The Student Composer Commissioning Program is an annual competition dedicated to encouraging young composers to pursue creative endeavors in electro-acoustic music and increase student participation in SEAMUS activities.
SEAMUS AWARDS
Three monetary and programming prizes are awarded in the SEAMUS Student Commission Awards. All decisions are final.
First Prize
- A commission of $1250 for a new work of electro-acoustic music
- The performance of the commissioned work at the SEAMUS National Conference the following year
- A recording of the commissioned work will be featured in the Music from SEAMUS Compilation Series
- A certificate of recognition will be granted to the first prize recipient
Second Prize
- A commission of $750 for a new work of electro-acoustic music
- The performance of the commissioned work at the SEAMUS National Conference the following year
- A certificate of recognition will be granted to the second prize recipient
Finalists
- A certificate of recognition will be granted to all finalists for the award
THE ALLEN STRANGE MEMORIAL AWARD
The Allen Strange Memorial Award, named for our friend and colleague Allen Strange (1943-2008), is an annual award to celebrate the best undergraduate or high school electro-acoustic composition. Each year the winner receives a cash prize of $250 and recognition at the SEAMUS National Conference. All submissions to the SEAMUS Student Commission Award by undergraduates and high school students are automatically considered for the Allen Strange Award as well.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants to the SEAMUS Student Commissioning Competition must be student members of SEAMUS and either:
- currently enrolled in an academic program in the United States (high school through doctoral studies) or;
- a United States citizen studying abroad.
The submitted work must have been completed while the applicant was a student, and the applicant must have student status at the time the work is submitted to the competition.
Prior-Winner Restrictions:
Applicants may receive the SEAMUS Student Commission (1st or 2nd Prize) only once. A winner of the SEAMUS Student Commission is not eligible for any future SEAMUS Student Awards.
Applicants may receive the Allen Strange Award only once. A winner of the Allen Strange Award remains eligible for the SEAMUS Student Commission in future years, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.
Applicants may not receive both the SEAMUS Student Commission and the Allen Strange Award in the same year.
Finalists who do not receive 1st or 2nd prize in the SEAMUS Student Commission remain eligible in future years, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.
RULES FOR SUBMISSION
All submissions are to be made online, and only one work of electroacoustic music may be submitted to the competition.
General Guidelines
- Audio Files: music submissions should include a representative audio recording of the work. If a concert work, it must be the complete composition. Installations may be represented by an excerpted recording not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Judging of music submissions for the SEAMUS Student Competition will be from audio files in the MP3 format. Multichannel works will be judged from a stereo mix, also MP3. Please assist us by submitting in MP3 format.
- Scores: for submissions involving a score, please submit an anonymized PDF score for review. Please do not mail in printed scores at this time.
- Video Submissions: note that for works involving video, only the audio portion will be considered for judging purposes. You must be the composer of the music for the video. Please submit an MP3 of the music as specified above.
- Only one (1) entry per student.
For more information on the requirements and the submission process, please see the the FAQ page.
Please direct questions about the competition to Sam Wells, Member at Large for Adjudication, at [email protected] or to Adam Vidiksis, President, at [email protected].
The deadline for the 2027 SEAMUS Student Commission Competition is September 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM AOE.