The partnership between the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) and Cory Band has announced the return of its annual Composition Competition.
Last held in 2019 prior to the Covid-19 hiatus, the popular competition attracted entrants from across the world. Composers are now being invited to submit new brass band compositions before the deadline of 1st March 2022.
Format
The works for standard brass band instrumentation can be up to 5 minutes in duration, with the provision that they must not have been previously publicly performed.
Four compositions will be shortlisted to be performed by Cory in concert on stage at the RWCMD. Each will also broadcast in a series of programmes in late Spring 2022 on the band's YouTube channel, after which an online public vote will decide the winner.
The series will include opinions, analysis and interviews with the composers, as well as the performance of each piece. An online public vote will decide the winner, which will gain a cash prize of £300, a publication contract for the new work with Wright & Round Music Publishers and a pledge for it to be commercially recorded by Cory.
Relaunch
Musical Director Philip Harper told 4BR: "I'm so pleased to be able to relaunch this competition which encourages the creation of vibrant, new music for bands to play in their concerts.
We have revamped several aspects of the competition, not least the switch to a public vote to decide the winner which we hope will result in a high level of engagement."
We have revamped several aspects of the competition, not least the switch to a public vote to decide the winner which we hope will result in a high level of engagementPhilip Harper
Exciting event
He added: "The decision to make a short series of broadcast programmes was based on our successful experiences of our online competitions over lockdown, and we hope it means more people from all over the world can experience what is sure to be an exciting event."
Anyone interested in applying should download an application form from www.coryband.com