In celebration of its 15th anniversary year, Newmoon Insurance Services Ltd. is delighted to announce a new young composers competition in partnership with Brass Bands England.
Newmoon Insurance Services Ltd. and Brass Bands England invite budding composers who have not yet reached their 26th birthday (born after 26 June 1997) to submit a new composition for brass band before the deadline of 26 June 2023. Compositions can be up to five minutes long, must not have been previously performed, and should be for standard brass band instrumentation.
The winning piece will be shortlisted by a panel of judges, and the successful composer will be offered a mentoring session with composer Liz Lane to support them in honing and refining their work.
The winning piece will be selected to be performed live at The Brass Band Conference 2023 taking place at the University of Huddersfield on Saturday 7 October 2023. In line with the theme of this year’s conference (Heritage and Innovation), composers are asked to reflect the theme of ‘Innovation’ in their compositions. In celebration of the anniversary Newmoon are particularly interested in compositions that are playable and enjoyable for bands of a range of abilities, with flexible parts to make best use of the abilities in the band. In addition to this performance opportunity, the winner will receive a £750 cash prize donated by Newmoon Insurance Ltd., as well as pledge for a publication contract to be confirmed by Brass Bands England with a partner publisher in the coming months.
Key Dates
January 23 - Competition Announced
June 26 - Applications Close, Final selection and Winner Announced by 14 July
July - August 23 - Mentoring offered to finalise piece
October 23 - Composition performed for the first time at The Brass Band Conference 2023 at The University of Huddersfield
FAQs
What are the instrumentation requirements?
This composition should be for standard brass band instrumentation:
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1 Soprano cornet |
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10 Cornets |
Solo (4/5 players) Repiano (1 player) 2nd (2 players) 3rd (2/1 players) |
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1 Flugelhorn |
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3 Tenor horns |
Solo, 1st, 2nd |
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2 Baritones |
1st and 2nd |
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2 Tenor trombones |
1st and 2nd |
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1 Bass trombone |
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2 Euphoniums |
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2 Eb Basses |
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2 Bb Basses |
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Percussion |
2 or 3 players |
How long should the piece be?
The submitted composition should be no more than 5 minutes in length according to the tempo markings.
What standard should the piece be?
The composition should be playable and enjoyable for brass bands of a range of ability, with flexibility in instrumentation or solos welcomed to make best use of the abilities of the band.
Does my piece need to be notated?
Yes, we require the piece to be notated in order for the judging panel to assess your work.
Who can apply?
To be eligible to apply, composers must have not reached their 26th birthday i.e. were born after 26 June 1997.
What is the prize?
The winning composition will receive a £750 cash prize donated by Newmoon Insurance Services Ltd. in addition to a publishing agreement arranged by Brass Bands England. The winning composition will be premiered at The Brass Band Conference 2023 at The University of Huddersfield on Saturday 7 October 2023, following mentoring sessions with composer Liz Lane who will provide feedback and guidance on the submitted work.
How do I apply?
To apply please complete this entry form by the deadline of Monday 26 June at 9am. The winning piece will be announced by Friday 14 July. Any questions can be directed to BBE’s Projects Officer Jessica Wilson on jess@bbe.org.uk.