3rd Annual Commission Competition Comes to Fruition

In NB’s recent chat with Miguel Felipe, he made quick mention of Tribulationes (2010), a work on the BCE’s upcoming program written by Vahram Sargsyan. What he didn’t mention, though, was that Tribulationes was the result of BCE’s 3rd annual Commission Competition.

BCE’s Commission Competition is currently one of the largest competitions of its type in the US. Last year, for example, the Competition received over 80 applications from around the globe. Since beginning in 2007, nearly 200 composers have entered the competition and scores have been received from every continent except Africa and Antarctica (we’re not holding our breath on that last one!).

Every applicant is competing for a commission and prize which was $1,300 this year. To enter, composers send three sample scores, a short bio, recordings (optional), and a proposal for how they might add to the concert’s programming concept.

Applications are digitized and made available to our jury. Members in 2009 were:

• Dr. Miguel Felipe, BCE’s Music Director
• Mr. Christopher Nickelson, BCE’s Assistant to the Music Director
• Dr. Andrew Shenton, Professor at Boston University, conductor
• Mr. Andy Vores, Professor at Boston Conservatory, composer
• Ms. Megan Workmon, BCE’s singer elected by the membership

In our next post, we’ll introduce you to our 2010 winner: Vahram Sargsyan. If you’re curious now, though, check out the press release from December 2009 when we announced Mr. Sargsyan as our winner.