Supplied publicity photo

Peter Bacon reports:

News of money for jazz is always welcome. We’ve just received this press release from the Brussels Jazz Orchestra:

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In January 2020, Brussels Jazz Orchestra will hold its eighth International Composition Contest. One of the most important international competitions for jazz composition, its focus is on premiering new pieces written specifically for big band instrumentation. Brussels Jazz Orchestra endeavours to encourage talented international composers and arrangers all over the world and offer them a stage with this competition. In addition, it aims to forge ties for the future with composers from all over the world.

The contest is for composers for contemporary jazz orchestra. Composers can participate by sending in a work they have written themselves for the preselection, in the form of a live recording and a score, by 30 September 2019 at the latest.

Following the preselection round, the names of four composers selected for the final will be announced on 15 October 2019. These four finalists will be commissioned to write a final piece for Brussels Jazz Orchestra.

The finalists’ compositions will be played on 12 January 2020 by the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, conducted by the finalists themselves. An international jury will choose the winner of the BJO International Composition Contest 2020.

The winner will receive a cash prize of €2000, and a professional audio and video recording of the premiere of his or her composition, performed by Brussels Jazz Orchestra.

LINK: For more information and applications