New Music Prize

In association with Washington National Cathedral and Walton Music
generously supported by The King’s Singers Global Foundation & Ronald C. Gunnell

Throughout history, music has provided hope and healing at some of societies’ most challenging times. We’re launching The King’s Singers New Music Prize to recognize, develop, and encourage a spirit of musical creativity in today’s world. Through this Prize, we hope to leave the world a musically richer place than we found it.

With free entry, four categories, a panel of world-renowned judges and a choice of five beautiful texts to set, our primary aim for the New Music Prize is to encourage creativity, both in experienced and in upcoming composers. We also want to help composers to develop their craft by offering a series of free digital masterclasses with leading figures from he world of composition. In order to recognize the imagination and skill of our four winners, we have partnered with publisher Walton Music to offer the chance to have their works made available for performance, alongside a $1,500 prize, and the goal of premiering their works in Washington National Cathedral on Sunday February 28 2021, as part of a dedicated event (circumstances permitting). The winning composers will also be provided with a recording of their composition, captured on this celebratory occasion.

The New Music Prize is generously supported by Ronald C. Gunnell and The King’s Singers Global Foundation, and forms part of the Foundation’s vision for #FindingHarmony in our divided world.

The King’s Singers New Music Prize is open to residents of the USA and Canada.

Key Dates

+ Entries open on Tuesday, July 21, 2020
+ Entries close on Friday, October 16, 2020 at 3pm ET / 12pm PT
+ Winners will be announced on Thursday, December 3, 2020
+ The event at Washington National Cathedral is planned for Sunday, February 28, 2021

Texts

The King’s Singers worked with historian, poet and leading choral lyricist, Charles Anthony Silvestri, to identify five texts for use in the New Music Prize. Sincere thanks to Charles Anthony Silvestri for writing When All Falls Silent especially for this Prize, and to Malcolm Guite for allowing this project to use his poem, The Singing Bowl.

+ When All Falls Silent – Charles Anthony Silvestri
+ The Gift to Sing – James Weldon Johnson
+ I Had No Time To Hate – Emily Dickinson
+ Invitation to love – Paul Laurence Dunbar
+ Singing Bowl – Malcolm Guite

The Judges

+ Elise Bradley (Director, Toronto Children’s Chorus)
+ Stacey V. Gibbs (composer and arranger)
+ Jonathan Howard (The King’s Singers, 2010- )
+ David Hurley (The King’s Singers, 1991 – 2016)
+ Gabriela Lena Frank (composer and pianist)
+ Michael McCarthy (Director of Music, Washington National Cathedral)
+ Francisco J. Núñez (Director, Young Peoples Chorus of New York City)
+ Mack J. Wilberg (Music Director, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square)

Digital Workshops

All workshops are free to join and open to everyone. The workshops will take place at 10am PT / 1pt ET each Saturday in August and will be streamed live on The King’s Singers YouTube Channel.

+ August 1st: Charles Anthony Silvestri: Poet, Lyricist, Historian – The Marriage of Words and Music
+ August 8th: Eric Whitacre: Composer, Conductor – Writing for Voices
+ August 15th: Bob Chilcott: Composer, Conductor, Singer – Thoughts on Musical Line, Shape and Structure
+ August 22nd: Valérie Sainte-Agathe: Music Director, Conductor – Writing for Young Voices
+ August 29th: Alec Harris and Susan LaBarr: Walton Music, GIA Publications – Demystifying Music Publishing and Copyright: Your questions answered!