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Australian Music News Highlights

Monday 14 May 2012

The Arts Minister, Simon Crean, delivered a funding boost of $4.6 million to the music industry, with artist development, stage craft and songwriting the main winners.

After The Melba Foundation failed to secure ongoing funds in Tuesday's budget, its CEO and founder Maria Vandamme has vowed to keep on supporting Australia's best classical musicians.

The announcement of drastic cuts to the ANU School of Music degree were followed last week by its head, Professor Adrian Walter taking an indefinite leave of absence from his job. Today it was announced that he has been appointed as Director of the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts and will take up the post in September.

President Barack Obama has honoured Burt Bacharach and Hal David as "two kings of songwriting", presenting them with America's most prestigious prize for popular music.

There are approximately 10,000 bagpipers in Scotland. Experts are sounding the lament over the loss of a traditional skill which means that sheepskins for the bespoke bag under the piper's armpit are often not of the right quality.

Vale Roman Totenberg (1911-2012), a Polish-born violinist who made music with Yehudi Menuhin, ate with Eleanor Roosevelt and built sandcastles with Igor Stravinsky.

Also in the news this week: John Berry, Beastie Boys, Joe Chindamo, Yo-Yo Ma, Shirley Manson, Paul Simon, Owsley "Bear'' Stanley, Shu-Cheen Yu, Victor Willis.

Oz Composers Birthdays: Lee Bracegirdle 1952, Tristram Cary 1925-2008, Roger Frampton 1948-2000, Attila Jurth 1945, David Sydney Morgan 1932, June Nixon 1942 Geoffrey d'Ombrain 1931.

Other Anniversaries:
1912–The first Indian film, Shree Pundalik by Dadasaheb Torne is released in Mumbai;

B: 1652–Johann Philipp Förtsch, German baroque composer, statesman and doctor (d. 1732); 1732–Thomas Erskine, 6th Earl of Kellie, British musician and composer (d. 1781); 1732–Francesco Pasquale Ricci, Italian composer and violinist (d. 1817); 1912–Arthur Berger, American composer (d. 2003); 1932–Bob Florence, American jazz pianist, composer, arranger (d. 2008); 1942–Taj Mahal, American musician; 1912–Richard Brooks, American film director, writer and producer (d. 1992); 1912–Perry Como, American singer (d. 2001); 1912–Bolesław Prus, Polish writer (b. 1847); 1912–August Strindberg, Swedish playwright, novelist and essayist (b. 1849); 1912–Studs Terkel, American writer (d. 2008); 1952–Phil Seymour, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 1993); 1922–Kai Winding, Danish-born jazz trombonist and composer (d. 1983). D: 1992–Chalino Sánchez, Mexican musician (b. 1960); 2002–Aşık Mahzuni Şerif, Turkish folk musician, composer and poet (b. 1940) 1992–Lawrence Welk, American musician (b. 1903); 1902–Meredith Willson, American composer (d. 1984).

 
Composition (Competitions & Scholarships Bulletin)
NEW: Krzysztof Penderecki Composers' Competition PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 16 May 2012 21:36

Certamen Compositorum Internationale ARBORETUM
Radom,  Poland

Deadline: 8 July 2012

Full details on website.

 
NEW: The Fifth Annual Texas Tech Trombone Choir Composition Contest PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 16 May 2012 21:31

Texas Tech University Trombone Choir
Texas  USA

Deadline: 30 November 2012

The TTU Trombone Choir Composition Contest Committee is requesting original works for trombone choir.  Full details downloadable HERE.

 
NEW: Musica Domani International Composition Prize PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 02 May 2012 19:29

Arioso Artists Management
USA

Deadline: 8 June 2012

3 categories: Piano (including duos & 2 pianos); solo instrumental works (fl, ob, cl, cor ang, bass cl, bsn, contrabsn, horn, vln, vc); chamber works - various combinations of duos, trios and quartets.  Full details on website.

 
NEW: WAM Song of the Year 2012 PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 02 May 2012 19:05

West Australian Music Industry Association
WA  Australia

Deadline: 30 July 2012

WAM Song of the Year is a prestigious songwriting competition open to unpublished West Australian songwriters of all ages and levels of experience, offering more than $30,000 in prizes.   For details go to website.

 
Music Theatre Now - Worldwide Competition for new Opera and Music Theatre PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 23:03

21-26 May 2013
The International Theatre Institute (ITI)
Jönköping,  Sweden

Deadline: 25 July 2012

The International Theatre Institute (ITI) has published the second call for entries for their competition Music Theatre NOW. The main goal of this unique event, which is produced by the German centre of the world’s largest organisation for the performing arts, is to promote exchange in among artists and presenters. „The world of opera and music theatre is exploding“, observed Laura Berman, project director, „more and more works are being produced around the globe. But only a few producers have the opportunity to see work from abroad – and this kind of performance does not travel very much.“  For full details go to website.

 
Composition Competition for Harpsichord PDF Print E-mail
Sunday, 08 April 2012 09:35

British Harpsichord Society
UK

Deadline: 1 September 2012

Announcing a new Composition Competition open to all ages and nationalities: submissions are invited for a solo work for harpsichord.  Full details downloadable by clicking here.
Website.

