Seasonal Competitions Suggestions

As we have been discussing here, the competitions are going to undergo a big change in format, frequency, judging among other features. A well-accepted suggestion was to make a seasonal competition, meaning four per year, following this chart (made by Morivou):

June-July-August (Summer Competition)

September-October-November (Fall Competition)

December-January-February (Winter Competition)

March-April-May (Spring Competition)

This matches the USA seasonal divisions, but it may not match the months and seasons of other countries (like mine). That's OK, we can't please everyone in this situation...

So, we open this thread in order to collect suggestions and discuss them for the yet-to-be-formed Competition Comittee to decide for the four competitions guidelines. You can contribute hugely by giving suggestions on the themes, topics, genres, rules, premises, ideas about the competitions.

As these there will be only four competitions per year, it'd be good to make them quite distinct from each other, principally in instrumentation. So, you may give more than one suggestion. Feel free to contribute!

(It may be even possible to start with the Summer competition right away. It depends on the given suggestion, the decision of the moderators, the comittee...)

Perhaps we could settle the instrumentation issue by getting: 1) orchestral, 2) chamber / solo non-keyboard, 3) keyboards, 4) vocal.

Nice, Austenite. We definitely want to be diverse. We should make sure to cover "odd ensemble" writing if we can. I've found that's important in my composition life. haha.

Some suggestions: Tone poems (based off of stories/poetry), Seasonal, Educational ensemble, writing for kids, writing in old styles, inventing new forms, reinventing old forms, imposing limitations on pitch classes, imposing limitations on range.

Those alone could carry you a whole year. hahah >.<

These competitions have always seemed to be mainly geared towards those of us who compose in the chamber, orchestral, and vocal categories. That isn't an issue for me since I am in that number, but I wonder if we could make sure there are provisions for composers who work mostly in the electronic and pop/rock sections. I'm not sure how that would all work or if it would change how we set criteria and judge the music. However, I thought I would mention it so that we might make sure these competitions remain more open to those kinds of entries.

As somebody who write electro-acoustic and electronica works... I also agree with that. If they want to lobby for their shot at being in the competitions, they should speak up. ;)

I don't really have any suggestions to be honest. I definitely like the competitions where I can compose for solo piano

The tone poem idea sounds interesting. Maybe the committee/judges can come up with a suitable subject

Another idea (that has been thrown around) is orchestrating a well known piano piece or a chamber ensemble piece

So are these ideas being enacted, and if so, when will they take effect?

It seems as though CP has taken charge, but hasn't been around to continue the thread in recent days. Give him another week or so, and if he doesn't show up, we can get things moving.

In fact, I'm here every day of my life... but I'm just a regular member... I am "in charge" of the competitions, but I don't know what kind of powers I have. I don't know if I can recruit some other members to form the comittee, I don't know if I can decide whether the competitions are going to happen, I don't know if I have to ask for permission in order to do this or that... I'm going to ask JohnBucket about this and I'll come back as soon as possible.

I was really expecting two things:

1 - To have more and more suggestions about the seasonal competitions (we do have some, but we could have more!)

2 - For this thread to be noticed by someone superior to me, like John Bucket or Striling_Radliff, and the things to work out... but, if I'm really the one guy responsible for this now, I'll do everything I can to ensure that these competitions will start soon!

Sorry, I didn't mean to rush you. I certainly did not mean to cause you to be thrust into the spotlight. I just don't think the community is likely to deliver the outpouring or suggestions that you were hoping for. I know I don't have much else to say on the matter. What has already been put on the table looks good to me. 

Sorry, I didn't mean to rush you. I certainly did not mean to cause you to be thrust into the spotlight.

Hey, it's ok, I'm not offended or anything like that. It's just my way to express myself that may end up a bit... "dramatic" sometimes^^

So, I've talked to the other guys and they gave me OK. So, I'm going to set the competitions this way:

Summer Competition - June 1st - August 31st (this one will start already next month)

Fall Competition - September 1st - November 30th

Winter Competition - December 1st - February 28th

Spring Competition - March 1st - May 31st

Now, about the instrumentation: as Austenite has suggested before, I do believe that Summer Competition is the perfect environment for an Orchestral work, as most of the composers will be on "vacation" in July. As people will have more time, I believe this is a good place for it (then, from now on, every year there shall be a competition for orchestral compositions in summer).

