score coMPETITION 2026

Cantori New York seeks original music for chorus and up to 5 guest performers, between 15 and 30 minutes in duration.

Cash prizes will be awarded to our top three selections: $4000, $2000, and $1000. Additionally, the first-place winner will be performed in NYC no later than 2028.

To apply, please submit an engraved full score including any program notes. Submission fee is $10, which may be waived upon request.

Submit the form by November 13, 2026 at 11:59pm at the international dateline. Winners will be announced in Spring 2027.

Terms & Conditions

Submission Overview

  1. Google Account: in order for Google to accept large file uploads via our submission form, applicants must be logged in. If you don’t use Gmail (or simply want to keep your Google identity private), feel free to create a new one for this purpose. We will send all communications to the email address you enter in Question #1, not the Google Account used to fill out the form.

    If this presents a technical challenge, please contact us at the address below.

  2. Number of Submissions: up to 3 (but see below for fees).

  3. Performance Duration: 15-30 minutes.

  4. Chorus: approximately 40 adults, mixed voices (SSAATTBB maximum divisi).

  5. Accompaniment: works may be a cappella, or require up to 5 guest performers. By “guest performer” we mean an instrumentalist (from any musical tradition), vocal soloist, speaker, operator of electronics, etc. Piano is discouraged.

  6. Text: any author or theme is permitted. It is the responsibility of the composer to secure permission before submitting. If any text is not in the public domain, please provide proof of permission to use it (an email from the author or publisher will suffice). No vocalises please.

    For multi-movement works, cohesiveness of texts will be considered during judging. Texts that work together to emphasize a common theme or whose origins are related are preferred over random groupings. 

  7. Language: the text can be in any language or combination of languages. If the language uses a non-Latin alphabet, a singable transliteration must be engraved in the score. For all texts not in English, a translation must appear in the front matter.

  8. AI Policy: all entries must be the original work of a living composer. AI tools can be used to assist in the creative process, but pieces generated entirely by AI, where both text and music are created with minimal human input, are not permitted. Any use of AI must be declared and briefly described to ensure transparency in the judging process.

  9. Program Notes: highly encouraged!

  10. Audio Recordings: if your composition includes sounds that may elude detailed notation, such as electronics, field recordings, improvisation, traditional styles, etc., your submission may include audio demonstrations. If you include audio demonstrations as part of your submission, please clearly indicate the corresponding filename(s) in the score. Audio mockups of the work as a whole are also permitted, but are NOT a factor in judging.

  11. Fee: first score is $10 (may be waived upon request — see below). Additional submissions are accepted, but cost $30 each. All fees will be used to offset the cost of our professional judging staff.

  12. Payment Methods: the application form will ask you to submit a receipt from one of the following payment vendors. You may also submit a written statement of hardship in lieu of a receipt.

  13. Deadline: submit the form by November 13, 2026 at 11:59pm at the international dateline.

Eligibility

  1. Age limit: none.

  2. Nationality: any.

  3. Demographics: we collect information on age, gender, ethnicity, etc to assess how well we are attracting applicants from different backgrounds. This information will NOT be shared with judges.

  4. Composition date: we are happy to consider any music written by a living composer, subject to the restrictions below.

  5. Past performances: Cantori’s mission is to champion new music and revive neglected works that deserve the public’s attention. As such, we DO accept music with one or two prior performances in a nonprofessional setting (such as school, festival, or workshop reading). However, works that have already been performed by a professional ensemble, released on a commercial recording, or performed more than twice in any setting are NOT eligible.

  6. Cantori New York affiliation: composers whose work has previously been premiered by Cantori are NOT eligible. Cantori singers, alumni, staff, board members, and their immediate families are NOT eligible.

  7. Previous submissions: composers that have applied to prior rounds of the Cantori Score Competition are welcome to apply again, so long as their submissions were not performed by Cantori. Works that have appeared in a previous submission must be revised, recontextualized, or recombined into a demonstrably new form.

Engraving

  1. Full Score: must be engraved or impeccably handwritten, showing all parts (transposed), submitted as a PDF. If a handwritten score is selected for performance, the submitter must supply a fully engraved score and parts according to our specifications.

  2. Piano/Vocal Score: if the work calls for 3 or more instruments, an additional engraved vocal score with piano reduction of the instrumental parts is recommended. Said Piano/Vocal Score should contain all vocal and instrumental parts, in as few staves as possible, for maximum readability by our judges. Piano reduction playability will not be judged.

  3. Instrumental Parts: should NOT be submitted. If selected for performance, winner(s) will be required to supply instrumental parts at a later date.

  4. Rastral Size: staves that singers are intended to perform from should be no less than 6.5mm. If submitting a piano/vocal score, then its piano reduction can be smaller, as can the vocal lines in the full score — but no less than 5mm.

  5. Page Layout: 9” x 12” concert size is ideal for full scores (8.5” x 11” will suffice). Piano/vocal scores should be 8.5” x 11”. Portrait layout only. Landscape scores will NOT be accepted.

  6. Front Matter: include text (with English translation, if the original text is in another language), composer and author names, a detailed list of instrumentation, duration, program notes, and dedication if you have one. The instrumentation list must include the highest level of useful detail: for example, if your composition includes marimba, specify the size. As applicable, front matter must also include confirmation of permission to use the text.

  7. Lyrics: please emphasize the readability of all text within the score.

  8. Page Turns: please avoid awkward page or system breaks for singers where possible.

  9. Other: please refer to MOLA guidelines for additional tips.

Awards

  1. Prize Money: $4,000 for the 1st place winner; $2,000 for 2nd place; $1,000 for 3rd place.

  2. Additional Prize: A premiere performance of the 1st prize winner performed by Cantori New York, including a live recording. The work will be programmed no later than 2028.

  3. Judges: Our judging panel will be drawn from composers, teachers, instrumentalists, singers, and other prominent members of the choral community.

  4. Process: all scores will be reviewed by at least 2 judges. If an assigned judge feels that they cannot be impartial to a particular submission (e.g. their student), we will have an additional judge review it.

  5. Announcement: winners will be announced in Spring 2027 on this website and by email.

  6. Parts: winners will be expected to engrave individual parts for each instrument upon request.

  7. Copyrights: Composers retain ownership of all submissions, including the exclusive rights to publish, arrange, perform, record, or synchronize them. If a submission receives a cash prize, the composer grants Cantori New York a permanent license to perform the winning work, and to display the live performance on our website & social media channels for promotional purposes. Any further uses by Cantori New York (e.g. a commercial album) will be negotiated separately.

Contact

  1. For any questions not answered here or on the submission form, please write to: scorecontest@cantorinewyork.com

T&C last revised: August 30, 2026