Eligibility
The 2025 Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers (GSC) is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are under the age of 35 on the application deadline (August 15, 2024). For the 2025 competition that means born after August 15, 1989.
All submitted works must be 100% original.
Competition dates
- Application deadline: August 15, 2024 at 12:00 PM (noon) EST
- Finalists announced: Week of October 14, 2024
- Pre-composition consultation with all finalists and musicians (virtual): Week of October 21 2024, schedule TBD
- Finalists submit commissioned work (full score and individual parts): March 16, 2025, by 12:00 PM (noon) EST
- Finalists arrive in Montreal: May 10, 2025
- Final concert round: Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST
Prizes
The commissioned works of all finalists will be premiered at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. The concert will be webcast.
- 1st Prize: $18,000 CA
- 2nd Prize: $12,000 CA
- Three Honourable Mention Awards of $6,000 CA
- People's Choice Award of $6,000 CA
Application procedure
All official competition communications will be by email.
You must fill out the online application form and include:
- Proof of age and Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status. The following are acceptable documents: birth certificate, passport, citizenship certificate, or permanent resident card.
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae and a biography of 250-300 words.
- Scores for three (3) original works (in PDF format), each from 3-15 minutes long, with accompanying program notes (in PDF format). Since the final round of competition will be a commission for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and vibraphone, we strongly recommended that one of your three preliminary submissions be in chamber music formation for mixed ensemble.
- An audio OR video media file link for a minimum of one of your submitted works. Aim for the most professional standard possible. Before you send it, check that the link is working and can be read with any standard player. Links for Soundcloud (audio) and YouTube (video) are recommended.
The GSC reserves the right to dismiss submissions that do not meet these requirements prior to jury review.
Travel to Montreal
If you are selected as a finalist, you will be required to be in Montreal from May 10-19, 2025 inclusive, to rehearse with the ensemble and to attend the final concert.
If required, your travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the Competition. All finalists will receive a per diem. The Competition will not cover any costs for persons accompanying you to Montreal for the Competition.
Commissioned composition for final concert round
- Finalists must compose an original work for 6-person chamber ensemble: C flute, B-flat clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and vibraphone (up to four mallets). The work must be 8 to 12 minutes long.
- Preparation of any of the instruments as well as the use of electronics, amplification, or soundtracks is not permitted. Woodwind doubling, the retuning of string instruments (scordatura) and the use of non-standard drumsticks or mallets are not permitted. The concert piano will be tuned to 442 Hz and cannot be retuned.
- The GSC will provide one 6-person professional ensemble to perform all of the works at the final concert, which will be webcast. The performers for the 2025 edition of the GSC will be Ensemble Paramirabo.
- The ensemble will have fifteen (15) total hours of rehearsal on each finalist's work prior to the final performance, including six (6) hours each to work with the selected finalists between May 11-18, 2025.
- The commissioned work may not be performed in public by another ensemble in advance of the GSC. It must be premiered on May 18, 2025.
