The UnCaged Toy Piano Composition Competition is a call-for-scores to expand the music for toy piano. This competition was formed to encourage composers to write for this unusual instrument that has rapidly gained attention and interest from many pianists, composers and musicians. The toy piano has many ranges, shapes and sizes, but the standard concert instrument has a chromatic range beginning from the F below middle C (F3-F6). Made of metal rods instead of strings, the toy piano has a bell-like metallic quality that sounds nothing like the standard-sized "string" piano.
The theme for the 4th UnCaged Toy Piano is Toy Toy Toy! Music for Toy Piano and Toy Instrument(s).
Here are the rules for this year's competition:
- Pieces written for toy piano and any toy instrument is strongly encouraged, but must be able to be played by a solo performer. Some of these toy instruments include (but are not limited to) melodica,toy drums, toy cymbals, toy gongs, two toy pianos, toy xylophone, or toy handbells.
- Electronics is optional, but must work for a Mac OS X with an Intel processor
- Pieces can be of any length
- Pieces for solo toy piano are also acceptable
The UnCaged Toy Piano is open to composers of all ages and nationalities.
Judges:
Phyllis Chen, Margaret Leng Tan, Angelica Negron
Unlike previous UnCaged Competition performances, the winning works this year will be performed at our 1st UnCaged Toy Piano FESTIVAL scheduled to take place in the Fall of 2011, New York City. The top selection will be awarded an honorarium of $800. Aside from this top prize, other winning works will be chosen to be performed as part of the festival and each composer will receive a studio recording of his/her piece. For the UnCaged Toy Piano Festival, other artists, musicians, composers, improvisers from New York and abroad will be joining in the Toy Toy Toy festivities!
For all scores that are sent to UnCaged Toy Piano, a copy of your score will also be sent to the Toy Piano Collection located at UC San Diego Geisel Library. In May of 2001, the Library of Congress issued a subject heading and call number for toy piano scores because of the activities at the library. Even if your piece is not chosen for the festival, we hope that your piece finds its rightful performer by being placed in an organized catalog of toy piano music.
For your submission, you may either EMAIL your score, mp3(if available), short bio, and contact information to chenphyllis@yahoo.com. Or MAIL to:
PHYLLIS CHEN
P.O. BOX 2341
ASTORIA, NY 11102
USA
Deadline: July 15, 2011 (results announced August 15)
