Orange County's Pacific Symphony Carl St.Clair, Music Director AMERICAN COMPOSER'S COMPETITION 2005 Administered in partnership with American Composers Forum The Orange County, California-based Pacific Symphony invites submissions of existing orchestral works for its American Composer's Competition. This competition aims to identify exceptional new talent and voices among younger, emerging orchestral composers.  Audiences, radio listeners, and musicians alike will vote for their favorite work during two performances and a live radio broadcast on May 25-26, 2005. The three finalists will receive at least three performances of their work, expert feedback, and career counseling from orchestra musicians and established composers.  Finalists will receive a cash prize and travel stipends. A one-week residency in which the finalists will participate in community activities is a requirement of all participants.  For example, area high school students will shadow the composers during the final week of preparation and receive mentorship from the finalists. AWARDS * 1st prize: $5,000 commissioning fee (plus $2,000 for copying expenses) for a new ten (10) minute work for full symphony orchestra scheduled to receive its world premiere in the 2006-07 season. * Two runners-up:  $1,500 each. * All three top awardees will have at least two performances of their work by the Pacific Symphony and coaching from Music Director Carl St.Clair. ELIGIBILITY * Scores are invited from composers, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, are at an early stage in their career, and do not have widespread peer recognition.  There is no age limit and students are welcome. Candidates must certify that they are available to be present in Orange County, California for the final phase of the competition, May 21 through 26, 2005.    Previous winners are not eligible for entry. * Parts:   If selected for the final phase of the competition, the composer will be required to provide a complete set of orchestral parts (copies of each original string part can be made by the Pacific Symphony, if requested).  These parts should be created via a computer program or submitted as legible hand-written manuscript.  In both cases, the parts should be proofed by a professional editor.  Illegible parts will be result in disqualification from the competition. * The submitted work: 1. Must be an instrumental work FOR ORCHESTRA ONLY.  Concertos, vocal works, chamber orchestra works, and works for strings, winds, or brass only are not eligible. 2. May not be longer than 10 minutes in duration. 3. Must not have been performed in concert by a professional symphony orchestra (having an annual budget of over $1 million). 4. Must not be planned for performance by a professional symphony orchestra with an annual budget of over $1 million at the time of submission. 5. Must not have received a published music review from a professional music critic. * Instrumentation may not exceed: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo) 3 oboes (1 doubling English horn) 3 clarinets (1 doubling E-flat clarinet or doubling bass clarinet) 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon) 4 horn, 3 trumpet, 3 trombone (3rd is bass trombone), 1 tuba 1 timpani, 3 percussion, 1 harp, 1 piano/celeste strings: 16 1st violins, 12 2nd violins, 12 violas, 10 celli, 8 basses * Applicants need not be members of the American Composers Forum, but are welcome to join.  See ComposersForum.org for information. COMPETITION PROCESS * The American Composers Forum will administer a peer panel that will review the submitted works to narrow the finalist pool, and make recommendations to the Pacific Symphony for the three works that will be selected for the short-list of finalists.  Notification of the finalist pool will be mailed by January 15, 2005. * The three short-listed works will be performed by the Pacific Symphony in concert in Costa Mesa, CA on May 25, 26,  2005. The chosen first prize work will be identified by votes from all listeners and performers present in the hall on May 25 and 26, and also a live state-wide audience on K-Mozart radio for the May 26 concert.  Audiences will also be invited to offer written critiques of the works. * Finalists will be provided, at the Pacific Symphony's sole selection, roundtrip domestic coach airfare within the United States, hotel in Orange County California and $350 for expenses.  All travel and accommodation arrangements will be made through the Pacific Symphony Office. APPLICATION DEADLINE Applications must be RECEIVED by Friday, October 1, 2004 HOW TO APPLY Please send the following to Philip Blackburn, ACF-PO 332 Minnesota Street. E-145 St. Paul, MN  55101 * Two bound and legible scores of one orchestral work. Label the score cover with your name, address, and duration of work. * Recording (midi is acceptable) of the submitted work, if available * Program notes, including the work's performance history, if any.  Please indicate whether instrumental parts are available. * Composer biography for publicity purposes. * Check for $ 6.00  (payable to "ACF", to cover postage for return of materials.) QUESTIONS? Contact Philip Blackburn: pblackburn@composersforum.org Tel: (651) 251-2823 http://www.pacificsymphony.org http://www.composersforum.org APPLICATION FORM Title of work Performance History Instrumentation Duration: Composer Name Address e-mail Day time and Night Telephone Fax Return postage check $.........