Receipt Deadline: October 1, 2008
Fee: $35

Robert Helps Composition Competition and Festival

The Robert Helps Composition Competition and Festival are designed to encourage the development and enhance the career opportunities of emerging young composers, honoring the oeuvre and aesthetic of the late Robert Helps, while providing an annual archival commemoration in celebration of the pianism and pedagogy of Helps, the master teacher, as well as offering the University of South Florida as a significant and valuable resource for composers and lovers of the music of our time. A cash prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the composer of the winning composition. The composer will also receive a premiere performance of the winning composition in Tampa, Florida during February 2009 as a focal event of the 2009 Robert Helps Festival. The winner of the Robert Helps Prize shall arrange to be present at the premiere. Results of the competition will be announced on November 1, 2008.

Only applicants who will not have reached the age of 36 by February 14, 2009, will be considered. Works must be for solo piano with duration of 10-20 minutes. Prepared piano works are not eligible; however works for inside-the-piano playing are acceptable. The work must be an original unpublished composition with no prior public performances. Arrangements of compositions that have received a public performance will not be accepted. Any public performance before February 14, 2009, whether it is by students, faculty, amateurs, professionals (paid or unpaid), and whether it was in a private, public, or academic venue; disqualifies the composition from the competition. A ‘public performance’ also includes formally attended public reading sessions, broadcast, or any recording that has been commercially released.

All materials must be anonymous and marked only with a pseudonym of the composer’s choice. Materials that have not had all identifiable markings removed will not be accepted. The composer’s pseudonym and the title of the composition must be marked on each score and recording. Submit: (1) Three copies of full score; (2) Recordings will be accepted, but are not required (send either MIDI or rehearsal recordings, but in the format of audio CD only—no cassettes, mp3s or data discs); (3) A copy of birth certificate or passport indicating that the applicant shall not have reached the age of 36 by February 14, 2009; (4) Application fee of $35 U.S. (money order/bank check); (5) The application form (print legibly). One of the three submitted copies will be retained and placed in the Robert Helps Archives of the University of South Florida Library Special Collections. An appropriately stamped return package or envelope will ensure the return of both remaining scores upon conclusion of the adjudication. Please mail materials to:

Robert Helps Prize
Attn.: Dr. Svetozar Ivanov
School of Music, FAH 110
College of Visual & Performing Arts
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Avenue
Tampa, FL 33620-7350
Phone: 813.974.8172
Email: (Not Provided)
Web: helpsprize.arts.usf.edu