FINDING A VOICE 2025 & CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CENTRE, IRELAND – 8TH ANNUAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION FOR EMERGING WOMEN COMPOSERS

Deadline: 20 December 2024 17:00

Finding a Voice and the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland are delighted to announce details of the eighth annual Composition Competition for Emerging Women Composers in Ireland.

With the ongoing generous support of the Contemporary Music Centre, the composition competition will include a workshop for shortlisted candidates as well as composition mentorship from composer Finola Merivale during the process, offering a unique opportunity for professional development for both winning and shortlisted composers. This year’s workshop will be with celebrated Irish cellist Zoë Nagle and the winning composition will be premiered at Finding a Voice which will take place from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th of March 2025 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

From the initial submissions, composers will be shortlisted for a workshop with Zoë Nagle and Finola Merivale in January 2025, hosted by the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. Following the workshop, the successful composition will be selected by composer Finola Merivale and will be premiered by Evlana at an evening concert on International Women’s Day Saturday 8th March 2025. This concert will also include the world première of a new commission for the ensemble by Ailís Ní Riain, alongside works by Judith Weir, Amy Beach, Valerie Coleman, Rosy Wertheim, Aftab Darvishi and Vitĕslava Kaprálová.

Artistic Director of Finding a Voice, Róisín Maher says: “We are really delighted to be able to partner with the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland again to offer shortlisted composers a workshop with Zoë Nagle and composition mentorship from Finola Merivale. They are both exceptional and experienced musicians, and this represents a tremendous opportunity for an emerging composer to work with them on developing a composition for cello. The workshop and composition mentorship have been very successful additions to the competition in recent years and the feedback from shortlisted composers has been incredibly positive about the benefit of taking part and the opportunity for professional development.  Last year’s winning piece by Cathy Purcell went on to be performed again by Evlana, and it was wonderful for the piece to have a life beyond Finding a Voice.  I can’t wait to see and hear what interesting new compositional voices emerge in 2025.” 

Zoë Nagle adds “I am absolutely delighted to be a part of this year’s Emerging Composer Competition workshop. The opportunity for composers and musicians to collaborate directly can be rare, so I’m really looking forward to having the space to explore these new works together.”

What we ask of applicants:

  • Be an emerging woman or gender-minority composer

  • Be born on or currently resident on the island of Ireland

Application process – please include the following:

  • One piece that is reflective of your work which will be used for the adjudication process. Send your score as a PDF, with an MP3 or electronic mock-up if you have one

  • A short statement (max. 200 words) outlining your ideas for a composition for cello for Finding a Voice 2025 and explaining how you would benefit artistically from the process

  • Your name, contact details and an up-to-date CV

Please note that previous winners of the competition are ineligible although previous applicants are welcome to apply.

All applicants will receive equal opportunity irrespective of civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, ethnicity or indigenous status. We especially encourage those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to apply. 

Submissions should be sent to: director@findingavoice.ie

Deadline for submission is Friday 20th December 2024 by 5pm.

Finding a Voice 2025 will take place from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th March 2025 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, and will feature performances by Chamber Choir Ireland, Evlana, the Ora and Solas Quartets, pianists Antonio Oyarzabal and Thérèse Fahy, and many more.  

See www.findingavoice.ie and sign up to the mailing list to get full programme details.