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I. Entry Rules and Procedures
The Middle School Division of the competition is open to students in grades 6-8 who reside in Indiana and are sponsored by school or private teachers who are IMEA/NAfME members (teacher's membership ID number required). The High School Division
of the competition is open to students in grades 9-12 who reside in
Indiana and are sponsored by school or private teachers who are
IMEA/NAfME members (teacher's membership ID number required).
Composers may submit works for traditional concert-music instrumental and vocal ensembles, jazz big band and combo, and "experimental" electroacoustic works. With the exception of electroacoustic works, all submissions must include a fully notated score.
Composers may enter in multiple categories, but may submit only one work per category. Each work must be accompanied by a completed Entry Form, but payment should be combined in a single check or money order.
All submissions must be postmarked on or prior to the deadline (March 2, 2012), and must include:
- A completed Entry Form (see the Entry Forms page) for each work (please include e-mail contact information to facilitate communication; please list specific instrumentation if the work is for chamber ensemble or anything other than standard large ensemble)
- $30 entry fee for each work (please combine payment for multiple entries)
- 3 copies of a properly bound, legible score of each work (see Guidelines, below), with name and work title (not required for electroacoustic category)
- 3 copies of an audio CD recording of each work (MIDI realizations are acceptable), labeled with name and work title
- 1 copy of a data CD containing PDF and Finale (if available) files of all submitted scores
Composers may also send an optional SASE envelope of sufficient size and with postage sufficient for the return of materials.
Submissions should be addressed to:
Dr. Judd Danby
Chair, IMEA Composition Competition
Music & Dance Department
Jefferson High School
1801 S 18th ST
Lafayette, IN 47905
II. Guidelines for Score Preparation and Printing
(click the links below to jump to each specific topic)
Remember this basic guideline, and use it to inform all of the choices you make: a score needs to communicate the composer's musical intentions clearly while facilitating an ensemble's rehearsal of the piece. Therefore, it is important that scores are neat and readable, include all necessary information, and are well formatted and properly bound. If your score isn't neat and readable, an ensemble director won't be able to read your score from the normal distance on his or her podium. This will make effective rehearsal difficult at best.
If your score doesn't include information such as measure numbers and clearly marked rehearsal numbers or letters, rehearsals will be slowed down considerably while the musicians count measures just to know where to start. If your score doesn't include information such as dynamics, articulations, and phrase marks, an ensemble director will have to make an educated guess at what your musical intentions are, which might or might not match what you imagine. Also, it will take additional time and effort to get the ensemble members to perform the piece in a uniform way if their parts don't show them this kind of information. If your score has margins that are too small, important information such as the part name might be illegible. If the margins are too big, more pages, and therefore more page-turns, will be required. Cover and Title Page
The cover and title page of a score should make certain basic information clear, such as instrumentation, duration of the piece (and, if applicable, its individual movements), and other special instructions that a conductor would need to know, such as special percussion and/or electronic equipment needs. Always include a score cover that includes the title of the work and the name of the composer (and, if applicable, the arranger). This information should be exactly as it would appear in a printed program. This will enable a conductor to locate the score easily, and to list the work and composer properly in concert programs.
Always include a title page that includes a list of the full instrumentation (with transpositions indicated, such as Horns in F), doublings (such as Flute, doubling Piccolo), and all percussion instruments. This will enable a conductor to assess immediately whether s/he has the instrumental forces available to perform the work. Back to Guidelines
Page Layout
Most scores are laid out in portrait orientation (long dimension of the page vertical) rather than landscape. This is true for all band, orchestra, choir, and classical-tradition chamber music.
The exception to this is with jazz ensemble scores, where landscape orientation has become the norm. Back to Guidelines
First Page: Title and Composer
The title of the work and the name of the composer (and, if applicable, the arranger) should also appear at the top of the first score page, with a margin approximately 1.5" from the top of the page allowing for the information to appear uncluttered.
Back to Guidelines
First Page: Instruments/Voices and Staff Names
On the first page of the score the full name of each instrument/voice should be listed to the left of its staff, center-justified. Show standard abbreviations on all subsequent pages (see the Big Site of Music Notation and Engraving at Colorado College for more information).
Back to Guidelines
Tempo Indications
Provide tempo indication(s), such as Allegro, together with specific metronome markings. Be sure to relate the tempo(s) to meaningful notated pulse values (such as the quarter note in 4/4), and choose a number from the standard old-fashioned metronome (40, 42…(by 2s)…60, 63…(by 3s)…72, 76…(by 4s)…120, 126…(by 6s)…200). Use "ca." (circa) to indicate if the tempo is approximate, rather than a range (e.g., 72-80), which might suggest that the tempo should fluctuate.
Back to Guidelines
Measure Numbers
Show measure numbers at least at the beginning of every staff-system and at significant structural points in the piece (changes of tempo and/or key, important new musical ideas themes, etc.). For school ensembles, a newer practice of showing numbers for every measure has emerged as a common practice because of adjudicated performances such as ISSMA. In such cases, numbers are shown beneath the bottom staff, centered to the measure.
Back to Guidelines
Printing and Binding
If a score is not properly printed and bound, the ensemble director will have great difficulty conducting the piece.
Always have your scores printed double-sided on paper with a minimum weight of 60 or 70 lb.
This will prevent visual bleed-through while reducing the amount of
paper and page turns for the conductor, and prevent easy disturbance by
breezes.
Always spiral-bind your scores. A print shop will be able to do this easily. Do not use comb-binders, which are too loud when pages are turned. Never staple scores; the pages don't turn well, and the score won't be able to lie open. Never leave your score pages loose! One breeze is all that would be needed to whisk them off of the conductor's stand and onto the floor, out of order.
Back to Guidelines
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