Entries have already been received from around the world for the third annual A4 Brass Quartet's Composition Competition.
The award winning ensemble are currently enjoying a busy period of engagements with concerts and masterclasses at the University of Huddersfield, alongside trips to Somerset, North Yorkshire and Devon, before a trip to Switzerland at the end of March as guests of the Liberty Brass Band.
Mancunian inspiration
For this year, A4 Brass are looking for a concert work inspired by the city, culture, and/or heritage of Manchester — the quartet's spiritual home. Works for either acoustic brass quartet or works incorporating backing tracks and/or audio electronics will be accepted.
Competition rules
The brief for the compositions is very free, but the following must apply to each entry:
Compositions must be of 4-8 minutes in duration
Works must never have been performed before
Instrumentation of: Bb cornet (doubling flugel), horn in Eb, baritone in Bb (treble clef) and euphonium in Bb (treble clef)
Mutes are available if required for all instruments
It is not necessary to submit scores anonymously
Please consider score/part presentation, practicality and suitability for concert performance for the entry
Entries must contain a set of both score and parts.
Prizes:
There is a very encouraging £650 prize fund, linked to the aim of encouraging a new generation of student composers with a special Under 24 award (if both 1st and 2nd prize fall into this category, the next highest U24 entry will receive this award).
First prize is £400 and regular performances on the quartet's concert series in 2020/21. Second prize is £150 and regular performances on the quartet's concert series in 2020/21. The special under 24 prize is worth £100.
For this year, A4 Brass are looking for a concert work inspired by the city, culture, and/or heritage of Manchester4BR
How to enter:
Scores can be submitted as either a Sibelius 7 (or earlier) file OR as PDF files accompanied by an mp3/m4a file, and need to be emailed to a4brassquartet@hotmail.co.uk with 'A4 COMPOSITION COMPETITION' in the subject line.
The closing date for entries is Friday 10th April, with finalists and subsequent award winners being announced before the summer holidays!
