The Black Bayou Composition Award is given to the submission that “most closely reflects the connection between music and the natural world.” The award includes a cash prize and an offer to write the “ambience” music for the 2019 Black Bayou Ambience concert.
Submission Guidelines
In order to be considered submissions must adhere to the following guidelines. All submissions that follow the below criteria will be considered:
- Submissions must be anonymous. There can be no name on the score, program notes or in the computer filenames.
- Audio files cannot include the composer’s name. If a link to a Drobox folder or Google drive is given, the file must be available for download.
- Scores without sound files are admissible.
- Composers must take part in the entire festival by attendance at each concert. Composers unable to do so will be taken out of consideration for the award.
- Composers who are also paid performers at the festival or otherwise involved in the organization are not eligible.
- Composers who have previously won the award are not eligible. Runners up are eligible.
Selection Process
The selection process is as follows. After selecting repertoire for the festival, the festival selection committee will recommend no more than 25 pieces to be adjudicated by outside judges for the award. The outside judges are given a rubric that includes composition quality, creativity, and programmatic content (connection to the natural world). The judge’s scores are returned to the festival directors who then tally the winners and announce the awards at the last concert. Any submission winner who was not able to attend the entire festival will be bypassed and the next highest score will be moved up.
Festival Selection Committee
Mel Mobley, Greg Lyons, Scot Humes, Trevor Davis, James Boldin, Jeremy Marks, Rick Seiler, Claire Vangelisti, Lisa Maxedon, Michael Pounds, Paul Christopher, Joanne Martinson
2018 Judges
TBA