Eligibility
The 2025 Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers (GSC) is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are under the age of 35 on the application deadline (August 15, 2024). For the 2025 competition that means听born after August 15, 1989.
All submitted works must be 100% original.
Competition dates
- Application deadline: August听15, 2024听at 12:00听PM (noon) EST
- Finalists announced: Week of October 14, 2024
- Pre-composition听consultation with all听finalists and musicians听(virtual): Week of听October 21 2024, schedule TBD
- Finalists submit commissioned work (full score and individual parts): March 16, 2025, by听12:00听PM (noon)听EST
- Finalists arrive in Montreal: May 10, 2025
- Final concert round:听Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST
Prizes
The commissioned works of all finalists will be premiered听at the Schulich School of Music of听苹果淫院. The concert will be webcast.听
- 1st Prize:听$18,000 CA
- 2nd Prize: $12,000 CA
- Three听Honourable听Mention Awards of $6,000 CA
- People's Choice Award of $6,000 CA
听
Application procedure
All official competition communications will be by email.
You must fill out the online application form and include:
- Proof of age and Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status. The following are acceptable documents: birth certificate, passport, citizenship certificate, or permanent resident card.
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae and a biography of 250-300 words.
- Scores for three (3) original works (in PDF format), each from 3-15 minutes long,听with accompanying program听notes (in PDF format).听Since the final round of competition will be a commission for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and vibraphone, we strongly recommended that one of your three preliminary submissions be in chamber music formation for mixed ensemble.听
- An audio OR video media file link for a minimum of one of your submitted works. Aim for the most professional standard possible. Before you send it, check that the link is working and can be read with any standard player. Links for Soundcloud (audio) and YouTube (video) are recommended.
The GSC reserves the right听to dismiss submissions that do not meet these requirements prior to jury review.
Travel to Montreal
If you are selected as a finalist, you will be required to be in Montreal from May 10-19, 2025 inclusive,听to rehearse with the ensemble and to attend the final concert.
If required, your travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the Competition. All finalists will receive a per diem. The Competition will not cover any costs for persons accompanying you to Montreal for the Competition.
Commissioned composition for final concert round
- Finalists must compose an original work for听6-person chamber ensemble: C flute, B-flat听clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and vibraphone (up to four mallets). The work must be 8 to 12 minutes long.
- Preparation of any of the instruments听as well as the听use of听electronics, amplification, or soundtracks is not permitted. Woodwind doubling,听the retuning of string instruments (scordatura) and the use of non-standard drumsticks or mallets are听not permitted. The concert piano will be tuned to听442听Hz and cannot be retuned.
- The GSC will provide one 6-person professional ensemble听to perform all of the works at the final concert, which will be webcast.听The performers for the 2025 edition of the GSC will be .
- The ensemble will have fifteen听(15) total hours of rehearsal on each听finalist's work听prior to the final performance, including six (6) hours each to work with the selected听finalists听between May 11-18, 2025.
- The commissioned work may not be performed in public by another ensemble in advance of the GSC. It must be premiered on May 18, 2025.
