BMI Composer Awards

The BMI Composer Awards is an annual competition recognizing young composers working in classical music. The competition awards a total of $20,000 each year, with named prizes including the Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Prize for the most outstanding work and the Carlos Surinach Prize for the youngest winner. Winners are honored at an award ceremony in New York City each spring and winning scores are archived at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Submissions are judged anonymously by a panel of established classical composers.

Cash prizes totaling $20,000 annually; winners honored at an award ceremony in New York City; winning scores archived at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Applicants must be under the age of 28 as of the deadline and must be a resident of the United States or its territories, or a citizen of any country in the Western Hemisphere. Applicants may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program, works must be original/unpublished/not under contract, submissions must be anonymous, and co-composed works are not eligible.

Prepare an original, unpublished classical composition and submit anonymously via the BMI Foundation online portal with any required supporting materials and permissions before the deadline.