Founded in 1973, Garth Newel Music Center is one of the most active chamber music organizations in the country. Its resident ensemble—the Garth Newel Piano Quartet—performs over 60 concerts annually both at the Center and on tour. Through this competition, the Quartet seeks to broaden the piano quartet repertoire and to support the Center’s ongoing commitment to contemporary music.

Prizes

The winner will receive:

  • Glorvina and Richard Lynn New Music Prize ($3000)
  • A performance of the winning work by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet during Garth Newel Music Center’s 2026 Summer Music Festival.
  • A travel stipend of up to $1000 to travel to Garth Newel Music Center (Hot Springs, VA) to be in residence, introduce and attend the world premiere of their piece.
    • The winner is invited to attend the premiere, but not required. They will still receive the prize regardless of their ability to attend.
  • Livestream and video recording of the live premiere.
  • Multiple performances of the winning work by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet.
  • The opportunity to participate in a short-term residency in conjunction with the premiere. This residency will take place during Garth Newel’s prestigious Emerging Artist Fellowship chamber music program.
    • The winner will have the opportunity to attend rehearsals with Garth Newel Piano Quartet and the Emerging Artist Fellows, with the possibility of readings and performances of additional chamber works by the composer.
    • Collaborate and network with talented musicians from the top music schools.

Guidelines

  • Submitted works must be for violin, viola, cello and piano. Piano trios and quintets are not accepted.
  • There is no time limit for works.
  • Submissions from any composer, regardless of age or citizenship, are welcome.
  • The work must be originally conceived as a piano quartet. Arrangements of previously completed works that have been performed or published are not acceptable
  • Submissions from any composer are welcome. Garth Newel Music Center is an equal opportunity organization and will not allow discrimination based upon age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other status prohibited by applicable law

Compositions Are Ineligible If:

  • They require live electronics or cannot be performed with just stereo playback
  • The work has already received a professional premiere. (A student performance within the school community is allowed).
  • They are a transcription or arrangement of another work that has been performed or published.
  • They have already been professionally recorded for commercial CD release.
  • The work, in any instrumentation, has been published.

Submission

For physical submission:

  • A legible score and parts of professional quality labeled with a pseudonym. No marks identifying the composer may appear anywhere on the score. The title of the work is permissible.
  • An envelope labeled with the composer’s pseudonym. Information within the envelope should include the composer’s name, address, telephone number, email address and one-paragraph biography.
  • A digital recording of the work labeled with the composer’s pseudonym (CDs or flash drives are acceptable). MIDI realizations are acceptable.
  • A self-addressed stamped envelope of appropriate size if the composer wishes to have their materials returned.

All materials should be mailed to:

Composition Competition
Garth Newel Music Center
403 Garth Newel Lane
Hot Springs, VA 24445

For electronic submissions:

  • Email the score, instrumental parts, and audio file under a pseudonym to pianoquartet@garthnewel.org, along with the composer’s info in a pdf/word document labeled “do not open until after the results are determined”.
  • Please use “12th Garth Newel Piano Quartet Competition submission” as the subject heading.
  • Recordings that are too big can be sent via Dropbox or google drive. Please label the titles of digital tracks with the composition name as well as the composer’s pseudonym.

Deadline

All materials must be received by 11:59pm on November 1, 2025. Applicants will be notified of the result by e-mail no later than January 31, 2026.

For further information or questions, please email jeannette@garthnewel.org.

Submission of a composition constitutes a warranty by the composer that the work is original to the composer and does not infringe the copyright of any other person. The composer of the winning composition will retain the musical work copyright and grant the Garth Newel Piano Quartet an exclusive one-year license to perform the work. Subsequent performances by other artists must acknowledge that the work was composed for and premiered by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet.