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Quadrennial. Purpose: For an exceptional pianist who
( 1) regardless of age or nationality, is a superb pianist
& profound musician; ( 2) has both charisma & breadth
of musicianship; ( 3) desires & can sustain a career as
a major international concert artist who possesses the
ability to make a significant impact on music; & ( 4) has a
developing career that can be enhanced by the award’s
money & prestige. Eligibility: Candidates are not judged
in a competition, but rather they are evaluated discreetly
over a period of time & numerous performances for their
musicianship & performing abilities. Pianists under scrutiny have no knowledge that theyhave been nominated.
Nominations are received from a wide range of sources,
including a large group of internationally recognized musical performers & educators who are polled biennially for
their suggestions. The names of all nominees are known
only to the six-person Artistic Advisory Committee. Prizes:
$300,000, career advisement & appearances at the biennial Irving S. Gilmore Int’l Keyboard Festival. Competition:
2022. Entrance Fee: None.
Gilmore Young Artist Award
Pierre van der Westhuizen
info@thegilmore.org www.thegilmore.org
The Gilmore, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 101 ( 269)
342-1166
Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4843 twitter.com/gilmorefestival
Biennial. Purpose: To support the professional development
of exceptionally gifted young American pianists. Eligibility:
Exceptional American pianists age 22 & younger who
demonstrate the talent & drive to become career concert
pianists. Candidates are not judged in a competition,
but rather they are evaluated discreetly & over a period
of time & numerous performances for their musicianship
& performing abilities. Nominations are made by leaders
in the field of music, & nominees are not told of their
inclusion in this noncompetitive selection process. Final
decisions are made by the director of The Gilmore & an
anonymous Artistic Advisory Committee. Prizes: $15,000
over two years to further awardee’s musical career &
educational development, as well as a commission for a
new piano work to be composed for them. A number of
appearances at the Gilmore Keyboard Festival are also
part ofthe Award. Competition: 2020. Entrance Fee: None.
Marcello Giordani Foundation
info@marcellogiordani-foundation.org
marcellogiordani-foundation.org
110 West 90 St., Suite 5C (917) 423-5559
New York, NY 10024
Purpose: To help & support young opera singers to enable
them to pursue & achieve their career goals & to succeed
on international opera stages. Eligibility: Promising &
talented young singers. Prizes: Career assistance &
financial support, including scholarships & awards.
Competition: 2020.
Global Music Awards
Thomas Baker, PhD, Competition Coord.
entries@globalmusicawards.com
www.globalmusicawards.com
7946 Ivanhoe Ave., Suite 201 (858) 779-1420
La Jolla, CA 92037 twitter.com/GMAMusicAwards
Seasonal competitions that have some well-known artists
among the winners, but whose primary focus is
independent musicians. Purpose: To judge the quality
of the music, & not whether an artist is chart-based; to
showcase original music, unique voices & emerging
artists; to gain consideration & recommendation for the
music; to help schedule bookings, shop the music, seek
distribution & radio play. Eligibility: Independent musicians
of any genre. Prizes: Honors include Best of Show - Critics
Pick; Gold Medal Winner - Award of Excellence; Silver
Medal Winner - Outstanding Achievement. Only one
Best of Show is awarded each entry deadline. No more
than 10% of entries receive Gold Medals & no more than
15% of entries receive Silver Medals. The judges may
also recognize a percentage of other noteworthy entries
as Bronze Medal Winner - Official Nominee - Musician
Being Followed. Three Special Honors are OdysseyAward
- Lifetime Achievement in Music; Humanitarian Award
- Music Dedicated to Social Justice, Charitable Causes
or Environmental Issues; Heretic Award - Protest/Activist
Music. Deadline: See www.globalmusicawards.com for
seasonal deadlines & competitions. Competition: 2020.
Entrance Fee: $50.
Glenn Gould Prize
Brian Levine, Exec. Dir.
