Professional Development Awards for Classical Music Composers

Paul Lowin Prizes

The Paul Lowin Prizes: Information

Orchestral Prize - $25,000

• A work scored for modern chamber or symphony orchestra of at least 30 players and at least 15 independent lines.
• Duration must be of not less than 12-15 minutes.
• Works for string ensemble alone will not be considered.
• The work may include instrumental or vocal soloists and/or choral, electronically produced or pre-recorded elements.

Song Cycle Prize - $15,000

• A Song Cycle, for the purposes of the competition, is music suitable for chamber performance, using no more than 1-8 independent vocal lines. This may be accompanied by up to 10 instrumental players.
• The text of the work must have a unifying theme. The composer and the author of the text may or may not be different people, and the author of the text is not eligible for the prize. The work may be no less than 15 minutes and no more than 60 minutes duration.
• The work may be:
  1. for single unaccompanied voice or up to 8 unaccompanied voices;
  2. for single voice, accompanied by one instrument or ensemble of up to 10 instrumental players;
  3. for more than one voice but no more than 8 voices, accompanied by one instrument or ensemble of up to 10 instrumental players;
  4. a music-theatre work (suitable for concert-hall performance) for more than one voice but no more than 8 voices, accompanied by one instrument or ensemble of up to 10 instrumental players.

The Paul Lowin Prizes: Guidelines

Submitting nominations and entries

The Trustee wishes to encourage a diverse field of entries and therefore invite nominations for the prize from composers, musicians, publishers and the general public.

• Nominations will be accepted from anyone, including publishers, composers and the general public.
• Composers nominated by a third party will be contacted by the Trustee to complete the requirements for entering the competition.
• Composers nominating themselves should complete the requirements for entry described below.
• If the Trustee is unable to contact the nominated composer, or if the nominated composer does not fulfill the requirements for entry, their works will not be eligible.

Entries by the composer of the work for the Paul Lowin Prizes must be received by the Trustee of the Paul Lowin Prizes: c/- Australian Music Centre.

Age and citizenship requirements

The composer must be at least 18 years of age and an Australian citizen or a resident of Australia for not less than two (2) years prior to 30 June 2006. The Trustee may in its absolute discretion accept entries where the composer of the work has been resident in Australia for a period of less than two (2) years prior to 30 June 2006 provided it is satisfied that the composer intends to reside permanently in Australia.

Date of compositions

• Compositions (as distinct from lyrics, if any) must have been completed not earlier than the closing date for entries in the previous competition, 30 June 2004.
• Compositions may have been performed in public or broadcast. Compositions need not have been composed for submission to the competition.

Format of entries

• The composer must submit five bound copies of the composition, on standard size paper (A4/A3 or B4).
• The applicant's name and, if applicable, the name(s) of the lyricist(s) should appear once only on each copy, on the title page. No other indication of the identity of the applicant or the lyricist(s) (if applicable) should be shown on the score. Each entry will be allotted a number and submitted to the jury anonymously.
• Unsuccessful entries will be returned after the judging is completed.
• Successful entries will also be returned, excepting one copy.

Proof of authorship

Shortlisted applicants will be asked to sign a statutory declaration that the music is the applicant’s own original work.

Copyright

Shortlisted applicants will be required to satisfy the Trustee that where copyright applies:

(a) to the music in the composition, and

(b) to the lyrics in the composition

the Trustee is able to conduct the competition and to perform its other functions without infringing that copyright.

A composer submitting a work which has been commissioned by another body or individual should establish that the commissioning contract does not preclude submission of the work to this competition.

If any condition exists which the composer believes may be contrary to these conditions of entry, he/she should consult the Trustee.

Performing & Reproduction Rights

The Trustee may approach shortlisted applicants to gain non-exclusive performance and reproduction rights for a period to be negotiated on announcement of the results.

General

• All judging will be on the basis of assessment of scores but applicants may submit tapes or recordings of the work.
• To preserve anonymity in the judging process, any proper names in the title or other material which the Trustee considers may identify the composer or lyricist(s) if applicable should be deleted.
• The Trustee will exercise reasonable care with the scores submitted but will not be responsible for any loss or damage to any score while in its custody.
• The Trustee may make such additional enquiries regarding any matter contained in an application. The Trustee may in its absolute discretion determine whether an applicant is qualified to enter and whether an application satisfies the conditions of the Paul Lowin Prize.
• The decision of the Trustee will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The Trustee reserves the right to withhold the Prizes.

The 2006 entry form can be downloaded from this site for reference only.