Opportunity for Schools: The UCD Composition Prize
UCD Composition Prize 2025. Image courtesy of UCD School of Music
UCD School of Music: The UCD Composition Prize 2025
Deadline: 10 January 2025 at 3pm
Calling young composers! The UCD School of Music has officially launched the second year of the UCD Composition Prize.
The competition offers secondary school students across Ireland the opportunity to have their music performed in the National Concert Hall, with cash prizes awarded to the top three winning pieces.
Last year’s overall winner was 17-year old Cody Grove from ETSS, Wicklow, with further prizes awarded to Laszlo Varga (Celbridge Community School, Kildare), Amy Tyson (Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast), and Johnny Blake (Gonzaga College SJ, Dublin)
The competition is open to Transition Year and Leaving Cert / A-Level students studying anywhere on the island of Ireland.
Students are invited to submit an original composition for any combination of 1-4 instruments. Compositions should be submitted as pdf files with an accompanying MIDI realisation (e.g. using notation software such as MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale, etc.)
Compositions will be judged on both their creative achievements (originality, strength of the creative ideas, etc.) and on their technical standard (clearly notated, well-written for the instruments, etc.), with additional consideration given to feasibility of performance. FAQs are answered on the website www.ucd.ie/music/ensembles/ucdcompositionensemble
A panel of UCD composition teachers and student members of the UCD Composition Ensemble will select three winning pieces to be awarded cash prizes. Additionally, the first-place winner will have their work performed by the UCD Composition Ensemble in the National Concert Hall’s Kevin Barry Room on Friday April 25th 2025.
Entry is free to all. Email your submissions to composition@ucd.ie.
Deadline: 3pm Friday January 10th 2025.
If you would like to receive a poster for your school or any further information on the competition, please email Dr. Peter Moran at composition@ucd.ie or visit our website www.ucd.ie/music/ensembles/ucdcompositionensemble/