Emerging Composers Competition
About the ECC
The Jâca Emerging Composers Competition (ECC) is an initiative that commissions new works for the clarinet and guitar from emerging composers worldwide.
Selected composers work directly with Jâca in a collaborative process culminating in widespread exposure of their works. The ECC was created in 2020 to serve Jâca's mission of "expanding the repertoire for clarinet and guitar and to promote multiculturalism". Previous winners have hailed from Canada, Kuwait, and the USA and have had their works recorded and performed by Jâca worldwide.
2024/25 Competition
The results are in on the 2024/2025 edition of Jâca's Emerging Composers Competition (ECC). Over 30 applicants and new works for clarinet and guitar were created a submitted from composers around the world. Composers were tasked with writing an original, unpublished work for Bb clarinet and guitar that fit within the following criteria:
-
Idiomatic writing for both instruments
-
Influenced by the diverse musical heritage of either/both instruments
-
The accessibility of the piece for diverse audiences
We encouraged composers to review Jâca's body of work for inspiration and to submit in a single- or multi-movement work, 5-12 minutes in length.
There was no age restriction, and we were delighted by the variety of experiences, voices, and artistic perspectives represented in this year’s submissions.
All winners will soon have their works published on our database and on our online shop, making them available to anyone around the world. Be sure to check back soon!
Congratulations to the 2025 Prizewinners:
1st Prize: Evan O'Day, Duet for Clarinet and Guitar
2nd Prize: Scott Lee, Evasive Manuvers
3rd Prize: Jeff Holtzman, Suite for Clarinet and Guitar
Click on the names above to visit composers' websites, where applicable.
2020/21
The 2020/2021 edition of Jâca's Emerging Composers Competition centered on a theme relating to "culture." Composers were tasked with writing an original (though music could be drawn from source material), unpublished work for Bb clarinet and guitar with a theme relating to “culture.” Not restricted to the culture of any one country, the work could explore the traditions, customs, values, and lifestyles of any collection of people, including a blending of cultures. We encouraged composers to apply their personal cultural and musical experiences in a single- or multi-movement work, 5-12 minutes in length.
The first-prize winner received an award of $1,000 and had their piece published by Potenza Music, with a guaranteed future performance and recording by Jâca.
Second and third prizes include a recording of their work and a premiere performance by Jâca.
2021 Prizewinners:
1st Prize: Candace Bustard, Melodies from My Mother
2nd Prize: Charles Edholm, Echo Dance
3rd Prize (tie): Adnan Marafi, Arabesque
& Michael Caudill, The Wanderer
Click on the names above to visit composers' websites.
Visit our shop to watch and listen to the pieces and to purchase a copy of their finished work.