For the next ones, it may be good to distribute vocal music, chamber music, solo keyboard (and electronic) music with a good criterion. Robert's suggestion is (under my understanding):

Fall Competition: chamber

Winter Competition: solo keyboard

Spring: Competition: vocal

Well, for me they fit perfectly! Does anybody else have another suggestion about instrumentation?

About the odd instrumentation, I believe they could be used anywhere within these competitions, be it odd chamber ensemble or odd orchestral instrumentation. This will be better covered in the guidelines

...

So... guidelines! This will possibly demand more time. Some good suggestions were (mostly by Morivou):

Tone poems, seasonal, educational, old styles, new forms, reinventing old forms, limitation on pitch class, on range.

Tone poem was mentioned by someone else, and I do believe that it could be a good moment for it in an orchestral competition.

However, we could also put more than one idea together, for example:

"Tone poem on the theme: End of the World"

Instrumentation: orchestra

Oddity in instrumentation: no cellos, no flutes, add guitar section

Limitation in pitch class: the note C is FORBIDDEN!

Old styles: try to achieve an atmosphere from renaissance in modern era"

HAUHAUAH, that would be tough! But, it's just an example of how we could mix all of these things.

So, now, if we don't have any objections, we should work on the guidelines of Summer Competition right away!

I'll gather suggestions up to may 30th. I will then make the guidelines from the given suggestions. If there's no suggestion, I'll create the guidelines out of my head and you'll have to deal with it, MWAHAHAHA!

You can send ideas through this thread or inbox (if you're too shy to post it publicly).

About the comittee: I don't believe it's that necessary by now. If you feel, though, very willing to help it somehow, in a deeper way, please feel free to contact me in private.

So, this is it! Let's rock!!!

(I'm sorry for my English... I think I'm forgetting how to use it properly :P )

Any progress? 

BTW, I don't like the "pitch class limitation" idea

Any progress? 

 

BTW, I don't like the "pitch class limitation" idea

Well, you are the first reply to the latest changes :P

The situation is: orchestral music, tone poem, no pitch class limitation. The other guidelines will be decided by me after May 30th if there's no more suggestions.

An orchestral tone poem based on... exactly what? Or, is it free?

BTW, I don't like pitch limitations either. I'm already limited enough.

Well, get the thread up soon! I can't wait to get started. 

An orchestral tone poem based on... exactly what? Or, is it free?

 

BTW, I don't like pitch limitations either. I'm already limited enough.

The official competition thread hasn't been launched yet, so this is the place where people can suggest this "based on... what?"-thing.

For now, there are no suggestions from others. If you want to suggest something, please do it (you can send me in private as well).

I have some ideas in mind in case no one suggests anything, but I'll only reveal them (if necessary) in the official competition thread.

Anyway, on June 1st the thread WILL be posted, so that every one can start!

Call me a pinhead, but I totally did not read past this: "HAUHAUAH, that would be tough! But, it's just an example of how we could mix all of these things."

I missed the part where you asked for suggestions, that is.

So... suggestions/requests:

No odd instrumentation for now, please. I have a hard enough time with standard instrumentation.

Also, can we not set down any guidelines pertaining to imitating older styles? Or at least be allowed to deviate from them and merely try to emulate the essence or general atmosphere of said style.

I know I'm striking down guidelines quite freely and rather selfishly, but such is my $0.02

You know, we could do something that isn't campy as all hell.

Probably not though.

Here's my throughts: Seasonal competitions, aye? Maybe we can do a la vivldi: i.e. have each piece relfect each of the four seasons. Or have the comptetion be assiocated with the proper holiday (this can happen once a year or multiple times) another idea is to create a theme for each season. One season can be "romantic" while others can be other styles or forms.

As for instirumenation, that can be left open to composer's discertion.

Kvothe, your ideas are much appreciated, but the problem we have been facing last years months is that people subscribe to the competition but only a tiny portion of them do submit something. For such reason the major competitions have been informally suspended without anyone saying it outloud.

Yikes! I am sorry to hear that. That's unforunate to have that happen. Perhaps, if I create challenge for others to do; then maybe they will come back. "If you built it they will come."

Great! Feel free to try! If you manage to gather people again, the site will have that great moments again... *sigh*

I think it would be nice to have a Christmas holiday composition challenge/ competition. There's a lot of music to work with, so we could do something like write a fugue or theme and variations based off of a Christmas holiday song.