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Early Music Scholars Competition

The Early Music Scholars Competition (EMSC) is a competition presented by Chalice Consort to foster the discovery of early music choral scores.

Peter S. Poulos (U. of Cincinnati, Ohio), editor of Simone Molinaro's Quae est ista was one of the five editors selected to present at the CCEMC (previously called EMMC) in 2010. His piece was the winning piece at the conference that changed the landscape of early music as we knew it prior to April 10, 2010. Chalice Consort performed "Music for Meditation and Devotion by Simone Molinaro" (c. 1570-1636) last November 12-14, 2010 in the bay area.


Peter S. Poulos (April 10, 2010)

For the 2011/2012 EMSC, we will focus on unaccompanied choral pieces. In future years, we hope to include accompanied choral works as well.

Each scholar participating in this competition is asked to submit his/her editorial work of a piece that is unpublished (either online or offline in modern edition) or a reconstruction of incomplete works with missing parts (e.g. missing at least one voice or measure), has never been publicly performed, and that complements the focal piece of the subsequent Chalice Consort Early Music Conference (CCEMC): Reges Tharsis by John Sheppard (c.1515-1558). From the submissions received, up to five pieces will be presented at the CCEMC, and from those, one will be selected for performance by Chalice Consort at a future concert.

Submission Rules for 2011-2012

  1. An unaccompanied choral piece from any country of origin that complements John Sheppard's Reges Tharsis.   In the accompanying summary, please explain the criteria that make you feel the piece is complementary to Reges Tharsis. 
  2. Chalice Consort welcomes submissions that share features with the Reges Tharsis (for example: rhythm, mode, liturgical function, etc.) or that provide contrast to the piece (for example: chant, secular music, etc). The submitter must make the case for the pairing.
  3. Please submit a summary in English of the newly-discovered and edited work to accompany the score submission. Complete the provided summary template. If your piece is selected as one of the top five to be presented at the CCEMC, you will be asked to submit a 250-words summary of "Editor's Notes" that will be included in the 2012 CCEMC program.
  4. The piece should be no more than eight minutes in length. If you have multiple movements, select one to submit and note that it is part of a larger piece, under Editor’s Notes in your summary.
  5. If your piece is for more than eight voices, please contact Chalice Consort at chaliceconsort@yahoo.com before you submit it. (NOTE: maximum 8 voice parts -- which is one-on-a-part in SSAATTBB, voicing may be flexible for example, SAATTTBB or AAATTTBB)
  6. The score must be edited using music notation software; we will not accept hand-written scores.
  7. Please submit your scores in PDF format AND your summary describing the piece using the template provided above. Email your submission to chaliceconsort@yahoo.com.
  8. Deadline for submission has been extended: March 27, 2012 at 5pm PST. Chalice Consort will announce the five pieces selected for inclusion at the CCEMC no later than March 29st.

How Submissions Will Be Judged:

  1. Chalice Consort will sing through all the submissions and select the top five pieces to review at the CCEMC.
  2. The submissions will be judged on the following:
    • Does the piece adhere to the submission rules stated above?
    • Does the piece complement Reges Tharsis? (See above for definition.)
    • Aesthetics
      - Beauty of the piece
      - Impact of the piece
      - Interesting to sing
      - Good balance of challenge vs. reward
    • Compositional technique
      - Interesting structure
      - Good compositional skill
    • Edition
      - Easy to read
      - Editorial choices are sound from a scholarly point of view (e.g. ficta, meter changes, pitch, etc)
      - Free of mistakes
  3. Does the summary sufficiently describe the piece and editorial work?
  4. At the conference, the panel of our guest directors and musicologists will discuss your work.
  5. The attendees of the conference will vote for their favorite piece to be performed by Chalice Consort at a future concert.


    Michael Anderson (Eastman School of Music, NY), editor of Office Plainchant For St. Anne, Mary's
    Mother making his case in the hot seat. (April 10, 2010)

Benefits & Awards:

  1. $200 for each of the up to five either unpublished (either online or offline in modern edition), has never been publicly performed pieces selected OR for each of the reconstructed incomplete works with missing parts (e.g. missing at least one voice) to be presented at the upcoming CCEMC.
  2. Each selected piece may be recorded and sold by Chalice Consort, subject to appropriate copyright arrangements. Chalice Consort has the first right of refusal to be the first to record and sell the recordings for 18 months after the conference date.
  3. The editors’ one-page summaries for the selected five pieces may be posted at ChaliceConsort.org.
  4. The selected five pieces may be published online and available for sale online at ChaliceConsort.org – details of the publishing contract TBA.
  5. The editors of the selected five pieces will be able to present the discovery and the editorial work at the CCEMC (20 minutes, plus moderated discussion by the esteemed panel)
  6. An additional prize of $200 will be awarded to the top piece chosen at the CCEMC for performance at a future Chalice Consort concert
  7. There will be opportunity for directors at the conference to arrange to perform any of the five works in other parts of the world.

If you have questions, please contact us.

  
 

 

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