11th Annual VocalEssence & American Composers Forum Christmas Carol Contest

The custom of singing Christmas carols brings joy to the holiday season unlike any other tradition. And every December VocalEssence and the American Composers Forum celebrate this tradition in their own unique way: championing today’s composers, exploring new works, and rediscovering lesser-known works of the past. This year marks the eleventh anniversary of the Welcome Christmas! Carol Contest as VocalEssence and the American Composers Forum provide composers of all ages with the opportunity to compose a modern-day carol.

Open to North American composers, this year’s contest requires writing a carol for SATB chorus accompanied by French horn (in F). Each year, the contest has produced wonderful new settings of familiar texts and carols based on existing poems and original texts with different instrumentation.

Each winner will receive a prize of $1,000, and the winning carols will be premiered at the December 7, 12, 13, & 14, 2008 Welcome Christmas! concerts featuring the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers. The performances will be recorded for national broadcast in 2009 via American Public Media. The winners are invited to attend the rehearsals and performances at their own expense, and will have the opportunity for radio interviews as well as other media coverage and promotion.

2007 Contest winners announced - Read the press release

2007 npr.org/music story on the Welcome Christmas! Carol Contest

2008 Contest Guidelines

Past Contest Winners 1998-2008