Composition competition

The City of Oxford Choir is a leading chamber choir, performing at least four concerts per year in and around Oxford. We enjoy exploring exciting and ambitious repertoire and are seeking a new work to be premiered at our upcoming concert in collaboration with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) on the theme “Breaking Ground”. The concert will reflect the museum’s temporary exhibition of the same name. “Breaking Ground” celebrates iconic fossils used in the first scientific description of a dinosaur in Oxfordshire 200 years ago. This is an exciting opportunity for emerging composers to create a work with unusual thematic elements around palaeontology, discovery and innovation. Joining our Musical Director Duncan Aspden on the judging panel will be Griselda Sherlaw-Johnson (Choral Promotion Specialist at Oxford University Press), and Susie Allan (pianist). 

 

• Prize: One winner will be selected to receive £1000 and a premiere performance by The City of Oxford Choir at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on Friday 28th March 2025. 

• Closing date: Friday 22 November 2024. More details below. 

• Forces: 35-voice a cappella chamber choir (SATB with divisi).

• Duration: 3-5 minutes.

• Text: Composer’s choice of text related to the “Breaking Ground” theme. 

 

The Breaking Ground exhibition will be open to the public from 18th October 2024. The exhibition  tells the story of major developments in our understanding of the history of life and Earth, with over 100 objects on display, including the iconic jaw of Megalosaurus. 

 

Please submit an anonymous PDF and digital recording (can be a Sibelius/Finale file) to secretary@oxfordchoir.org by the 22nd November 2024. Winner will be notified by mid-December.