CMA Compostition Competition 2025

Hardly anything is as magical as the moment of artistic inspiration. Therefore, it’s best not to let it pass and to immediately put one’s ideas onto paper.

A joint project of the Carinthian Music Academy (CMA) and the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt.
The Carinthian Music Academy (CMA) initiates an inspiring platform with the new composition competition, offering space for young and contemporary composers to create innovative works and further develop their musical signature. With this competition, we aim to enrich the diversity of the musical landscape and to specifically promote the creation of qualified specialist literature.

The CMA Composition Competition is intended to be held annually, with each year focusing on a different genre or ensemble. This diversity not only supports the development of new artistic forms of expression but also strengthens the visibility and recognition of young composers on their path to the professional music world. By publicly performing the winning works, we bring these new compositions closer to a broad audience and promote a lively dialogue between artists and listeners.

The CMA has been passionately dedicated to the topic of brass for years and is today a central player in the promotion of young emerging musicians. In 2025, the competition will be themed around Brass Band composition. Our goal is to provide new impulses to the Brass Band scene and inspire young talents to create creative works for this ensemble. In 2026, the series will continue with a focus on choral works.

 Competition Details

• Theme: Brass Band Compositions
• Registration for the competition: until June 30, 2025
• Submission deadline: October 31, 2025
• Jury evaluation: November 2025 to February 2026
• Selection and announcement of the finalists: February 2026
• Awarding and premiere of the winning works: The three selected works will be rehearsed and premiered by the Brass Band Carinthia at “BRASS HERBST” in Ossiach in October 2026.

Aim of the Competition
The CMA Composition Competition is open to all composers who wish to create a work specifically for a traditional Brass Band ensemble. The aim is to foster innovative, original, and expressive compositions that contribute to the development of the Brass Band literature.

 Participation Conditions

• Free participation: No entry fee is charged.
• Target group: The competition is open to all composers, regardless of nationality or age.
• Works per person: Only one work may be submitted per composer.

 Composition Requirements
The composition should be written for a classical Brass Band ensemble with the following instruments:

• Cornets: Soprano Cornet (in Eb), four Solo Cornets (in Bb), Repiano Cornet (in Bb), two 2nd Cornets (in Bb), two 3rd Cornets (in Bb)
• Flugelhorn: Flugelhorn (in Bb)
• Horns: Three Horns (in Eb) – Solo, 1st, 2nd Horn
• Baritones and Euphoniums: Two Baritones (in Bb) – 1st, 2nd Baritone, two Euphoniums (in Bb)
• Trombones: Two Trombones (in C) – 1st, 2nd Trombone, and Bass Trombone (in C)
• Tubas: Two Tubas (in Eb), two Tubas (in Bb)
• Percussion: Up to 5 players

 Duration: The composition should have a performance duration of 7–8 minutes.
Difficulty Level: The difficulty level is left to the discretion of the composers. Suitable for semi-professional Brass Bands.
Style: The style of the Brass composition is open; new concertante Brass Band original literature.

 Prizes and Awards
The prizes and other awards for the “Brass Herbst 2026” are set as follows:
1st prize is endowed with €3,000, the 2nd prize with €1,500, and the 3rd prize with €700.

The awarded works will be performed live at “Brass Herbst 2026” by the Brass Band Carinthia. The awarding will take place following the performance.

 Submission Conditions:
The submitted work must be unpublished and independently developed. It must not have been previously published or awarded in any other competition. The anonymity of the submissions must be ensured; therefore, no hints of authorship should be visible either on the score or on the individual parts.

Required documents for submission:

• Score and individual parts (created with a music notation program) as PDF
• A short description of the work as PDF
• An audio file (demo recording)
• The completed online submission form (available on the CMA website)

 Jury and Evaluation:
The composition of the jury will be announced before the start of the competition. The jury will consist of renowned composers, professors from the Gustav Mahler Private University, and representatives from the CMA Ossiach. In the first selection round, the submitted works will be evaluated anonymously; the three best works will advance to the final round and be publicly premiered during “Brass Herbst 2026”.

Contact and Further Information
For further inquiries and information, the CMA team is available.
Contact person at CMA: Michael Mayer – michael.mayer@die-cma.at