Announcing the ITA Trombone Composition Contest 2025!
This contest will allow talented composers to showcase their trombone writing skills in a unique contest. Composers are invited to submit an original trombone octet and/or quartet of 6-8 minutes in length.
The winning compositions will be announced in April 2025 during International Trombone Week (ITW). Its sheet music will be available to download from the ITA site at no cost for ensembles that wish to perform it through 2025. Trombone ensembles will be encouraged to record and share themselves performing the winning composition in celebration of International Trombone Week 2025. Composers will also have other possible performance and promotional interviews highlighting their winning compositions and themselves.
The winning composers will receive a:
- professional recording of their composition
- complimentary pass to the 2025 International Trombone Festival
- 5-year Regular membership to the International Trombone Association
- performances of their work during International Trombone Week
- $100 gift certificate to ITA’s merchandise shop
Composition requirements
*Please note that composers can either submit for 1 of the categories in the 2025 Composition Contest (octet or quartet) or they have the option to submit for both the quartet and octet categories. You can submit up to 2 pieces for each category.
Submissions need to meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for consideration:
- The octet submission must be scored for 8 trombones (6 Tenor and 2 Bass Trombones); The quartet submission must be scored for 4 trombones (3 Tenor and 1 Bass Trombones);
- The composition must be an original work.
- The composition must be between 6-8 minutes in length.
- Submission must be clearly formatted (with a score and individual parts included) in a single PDF file. Exact tempo and style indications must be included. The composer’s name must be written in the score. No handwritten scores accepted.
- You may submit up to two compositions for consideration in each category (octet and quartet).
- Each submission must include one PDF score (individual parts included; max 15MB) and one MIDI recording (WAV or mp3; max 30MB).
In pursuit of diversity, we especially invite individuals from under-represented groups to apply.
Deadline: Submissions must be received by December 8, 2024. Judging will take place in January and February, 2025 by a panel of judges and trombone ensembles. The winning composition will be announced in March, 2025.
Judging: will begin in January 2025. The winner will be announced in March, 2025. The judges’ decision is final.
Please note: The winner of this contest agrees to extend their permission to ITA to publish the piece at no cost through December 2025. In addition, any trombone ensemble may record or perform the work without any compensation going to the composer through that time.
Questions? Contact us ItaCompContest@gmail.com
Please note: This is a separate contest from the ITF Composers Workshop, all composers are encouraged to enter both if you wish.