2024 EARplay
Donald Aird Composers
Competition

Deadline: March 31, 2024

Earplay sponsors the annual Earplay Donald Aird Composers Competition, open to composers of any nationality and any age. Earplay performs the prizewinning piece and presents a cash prize of $1,000 to the winning composer. The competition honors the late composer/conductor/Earplay board member Donald Aird, an ardent supporter of the creation and performance of new music. A list of past competition winners, finalists, and honorable mentions is here.

You can submit an Aird competition application electronically or by mail. Please send an e-mail if you have questions or comments.

Compositions

Works are limited to 1 to 6 players (at most 1 of each, e.g., not 2 violins) from Earplay's ensemble:

flute/piccolo/alto flute/bass flute
clarinet/bass clarinet
piano
violin
viola
cello

Works may include electronics.
Works may be of any duration (8-15 minutes preferred).
Works may have been previously performed.
Each composer may submit any number of pieces.

Award

Cash prize: $1,000.
Performance by Earplay during our next season.
Earplay will announce the winner in fall 2023.
All entries will be considered for future performance.

Application

Earplay strongly encourages you to use online application, but if you prefer you can print an application form, fill it out, and mail it instead. You can use online application even if you intend to mail some parts of your application (composer bio, score, program note, recording, or payment). Sorry, mailed application materials cannot be returned.

Anonymity

Each submitted score must have all composer identification removed so that the competition jury receives no information about the composer when it reviews the score. If you wish to submit video, the video must have all composer identification removed. Only the competition administrator sees the submitted composer information, bio, and program note. If a program note is included as part of the score, the note should not provide identification data (academic affiliation, premiere personnel, ...).

Checklist

Completed online application (preferred) or application form
Brief composer biography
Score (all composer identification removed)
Brief program note (not required but recommended)
Audio recording (not required but recommended; send an e-mail if you want to submit video)
Application fee US $26 per score (cash, check payable to Earplay, or PayPal payment)