The Minneapolis Pops Orchestra

New Orchestral Repertoire Project

The Minneapolis Pops Orchestra is pleased to announce the second season of the New Orchestral Repertoire Project. The Project seeks to identify new orchestral works which previously have been performed and which are worthy additions to the standard repertoire, but which as yet have not received a large number of performances. The Orchestra will perform and help publicize the prize-winning works to other orchestras and conductors.

The winning New Repertoire Award composition will be performed twice during the Orchestra's 2010 season. The winning composer will receive a cash award of $1,000, and the Orchestra will submit grant proposals on the composer's behalf to seek additional funding from other sources for travel expenses, depending on the composer's eligibility for such additional awards. Partial funding for the composer's travel may be available from the Orchestra as necessary. Each winning composition will be listed on the Orchestra's New Repertoire Project web page, and if composer does not already have a suitable demo recording, winning composer will receive a demo recording edited from recordings made at a rehearsal and/or performance. Sound samples may be placed on the Orchestra's website. At the composer's option, the Orchestra may offer assistance in achieving publication for the winning piece. The winner agrees to allow the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra to hold one score and set of orchestral parts on permanent loan.

Additionally, worthy compositions which do not receive the award may be programmed on other Pops Orchestra concerts in future seasons.

THE MINNEAPOLIS POPS ORCHESTRA

The Minneapolis Pops Orchestra is a professional 45-member orchestra which performs summer concerts, primarily at the scenic Lake Harriet Bandshell near downtown Minneapolis. The Orchestra performs a wide variety of repertoire, from classics of the symphonic repertoire to Broadway musicals and arrangements of jazz standards. Members of the large audience (usually 2,000-3,000) have diverse income, age, musical sophistication, and educational levels. The Orchestra has a long-standing commitment to performing new music which is accessible to this diverse audience.

ELIGIBILITY and APPROPRIATE SUBMISSIONS

Composers must be at least 21 years old, and may not be undergraduate students. Submitted compositions must have been performed by at least one orchestra on a concert, not only on a reading session. Only one work per composer may be submitted. Compositions which will be performed after the submission deadline date, but before June 15, 2010, are eligible.

Instrumentation may be a maximum of: standard string section; 2 each woodwinds (possible doubles include piccolo, English horn, and bass and/or Eb clarinet); 4/3/3/1 brass; two percussionists. The Orchestra's percussionists are skilled at consolidating percussion parts, so works written for more than two percussionists will be considered if the parts reasonably can be consolidated. Composers may submit pieces with larger woodwind sections, but must agree to consolidate the additional parts into parts playable with 2 each woodwinds if their piece is the winning composition. PIECES WITH HARP, PIANO, OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS NOT SPECIFIED ABOVE, OR WITH CHORUS OR VOCAL SOLOIST(S) ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.

Appropriate genres: The competition is intended to identify worthy new works which are as yet relatively unknown; therefore, well-known compositions which have already received a large number of performances from many orchestras are not eligible. Medleys from musical theatre are not eligilble, but a well-crafted concert overture from a musical or opera is acceptable. Winning works probably will not be "pops" works per se, but should be works suitable for performance on a standard orchestral concert.

Attendance at concert: The winning composer agrees to be present at the rehearsal and concert on July 31, 2010, and agrees to submit biographical material appropriate for grant proposals.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

Materials for submission must be postmarked by February 15, 2010.

One copy of a full orchestral score, computer-printed or of professional quality if hand-copied, should be submitted using a pseudonym. The composer's real name must not appear on the score in any location, including copyright notice. A sealed envelope must be attached to the score with the pseudonym clearly marked on the outside, and the composer's pseudonym, real name, address, telephone number, and email address must be clearly printed on one sheet inside the envelope. The outer mailing envelope must use the pseudonym for the return address. Return addresses must be clearly printed.

One page detailing performance history must be enclosed. The performance history page should list the number but not the name of orchestras which have performed this work, from applicable categories as follows:

1. Full-time professional orchestra
2. Other professional orchestra
3. Semi-professional or community orchestra
4. College orchestra
5. Youth, honor, or summer camp orchestra
6. High school orchestra.

The number of performances in each category should be listed. If the composition has not yet been performed, but will be performed before June 15, 2010, the category and date of premiere should be listed. The winner of the competition agrees to re-submit this page after the competition, with the names of the performing orchestras listed.

All entries must include a CD of a performance or, if no performance recording is available, a CD of a synthesized recording of the orchestral version. A recording of a piano reduction is acceptable. Track 1 of the CD should be a short excerpt of the most distinctive section of the piece (up to 2 minutes in length), unless the composer feels that the opening of the piece will best serve this purpose. The complete piece must follow as Track 2. If Track 1 is an excerpt, the CD must indicate which measure is the beginning of the excerpt.

To ensure anonymity of the composer, the processing fee of $10 must be enclosed, sealed in an envelope marked "processing fee." Judges will not know the identity of any composer who enters except that of the winner, at the conclusion of the judging process.

Materials can be returned only if the composer encloses a stamped, appropriately-sized mailing envelope, using the composer's pseudonym rather than the real name on the address section of the envelope.

JUDGES

The competition will be judged by the Orchestra's Music Director, Jere Lantz, and members of the Orchestra who form the Artistic Advisory Committee. Judges reserve the right to award no prizes.