COMPETITION FAQS
Is there a submission fee?
No. Entry to the competition is completely free of charge. All costs associated with the publication of scores, promotion of the Anthology, and performance of the Grand Prize Winners’ pieces will all be subsidized by PARMA.
What are the prizes for the contest?
Ten (10) winners will have their pieces included in the 2015 PARMA Anthology of Music. This anthology will be available on the PARMA website and distributed in PDF form. Three (3) Grand Prize Winners will have their pieces given a reading and archival recording with full symphony orchestra according to the terms of our PrimaVista program (www.parmarecordings.com/primavista).
How do I enter the competition? When are you accepting submission?
Please visit our submission form at www.parmarecordings.com/studentcomposercompetition/submission-form.html. The submission period will be open from December 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015.
Is there an age restriction?
Yes. Contestants must be thirty years old or younger.
Do I have to be a current student of music to participate?
Yes. Contestants must either be enrolled in a composition program or studying privately with a professional composer.
Does my piece have to be a certain duration?
Submitted pieces must be 10 minutes or shorter in length. Pieces exceeding 10 minutes will not be accepted.
What are the instrumentation requirements for submitted pieces?
Submitted works should be no greater than ten (10) minutes in duration and orchestrated within a standard orchestral configuration of 2, 2, 2, 2 – 4, 3, 3, 1 – percussion – strings, with optional piano and harp.
May I attend the reading/archival recording session?
PARMA’s PrimaVista sessions are conducted remotely via web interface, and all attendance is ‘virtual.’ Please see www.parmarecordings.com/primavista/about.html for more information about how the sessions work. All costs will be fully subsidized by PARMA.
Does my submission have to be written specifically for this competition?
No. Any works that were completed before the call for scores or finished during the submission period will be accepted.
Are there any territorial restrictions for contestants?
No. Anybody that meets the age and competition requirements is welcome to participate, regardless of their location.
Can I submit a piece that has already been published?
Self-published pieces will be accepted. Pieces under an exclusive publishing agreement with a third-party publisher are ineligible.
What format should I use for my score submission?
Scores must be submitted in PDF format.
What format should I use for my audio sample?
Audio samples must be submitted in either MP3 or MIDI format.
What happens to my rights to the composition?
As with all PARMA projects, all ownership rights to the composition will remain with the composer. We at PARMA feel it is very important for the creator of the works to maintain control of their intellectual property.
How will I know if I've won?
Winners of the competition will be announced on the PARMA website at the start of April 2015, and all contestants will be notified of the results via email.
Will the Anthology be sold?
No. The 2015 PARMA Anthology of Music will be available free-of-charge for performers and educators to download and use.
Why are you providing the Anthology for free?
We strongly believe and recommend to all of our artists that the benefits of providing your scores free-of-charge for use in performance and educational settings as means to encourage performers to utilize your material.