Gary Goldberg, Pres., Bd. Dirs.
info@glenngould.ca www.glenngould.ca
69 Yonge St., Suite 1401 (416) 962-6200
Toronto, ON, Canada M5E 1K3
twitter.com/GlennGouldFndn
Biennial. Purpose: To award an individual for a unique
lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition
through the arts. Eligibility: Living candidates of any
nationality; disciplines include but are not limited to musical
creations or performance, theatre, writing, technology, film,
video, television, radio & recording, architecture & design;
nominations are made by the public; selection is made by
a jury. Prizes: Laureate receives CAD 100,000 & the Glenn
Gould Prize Statue. At the Awards Gala, the Laureate
will present the Glenn Gould City of Toronto Protégé
Prize to an outstanding young person who embodies the
qualities of creative promise, innovation & career potential
demonstrated by Glenn Gould in his youth. Deadline: Sept.
2019 (for nomination submissions). Competition: 2020.
Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition
(see univ. of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music
Composition)
Competition: 2020.
the Charles tomlinson Griffes American Music
Composers Competition
David A. Eggar, Dir.
5 Joseph Wallace Dr. (914) 271-2595
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10521
Annual. Purpose: To support young composers in the pursuit
of serious careers in composition. Eligibility: Citizens or
permanent residents of the US between 16-22 years old;
work submitted may not have won any other competition.
Prizes: Cash awards & premiere of winning works in
concert. Deadline: Mar. 1 each year. Competition: Mar. 1.
Entrance Fee: $15.
Guild of temple Musicians Young Composers Award
David Shukiar, Chm.
david.shukiar@thegtm.org; dshukiar@adatelohim.com
templemusicians.org
c/o Temple Adat Elohim, 2420 E. Hillcrest Dr.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Annual. Purpose: To encourage gifted young Jewish composers to create worthwhile music for Jewish worship
& Jewish concert programming; to encourage the
composition of mutually literate, Judaically sensitive
musical settings which will be of lasting practical use for
religious services or concert performances, following the
compositional form & design to be announced each year;
to encourage Jewish communities to listen to, perhaps
participate in, & to value Jewish musical expressions of
quality which are reflective of our own time. Eligibility:
For Jewish composers 18-35 years old. The criteria for
the award is available at thegtm.org. Candidates may
submit more than one entry in any given year; new
submissions may be sent during succeeding years, but
no candidate may win the award more than twice. Prizes:
Up to $2500 cash award for the winning composition, plus
performance & publication opportunities. Deadline: Late
July. Competition: Mar. 1. Entrance Fee: None.
the Gurwitz International Piano Competition
Elena Portnaya, DMA, Art. Coord.
elena@musicalbridges.org mbaw.org
23705 Frontage Road, Ste. 101 (210) 630-9711
San Antonio, TX 78257
Quadrennial. Purpose: The 2020 competition will be a part
of MBAW’s 7th International Music Festival: a showcase
of novel pairings and commissioned works by some of
the most esteemed musicians from around the globe.
An international panel of judges will consist of some of
the worldís top pianists, conductors, instrumentalists,
and managers, including Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Olga
Kern, Afa Dworkin, Boris Slutsky and Yaron Kohlberg.
The competition consists of four rounds, the final round in
partnership with the San Antonio Symphony - conducted
by Head of Jury, Maestro Sebastian Lang-Lessing.
Eligibility: Pianists from any country up to 32 years old
on the day of the 1st Round of the competition (January
26, 2020). Prizes: (1st)-$25,000; (2nd)-$15,000; (3rd)-
$10,000; Audience Award-$5000. Deadline: May 30, 2019.
Competition: Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2020.
Woody Guthrie Fellowship
BMI Foundation in cooperation with the Woody Guthrie
Center www.bmifoundation.org/guthrie
c/o BMI Foundation
7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10007
Annual. Purpose: To support in-depth, scholarly research of
Woody Guthrie’s life & legacy. Eligibility: Must have a
project-based research topic that leads to the creation of
an original scholarly publication or product & is sufficiently
extensive as to require a suggested minimum of two weeks
of research at the Woody Guthrie Archives. Prizes: Total
of $5000. Deadline: Jan. 1, 2019. Competition: Winners
announced in spring, 2019. Entrance Fee: None.
Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition
(Sponsored by the Comic Opera Guild)
Thomas Petiet, Mng. Dir., Comic Opera Guild
constu@comcast.net www.comicoperaguild.org
PO Box 1922, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (734) 973-3264
Annual. Purpose: To identify & reward singers who
demonstrate the ability to sing & act through the vehicle of
light opera. Eligibility: No age limit; open to all singers who
are not under management & who have not worked full
time as a singer. Prizes: Nine awards; (1st) $2500; (2nd)
$1500; (3rd) $750; four remaining finalists, $200 each; also,
Young Singer Award (under 21), $200; Audience Favorite
Award (independent of the other awards), $200. Deadline:
Feb. 1, 2019 (postmarked); contact Comic Opera Guild via
email or see website for entry form. Competition: Mar. 2,
2019 (The Jackson Symph. Performance Hall, Jackson,
MI). Entrance Fee: $40.
Hildegard Competition for Female Composers
info@nationalsawdust.org nationalsawdust.org/hildegard
80 N. Sixth St., Brooklyn, NY 11249 (646) 779-8455
Eligibility: Emerging female composers. Prizes: $7000 prize
to two emerging female composers. Deadline: 2019
TBD; 2018 Nov. 30 (winners announced in early 2019).
Competition: Mar. 2, 2019 (The Jackson Symph.
Performance Hall, Jackson, MI).
Hilton Head International Piano Competition
Mona Huff, Competition Dir.
pianocomp@hhipc.org www.hhipc.org
7 Lagoon Rd. (843) 842-5880
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Annual. Purpose: To encourage & support excellence in the
performance of classical piano music by showcasing the
talents of young pianists on the threshold of their careers
in a competition adjudicated by internationally acclaimed
judges, & to offer additional performance opportunities.
Eligibility: Pianists, 18-30 years old. Prizes: (1st) $15,000
cash prize, plus Hilton Head Symph. Orch. performance
(2019-20), recital at Weill Recital Hall, CD on Steinway
& Sons label, other engagements offered, subject to
arrangements with presenters; (2nd) $10,000; (3rd)
$5000; two medalists, $1000 each; Sascha Gorodnitzki
Memorial Prize, $1000. Competition: Mar. 11-18, 2019.
Entrance Fee: $135.
Honens International Piano Competition
Neil Edwards, Pres. & CEO
Jon Kimura Parker, Art. Dir.
info@honens.com www.honens.com
1170-105 12 Avenue SE (403) 299-0130, (800) 249-7574
Calgary, AB T2G 1A1 twitter.com/honens
Triennial. Purpose: To discover, launch & present complete
artists. 21st-century pianists for 21st-century audiences.
Eligibility: Open to pianists between 20 & 30 years old on
Aug. 30, 2018. Prizes: CAD 100,000 & a half-million dollar
artist development program. Competition: 2021.
Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition
Barbara McCelvey, Chair
Allison Conlan, Assoc. Dir. of Education, Houston Symph.
education.community@houstonsymphony.org
www.houstonsymphony.org
615 Louisiana St., Suite 102, c/o Houston Symph.
Education Dept. (713) 238-1429
Houston, TX 77002 twitter.com/housymphony
Annual. Standard orchestral instruments & piano. Purpose:
To identify outstanding young instrumentalists & support
their pursuit of careers in music-making. Eligibility: 16-
26 years old; US citizens or lawful permanent residents
or foreign students currently enrolled in a US college,
university or conservatory; former first- or second-place
winners are ineligible. Prizes: Cash prizes: (1st) $25,000;
(2nd) $10,000; (3rd) $5000; (4th) $2500; Audience Choice,
$1000; Artistic Encouragement, $1000. Performance prizes: Four finalists (as selected from the ten semifinalists)
perform a full concerto with the Houston Symph. to determine the winners. First & second prizes return for performances & a residency. Deadline: Jan. 2019. Competition:
2019 TBD; 2018 May-June. Entrance Fee: $100.
ISB/David Walter Double Bass Composition Contest
Madeleine Crouch, ISB Gen. Mgr.
info@ISBworldoffice.com www.ISBworldoffice.com
14070 Proton Rd., Suite 100, LB 9 (972) 233-9107 x 204
Dallas, TX 75244-3601
Biennial. Eligibility: Open to all composers; four divisions for
solo bass, bass in combination with other instruments,
bass with media, & bass ensembles. Prizes: $1000 per division, & performance at the 2019 ISB convention.
Deadline: June 2020. Competition: 2019 TBD; 2018 May-June
Ibla Grand Prize Instrumentalists Music Competition
(Sponsored by Ibla Foundation)
Dr. Salvatore Moltisanti, Pres.
Maestro Marcello Abbado, Jury Chm.
Michael Yasenak, Dir.
iblanewyork@gmail.com www.ibla.org
568 Grand St., Penthouse 2001 (212) 387-0111
New York, N Y 10002
Annual. Purpose: To play a meaningful role in the discovery
& support of talented artists; dedication, hard work &
discipline on the part of the competitors will be recognized
by a distinguished international jury, with the hope that
all of the efforts will ensure the future of fine music for
everyone. Eligibility: Musicians (strings, woodwinds, piano,
organ, harpsichord) from all over the world, divided into
the following sectionsAdult, Young, Solo, Duo, Ensemble;
all but the Young section are without age limit; the Young
section is divided into categories, A, B, C, & D according
to age. Prizes: New York Carnegie Weill Hall debut along
with additional concert engagements in Europe & the
USA. Deadline: Mar. 15, 2018. Competition: July 20-25,
2019; specific dates will be assigned to each musician (not
required to stay throughout the duration of the competition).
Entrance Fee: 150 euros (individual entrants).
Ibla Grand Prize International Piano Competition
(Sponsored by Ibla International Foundation)
Salvatore Moltisanti, Pres.
Maestro Marcello Abbado, Jury Chm.
Michael Yasenak, Dir.
iblanewyork@gmail.com www.ibla.org
568 Grand St., Penthouse 2001 (212) 387-0111
New York, N Y 10002
Annual. Purpose: To play a meaningful role in the discovery
& support of talented artists; dedication, hard work &
discipline on the part of the competitors will be recognized
by a distinguished international jury, with the hope that
all of the efforts will ensure the future of fine music for
everyone. Eligibility: Pianists from all over the world,
divided into the following sectionsAdult, Young, Four
Hands, Piano Concerto, Accompanists; all but the Young
section are without age limit; the Young section is divided
into categories A, B,C, & D according to age. Prizes:
New York Carnegie Weill Hall concert debut along with
additional engagements in Europe & the USA. Deadline:
Mar. 15, 2019. Competition: July 20-25, 2019; specific
dates will be assigned to each musician (not required to
stay throughout the duration of the competition). Entrance
Fee: 150 euros (individual entrants).
International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition
Ellina Blinder
ELBMusic@gmail.com www.cmfone.org
106 Kenrick St., Boston, MA 02135 (617) 462-8204
Biennial. Purpose: Promote genre of chamber music; provide
an opportunity to young & emerging chamber ensembles
to perform in the best music halls of New England &
New York. Eligibility: Student, professional & amateur
ensembles of all ages & nationalities. Prizes: See website.
Deadline: Nov. Competition: Dec. 2020. Entrance Fee: $80
per ensemble member.
International Double Reed Society Fernand Gillet-Hugo
Fox Competition
Margaret Marco (oboe)
Saxton Rose (bassoon)
( saxton@saxtonrose.com, 787 239-3604)
mieses@idrs.org www.idrs.org
2423 Lawndale Rd., Finksburg, MD 21048 (803) 777-3121
For oboe, bassoon. Purpose: To showcase developing artists
in the double reed field & provide a competition of high-level performers. Eligibility: Oboists who have not reached
their 31st birthday before the date of the final audition; no
previous first-prize winner of the Competition is eligible to
participate; all entrants must be current members of the
IDRS. Prizes: (1st) $10,000; (2nd) $6000; (3rd) $2000.
Deadline: Mar. 15, 2019 (oboe). Competition: July 14-18,
2019 (oboe). Entrance Fee: $80
