New England Carol Contest

ABOUT THE CONTEST

ChoralArt honors the carol tradition with a New England Carol Contest. During the holiday season ChoralArt will premiere, at our An Epiphany Concert, a brand new carol written by a composer with a New England connection.

Composers must reside in, have been born in, or currently study in residence at a college, university, or conservatory in one of the six new England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont). One winner will receive a $750 cash prize, with up to $250 travel expense to attend the premiere performance.

Due to COVID-19, all 2020 entries will be considered with the 2021 New England Carol Contest, with a deadline of August 15, 2021.

2021 Contest Guidelines

  • Voicing: a cappella or keyboard accompaniment, SATB setting with divisi up to SSATB
  • Duration: about 3 minutes
  • Difficulty: like carols represented, for example, in 100 Carols for Choirs (Willcocks, Rutter; eds.)
  • Text: new settings in English – traditional texts, published poems, or original texts
         It is the composer’s responsibility to secure copyright permission for any text not in the public domain. 

2021 Guidelines and Application Form

Deadline August 15, 2021 6 p.m. EDT

 

This year’s New England Carol Contest Sponsor

Dana F. Graichen, M.D.
Associated Eyecare
Kennebunk, ME

 

Previous Winners

2019: Matthew Swartz, Arise, Arise, the Morning Bells
2018:
Travis M. Ramsey, When the stars of Morning Sang
2017: Deanna Witkowski, A Christmas Carol
2016: Hilary Purrington, Ring out, wild bells
2015: Jonathan David, All my heart this night rejoices
2014: Ellen Gilson Voth, The Bells I Heard