Composition Competitions

Composition competitions are something I should know better than to have anything to do with. However, from time to time, I will break down and submit an entry.

But I draw the line at ones with entry fees. I was just looking at one with an entry fee of $75! ($30 for each additional score). It was for the American Recorder Society. I wrote -- ghost-wrote -- a review for their publication last year, submitted by someone I know under her name. She's not even a good recorder player. I'll never do that again, either.

The prizes for this contest: First, $1500; Second, $750; Third, $500; one prize each. Some quick math reveals that if only 37 people enter one score each, the prizes will be covered. This is a racket, frankly. My experience is that at least that many people will enter. A competition offering a smaller prize I once entered had over 500 applicants. True, there was no entry fee in that case, but this competition's winning work will be played by no less than the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet. With a work possibly being played by this great ensemble, I'm sure they'll get their 37 entrants. Moreover, the jury will be the Quartet itself and a Dutch composer. I wonder if they'll split the loot. Read all about it here. All this, and no lottery licence....

There may be a good reason, after all, why I don't seem to make any money in music. I'm not doing the right things. I wonder what the fraud squads of the various constabularies with jurisdiction in my area would think if I started a competition for a work to be played by me and judged by me and charged a fee for entries? Reminds me of someone in a Ukridge short story by P. G. Wodehouse I re-read recently about selling chances on a dead dog (The Level Business Head).