IL-ACDA Composer Award

In partnership with the Illinois chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association and MusicSpoke, WFC is delighted to announce the 2024 IL-ACDA Composer Award.

In concert with our mission to support living composers, WFC is delighted to work with IL-ACDA to identify a composer to write a new commission to be premiered at our February 2025 concert.

Composers within ACDA’s Midwestern Region (including Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin) with a creative voice and clear compositional ability are invited to enter the annual IL-ACDA Composer Award.

The winner will receive a $1,000 prize (paid for by Il-ACDA), a premiere performance of their new work by the William Ferris Chorale in Chicago, publication by MusicSpoke and a recording.

How do I apply?

  • Submit of 2-3 representative works for consideration. These works:

    • Must be original, not an arrangement of another composer’s work.

    • Must be legible. 

  • At least one work must be for choir or voice (any voicing is acceptable).

Submission Requirements

  • PDF of the scores (each as individual documents)

    • Name/any identifying information should be removed – only this form may have the applicant’s name.

  • Any additional documentation (text/translation, etc)

  • (Optional) audio recording of any/all submitted work

    • Live, studio, or midi acceptable (if submitting live recordings, make sure to remove any introduction or portion of the performance that may indicate the composer’s name)

  • One completed Entry Submission form


    Submissions must be received no later than midnight on September, 15, 2024
    Email all documents, including your scores and form to

Donald Fraser, IL-ACDA Composer Award Chair

Use subject heading: 2024 IL-ACDA Composer Award
donald@donaldfraser.com


IL-ACDA

Founded in 1959, the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is a nonprofit music- education organization whose mission is to inspire excellence and nurture lifelong involvement in choral music for everyone through education, performance, composition and advocacy.

ACDA’s vision is to create powerful artistic experiences and be advocates for cultural and educational change that we might transform people’s lives.

MusicSpoke

BY MUSICIANS. FOR MUSICIANS.

We are a marketplace committed to musicians. We don’t publish pieces of music. We find gifted composers that we believe in and give them the tools and freedom to promote themselves.

HEAR IT. SEE IT. BUY IT.™ 

We provide an easy way to find high quality sheet music. Our platform makes it easy to search by composer, ensemble, theme, and other tags. Each score has its own page allowing users to hear and see the entire piece. Scores are available for immediate digital download and printing, based on the number of licenses purchased.

BUILDING COMMUNITY. 

We are committed to connecting conductors and performers with composers. When you purchase a piece, you will be put in contact with the composer so that you can ask questions, set up a Skype rehearsal, do a commission, or just send some fan mail. Everyone loves fan mail.

THE RIGHT THING. 

Our MusicSpoke Composers receive the majority of the proceeds from sales and retain control over their own works. In the current system, over 90% of all sales dollars go to companies not composers. We are committed to supporting the creators of the works. We believe that it is the right thing to do.