 
International Composition Competition 201 PDF Print E-mail
Sunday, 08 April 2012 09:27

Franz Schubert Conservatory“ of Vienna
Vienna,  Austria

Deadline: 1 November 2012

The "Franz Schubert Conservatory“ of Vienna is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the ,,International Composition Composition 2012“, an international competition for composers of all ages and nationalities.  Full details on website.

 
Songdoor International Songwriting Competition PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 03 April 2012 10:29

SongDoor
Tennessee,  USA

Deadline: 15 November 2012

SongDoor 2012 is an international songwriting competition that's open to anyone over 18, anywhere. We're looking for well-crafted songs; the demo quality and the performance are not nearly as important as the melodies, lyrics, structure and originality.  Details on website.

 
2012 Reveille Composition Prize PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 03 April 2012 09:34

Reveille

Deadline: 1 June 2012

The Reveille Trumpet Collective is proud to announce our second annual Composition Prize. This year’s Prize is for Trumpet and Percussion.  For details go to website.

 
Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 2013 PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 11:55

Tokyo Opera City
Japan

Deadline: 28 September 2012

Composition for an orchestra, except concerto. Open to any person, regardless of nationality, who is not more than 35 years old at the end of the year his/her application is made.   Full details on website.

 
NT Song Of The Year PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 11:33

Music NT
Northern Territory,  Australia

Deadline: 18 May 2012

Celebrating songwriting from across the Northern Territory the NT Song Of The Year Awards will recognise the amazing songwriters and songwriting emerging from the NT.  Artists across 8 genres from around the Northern Territory have the opportunity to be recognized for their songwriting talents.  For full details go to website.

 
13° International Chamber Music Competition PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 08 March 2012 09:19

Premio Trio di Trieste
Italy

Deadline: 15 September 2012

The “Associazione Chamber Music” is organizing the Composition Contest for Chamber Music Ensembles - in collaboration with “Chromas - Associazione Musica Contemporanea” and with the support of the Conservatory of Music "Giuseppe Tartini" - in honour to the composer Giampaolo Coral.   Rules and application form download here.
Website.

 
X Annual Symphony Composition Contest for Bands "City of Torrevieja" PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 06 March 2012 05:10

Alicante, Spain

Deadline: 31 October 2012

Open to composers of all ages, all nationalities.  Download information by clicking here.
Visit the contest on Facebook.

 
The Barlow Prize PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 09 February 2012 09:32

Barlow Endowment for Music Composition
Utah  USA

Deadline: 1 June 2012

The winning composer will receive a $12,000 commission from the Barlow Endowment to compose a major new work for A Cappella Choir.  The winning composer’s work will be premiered in 2014 by a consortium of three choirs:  BBC Singers (London), LATVIAN RADIO CHOIR (Latvia) and VOLTI (San Francisco). Open to all nationalities in all genre.  Full details on website.

 
Msagistralia Competition for Women Composers PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 09 February 2012 09:26

Magistralia Foundation
Oviedo  Spain

Deadline: 30 June 2012

The competition is open to all women composers of all nationalities and ages. Symphonic works with or without solo instrument.  Details on website.

 
2012 Solo Harp Composition Contest PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 09 February 2012 09:22

The USA International Harp Competition
Indiana  USA

Deadline: 30 October 2012

The Composition Contest of the USA International Harp Competition takes place prior to the triennial performance competition. The Contest was established as a part of its mission "to encourage composers to write new works for the harp and to promote the harp and harp music". Composers are invited to submit new works for solo harp.
Full details on website.

 
Mauricio Kagel Composition Competition PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 26 January 2012 20:34

Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien
Vienna  Austria

Deadline: 1 September 2012

The competition is open to all composers born after September 1st, 1972. The score should be for one piano, and may include all of its facets and possibilities (solo, four-hands, utilizing the interior of the piano, prepared piano, expansion of the instrument through tape,…)   For details go to WEBSITE

 
Svanholm Singers Composition Award PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 26 January 2012 16:49

Svanholm Singers
Stockholm  Sweden

Deadline: 15 June 2012 (entry opens 1 April 2012)

We are very proud and happy to present the Svanholm Singers Composition Award – International competition for male choir a cappella music! With prize money totalling € 9,500, we hope to receive numerous contributions of contemporary compositions for male voices. The winning piece will be premiered at Lund International Choral Festival in October, and all awarded compositions will be published by Ghermans Musikförlag. The competition is supported by the Crafoord Foundation. Please see the WEBSITE for more information

 
2012 Solo Harp Composition Contest PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 11 January 2012 12:12

USA International Harp Competition
Indiana  USA

Deadline: 30 October 2012

The Composition Contest of the USA International Harp Competition takes place prior to the triennial performance competition. The Contest was established as a part of its mission "to encourage composers to write new works for the harp and to promote the harp and harp music". Composers are invited to submit new works for solo harp.
Full details on website

 
Mauricio Kagel Composition Competition PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 11 January 2012 10:30

Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien
Vienna   Austria

Deadline: 1 September 2012

For scores for piano.  The competition is open to all composers born after September 1st, 1972. Winners of the 2010 edition are no longer eligible to enter.
website

 

 
International Wind Ensemble/Concert Band Composition Contest PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 30 June 2011 18:36

Town of Harelbeke (Belgium)

Deadline: 20 April 2012

For full details go to WEBSITE