FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Washington, D.C. May 1, 2026]
The 2026 Young Composers Competition: Once Upon A Time
What is the first story you ever heard? Who shared it with you—and why do you still remember it?
Long before there was written language, there was story—people leaning in around a fire, parents spinning bedtime stories from wisps of imagination, dreamers putting pen to paper to capture scenes they imagine behind closed eyes. Storytelling is among the oldest and most universal human impulses—a way of making sense of a world that so often defies logic. What happened? What comes next? What does it all mean? These questions have led to stories that inspire, teach, and soothe.
Music has always been a powerful storytelling tools. From anthems that carried the hope of generations, to folk songs that smuggled truth past watchful eyes of power, to symphonies that painted entire worlds without a single word, music doesn’t just accompany stories. How a song is written, how it’s shared, and who it reaches, all add new dimensions to what a story can do.
What stories have shaped you or the world around you? What made them so powerful? How does the manner of telling the story impact what we take away from it? Whether you find your inspiration in mythology or memory, in fiction or lived experience, in the grand sweep of history or the quiet drama of a single moment—we want to hear how you. This year, our 12th Annual Young Composers Competition is eager to hear your story!
All U.S. & Canadian residents age 18-40 are welcome to submit a 2-5 minute original composition (arranged for mixed, unaccompanied choir) related to the theme of “Once Upon A Time”. We especially welcome submissions from unique or underrepresented perspectives – and in unique or underrepresented styles. Submissions are due by July 5, 2026, and a prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the winner.
Submission Guidelines
- Entries must be scored for unaccompanied mixed choir, suitable for performance by 12-14 voices, either with or without divisi. Entries must be 2-5 minutes in length.
- Any style or genre of music is permitted (i.e., works need not be “classical”). Jazz, pop, rock, world, crossover works, etc., are all welcome.
- Works must be entirely original compositions (not arrangements of existing works), except that limited excerpting for artistic reasons is allowed.
- Works must not have received a public premiere or publicly available recording, and must be unpublished. Exception – self-published, unsold works that are withdrawn from sale during the competition (see Rules).
- All texts must be cleared for performance and commercial recording, and evidence of copyright holder’s permission must be shown. For further guidance, see here.
- Open to U.S. and Canadian composers aged 18-40. Previous winners, members of The Capital Hearings, and their families, close friends and colleagues are not eligible.
- The Capital Hearings retain a two-year “right of first recording” for the winning composition (see Rules for details).
- Only one composition per submission will be accepted, but multiple submissions are welcome.
- The competition will be judged anonymously. Finalists will be selected by the music director with input from a committee. The full ensemble will select the winner.
- Entrants must submit a complete online submission form, including a full score pdf, audio realization (MIDI, MP3, etc.), standalone version of the underlying text (if not included in the score), a translation (if not in English), and any documents needed to prove copyright permission.
For press and general inquires, please contact:
Trent Perrin
General Manager
Email: tperrin@thecapitalhearings.com
About The Capital Hearings:
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Facebook: The Capital Hearings
This project is supported by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.