What Do I Do Next?

So, you're interested in being a part of the 2007-2008 Realize Music Challenge - but you're unsure how to proceed? Getting your chance to be at Abbey Road Studios when the LSO records your piece is only three steps away.

Step 1: Decide on an original 5-10 minute composition for a standard symphony orchestra

Perhaps you already have a few compositions to select from, or, like most of us, you might have various sketchy ideas that have yet to come together. Whichever the case, your submission needs to meet important criteria to be eligible for prizes. Knowing this up front helps you determine which of your compositions to submit - or guide you as you compose a new piece for the contest.

Since the winning entry will be performed by the LSO, your entry must be intended to be played by a standard symphony orchestra. The contest rules specify a minimum number of players - no fewer than sixteen players - and spell out maximum requirements, by section. Ensure your orchestration falls between these limits.

There are also performance time limits to help make the judging process as fair as possible. Your submission must be longer than five minutes and less than ten minutes to perform. If you have multiple movements, count only play time (disregard pause time between movements).

Importantly, your composition must be your own creation (no arrangements or collaboration). If you submitted an entry in the first Realize Music Challenge (and it was not awarded a Finalist or Grand Prize), you are permitted to submit it again this year.

Step 2: Use NOTION to compose and edit your composition so it is performance-ready

Use NOTION to compose or fine-tune your composition. Although the bulk of the judging will be on the merits of how your composition sounds, you do increase your chances of winning prizes, especially in the case of ties, as you fine-tune your score to be as "performance ready" for the LSO as you can with details such as:

• Show appropriate use of accents, articulations, expressive marks, and similar score markings.
• Include correct bowing for strings and breathing considerations for winds.
• Select proper instrument ranges (except for effect) and performance techniques (such as no flutter tongue on strings).
• Handle dynamics properly (e.g., no pp in an oboe's low range or in a flute's highest range).

One other detail: if your piece has multiple movements, create one NOTION file containing the entire piece.
Since you are permitted one entry into the contest, you must make your submission shine. The more time you set aside to fine-tune your entry, the better the chances you have of winning a prize. Don't put this off until May!

Step 3: Submit your NOTION file by MIDNIGHT (EST) on May 31, 2008

When you are satisfied with your composition, submit your NOTION file to us. Begin by pointing your browser to: notionmusic.com/contest/entryform.cfm

You are first asked to agree to the contest rules. Do note that you must agree to some conditions to receive the top prizes, such as filling out and returning on time eligibility/tax forms and permitting us to post your picture and an .mp3 of your composition.

You then view a page with a few properties you fill in to help us contact you in the event you are selected for a prize. By the way, if you at some future point change your mailing/e-mail address or telephone number, write us at RMC@notionmusic.com and let us know what information you gave us and what the new address/number is, so we can find you in the event you win a prize.

So you can compete among musical peers, there's a property that is new this year: you let us know if you've ever had a composition published by a third party (that is, for sale or rent through a publisher, theatrical rights group, recording label, or similar business). This way, emerging composers compete among themselves and are not forced to compete against accomplished composers. Then, we further divide the non-published composers into two age groups, split at age 18 (as of November 13, 2007) so younger writers compete together and are not judged against more mature composers (such as those with college training). By the way, you are not considered "published" if the only way for anyone to reach your work is by your own self-promotion (such as your own web site). Do note that the Grand Prize winner will be selected from any of the three categories: a young composer has as much opportunity of going to Abbey Road Studios as a professional one.

There's an important distinction to be made here: to be considered "published," your work must have been promoted by a third-party business, such as a publisher, theatrical rights group, or recording label. For the purposes of the Realize Music Challenge, you are considered unpublished if all your works are solely available to the public through self-promotion, such as through your own web site, "homemade" CD, or posting on a hosting web site whose purpose is simply to provide a marketplace for anyone to sell their own wares. At the time of submission, you specify whether or not you have ever been published by November 13, 2007 (when the competition started). If you are unsure how to answer, feel free to contact us at rmc@notionmusic.com and tell us "your story" before you submit your composition.

At the bottom of this page are controls you use to upload your NOTION file from your hard drive to NOTION Music. Click the Enter the Challenge button and you are finished.

Procrastinators, beware! The contest closes at midnight, Eastern Daylight Savings Time, on May 31, 2008.

Still have Questions?
This article doesn't cover every aspect of the music competition. Take a look at the official rules page for more information. If you still have a question or two, write us at RMC@notionmusic.com for answers.