Young Composers Competition

2023-24 Competition Information

The 2023-24 New Jersey Young Composer’s Competition thanks everyone who submitted original pieces this year. The Finals Session was held at the NJMEA Conference on Saturday, February 24th and featured the following students:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Ivan Wong - “Crashing Down”
West Windsor-Plainsboro HS - Princeton Junction, NJ


FINALISTS

Ibrahim Aladdin - “Break”
Pioneer Academy - Wayne, NJ

Esther Chi - “The Jester”
Livingston HS - Livingston, NJ

Timothy Hwang - "Serene Chaos”
River Dell HS - Oradell, NJ

Benedict Segrest - “The Chained Ship”
Cherry Hill HS West - Cherry Hill, NJ

Submissions for the 16th Annual Competition will be accepted in the Fall of 2024.

Categories for Submission

Composers may submit works for vocal ensemble, instrumental ensemble, or mixed. All works must be 100% original. No arrangements or transcriptions will be accepted.

Competition Guidelines

Applicants must be New Jersey residents and must be sponsored by a current NJMEA/NAfME member.

  1. Students may submit multiple selections in each category, however a $20 application fee is required with each selection. Each entry must be have a separate completed application form and entry fee in order to be considered for eligibility.

  2. All compositions must have a title or opus number, and all names must be omitted from the score, program note, and audio file so that submissions may be judged anonymously.

  3. Students must include a brief program note that includes the composition title, with composer name omitted, describing the composer’s intention of the work.

  4. All scores must be submitted as PDF’s using a standard notation program, such as Sibelius or Finale. No handwritten scores will be considered for entry.

  5. Students must submit an audio recording of their composition in MP3 or WAV format, a PDF (digital copy) of their score and PDF of composition description/program note. Submissions without recordings or PDF score will not be considered for entry.

  6. While the applicant will retain ownership of their submission, all submissions will be kept by the NJMEA. No materials will be returned to students. NJMEA reserves the right to use student submissions for publicity and/or display. Finalist compositions will be posted on the NJMEA website.

  7. Submissions must be no longer than 7 minutes in length.

How to Submit a Composition

  1. Download and complete the attached PDF file titled “2023-24 NJMEA-YCC Application Form”. Send the completed form along with the $20.00 entry fee to the following address: Dr. Andrew Lesser, 6 Christopher Mills Drive, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. Checks should be made out to “NJMEA”

  2. Send the following materials by email to andrew.lesser@yahoo.com:

    • A wav. or mp3 file of the piece (may be computer recorded or live).

    • A pdf file of the program notes containing a description of the piece.

    • A pdf file of the full score.

  3. All files must not have any personal identifying information, including name, grade, or school in order to be accepted into the competition.

  4. Multiple submissions from the same composer will be accepted; however, a separate application and entry fee are required for each submission. For questions, please contact Dr. Andrew Lesser, NJ-YCC Chairman, at andrew.lesser@yahoo.com.

We are also looking for volunteers to participate on the committee of next year’s competition. You will need to be a member of NAfME and an active or retired music teacher in New Jersey. For further information, please contact Dr. Andrew Lesser, NJ-YCC Chairman, at andrew.lesser@yahoo.com.

Evaluation Critera

Evaluation of all submissions will be received by NJMEA approved Competition Judges. This panel will judge all works according to the following guidelines: 

  • Originality: Demonstrating a personal/unique style showing individual creativity.

  • Compositional Technique: Must have identifiable form, structure, and development. Correct usage of musical notation and score markings.

  • Compositional Maturity: Knowledge of medium, effective use of instruments/voices, and look of professionalism in score and recording.

  • Overall Appeal: Must be innovative, imaginative, and enjoyable.

Competition Policies

  • In the case of a tie, the highest and lowest scores will be eliminated and the overall score recalculated. If there is still a tie after the recalculation, then both entries will be accepted into the finals and receive the same placement.

  • If a single participant receives multiple placements in the finals, then the judges will accept the piece with the highest score.

  • The judges have the right to request changes to any vocal and instrumental piece that contains potentially inappropriate or offensive material (i.e. lyrics, program notes, etc.). In addition, participants who do not demonstrate ethical or moral behavior during all aspects of the competition may be disqualified through a vote by the NJ-YCC Committee.

  • The Grand Prize winner will consist of the piece that receives the highest score in  any division.

  • Prizes will be determined based on availability by the NJ-YCC Committee.

  • The NJ-YCC Committee has the right to change or alter these policies at any time on a case-by-case basis.