Sophie Desmarais International Composition Competition for Large Jazz Ensemble
The Université de Montréal Faculty of Music, thanks to the support of the Sophie Desmarais Fund for the Université de Montréal Big Band and in collaboration with the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal, presents the 2nd edition of the Sophie Desmarais International Composition Competition for Large Jazz Ensemble
This year once again, two categories are available to participating composers:
- A student component for those 30 and under, with a prize of $1,500.
The winning work in this category will be performed in a world premiere by the Université de Montréal Big Band at a concert presented on December 1, 2022, at Salle Claude-Champagne.
Application deadline:
Saturday, October 1, 2022 (11:59 p.m. – Montreal time)
- An open component (with no age limit), with a prize of $2,500.
The winning work in this category will be performed by the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal, an organization in residence at the Faculty of Music, in a concert presented on October 15, 2022, at Salle Claude-Champagne.
Application deadline:
Thursday, September 1, 2022 (11:59 p.m. – Montreal time)
Applications must be entered by way of an online form:
A prestigious jury
The works submitted will be evaluated by well-known artists:
- Ron Di Lauro, associate professor, head of jazz programs at the Faculty of Music and music director of the Université de Montréal Big Band (Montreal, Canada)
- Jean-Nicolas Trottier, assistant professor in jazz composition and arrangement at the Faculty of Music and music director of the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal (Montreal, Canada)
- Pierre Bertrand (Paris, France)
- Marianne Trudel (Montreal, Canada)
- Fred Stride (Vancouver, Canada)
Selection criteria:
- Candidates must compose and arrange an original new jazz work, for large jazz ensemble. The instrumental forces are:
- 4 trumpets (possible doubling on flugelhorn)
- 3 trombones
- 1 bass trombone
- 5 saxophones (2 altos, 2 tenors, 1 baritone; or else 1 soprano, 1 alto, 2 tenors, 1 baritone)
- 1 guitar
- 1 piano
- 1 double bass or electric bass
- 1 drum kit
- Vocalist (optional)
- Latin percussion (optional)
- The work must be an original composition and not have been performed in concert or have been previously recorded.
- All candidates must submit a transposed master score of the work, individual scores, and an audio demo. Any score deemed incomplete by the jury will be rejected.
- According to the category, any work not complying with the requested minimum or maximum duration will not be considered.
- A student candidate may also submit a work in the open category, as long as the work is different for each category.
- Just one work per candidate, per category, may be submitted.
- A candidate who has submitted a work in both categories of the Competition (student category and open category) may not win a first prize in each category. Should it happen that the same person obtains the highest mark in both one and the other category of the Competition, first prize in the open category will be awarded to him or her. First prize in the student category will then be awarded to the person having achieved 2nd place in that category.
Evaluation criteria:
- Quality of the composition (melodic contour, harmony, form, textures, etc.)
- Quality of the arrangement techniques (orchestration, harmonization, overall form of the arrangement)
- Level of detail and clarity of the master score and the individual scores
- Overall artistic quality of the work
Category 1: student component (30 and under)
Application deadline:
Saturday, October 1, 2022 (11:59 p.m. – Montreal time)
- Candidates must be fulltime students at a recognized educational institution as of October 1, 2022 (supporting evidence).
- The submitted work must have a duration of 5 to 7 minutes.
Prize:
- A prize of $1,500
- Concert performance (world premiere) on December 1, 2022, at the Faculty of Music’s Salle Claude-Champagne by the Université de Montréal Big Band
Category 2: open component (no age limit)
Application deadline:
Thursday, September 1, 2022 (11:59 p.m. – Montreal time)
- This category is open to all composers.
- The submitted work must have a duration of 8 to 10 minutes.
Prize:
- A prize of $2,500
- Concert performance (world premiere) on October 15, 2022, at the Faculty of Music’s Salle Claude-Champagne by the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal.
Information: