KBB Music Festival Student Composition Prize

Criteria and Entry Guidelines

The KBB Student Composition Prize recognises outstanding original composition by secondary school student composers. It is awarded each year to a student whose work is performed live by one of the ensembles at KBB Music Festival. Entries are judged by an independent panel prior to festival week, with the winner announced during festival week.

Eligibility

  • Open to students at any secondary school in New Zealand, either currently studying or in their first year after leaving secondary school (up to one year post-graduation at the time of entry). Not open to tertiary or conservatoire students.

  • The entrant must be the sole composer of the submitted work.

  • The work must be an original composition, not an arrangement or adaptation of existing music, and must not have previously won another major composition prize.

  • Students may submit more than one work, provided each entry meets these eligibility and qualifying performance requirements.

  • The work must be composed within 12 months of the submission date.

Qualifying Performance

  • The submitted work must be confirmed for live performance during KBB Music Festival Week, by an ensemble in one of the four festival categories: Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band, or Jazz Band.

    The work may be of any duration, provided it fits within the performing ensemble's programme for festival week, and is scored for instrumentation appropriate to that ensemble.

  • Confirmation from the ensemble director or conductor that the work is programmed for performance during festival week must be included with the entry. As judging takes place before festival week, the performance itself is not assessed as part of this prize.

Note: the ensemble performing this work during festival week may separately be eligible for KBB Music Festival's Best Performance of a New Zealand Work award, which is judged independently on the quality of the performance.

Prize

  • A cash prize of $200 NZD, provided by SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music, and KBB Music Festival.

  • Public recognition at a KBB Music Festival event and across KBB's website and social channels.

Submission Requirements

  • Full score, submitted as a PDF.

  • An audio realisation of the work, either live or using music notation software.

  • A short composer biography (100 to 150 words).

  • A short programme note for the work (50 to 100 words).

  • A completed entry form, including the entrant's contact details and current school.

Judging Criteria

  • Artistic concept and originality: a clear, distinctive musical idea that is engaging and relevant to young musicians.

  • Suitability and practicality: effective, idiomatic writing for the performing ensemble, showing sound judgement in instrumentation, balance, and technical demand.

  • Craft and presentation: orchestration, notation, and engraving skill, presented to a professional, performance-ready standard, e.g. dynamics, articulations, bowings.

  • Future life: potential for the work to be performed again, by the same or other ensembles, beyond its premiere.

Judging Process

  • Entries are judged prior to KBB Music Festival week, based on the submitted score against the Judging Criteria above.

  • The panel's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

  • Feedback is not provided individually to unsuccessful entrants.

  • The winner is notified directly ahead of the public announcement, and announced during KBB Music Festival week.

Key Dates

  • Entries will open early term two, when festival entries open. Exact date TBC.

  • Entry submission deadline: 18 June 2027

  • KBB Music Festival Week: 9 to 15 August 2027

  • Winner announced: during KBB Music Festival week (exact date to be confirmed)

Terms and Conditions

  • Submitting an entry constitutes acceptance of these criteria and terms.

  • Composers retain copyright of their work at all times.

  • KBB Music Festival may use submitted scores, programme notes, and any related performance recordings for promotional purposes, with credit given to the composer.

  • KBB Music Festival reserves the right to amend these criteria for future years.