TWIN CITIES WOMEN'S CHOIR EMERGING FEMALE COMPOSER CHORAL COMPOSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Application Deadline: Postmarked by June 1, 2010.

Twin Cities Women's Choir (TCWC) seeks original, unperformed compositions from emerging female composers for SSAA choir - either a cappella or with piano accompaniment - that speak to the theme of Illuminations: The Return of Light to our Lives. The composer of the winning piece will receive a cash prize of $1500, an archival recording of the premiere performance on December 5, 2010, in Minneapolis, MN, and a possible commercial recording on a future TCWC CD.

Detail:

The Twin Cities Women's Choir is pleased to announce a choral competition for an emerging female composer in continuation of our mission to affirm the voices of women. Emerging female composers are eligible and encouraged to submit their works for consideration. "Emerging" is defined as someone who is not well known as a choral composer on the national level. The composition should be suitable for our annual Illuminations Concerts. These concerts are held each December and reflect upon the return of light to our lives-literally and metaphorically. To find out more information about the Twin Cities Women's Choir, visit www.twincitieswomenschoir.org

Postmark deadline: June 1, 2010

Prize: $1500; live premiere with 2 performances of the work on December 5, 2010, in Minneapolis, MN; archival recording; and may be featured on a TCWC CD.

Submission Criteria:

- Applicants must be an emerging (someone who is not well known on the national level) female composer

- All submissions must be an original composition for SSAA choir, a cappella or with piano accompaniment. Occasional division of the SSAA parts is acceptable.

- If text is not original, proof of public domain or author's/publisher's written permission for use of text is required.

- Text may be sacred or secular. English language preferred. Should be suitable for our annual Illuminations Concerts.

- Performance time of the work should be approximately 3 minutes in length.

- All submissions must not have been commissioned or previously performed.

- The entry fee is $25.00, payable by check or money order. Check or money order must be made out to "Twin Cities Women's Choir" and in U.S. dollars. Multiple entries by the same composer are permitted. However, a separate entry fee of $25 and application packet must accompany each entry.

- Scholarships for the entry fee may be available. To inquire, contact Pat Teiken at patteiken@comcast.net

- Do not send original manuscripts. Please submit 3 clearly legible copies of the score, on 8x11 paper, unbound. Illegible copies will not be considered.

- Scores will be returned if a stamped (with adequate postage), self-addressed envelope is included with your submission.

- Scores submitted without a complete application packet will not be considered.

- The U.S. postmark deadline for entry is June 1, 2010.

- The winner will be announced no later than September 1, 2010.

- The TCWC reserves the right to not award a prize.

- The decision of the judges is final.

- Send all scores and application packets to:

Pat Teiken, Executive Director,

Twin Cities Women's Choir,

1672 Mackubin Street,

St. Paul, MN 55117.

APPLICATION PACKET:

Required:

- Composer's name, phone number and mailing address

- Composer's email address (all communications, including announcement of winner, will be via email)

- 3 legible copies of the score

- Proof of permission to use the text, if not original text or proof in the public domain.

- Biography of composer

- Check or Money Order for $25.00

- A self addressed-stamped envelope if you want scores returned.

Optional, but encouraged:

- List of composer's previous choral works and performances

- CD recording of the composition, i.e. midi, piano performance of score, etc.