition submission form completely and submit a digitally engraved PDF and sound
file at www.upumc.org/smcc
• One submission per applicant is allowed
• The work should exemplify the theme (see “Theme: Unity” above)
• This competition is open to composers of all experience levels, background, and no religious or
denominational affiliation is required.
• Music should be written to be accessible for volunteer church choirs. They can (and should) present
vocal/choral/musical challenges, but not to the level of a professional choir or a choir beyond the
reasonable scope of the local church
• Accompaniment: can be a cappella or accompanied by piano/organ/chamber ensemble of standard
Western instruments. Keyboard reductions are required.
• The work should be unpublished (should be newly composed music comprised of either original or previously
existing material; all permissions for text or music should be procured prior to submission)
• Must be appropriate for Christian liturgical use (worship), although overt doctrine/beliefs need not be present.
• All choirs participating in the culminating service in early November will receive copies of the winning
compositions for their libraries free of charge. (applicable to winning entries)
• Pieces should be between 3-5 minutes in length
• Submissions are anonymous – your name and/or any identifying information should not appear on the score
• If you desire to submit a physical copy, please contact Mark Pope at mpope@upumc.org
• Works will be judged on basis of: adherence to theme, accessibility for choir and/or congregation, quality
and creativity of musical structure, and overall aesthetics

Timeframe
Accepting submissions: March 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020
Judging: July 2020
Announce Winners: by August 1, 2020
Culmination worship service: November 8, 2020 in Dallas, TX
• Worship service featuring 3-5 of the top compositions
• Compositions will be sung by several participating choirs in the DFW area

SMCC competition in collaboration with: University Park UMC, the Sacred Music Department (Perkins School of Theology, SMU), Terry Price,
and Mark Burrows, editor with Heritage Music Press).

For more information, contact Mark Pope: mpope@upumc.org Sponsored by: