The Janet Altman Composing Competition 2025-26
The Orchestra
The Endcliffe Orchestra is an amateur group based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The orchestra is open to amateur musicians of grade 6 upwards (or equivalent). The Endcliffe serves as a development orchestra and provides a friendly and relaxed atmosphere for amateur players in Sheffield. We currently have 60 players in the orchestra.
The Brief
The work may be a single piece or a suite, with total duration not more than 8 minutes. There is no minimum time constraint.
Any forces of instrument are welcome up to the maximum size of a Symphony Orchestra 3.2.2.2 4.3.3.1 Strings + Percussion
Some suggestions of forces you could compose for include:
· String Orchestra
· Solo Instrument + Strings
· Wind Octet (2 flutes,2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons)
· Brass Ensemble (3 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, 1 tuba)
· Full Symphony Orchestra
Any style/genre of classical music is acceptable, however it must be notated to be read by musicians. It may be worth noting that the winning works will be performed alongside performances of Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Borodin’s 2nd Symphony.
Works must be original, not premiered and not previously awarded before at any other competition.
The use of AI is strictly forbidden, and any suspected uses of AI will lead to disqualification.
Eligibility
There will be two main age categories, Junior (Year 13 school aged and below) and Senior.
The Competition is open to musicians who were born in Sheffield or who study, live or work, or who used to study, live or work in Sheffield. Within this condition, anyone is eligible, including established composers, regardless of age, gender, nationality, religion, sexuality, politics or any other criteria.
Conditions
Each composer may submit only one entry.
The composer grants The Endcliffe Orchestra a perpetual, non-exclusive right to perform and record the work.
Works that are successful at Stage 1 are expected to attend the Orchestral Workshop on Sunday 1st March. Winners and runners-up at Stage 2 are expected to attend the performance on Saturday 4th July.
Submission
Entries are to be submitted by email (address TBC) comprising of:
· a PDF score suitable for printing on A4 paper and for use in performance. NB the name of the composer or other identifying information must not appear on the score.
· a biography of the composer (no more than 500 words) as Word or PDF document. This should include the composer's full name and a photo.
· An audio recording or midi mock-up of the composition.
All items must be received by 23:59 on Wednesday 31st December 2025.
Process
Stage 1: At Stage 1, the anonymised scores will be sent to the judging panel comprising of Music Director of Endcliffe Orchestra and composer River Edis-Smith and representatives from different sections of The Endcliffe Orchestra.
The criteria the panel will be looking for is:
· Playability
· Creativity
· Originality
· Clarity of Score
The panel's decision will be made and announced by the end of January 2025 and cannot be contested.
All applicants will receive written feedback (whether successful or unsuccessful).
We will select up to 5 works from the Junior Class and 5 works from the Senior Class to take through to Stage 2.
Stage 2: At Stage 2, the scores are no longer anonymised, and successful applicants will have the chance to adapt their scores from the feedback given, in preparation for an Orchestral Workshop on Sunday 1st March 12:00pm-5:00pm.
At the orchestral workshop, at least 20 minutes will be allocated to each work, and a recording of each work will be provided to each Stage 2 applicant. This recording can be used freely by the composer regardless of whether successful or unsuccessful.
Stage 2 of the judging panel will be done by vote of the players of Endcliffe Orchestra. They will rank each work in each age category from 1 up to 5 after rehearsing and performing in the workshop.
As the works are no longer anonymised at this stage of the scheme, any member of Endcliffe Orchestra who has a conflict of interest with any composer will be ineligible to vote for that age category. The MD and Stage 1 panel members are ineligible to vote at this stage.
The highest ranked piece by the Orchestra in each age category will be awarded 1st prize. 2nd and 3rd prizes may be awarded by the Stage 1 panels discretion within each category.
Winning pieces will be announced two weeks after the orchestral workshop. At this point, winning composers may make further amendments to their piece in light of the workshop before a final submission of score and parts for the Endcliffe Orchestra to rehearse for the concert on Saturday 4th July.
Prizes
The winning works for the 2026 Composition Prize will be performed in a concert on Saturday 4th July performed by The Endcliffe Orchestra in Sheffield.
The winning composer of each category will receive:
- £500
- up to 4 comp tickets to the premiere performance of their work at the Endcliffe Orchestra’s concert on Saturday 4th July
2nd (£250) and 3rd (£100) prizes may be awarded at the judges' discretion within each category, with commensurate value. The judging panel reserves the right not to award any prizes if no entries of sufficient quality are received.
Contact for queries: endcliffemembers@gmail.com
Janet Altman