Esthea Kruger and Arthur Feder
Entries close soon for competition for emerging SA composers
The South African Composers’ Symposium and The Songmakers’ Guild have announced a collaborative composition competition intended to discover and showcase emerging composers in South Africa. Composers, who must be born in 1983 or later and reside in South Africa, are invited to submit a song, group of songs, or song cycle for either mezzo-soprano and piano, or baritone and piano. The compositions should be 8-15 minutes long and based on a text by a South African writer.
Esthea Kruger, Artistic Director of The Songmakers’ Guild explains: “The composition competition embodies many of The Guild’s central goals: keeping art song performances dynamic and interesting, promoting South African music, and fostering upcoming musicians. We were delighted when The South African Composers’ Symposium suggested a collaboration.”
Arthur Feder, convenor of The South African Composers’ Symposium agrees: “As the curtain rises on The South African Composers’ Symposium, we celebrate the birth of a festival that ignites the spirit of national collaboration. Together, we forge a platform where composers converge, networks intertwine, and the vibrant tapestry of South African musics resonates.”
The finalists’ song cycles will be performed as part of The South African Composers’ Symposium (18-22 Sept, SU Konservatorium) and at The Songmakers’ Guild Concert Series in Cape Town. Finalists will compete for cash prizes and receive additional valuable benefits, such as a workshop with composers and performers, a professional recording of the final round, and the chance to have their scores published through The Flat Mountain Project.
Submission deadline is 17 July 2023.
For more information and to enter, visit: www.songmakersguild.co.za/composition-competition.
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Inskrywings sluit binnekort vir kompetisie vir opkomende SA komponiste
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Komponistesimposium en Die Liedmakersgilde het ’n komposisiekompetisie geloods wat poog om opkomende komponiste in Suid-Afrika te ontgin en hul werk ten toon te stel. Komponiste, wat in 1983 of later gebore is en in Suid-Afrika woonagtig is, word genooi om ’n lied, ’n versameling liedjies of liedsiklus vir óf mezzosopraan en klavier, óf bariton en klavier in te dien. Die komposisies moet 8-15 minute lank wees en gebaseer op ’n teks deur ’n Suid-Afrikaanse skrywer.
Esthea Kruger, Artistieke Direkteur van Die Liedmakersgilde verduidelik: “Die komposisiekompetisie sluit baie van Die Gilde se sentrale doelwitte in: om kunslieduitvoerings dinamies en interessant te hou, en om Suid-Afrikaanse musiek en opkomende musikante te bevorder. Ons was verheug toe Die Suid-Afrikaanse Komponiste Simposium ’n samewerking voorstel.”
Arthur Feder, sameroeper van Die Suid-Afrikaanse Komponiste Simposium stem saam: “Met die loods van Die Suid-Afrikaanse Komponiste Simposium vier ons die geboorte van ’n fees wat die gees van nasionale samewerking ondersteun. Saam smee ons ’n platform waar komponiste saamkom, netwerke vervleg, en die lewendige tapisserie van Suid-Afrikaanse musiek resoneer.”
Die finaliste se liedsiklusse sal as deel van Die Suid-Afrikaanse Komponiste Simposium (18-22 September, US Konservatorium) en by Die Liedmakersgilde-konsertreeks in Kaapstad uitgevoer word. Finaliste sal om kontantpryse meeding en bykomende waardevolle voordele ontvang, insluitende ’n werkswinkel met komponiste en kunstenaars, ’n professionele opname van die finale rondte, en die kans om hul klankbane deur The Flat Mountain Project te laat publiseer.
Sperdatum vir indiening is 17 Julie 2023.
Vir meer inligting en om in te skryf, besoek: www.songmakersguild.co.za/composition-competition.