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The GCC Choral Composition Competition

2025-26 Season

Winning Work will Premiere May 3, 2026

 

We are excited to kick off our second Guelph Chamber Choir Choral Competition for our 2025-26 Season, generously sponsored by the Quinn Family Foundation.

The Guelph Chamber Choir is a champion of Canadian choral music and as we celebrate our strong legacy of choral composers, we are also looking ahead to develop opportunities for choral composers.

The winning composition will be premiered at our final concert of the season “Sound | Space”, on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at the Harcourt United Church (Guelph).

The 1st Prize winner and Honorable Mention winner will be notified in March 2026.

 

Competition Criteria

  • The Competition is for a Canadian composer (self-identifying, no age requirements)
  • Piece written for a cappella double choir 
  • The text should be your interpretation of our concert title “Sound | Space”  – however this theme resonates with you! (Pun intended) 
  • Work should be 3:00 – 4:00 minutes in duration

 

Our prize winner will receive:

  • First prize will receive an award of $2,000
  • An archival recording of the premiere performance
  • A workshop rehearsal with the choir prior to the premiere.

A $500 “honorable mention” award will also be granted

 

 

 

How to Enter:

A PDF score must be submitted by January 15, 2026 at 11:59PM ET to GCC General Manager, Cathy Landolt at gmgcc22@gmail.com

Included with your submission, please include the following:

  • $20 registration fee paid online 
  • A recording of your work – an electronic, instrumental version is acceptable
  • A description of the piece and text – why this text inspired the work and any musical notes to express to the performers and audience.
  • A brief description of your compositional background and your aspirations as a composer.
  • A brief bio (max 250 words)
  • Headshot (optional)

Jury Process

All names on scores will be redacted before the 2 jury members receive the submissions.

The short-listed scores will be workshopped by the choir between January and March.

 

 

Many thanks to our 2025-26 sponsor: