The Mary Otty Composition Prize 2020 Bristol Choral Society, one of the UK’s leading symphonic choruses, is delighted to announce a composition competition to be adjudicated by Judith Weir and Stephen Jackson Competition Rules Brief: A carol for mixed voice choir, either a cappella or accompanied by harp and/or piano. Divisi up to SSAATTBB is acceptable. Duration: 4 – 5 minutes Text: Composers may choose their own text, which may be sacred or secular in content, as long as it is suitable for inclusion in a Christmas programme. This must be non-copyright and in the public domain. Performance: Saturday 12 December 2020 7.30pm, Bristol Cathedral Presented by Bristol Choral Society, conducted by Hilary Campbell Harpist Anne Denholm Pianist Liam Dunachie Deadline: Monday 7 September 2020. Entries received after this date will not be considered. Adjudicators: Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music, and Stephen Jackson, Musical Director of Trinity Laban Chamber Choir Any composer, regardless of age, gender or nationality, may enter, other than those persons affiliated with the competition. Members of Bristol Choral Society and their close relatives, and persons connected to the competition and their close relatives, are not eligible to enter. Prizes 1st Prize: £1000 2nd Prize: £500 Audience Prize: £100 All shortlisted composers will receive a complimentary pair of tickets to the concert. Winning work will be published by Shorter House. Submission Works may be a cappella, or accompanied by harp and/or piano. If the work is a cappella, the score must include a piano reduction for rehearsal purposes. Candidates should submit two bound, double-sided hard copies of the score, computer typeset (handwritten copies are not acceptable). Compositions must be submitted anonymously, under a pseudonym. The composer’s real name must not appear anywhere on the score. The entry must be accompanied by a separate, sealed envelope containing the following information: the name of the work, the composer’s name, address, telephone number, email address, nationality and a signature indicating that he/she agrees to abide by the competition rules. The envelope should also contain a CV or biography of the composer. Entries should be sent to: Bristol Choral Society, 10 Barrow Court, Barrow Gurney, BRISTOL, BS48 5PY An electronic copy (in PDF format) of the score and a midi file or mp3 must also be e-mailed to: bcsprize@gmail.com. Please ensure that the composer’s real name does not appear on these files, but instead are labeled with the same pseudonym as on the hard copies. Selection Process A shortlist of up to 6 entrants will be chosen and notified no later than Monday 26 October 2020. We hope that shortlisted entrants will attend the concert on Saturday 12 December, when the pieces will be premiered in front of an audience and a panel of judges. The judges will select and announce the winners at the end of the concert and will award prizes; there will also be an audience prize. The judges’ selection of the winners is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Text Copyright and Permissions It is the candidate’s own responsibility to ensure that the text they have set is in the public domain and not subject to any copyright conditions. Failure to do so will disqualify the entry concerned. Copyright in your composition will remain with you after the premiere and the aforementioned permission is nonexclusive. You can continue to use the material in any way you wish and you can also permit others to use the material. All entries, including composers’ details, may be used in publicity campaigns post competition. Photographs of winning entries may also be used in publicity campaigns. The shortlisted entrants agree to take part in any post-competition publicity if required. General Competition Rules By submitting your composition, you grant to Bristol Choral Society, free of charge, permission to use the material in any way they wish. In order that Bristol Choral Society can use your composition you must confirm that your composition is: Your own original work. Has not previously been performed or published. Does not infringe any UK laws. You have the right to give Bristol Choral Society permission to use it for the purposes specified above. All candidates submitting entries must enclose a signed affirmation that the submitted composition is entirely their own original work and free from plagiarism of the work of others. This affirmation should also state that the text set in the submission is in the public domain and copyright free. The candidates themselves are liable if either of these assertions turns out to be untrue. Bristol Choral Society reserves the right to alter the competition rules due to unforeseen circumstances. Any competitor under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The adjudicators’ decision is final. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and agree to be bound by them by entering the competition.