The FYFE Choral Composition Prize

The Sewanee Church Music Conference was founded in 1951, and since then it has been a leader in continuing education for liturgical church musicians. We are honored to hold our third choral composition competition, hereby known as the "Fyfe Prize," which is generously supported by members of the conference.  Submissions are currently being accepted.  The deadline is February 15, 2023.  The winners will be announced here on March 1, 2023.  

Fyfe Prize Submission Form

Past Winners

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• Opportunity: The Sewanee Church Music Conference seeks original, unpublished works for mixed chorus (SATB) with organ, or unaccompanied.
• First Place Award: Cash prize of $2000.00 US will be awarded, PLUS the winner will have his/her work performed at the 2023 Sewanee Church Music Conference.  
• Second Place: cash award of $1000.00
  
• Third Place: cash award of $750.00.
• Application deadline: Submissions must be received by February 15, 2023
• Award notification: March 1, 2023
• Eligibility: no restrictions with regard to age, gender, nationality, etc.
• Submission fee: $25.00 US per composition
• Overview: We are seeking a choral anthem of 3 to 6 minutes duration written for mixed (SATB) chorus with organ or unaccompanied. (No piano accompanied works, Christmas texts, Canticles, or Preces & Responses will be considered.)
  • Text: Must be in English or Latin, and suitable for performance in a Christian worship service. The text should be in the public domain, or be free of copyright restrictions.
  • The work should be of medium or average difficulty.​

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​SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS & COPYRIGHTS

1. Composers may submit as many works as they like.  (Prize winners are eligible for consideration every three years.)
2. All submissions must be unpublished choral anthems only. A text appropriate to any liturgical season other than Christmas is acceptable.  
3. Any work with a copyright-protected text must be accompanied by a letter of permission from the publisher, poet or author.
4. The winner retains all rights to his/her work.
5. By submitting your score, you authorize SCMC to make copies of your work for rehearsal and performance purposes. Publishing rights are yours after the competition. (The published work must contain the inscription “Winner of the 3rd Peter & Lois Fyfe Prize sponsored by the Sewanee Church Music Conference.” No further distribution of the work will occur via SCMC.
6. Deadline: Submissions must be received by February 15, 2023.

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SUBMITTING YOUR SCORE (submission form is below)

1. Scores must be submitted in Portable Data File (pdf) format (no hard copies)
2. Please submit a copy with the composer's name removed or blotted out (as well as any other identifying details the score might contain). All aspects of judging are "blind".
3. Recordings of your work, live or audio file, are strongly encouraged, if available. This may be as an mp3 file.  If you encounter difficultly submitting your sound file, contact E.L. DuBose (the coordinator of the competition) for assistance.
4. On the form below we ask for your name, address, phone number and email address so you may be contacted if you are awarded. We ask for  a brief composer biography, as well. (Any performance history and composer's program notes for each work submitted is most helpful, if applicable.)

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FEES: $25.00 US per composition

1. PayPal (see below).   Online payments will be accepted though Officium musicum which is a business owned by an associate of the conference.  
2. Check payable to Sewanee Church Music Conference and mailed to E.L. DuBose at the address below.
3. If you don’t have a Paypal account and wish to pay with a credit card, simply request an invoice for the entry fee in the email that your entry and documentation are attached to.  You will receive an email with links that facilitate an online credit card payment.​​

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FYFE FAQs
Q: Can the composition be SSAATTBB? 
A:  Some divisi is allowed but preferably not divided throughout.

Q: Can other instruments in addition to organ be included?   
A: Yes, optional solo instruments are fine. For other situations, contact the Competition Coordinator.

Q: I still have unanswered questions - how do I get answers?
A: Call or email the Competition Coordinator, E. L. DuBose (see below).  He is helpful and friendly and has only bitten one composer so far this year.  (No worries, he's had his shots.)

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Deadline: Submissions must be received by February 15, 2023​
If there are any questions, or if you have difficulty submitting your entry, please contact the Competition Coordinator (E. L. DuBose) directly.

Thanks, and good luck!
E. L. DuBose, Competition Coordinator
(334) 313-0667
ELDuBose@gmail.com