The Delta Omicron Foundation, Inc., established in 1958, is a philanthropic organization that commissions the Thor Johnson Commission triennially. This current call is for compositions that will be premiered in 2028 at the Delta Omicron Fraternity Triennial Conference. A $3,000 award will be presented to the selected composition composer at that conference. Interested applicants need to submit the following by December 30, 2025: 1) A composition proposal for voice with piano accompaniment no longer than 15 minutes with multiple movements. The composer may choose the voice type for the composition; 2) A personal biography or vita; 3) Recordings of select previous compositions (CD or MIDI) or a list of such recorded compositions that are available online from a personal website. The selected commission proposal will be determined by early spring of 2026, and the full composition must be completed by January 15, 2028. Awardee will receive travel, meals, and housing accommodations for the 2028 Triennial Conference.
Upon acceptance of the proposal, a contract will be submitted by the Foundation to the composer to outline the composition deadlines, the monetary distribution timeline, and travel and accommodations stipends for the composer’s participation in the composition’s premiere . The composition will remain the property of the composer after its premiere but must be credited to the Delta Omicron Foundation as the commissioning party for any uses of the composition for public performances and on any future published edition of the the work.
Eligibility
  • Composers 21 and up
Submission Criteria
  • Works may not be previously submitted
  • Applicants may submit up to 3 compositions
Recording Rights

The composer will have full recording rights following the one performance at the Conference. But, the Delta Omicron Foundation must be recognized as the commissioning party for the any future public performances of the composition and any future published edition of the work. The Foundation will record the one performance at the Conference for its archives only and provide one copy to the composer.

Attendance and Financial Support

Awardee is expected to attend the premiere of their work at the 2028 conference. Half of the $3,000 commission prize will be awarded in December 2027 and other half at the conference in July 2028.