NEW WORKS RISING

This competition is open to composers of all ages and nationalities.​

Available cash awards are $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. All awards are in US dollars.

​At its sole discretion, PBC may cover all or a portion of the costs of travel for one or more of the winning composers to attend the premiere of their composition by the Phoenix Boys Choir (“PBC”).

An opportunity may also be available, upon mutual agreement between PBC and any winning or non-winning composer, for publication of the composer’s submitted work as part of the Herbert Washington Choral Series with Santa Barbara Music Publishing.

Entries should relate to the theme of PBC’s 2026-27 season, “Pathways” (see detailed description above).

All entries must be received by 10:00 PM (MST/PDT) on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

There is no fee for entry. This competition has been designed to eliminate any need for composers to incur duplication, mailing, or other costs.

Entries shall be scored for boys’ choir with mixed voices, including SSA, SATB, SA, and variations thereof, and may be either accompanied or a cappella. Works should be suitable for performance by 15-40 choristers. Please note that although our youth ensembles are comprised of boys with unchanged treble voices, we regularly perform works with added tenor and bass voicings sung by our older boys and adult men.

Compositions must not exceed 6 minutes in duration. The composition should be of intermediate to advanced intermediate difficulty. Minimal divisi is acceptable.

​Any style or genre of music is permitted (i.e., works need not be considered classical). Jazz, gospel, spirituals, pop, rock, world, crossover works, etc. are all welcome and encouraged. The inclusion of optional choreography, body percussion, and other eurythmic elements is acceptable.

​The composition may feature a maximum of five added instrumental forces, with the understanding that the primary focus of the work should be the voices. Any instrumentation should enrich the texture of the music and not merely double the voices.

All musical elements of an entry must be the original work of the submitting composer, created without using AI or any other similar assistive technology. Arrangements of pre-existing works are not permitted.

The text of the composition may be either original or from sacred or secular sources in any world language. A translation of non-English texts must be submitted. The use of public domain or original texts is encouraged.

Texts first published in 1931 or later are usually copyrighted, with certain exceptions like U.S. Government works. Compositions using copyrighted texts must be accompanied by (A) proof of the composer’s right to use and/or distribute the text for the submitted work, and (B) proof of any other relevant information regarding Phoenix Boys Choir’s ability to license the text for a first commercial recording of the work. (Any costs related to securing copyright permissions are the sole responsibility of the composer).

PBC claims the right of first performance of all winning entries. Therefore, compositions must be new works not previously adjudicated, recorded, or performed in any form in public, outside of a studio or classroom in an academic forum or workshop setting, with no public premiere intended.

Only one work per composer will be accepted.

The winning compositions will be selected by a panel of guest adjudicators and PBC’s Artistic Director, Herbert Washington. Their evaluation will consider the quality of the piece and its suitability for a successful performance by PBC. This year’s adjudicators are:

Andy Beck
Bob Chilcott
Derrick Fox
Judith Herrington
Sarah Quartel
Paul John Rudoi
Joan Szymko

Winning composers will be notified by email and winning selections announced on our social media platforms on September 15, 2026. PBC reserves the right to make no award if no entry is deemed to be of sufficient quality and/or suitability for our ensemble(s). However, it is our good-faith intent to make at least one award. The decision of the judges is final.

The following items are required with each submission:

• Score. All scores must be clearly readable and ready for duplication and performance, preferably in PDF format. Scores must be clearly identified as to title and source of text, but the composer’s name must NOT appear on the score, as the judging will be conducted anonymously.

• Text. A standalone version of the underlying text(s) must be provided, unless the text appears in the score. An English translation of any foreign-language text must be included.

• Audio. An audio realization of the composition must be submitted in MP3 format.

All entries may be submitted electronically using the form on this page or emailed to [email protected]. All items described in Section 10 (above) must be included, regardless of the chosen submission method.

PBC will ensure that digital files are not shared, forwarded, or distributed beyond our membership.

Digital Files: All digital files should be named using the following format:

[First 3 letters of composer’s last name] – [Title of Piece] – [submitted item]

For example, the PDF of a score entitled “There Was Time” by John Smith would be named SMI – There Was Time – Score.pdf. An MP3 of the same work would be named SMI – There Was Time – Audio.mp3.

Digital Portfolio: All submission materials should be compiled into a single digital folder or ZIP file. Composers must either (1) provide a link to the digital folder location [i.e., Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.] where requested on the submission form below, or (2) provide a folder link or attached ZIP file in a submission email. Each submitted portfolio should include the following as applicable:

A. PDF of score (the composer’s name must NOT appear on the score)

B. PDF of text (if not included in score)

C. PDF of English translation of foreign language text, if any

D. If text or other quoted materials are not in the public domain, PDFs of:

(1) Proof of the composer’s right to use and/or distribute the text for the submitted work, and

(2) Proof of other relevant information regarding PBC’s ability to license the text for a first commercial performance and/or recording of the work (for example, information about a lyricist you have collaborated with).

E. MP3 audio realization of score

PBC will produce physical copies of selected entries for adjudication purposes, potentially including a reading of finalists by the ensemble. For all entries not awarded, these copies will be collected and destroyed once the competition has concluded unless other arrangements are made with the composer.

PBC shall retain unlimited performance and mechanical rights arising from performances and recordings made by PBC. Composers shall retain all other copy, performance, and mechanical rights to their works.