Student Composition Competition

Founded in 1983, Phoenix Chamber Choir has enjoyed over 40 seasons as one of Canada’s finest vocal ensembles, renowned for diverse and eclectic programming from the Renaissance to the contemporary, commissions from Canadian and international composers, and North American premieres of significant new works. Throughout these years, Phoenix has played an integral part in developing young musicians, composers and conductors in Vancouver, and has helped to establish Canada’s West Coast as one of the most important centers of choral music in the world.

Phoenix’s Student Composition Competition exists to support the next generation of choral composers, enriching their composition studies and premiering their works to audiences local and abroad. With exceptional concert programs featuring these world premieres, we offer composers and audiences a commitment to new works that continue to explore and refine the edge of choral practice.

Rules and Regulations

Participation is open to any undergraduate or graduate students. Students are not required to be composition majors or music majors.
For this choral competition, we invite students to submit one SATB choral composition. The piece will be judged by a jury consisting of choral conductors, composers and performers. Special consideration will be given to those pieces that demonstrate excellence in compositional craft, imagination, idiomatic effectiveness, and a fresh approach to choral writing.
All submissions must be electronic, in PDF format.
Deadline for 2024/2025 entry is December 22, 2024 at 11:59pm.
Must be an original composition and not an arrangement. It must not have been previously commissioned, performed or published.
All works must be a cappella.
The piece must be relevant to the theme of the concert, “Meditations”. (Note: this does not necessarily mean it has to be a slow or typically ‘meditative’ piece – be creative!)
The text must either be available in the public domain, or permission must be obtained in writing from the author or copyright holder of the text and submitted with the application.
If the text is not in English, a pronunciation guide (IPA) must be included. Works without ‘language’ in text (ie – vocable) are also permissible.
The winning composer’s work will be premiered at Phoenix Chamber Choir’s concert on May 3, 2025 at Shaughnessy Heights United Church. Compositions can take many directions; however, the following parameters must be followed:
- A cappella for 4-part SATB chorus, with divisi if appropriate
- Duration of 3-4 minutes
- For medium to advanced choirs
- The score and midi recording and rehearsal tracks (individual recordings of each voice, SATB) must be completed and submitted with application.
- The winning piece must be marked, whenever possible, as the “2023 Winning Entry of the Phoenix Chamber Choir Student Composition Competition” on the music score, cover, and in the concert program.
The composer will be featured in social media and promotional materials prior to the premiere, including a short video of the composer speaking about their piece to be included in an online concert release.
There is no entry fee for the competition.
The jury reserves the right not to award any prize and Phoenix Chamber Choir (PCC) reserves the right not to perform the submitted composition.
Compositions submitted to the competition shall be deemed the Intellectual Property of the submitting composer and any rights relating to this shall remain with the composer. The winner of the competition shall grant PCC the right to premiere the submitted composition. No public performance shall be allowed prior to the premiere performance. PCC shall not pay any fee to the composer for any audio and/or audiovisual recordings of the performance.
The winning composer will receive a professional recording of the premiere of their work.
Participation in the competition implies full knowledge and acceptance of these regulations. PCC does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
All questions should be directed to Phoenix Chamber Choir through the production manager, productions@phoenixchoir.com.
The winner will receive an honorarium of $500 CAD. The jury’s decision is final.

Click Here to Apply!

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2023/2024: Colin Cossi, The Lost Lagoon

Colin Cossi is a choral artist based in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned a BM in Music Education from the University of Oregon in 2016 and taught K-5 elementary music and 6-12 choral music in Washington State from 2016-2022. As an MM student at ASU, he has taught Beginning Choral Conducting, co-taught Choral Methods, conducted the Sol Singers, and assistant-conducted the Concert Choir. With community, inclusion, justice, and storytelling as a lens for music making, he approaches the vocal arts as a multifaceted practitioner and pedagogue. His skills in singing, educating, conducting, composing, and writing serve to bring people across all sorts of differences together through music.

2022/2023: Kristine Choi, The Herdsman and the Weaver

Kristine Choi is a classically trained pianist and a student enrolled in a dual degree in Bachelor of Music and Education at University of British Columbia. She was the recipient of numerous scholarships, including the Norah Mansell Music Scholarship, June Goldsmith Scholarship in Music, and President’s Outstanding Graduate Award, to name a few. While actively participating in piano competitions, she also sings in the UBC Choir and Vocal Chamber and choir workshops. She gives back to her community through involvement in her church as a piano accompanist and singer, and in community wind ensembles as a flautist. Kristine holds a Piano Teaching Certification from the RCM, instructing piano and theory.

2019/2020: Timothy Cunningham, To Tsampasin

Timothy Cunningham is a composer and vocalist based in Southern California. Deeply rooted in meditative melodies and rich harmonies, his works span several genres, with pieces written for orchestra, choir, chamber ensembles, soloists, and electronic music. His experience lies in choral music, which is evident by the lyrical and expressive sonic properties of all his works. A supporter of collaboration, Cunningham has partnered with other composers, directors, and performers to write film scores, music for theater, pop songs, and concert music alike. With a strong influence from his Greek heritage, Cunningham’s works feature several compositional techniques drawn from the beautiful melodic content of Byzantine chant and the unique texture of Greek folk music. Upon graduation from the University of Redlands, Cunningham plans on pursuing a career in choral conducting and composition.