Author: SCI Members Mailing List
Subject: Composition Contest Scam?
To my esteemed colleagues,
Have any of you run across a composition competition where an entrance fee was charged and no one was selected as a winner? I recently entered a competition where the was a $30 entrance fee and the jury could not agree on a winner, so no winner was declared. The announcement did state "The official prize is $1,500 (however the jury may also elect not to award the prize)." But let us assume that 100 composers entered, that would mean that the sponsor received $3000. I'm sure their expenses weren't that much, so the sponsor can easily make a profit annually by not declaring a winner. It would be nice if they refunded each composer that entered a portion of the entrance fee. To me, this has scam written all over it! I think in the future I will shy away from competitions with an entrance fee and a disclaimer.
Sy Brandon Professor Emeritus Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Sy Brandon, Arizona Centennial Composer Thor Johnson Memorial Commission winner for 2018 2013 finalist in the American Prize Chamber Music Composition Competition and semi-finalist in the Band Composition Competition 2012 semi-finalist in the American Prize Orchestral Composition Competition and Choral Composition Competition sybrandon at gmail.com http://cooppress.net
Subject: Composition Contest Scam?
To my esteemed colleagues,
Have any of you run across a composition competition where an entrance fee was charged and no one was selected as a winner? I recently entered a competition where the was a $30 entrance fee and the jury could not agree on a winner, so no winner was declared. The announcement did state "The official prize is $1,500 (however the jury may also elect not to award the prize)." But let us assume that 100 composers entered, that would mean that the sponsor received $3000. I'm sure their expenses weren't that much, so the sponsor can easily make a profit annually by not declaring a winner. It would be nice if they refunded each composer that entered a portion of the entrance fee. To me, this has scam written all over it! I think in the future I will shy away from competitions with an entrance fee and a disclaimer.
Sy Brandon Professor Emeritus Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Sy Brandon, Arizona Centennial Composer Thor Johnson Memorial Commission winner for 2018 2013 finalist in the American Prize Chamber Music Composition Competition and semi-finalist in the Band Composition Competition 2012 semi-finalist in the American Prize Orchestral Composition Competition and Choral Composition Competition sybrandon at gmail.com http://cooppress.net