National Music & Global Culture Society announces NMGCS IV International Composition Competition

The National Music & Global Culture Society, led by Honoured Artist of Azerbaijan and laureate of international competitions, Professor Nargiz Aliyarova, is organizing the IV International Composition Competition from March to November.

The competition will be held with the support of the Azerbaijan State Committee for Work with Diaspora and the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, Azernews reports.

The IV International Composition Competition marks a significant milestone as the first and only international composition competition in the history of Azerbaijani music.

Dedicated to Azerbaijani folk songs, its aim is to showcase the rich heritage of Azerbaijani folk art and promote its global recognition. Composers worldwide, regardless of age, are invited to participate. As per competition guidelines, each participant must submit an original composition for solo instrument or small ensemble (up to 5 instruments), based on one or several of ten (10) pre-selected Azerbaijani folk songs.

Submissions will be evaluated by an international jury based on audio recordings and PDF files, with each work required to acknowledge the original source of the melody and its connection to Azerbaijani folk art.

For detailed information and participation guidelines, visit https://nm-gcs.org/about-the-nmgcs-iv-international-composition-competition/. Contact: +1 202 560 0145, +994502138155. Email: [email protected].

Competition terms were announced on March 15, with submissions accepted until July 1. The international jury will review entries by July 15, and on September 18, Azerbaijan's National Music Day, winners will be announced, and cash prizes awarded: $2,000 for 1st place, $1,000 for 2nd place, and $500 for 3rd place.

The winning compositions will debut in September in Baku at the International Festival named after U. Hajibeyli. On November 8, Azerbaijan's Victory Day, the final concert of the IV International Composition Competition will take place at Lincoln Center in New York.

Outstanding works will be compiled into a collection, registered in the US Library of Congress, and published in New York with individual numbers and barcodes. Previous competitions have garnered international participation: 51 participants from 35 countries in 2021, 35 participants from 23 countries in 2022, and 54 participants from 22 countries in 2023. Winners have represented Azerbaijan, Great Britain, the USA, Germany, Austria, Spain, Poland, China, Colombia, Georgia, and Ukraine.