I am a young composer without any formal training. I was planning to participate in several composition competitions this year, but I stumbled upon a problem. Upon listening to winning works for these competitions I realized that my chances were close to nil. Not because of the value of my compositions but because the style of the winning works were beyond my musical taste. I don't have a constant style, but it is mostly tonal. I have stretched my creative tastes to create some atonal music, not 12-tone, but the unmelodic degree of the compositions displayed in competitions is something that is unattainable by myself as it defies my definition of music. Seeing as things are, I realize I cannot change them, but as I am a novice in competitions I perhaps have a lack of knowledge regarding them. That's why I appeal to your better knowledge. In these competitions, I can give you the exact ones if needed, is there a bias toward certain styles? Are the types of compositions, that are devoid of melody or tonality, favoured? Or maybe those pieces which are tonal aren't written by capable composers? That could be it. Maybe there aren't any good composers that participate in these competitions writing in the romantic idiom. If that is not the case are there any competitions that favour the classical style pre-1950s?
Hoping this doesn't start a war on the definition of music or the state of music today :)
Teodor
