Alabama Music Teachers Association
Affiliated with Music Teachers National Association
Composition Opportunities
AMTA Composition Competition
AMTA State Composition Competition
State Composition Competition Guidelines
Eligibility:
Students between the ages of 5 and 26, who live in Alabama, or who study with a teacher who is a member of the Alabama Music Teachers Association, are encouraged to apply.
Composition Competition Categories:
• Elementary: Age: 5–10 as of January 1, 2025
• Junior: Age: 11–14 as of January 1, 2025
• Senior: Age: 15–18 as of January 1, 2025
• Young Artist: Age: 19–26 as of January 1, 2025
Awards:
The winning entry in each category may be performed at the 2025 AMTA State Conference, held in June.
Competition Rules:
• A composition may be in any style. Arrangements are not permitted.
• Only compositions for nine performers or fewer will be accepted.
• Compositions for prepared piano are not permitted.
• The performance time/duration may not exceed 10 minutes.
• If a composer uses a text, one of the following must be included with the copies of the scores: (1) copyrighted text must have a written statement from the copyright holder giving permission to use text or (2) text that is in the public domain must have a statement signed by the student and the teacher indicating this fact.
• The score should be printed on 8.5 x 11-inch paper. The manuscript must be legible. Handwritten scores, as well as scores notated by computer music software (Finale, Sibelius, etc.) are welcome.
• The music must be entirely the applicant’s own, original work, and applicants must have prepared the composition with the teacher listed on the application.
• Only one submission per applicant is permitted. The decisions of competition judges are final.
• Fee: The entry fee is $30 for students of teachers who are AMTA members. Non-members may enter students for an entry fee of $60.
Submission Requirements:
• To enter, participants must submit the following materials to the Composition Competition Coordinator:
◦ Registration form
◦ Registration fee
◦ Score (in PDF format)
◦ Optional: A recording of the score (recordings may be from a studio session, a live performance, or a computer-generated format.)
• Registration materials should be submitted digitally via email except for the registration fee payment, which must be mailed.
• All files must be labeled with the name of the composition, the name of the student and the category (Elementary, Junior, Senior, Young Artist). Please utilize the following format for file names:
◦ Registration form: LastName_FirstName_Category_CompositionTitle_Registration
◦ Score: LastName_FirstName_Category_CompositionTitle_Score
• The name of the teacher or any reference to school/institution must not appear on the score.
• All materials must be submitted at one time. No change may be made to the manuscript once it has been submitted with the application.
• Primary communication is via e-mail. The application must list e-mail addresses for student and teacher.
• Winners must provide their own musicians for the winner’s concert. Only live performances are allowed; audio/video recorded performances will not be permitted.
Registration Materials (registration forms, scores, recordings) should be sent via email to the Composition Competition Coordinator:
Lisa Higginbotham:
Registration Fees should be sent via mail to the Composition Competition Coordinator:
Lisa Higginbotham, NCTM
270 Harris Lane
Ragland, AL 35131
Materials must be received by April 15, 2025.