Hillcrest Wind Ensemble
International Composition Contest

NOTICE: The 2018 Composition Contest is closed. Winners will be announced shortly and their works will be played at the Spring Concert on March 23, at which time recordings will be available here. Check back soon for information regarding the 2019 Contest.

Hillcrest Wind Ensemble’s

Call for Scores Rules

1.     All styles of music will be considered.  All compositions must be original works for wind ensemble (composer’s transcriptions are okay) and have NOT been previously published or performed.  The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble’s (HWE) performance of the piece will be the “World Premiere Performance”.  (No self-published works will be accepted - publish your work after our performance of the piece in April of 2019). 

2.     Entrants:  The Call for Scores contest is open to any age, nationality, or experience level.  NO members or family members of the HWE may enter.   

3.     Judges:  The judges evaluating your work are music professionals including performance majors, music educators, composers, and arrangers.

4.     Scoring is to be for our Wind Ensemble:

            - 6 Flutes (up to 3 piccolos)

            - 2 Oboes

            - 2 Bassoons

            - 1 Eb clarinet

            - 6 Bb clarinets

            - 1 Eb Alto or Eb Contralto Clarinet

            - 1 Bass Clarinet

            - 2 Alto Saxophones

            - 1 Tenor Saxophone

            - 1 Baritone Saxophone

            - 5 Cornets/Trumpets

            - 4 French Horns

            - 3 Trombones

            - 2 Euphoniums/Baritones

            - 2 Tubas

            - 1 String Bass

            - 1 Timpani

            - 1 Mallet percussionist

            - 3 percussionists

            Do NOT include English Horn, Soprano Sax, Harp, etc.  They are NOT available.

            We have limited technology for electronics.  If you include electronics, it should be easily accessible.

            Vocals are permissible from solo voice up to 4 part SATB.

            Entries not meeting the instrumentation detailed above will NOT be considered. 

5.     Duration:  Preference is given to works between 4-10 minutes (shorter and longer pieces have won in the past; this is just a preference). 

6.     Entry Fee(s):  The entry fee to the Call for Scores is $20 USD per submission.  All entry fees will be submitted through The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s (The Center) donation portal. Click here to pay your fee electronically. (IMPORTANT:  On The Center’s donation page, please select “Hillcrest Wind Ensemble” in the “Program” pull down menu in the “Donor Information” section to ensure that your entry fee is credited to the ensemble.)  Your entry fee is tax deductible.  Submit the “Tracking Code” from The Center’s Emailed receipt with your score and composer information sheet (detailed below). 

7.     Difficulty:  Pieces should be for medium to advanced players - Grade 3 to 5.

8.     Suitability:  If, in the opinion of the judges, no entry is deemed worthy of a prize, none shall be awarded. 

9.     Deadline for submissions:  End of day, November 5th, 2018

10.  Notification:  The winning entries will be announced in December of 2018. Winning entrants are expected to be available for questions and cooperative with the Ensemble’s artistic director through the rehearsal season up to the performance of the piece in our Spring 2019 concert (late March or April). 

11.  Parts for the winning entries will be needed by January 4th, 2019.

12.  Performance Rights:  By entering the contest, the winners acknowledge and grant a non-exclusive perpetual license to HWE to perform and record all or a portion of their work created for the HWE Composition Contest.  Winning compositions will remain in the HWE music library for future performance beyond the premiere concert date.  Recordings, either audio or video, may be placed on YouTube and other social media accounts.  The winners retain their copyright of the piece and may publish the piece any time after the HWE world premiere performance date. 

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Awards: There will be two cash awards: 1st place of $500 and 2nd place of$250.  Winning pieces will be performed at the HWE Spring Concert in 2019.

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What to Submit:  (Only electronic submissions will be accepted)

A.     Score:  A PDF of the score formatted for 8.5” x 14” printing. No handwritten scores or parts will be accepted. Judging will be anonymous. Do NOT put your name on the score. 

B.     Composer Information: We require all of the following information:

        1)     Composer Name

        2)     Complete Mailing Address

        3)     Telephone Number

        4)     Email address

C.    Recording:  Live (non-concert performance) or MIDI sound file is okay.  Recordings must be MP3 format, up to 6MB only. 

D.    Entry Fee: The entry fee is $20 USD per submission.  All entry fees will be submitted through The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s (The Center) donation portal. Submit the “Tracking Code” in Email with composer information, score, and recording. Click here to pay your fee electronically. (IMPORTANT:  On The Center’s donation page, please select “Hillcrest Wind Ensemble” in the “Program” pull down menu in the “Donor Information” section to ensure that your entry fee is credited to the ensemble.)

All Submissions and Communications regarding the contest will be sent to the Composition Contest Coordinator here:  HWE.Contest@gmail.com

2018 Contest