SRMTA/CFMTA STUDENT COMPOSER COMPETITION

Applications are due April 1, 2021
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The purpose of the CFMTA Student Composer Competition is to encourage those students interested in composing for instruments or voice. Winners in each of the categories of the Provincial level of competition below will then advance to the National level to compete against other provincial winners from across Canada. Provincial awards are made possible thanks to the generosity of Lynn Ewing.
COMPOSERS MAY SUBMIT ENTRIES IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
8 YEARS AND UNDER – PREPARATORY
($50 Ewing Award in Composition for each class)
• Class 1 - To write an original composition for solo instrument or any combination of instruments.
• Class 2 - To write an original composition for voice, with or without accompaniment.


11 YEARS AND UNDER – CATEGORY A
($75 Ewing Award in Composition for each class)
• Class 1 - To write an original composition for solo instrument or any combination of instruments.
• Class 2 - To write an original composition for voice, with or without accompaniment.


15 YEARS AND UNDER – CATEGORY B
($100 Ewing Award in Composition for each class)
• Class 1 - To write an original composition for solo instrument or any combination of instruments.
• Class 2 - To write an original composition for voice, with or without accompaniment.


19 YEARS AND UNDER – CATEGORY C
($150 Ewing award in Composition for each class)
• Class 1 - To write an original composition for any instrument or any combination of instruments, or voice(s) or combination of voice(s) and instruments with accompaniment when accompaniment is necessary for the performance.


OPEN – CATEGORY D
($175 Ewing Award in composition for each class)
• Class 1 - To write an original composition for any instrument or any combination of instruments, or voice(s) or combination of voice(s) and instruments with accompaniment when accompaniment is necessary for the performance.


NOTE: Winning entries from the SRMTA Student Composer Competition will then advance to the CFMTA Competition for judging at the national level. Award winners must mail a hand-written thank-you note to: SRMTA, ℅ 50 Hoeschen Crescent, Saskatoon, SK, S7J 2T1, after which time the cheque will be mailed.



SRMTA Student Composer Competition
REGULATIONS

1. The contestant must be a student of a current member in good standing of the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers’ Association.
2. A student may enter more than one composition and more than one class but only one prize will be awarded to any individual.
3. Each entry is assumed to be the original work of the individual whose name appears on the entry form attach to the manuscript. Any infraction of this regulation could result in the nullification of the offending entry.
4. First-place winning compositions will not be returned to the contestant after judging at the national level in the CFMTA Student Composer Competition. Therefore, it is advisable to retain an original copy of your submitted work.
5. All rights to his/her original work will be retained by the contestant, but winning compositions may be displayed or employed by SRMTA or CFMTA for publicity purposes after consultation with and agreement of the contestant.
6. First-place winning manuscripts, along with composer’s bio and photo, will be forwarded to the CFMTA Student Composer Competition in order to be included in the Canada-wide judging against other provincial winners.
7. All manuscripts should be neat and legibly written in black ink, in regulation manuscript size. All necessary details of dynamics, editing, and tempo should be included, with every 10th bar numbered. Manuscripts printed by computers are permitted. Do NOT put name on composition.
8. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into after final judging.
9. Prizes will not be awarded if the adjudicator feels the standard has not been achieved.
10. Only online entries will be accepted. Entries and Payment must be received by April 1.
11. Entry Fees are as follows:
    

8 YEARS & UNDER - PREPARATORY $15
11 YEARS & UNDER - CATEGORY A $25
15 YEARS & UNDER - CATEGORY B $25
19 YEARS & UNDER - CATEGORY C $25
OPEN - CATEGORY D $35

Payments for SRMTA competition entry fees may be made by e-transfer to srmta.registrar@gmail.com OR by cheque or bank draft mailed to 50 Hoeschen Crescent, Saskatoon, SK S7J 2T1.  Mail in payments must be received by date of registration

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2021 Student Composer Adjudicator: Christopher Norton

CHRISTOPHER NORTON BIOGRAPHY
 
Composer, arranger, educationalist and producer, Christopher Norton is universally regarded as the leader in his field. Born in 1953, he is a New Zealand-born, now Canadian-based pianist and composer. His long and fruitful association with Boosey & Hawkes has resulted in the world-famous Microjazz series. 
Since 2007 he has written Connections for Piano for the RCM and American Popular Piano for Novus Via Publications.
He is in high demand for his unique and creative presentations. He offers sessions ranging from improvisation coaching for private teachers to adjudicating non-competitive piano festivals with literally thousands of student entries; from offering personal, intensive master class sessions at all levels to lectures in advanced composition. Everywhere he goes, his fresh and uplifting approach to music never fails to inspire and enlighten all who attend. 
Norton is presently writing a series of commissioned pieces. Most recently, he has written a very well received Jazz Piano Sonata and has recently published, through his own new publishing venture, www.80dayspublishing.com, an Italian Suite for 2 Pianos, a Turkish-Anatolian Suite for 2 pianos and an Idaho Suite for solo piano.He is now the publisher of the increasingly popular series Connections for Piano. 
Christopher now lives, with his wife Wendy, another composer, in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

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2021 Winners
11 & under - Category A, Class 1
Gaoyuan (Thomas) Cheng
Teacher: Rachel Xiao
Title of Composition: Clowns

15 & under - Category B, Class 1
Markus Bitner
Teacher: Heather Waldner
Title of Composition: Haanon's Theme

19 & under - Category C, Class 1
Kolby Zagoruy
Teacher: Peggy L'Hoir
Title of Composition: Elegy

2020 Winners

8 & under - Preparatory, Class 1
Junbo Gao
Teacher: Ruoqui Xiao
Title of Composition: Etude in A Minor: Lego Battles

11 & under - Category A, Class 1
YunEn (Ryan) Gu
Teacher: Kathleen Solose
Title of Composition: Sonatina in D Minor

15 & under - Category B, Class 1
Markus Bitner
Teacher: Heather Waldner
Title of Composition: The Fortress of Magnama

19 & under - Category C, Class 1
Tyra Suter
Teacher: Peggy L’hoir
Title of Composition: Never Give Up

2019 Winners

8 & under Preparatory Category -
​Alina Poettcker
Teacher - Britney Wendel
Title: The Malfunctioning Robot

11 & under Category -
Gaoyuan (Thomas) Cheng
Teacher - Rachel Xiao
Title: Walking in the Rain

15 & under Category -
Tami Yang
Teacher - Michelle Aalders
Title: Halora's Serenade

2018 Winners

8 & under Preparatory Category - Thomas Cheng
Teacher - Rachel Xiao
Title of Composition - I Will Miss You

11 & under Category -
Emily Alexander
Teacher - Lisa Frederick
Title of Composition - Kitten on the Stairs

15 & under Category -
Kolby Zagoruy
Teacher - Peggy L'Hoir 
Title of Composition - Winter Odyssey

19 & under Category -
Adrianna Dolata
Teacher - Sarah Konecsni
Title of Composition - Serenity

2017 Winners

First place for the 8 and under Preparatory category
Elizabeth Poppleton
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Diane Jones
Title of Composition - Dancing Diamond

First place for the 11 and under Category
Nicole Milbrandt - 
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Laurel Teichroeb
Title of Composition - Grasshopper Dance

First place for the 15 and under Category B  Class 1
Isaac Michayluk
Saskatoon Branch
Teacher - Sandra Read  
Title of Composiiton - Enchanted Bells

First place for the 15 and under Category B - Class 2
Marissa Hart - 
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Laureen Kells  
Title of Composition - Garbage Can

First place for the 19 and under Category
Julie Borsa
East Central Branch
Teacher - Sarah Clark-Gregory
Title of Composition - Dreaming of Fairytales

2016 Winners

First place for the 8 and under Preparatory category
Shoji Gaboury 
Saskatoon Branch
Teacher - Raena Barnes
Title of Composition - Sneakers

First place for the 11 and under Category A
Saige Penner - 
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Diane Jones  
Title of Composition - The Chickadee

First place for the 15 and under Category B  Class 1
Aurora ter Heide
Saskatoon Branch
Teacher - Sandra Read  
Title of Composiiton - The Ferret and the Fox

First place for the 15 and under Category B - Class 2
Marissa Hart - 
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Laureen Kells  
Title of Composition - Painting the Sky

First place for the 19 and under Category C 
Alexander Tosh
Saskatoon Branch
Teacher - Noreen Wensley
Title of Composition - Bending




2015 Winners

8 and under Category: Preparatory Class 1
Ava Barber
West Central Branch 
Teacher- Peggy L’Hoir
Title of composition - Valentine’s Day

11 and under Category A - Class 1
Marissa Hart
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Laureen Kells
Title of composition - In the Clouds


15 and under Category B - Class 1
Sarah Walker
Yorkton Branch
Teacher - Laurel Teichroeb
Title of the composition - Grandpa

Last Updated: April 2, 2020