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The 4th Annual WASHINGTON HEIGHTS JAZZ FESTIVAL

Thursday November 4 – Sunday November 7, 2021
Four days of great jazz in your neighborhood!

Jazz WaHi Jazz Composition Competition 2021

First prize: A $750 commission to compose a work of jazz to be premiered by the prize winner at the 4th Annual Washington Heights Jazz Festival, November 6, 2021. Additional remuneration (amount based on ensemble size) will be provided for all performing musicians.
Two Honorable Mentions will receive full-day passes to the Festival. Competition rules:
The commissioned composition must
• Have its public premier at the 4th Annual Washington Heights Jazz Festival on November 6, 2021
• Be 20 – 45 minutes long (single- or multi-movement), comprising the centerpiece of a 50-minute set to be performed by the composer’s ensemble at the Festival
• Be written for 3-6 musicians (up to 7 if vocalists are included)
• Feature improvisation
• Not be an existing, published, or recorded work, or an arrangement of a published work. Works-in-progress are acceptable.
The winning composer must
• Reside in the Greater New York City area
• Commit to performing in the 4th Annual Washington Heights Jazz Festival, November 6, 2021
The performing ensemble must
• Contain 3-6 musicians (up to 7 if vocalists are included)
• Reflect racial and gender diversity

Contest winner retains all rights to the commissioned composition. Jazz WaHi, Inc. reserves the right to use audio and /or video recordings of the commissioned composition for promotional purposes.

Timeline:
• Submission deadline – Friday, January 15, 2021. 5:00 pm
• Winner announced – Monday, February 15, 2021.

Payment:
• Winner receives 1/3 of the commission ($250) upon acceptance of and agreement to terms.
• The remaining 2/3 of the commission ($500) is paid to winner on November 6, 2021, upon winner’s satisfactory completion of the competition’s requirements.
• Winner receives remuneration for ensemble’s performance (amount based on ensemble size) on November 6, 2021, upon completion of the Festival performance.
• All funds received by winner are taxable income.

Application and submission:
• All submissions should be emailed to mark@jazzwahi.org with the subject “Jazz Composition Competition”, and contain:
  • Your name, email address, mailing address, phone number
  • Three mp3 recordings of your compositions attached (MIDI realizations are acceptable)
  • A proposal - as an attached pdf - describing the piece you will compose: concept, inspiration, instrumentation, projected length, etc. The more detail the better!
• Important: There can be no identifying information in the recording (e.g. a live recording with your name announced), or on the proposal document.
• There is a $10 entry fee. CLICK HERE TO PAY

Questions? Visit our Contact page.




Check out these highlights of previous Festivals....