UUMN membership supports activities such as commissioning music, awarding contest prizes, grants for music projects to districts and local congregations, and publishing.

An ongoing activity, administered by the UUMN is the biennial choral anthem competition, which is being held again in 2008. Below is information on this year's competition.

Vincent Brown Silliman 2008 Choral Anthem Competition

Dear Friends:

Each year, there are numerous opportunities for emerging musicians of all backgrounds to gain exposure for their talents. I’m very excited to present one of these opportunities in 2008 which happens every two years—the Silliman Choral Anthem Competition, in which each of you are invited to participate and compete for recognition and monetary prizes. The purpose of this competition is to encourage and inspire composers to write new works appropriate for UU settings, and to grant recognition to the music that will help shape our denomination. Vincent Brown Silliman (29 June 1894 - 2 February 1979) after whom this competition is named, was a Unitarian minister, poet, hymn writer and worship arts specialist. For more information about Silliman’s life and background, please see the source article, located at http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/vincentbrownsilliman.html

In order to be a part this legacy, your entry compositions must be:

• An original, unpublished composition between 2-5 minutes long—no arrangements or hymn-anthems
• Suitable for use in UU congregations, including following commonly accepted UU guidelines for gender-inclusive language; it can be appropriate for general, specific, or seasonal use.

You, the composers must follow these guidelines with the risk of being disqualified if not followed:

• A maximum of two submissions is allowed per participant.
• Your manuscript (MS) must be in a clear, readable form; preferably in an accepted music notation file such as Finale or Sibelius.
• Five quality copies of each anthem must be submitted and received by June 1, 2008; your submissions will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.
• Your identity must not be on the MS.
• Your MS must be accompanied by a cover letter giving the title of the work and your name, address (email if available) and telephone numbers. A $10 submission fee for each piece must be enclosed (payable to “UUMN”).
• Your MS must be accompanied by a statement giving the UUMN permission to produce enough copies for a read-through of winning submissions at the annual summer conference. [Information on copyright permission and/or information regarding purchase will be included on those complimentary copies.]
• You must indicate category of difficulty on the cover letter.

Your pieces may include solo/soli sections, may be accompanied or a cappella, and may have been performed before (with the exception of Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network commissioned works, which are not eligible for this competition). You may send in a recording of your piece with your MS, but it is not mandatory. Please keep all recordings anonymous as well. Composers will retain and hold copyright in their own name or publishing company. Composers of any age may participate, and do not have to be Unitarian Universalist—so please invite your friends and acquaintances to submit their works, too!

The decision of the UUMN in granting the following prizes is final:

• $500 prize for one person in each category (Easy, Medium, Difficult). Honorable Mention awards may also be given in each category.
• Winning anthems will be read at the UUMN Summer Conference, and
• A portion of each anthem will be featured in the UUMN Notes Newsletter and online; they will be accompanied by information as to the availability of purchase or use of winning anthems.

Any questions, comments, or submissions may be addressed to:

Silliman Choral Anthem Competition 2008
c/o Nadya Hand
232 N. 4 th St. Apt #26
St. Petersburg , FL 33701

I hope each of you and your interested friends are able to have your voices and songs heard—who knows, maybe your composition will be the next one to shape our Unitarian Universalist movement!

Nadya Hand
Chair, Silliman Choral Anthem Competition 2008
Nadya.Hand@gmail.com

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