Composers are invited to submit a new work for Ensemble Altera’s fourth annual Composition Competition. The winning work(s) will be premiered and recorded live (with the potential of being recorded and filmed for online release) by the ensemble as part of its summer project, A New Song: Psalms for the Soul. A prize fund of $750 is available. 

​

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

Composers are invited to set one of several texts from the Book of Psalms (see below). The work should be an a cappella composition lasting between three and five minutes, scored for any combination of mixed voices up to eight parts (e.g.: SATB, SSATB, SSAATTBB, SATB.SATB). The competition is open to all composers, regardless of age or experience. The deadline for submissions is Friday August 2, 2024 at 5PM EDT.

 

The competition will be judged by a specially convened panel including Ensemble Altera director Christopher Lowrey, one core member of the ensemble, and one industry professional. The panel reserves the right to divide the prize money between multiple winners if there is no consensus, or, in the unlikely event that none of the submissions meets a minimum artistic standard, to choose no winner. Shortlisted composers from previous competitions are invited to re-apply, but we will not accept submissions from any composers who have won the competition in a previous year.

 

A shortlist of finalists will be chosen by the panel and announced by Friday August 9, 2024 at 5PM EDT. The winner(s) will be chosen and announced by Friday August 16, 2024 at 5PM EDT. The shortlisted finalists who are not named winner(s) will receive an honorable mention. All entrants will be notified of the result privately by email at each stage of the competition before results are made public.

​

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE

A chamber choir of "seamless ensemble perfection" (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), ENSEMBLE ALTERA was founded to be the beating heart of professional choral music in the United States. Led by internationally celebrated countertenor Christopher Lowrey, the group has quickly become known for thoughtful programming, passionate performances, and tireless advocacy for the importance of ensemble singing in the broader music culture. Recent programs include A Christmas Present, a sumptuous collection of seasonal music written in the new millennium, Dazzling Light, an exploration of illumination in the physical and metaphysical worlds, Sure on this Shining Night, featuring American choral music of the last century, and a boldly reimagined chamber version of Handel's Messiah, co-presented with Newport Classical. Throughout its short history, Altera has received universally rave reviews, creating "some of the best choral singing by an American choir". Upcoming projects include A New Song: Psalms for the Soul, charting a survey of the Psalms of the Hebrew Bible, in all their dizzying variety, and Feminine Voices, featuring works by female composers for treble voices arrayed around Britten's Ceremony of Carols. Additionally, in 2024 Altera undertakes their first tour, to Texas, makes their debut at Carnegie Hall in Brahms' Requiem, with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and releases its first commercial album, The Lamb's Journey, on Alpha Classics. Deeply committed to championing new works and lifting up new voices, over the past few seasons Altera has premiered works by Motshwane Pege, Toby Young, Joanna Marsh, Daniel Gledhill, Zuzanna Koziej, and Michael Garrepy. In addition to performing, Ensemble Altera undertakes an extensive education and outreach program. Such activities include clinics and interactive presentations with school students in a variety of settings, with a particular focus on opening musical horizons to those from underserved backgrounds. Additionally, Altera has a profound faith in the healing power of music both in and out of the concert hall, and is proud to offer its complete recorded music library free of charge in collaboration with select partners in music therapy.

​

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

1. Entrants are required to submit a choral setting of one of the set texts included below.

2. The work should be scored for unaccompanied mixed voices up to 8 parts, for example SATB, SSATB, SATBarB, SSAATTBB, SATB.SATB.

3. The work should ideally last between three and five minutes, but shorter or longer works of exceptional quality will be considered. 

4. Scores should be typeset on electronic engraving software, delivered electronically in PDF form, and accompanied by a recorded sequence of the work.

5. The competition is open to composers of any citizenship, country of residence, race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or age.

6. Shortlisted composers from previous competitions are invited to re-apply, but we will not accept submissions from any composers who have won this competition in a previous year.

7. Only one application per composer will be considered.

 

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONSScores should be sent in PDF form along with sequenced recordings and the attached application form to: admin@ensemblealtera.com with the subject line “2024 Competition Submission”. All submissions will be acknowledged by email within 48 hours. The deadline for submissions is Friday August 2, 2024 at 5PM EDT.

​

PRIZE FUND

A prize fund of $750 is available, to be allocated at the panel’s discretion, either to one or multiple winning compositions, or not at all in the unlikely event that none of the submissions meets a minimum artistic standard.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. The work must be original and the entry form signed with the written guarantee that it is solely the work of the composer. 

2. The work must not have had a public performance, nor a recording that is publicly available (whether commercial or not), nor a broadcast of any sort. 

3. The competition will be judged by a specially convened panel including Ensemble Altera director Christopher Lowrey, one core member of the ensemble, and one industry professional.

4. The winner(s) will be notified privately by email before a public announcement on Friday August 16, 2024; the first public performances of the work(s) will be given during the weekend of September 14 & 15, 2024 in Cambridge, MA and Providence, RI. The winning composer(s) is/are encouraged to attend the premiere where possible.

5. The winner(s) grant(s) exclusive rights to Ensemble Altera to perform for a period of 3 months, and to record the work(s) as part of Altera’s A New Song: Psalms for the Soul project, as well as the option to include the work on a future commercial album. These rights must be granted to Altera with no additional fees or licenses. 

6. Personal details on the entry form will be processed according to best data protection practices. The winning entrant(s) is/are expected to be identified and promoted in post-competition publicity and to agree to their name(s) being made publicly known. 

​

JUDGING PROCEDURES

In an effort to prevent any conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest arising during the judging process, all submissions will be anonymized by a third party ahead of time and will be judged blindly by all members of the panel. A shortlist of roughly 5-10 pieces will be chosen by the panel, from which the winner(s) will be drawn. In all matters relating to the competition the decision of the panel is final and correspondence and requests for feedback will only be entertained for shortlisted pieces.

​

2024 COMPOSITION TEXTS

Composers may set any text from the Book of Psalms, also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, the first book of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Old Testament. We highly encourage using the English translation of the psalm(s) from the Book of Common Prayer found here.

​

Entries may contain either: (i) the entire text of one psalm, (ii) an excerpt or excerpts of one psalm, or (iii) excerpts from multiple psalms. Any excerpted psalms must adequately convey a coherent meaning and theme. In the case of any questions regarding texts, please contact the competition organizers at admin@ensemblealtera.com.

​

Please click on the downloadable PDF for the required text and entry form. Submit all materials to admin@ensemblealtera.com.