Capitol Hill Chorale 2026: U.S.-Residents-Only Choral Composition Contest, $1,000 Prize
JUDGED COMPOSITION COMPETITION FOR CURRENT U.S. RESIDENTS. Capitol Hill Chorale, an established non-profit choral ensemble in Washington, D.C., is accepting original choral compositions for its 2026 Composition Competition. The winner earns a $1,000 cash prize and a small travel stipend to attend the world premiere on March 20–21, 2027. This is a cash-prize competition for composers, not an unpaid recruitment campaign for choir members.
Eligibility: current United States residents
Applicants must be currently resident in the United States. There is no published age, educational-level or citizenship requirement, and the contest welcomes composers of varied career stages and backgrounds. A composer living overseas should not mistake it for a worldwide open call. The organizer will use the address details entered in the online form to assess eligibility.
Music requirements: SATB choir, 3–6 minutes
Submit an original composition for SATB mixed choir, with optional piano accompaniment or a cappella. The desired duration is 3 to 6 minutes. Modest divisi is allowed, but extended solo passages are discouraged; the score must be singable by a volunteer mixed choir of approximately 100 adult singers. The suggested concert theme is Vox Populi (The Voice of the People), but a direct interpretation is encouraged rather than mandatory. This describes the performance ensemble; the composer competition itself offers a real cash prize.
Text rights, prior performances and AI
Texts must be in the public domain, written by the composer, or accompanied by proof of permission for public performance. Provide an English translation of any text in another language. The music must not have had a public performance before the entry deadline and must not have won another award. Recordings from workshops or private performances do not automatically disqualify a work. The organizer expressly prohibits using artificial intelligence in the creation or production of the composition.
Cash prize, premiere and judging
One first-place award carries US$1,000 and a small travel stipend, and the winning composition is scheduled for the Capitol Hill Chorale Vox Populi concerts in Washington, D.C. on March 20 and 21, 2027. The judges are artistic director Frederick Binkholder and composer-in-residence Kevin Siegfried. The jury may withhold the prize if entries do not meet the advertised standards. The cash award is not a salary paid to all entrants.
Deadline and anonymous submission
Submit no later than November 15, 2026, using the official competition form. Up to two compositions per person are accepted. Submit a clear, fully notated PDF score with identifying marks removed so that judging is anonymous; an MP3 recording is strongly encouraged but optional. The upload form lists a 25 MB score limit and a 20 MB recording limit. The organizer's public page does not explicitly state whether an entry fee is charged; applicants should confirm costs with the organizer rather than assume entry is free.
Copyright and ensemble performance rights
The composer retains all rights other than the Chorale's unlimited performance and mechanical rights to the Chorale's own performances and recordings of the work. Composers with existing recording or publishing deals should review this provision carefully in the official terms before entering.
Official source and entry form
Capitol Hill Chorale official 2026 rules and online submission form: https://www.capitolhillchorale.org/about/composition-competition/
Verified October 30, 2026. This independently edited notice summarizes an external judged competition. The organizer's updated application requirements and copyright terms prevail in case of changes.