International Composition Competition
Founded in 1973, Garth Newel Music Center is one of the most active chamber music organizations in the country. Its resident ensemble—the Garth Newel Piano Quartet—performs over 60 concerts annually both at the Center and on tour. Through this competition, the Quartet seeks to broaden the piano quartet repertoire and to support the Center’s ongoing commitment to contemporary music.

11th Composition Competition
Now Accepting Submissions
Submissions are open for our 11th Composition Competition! For more details on how to submit, please click this link

Congratulations to Bohdan Sinchenko
Winner of the 10th Garth Newel International Composition Competition
Congratulations to Bohdan Sinchenko, the winner of Garth Newel’s 2022 International Composition Competition. Coming from Ukraine, Bohdan will receive the Glorvina and Richard Lynn New Music Prize along with a travel stipend to attend Garth Newel Piano Quartet’s premiere (July 30th) of his new piano quartet, Exsistentia. In addition, Bohdan will be present for a residency from July 27-31st during Garth Newel Music Center’s 2022 Summer Festival.
Past Winners
2020
Jordan Kuspa
USA
2018
Balázs Kecskés D.
Hungary
2015
Polina Nazaykinskaya
Russia
2013
Paolo Boggio
Italy
2012
Alberto E. Colla
Italy
2011
Ivan Bozicevic
Croatia
Prizes
The winner will receive:- Glorvina and Richard Lynn New Music Prize ($3000)
- A performance of the winning work by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet during the 2024 Summer Music Festival
- A travel stipend to work with the Garth Newel Piano Quartet and attend the premiere in Hot Springs, Virginia
- Frequent performances and a high quality video recording of the winning work by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet.
- The opportunity to participate in a short-term residency in conjunction with the premiere. This residency will take place during Garth Newel’s prestigious Emerging Artist Fellowship chamber music program.
- The winner will have the opportunity to work closely with the Garth Newel Piano Quartet and our Emerging Artist Fellows, with the possibility of readings and performances of the composer’s other chamber works.
- Collaborate and network with talented musicians from the top music schools.
Guidelines
- Submitted works must be for violin, viola, cello and piano. Piano trios and quintets are not accepted.
- There is no time limit for works.
- Submissions from any composer, regardless of age or citizenship, are welcome.
- The work must be originally conceived as a piano quartet. Arrangements of previously completed works that have been performed or published are not acceptable
Compositions Are Ineligible If:
- They require live electronics or cannot be performed with just stereo playback
- The work has already received a professional premiere. (A student performance within the school community is allowed).
- They are a transcription or arrangement of another work that has been performed or published.
- They have already been professionally recorded for commercial CD release.
- The work, in any instrumentation, has been published.
Each composer must submit:
- A legible score and parts of professional quality labeled with a pseudonym. No marks identifying the composer may appear anywhere on the score. The title of the work is permissible.
- An envelope labeled with the composer’s pseudonym. Information within the envelope should include the composer’s name, address, telephone number, email address and one-paragraph biography.
- A digital recording of the work labeled with the composer’s pseudonym (CDs or flash drives are acceptable). MIDI realizations are acceptable.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope of appropriate size if the composer wishes to have their materials returned.
All materials should be mailed to:
Composition Competition
Garth Newel Music Center
403 Garth Newel Lane
Hot Springs, VA 24445
For electronic submissions:
- Email the score, instrumental parts, and audio file under a pseudonym to pianoquartet@garthnewel.org, along with the composer’s info in a pdf/word document labeled “do not open until after the results are determined”.
- Recordings that are too big can be sent via Dropbox or google drive. Please label the titles of digital tracks with the composition name as well as the composer’s pseudonym.
Deadline
All materials must be received by 11:59pm on November 1, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the result by e-mail no later than January 31, 2024.
For further information or questions, please email jeannette@garthnewel.org.
Submission of a composition constitutes a warranty by the composer that the work is original to the composer and does not infringe the copyright of any other person. The composer of the winning composition will retain the musical work copyright and grant the Garth Newel Piano Quartet an exclusive one-year license to perform the work. Subsequent performances by other artists must acknowledge that the work was composed for and premiered by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet.