Queer Urban Orchestra is pleased to announce its 2025 Vanguard Composers Competition! This program is open to composers of any age who identify as LGBTQ+, from anywhere in the world. The winning work will be performed by Queer Urban Orchestra in June of 2025, and the composer will receive a $1,000 cash award, plus a small travel stipend to attend the performance. Two runners-up will be selected for a reading in January of 2025, and all composers who enter are invited to participate in two virtual sessions with QUO’s artistic leadership.

Founded in 2009, Queer Urban Orchestra is the only orchestra specifically aligned with the LGBTQ+ community in the Northeast United States. This New York City-based community orchestra of over 100 volunteer musicians is dedicated to uplifting queer artistry.

Applications may be submitted at the bottom of this page. The application deadline is Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT.

The winner of the 2025 Vanguard Composer Competition will receive:

  • A $1,000 cash prize
  • A performance of the winning composition by Queer Urban Orchestra in June of 2025
  • Consultations with QUO artistic leadership
  • Up to $250 in travel reimbursements to work with the orchestra and attend the performance of their work
  • A live recording of the performance

Two runners-up of the 2025 Vanguard Composer Competition will receive:

  • A reading in January of 2025
  • A raw recording from the reading, to be edited by the composer

The winners and runners-up are not required to travel to New York City.

All applicants to the 2025 Vanguard Composer Competition will receive:

  • Invitations to two group video conference sessions in the fall of 2025 with QUO’s artistic leadership, giving greater understanding of the orchestra’s process of preparing new works for performance

Eligibility

  • Composer identifies as LGBTQ+
  • Composer must have no past or planned performances of any original composition by a professional ensemble with a budget of $2 million USD or more
  • Composer may not be a member of Queer Urban Orchestra

Application Process

  • Application deadline: October 15, 2024 at 11:59PM EDT
  • Winning composition and runners-up will be announced by early December of 2024.
  • No application fee

Application Requirements

  • A link to a live recording or electronic rendering of the submitted composition must be included. Dropbox, YouTube, SoundCloud, personal website, etc. are acceptable.
  • The composition must be no more than 10 minutes in length. It may be excerpted from a larger work.
  • Compositions that have past or planned performances in New York City are ineligible.
  • QUO must be able to perform and/or read all submitted compositions without rental or purchase fees.
  • Instrumentation:
    • QUO’s instrumentation is flexible, but its basic membership consists of the following:
      • 3 flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo)
      • 3 oboes (3rd doubling English horn)
      • 3 clarinets (3rd doubling bass clarinet)
      • 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon)
      • 4 French horns
      • 3 trumpets
      • 3 trombones (3rd doubling bass trombone)
      • 1 tuba
      • timpani + 3 percussion
      • 1 harp
      • 1 piano
      • strings
    • Compositions for medium to large subsets of this instrumentation are welcome, including works for strings only or works for woodwinds, brass, and percussion only.
    • Compositions that call for larger instrumentations than listed above will also be considered.
    • Compositions that call for an instrumental soloist will be considered.
    • Compositions that call for singers, including choir, are ineligible.
  • Applicants may submit up to three compositions, each in a different application.
  • Queer Urban Orchestra is an avocational orchestra of mostly non-professional musicians. Playability for the orchestra will be among the criteria by which the competition will be judged. For reference, please visit our YouTube channel.
  • The composer of the winning composition must submit parts in PDF format by March 15, 2025.
  • Composers of runners-up must submit parts in PDF format by December 8, 2024.

Queer Urban Orchestra reserves the right not to select a winning composition and/or runners-up.