Rules & Conditions

Young Composers Rules & Conditions

Age Requirements

The Banksia Section is open to entrants aged 13 to 18 years who live or attend school in the Sutherland Shire or St George areas. Previous 1st place YMA Banksia Competition winners are ineligible to re-enter this section.
The Waratah Section is open to entrants aged 19 to 21 years who live in the Sutherland Shire or St George areas or have been previous entrants in our Youth Music Awards. Past 1st place YMA Banksia composition winners under the age of 19 years may also enter this section.
Age is determined as at 30 June 2024. Entrants must be prepared to produce proof of age and address if required by an Official (eg copy of birth certificate, passport etc) or risk disqualification. Any protest based on age will be determined on the spot by Sutherland Music Club (SMC) Sessions Manager.

Composition

The composition must be the original work of the entrant.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not permitted.
Composition length 2 to 5 minutes.
The work may be for any combination of instruments, from solo instrument/voice, up to large ensemble (not exceeding 20 performers) or choir (SATB of SSA - texts must either be in the public domain or be used with permission).
A second entry is permitted.
A computer program may be used to make the recording.
If a live performance is recorded for the entry, any fees will be at the entrant's expense.

Entry Form

Application should be made by completing the Official Entry Form. Entry forms are available via on-line link or by hard copy.
Entry fees can be paid by Direct Transfer or attached to the entry form. Cheques should be made payable to "Sutherland Music Club".
Fees are not refundable after Friday 10 May 2024. If the competition is cancelled, all entry fees will be refunded.

Sutherland Music Club (SMC) will not be liable for any copyright infringement relating to the submission of compositions. Entrants should be aware of the rules of copyright.
Each entrant is responsible for seeing that the copyright is not breached. If any part of the composition is subject to copyright, the entrant is responsible for obtaining permission from the copyright owner.
SMC does not countenance, sanction or approve of any infringement of the Copyright Act 1968 and has the right to disqualify copied works.
The entrant confirms that if any part of their work is subject to copyright, any permission required has been obtained from the copyright owners to perform the work in public.

Adjudication

A copy of the score and a description of the work/theme interpretation (maximum 150 words), together with a recording of the music (on USB or Audio CD), are to be forwarded to Sutherland Music Club no later than the closing date. The written description should explain your interpretation of the theme and how the music represents this.
The score, description & recording must also be uploaded to Dropbox for assessment by the Adjudicator(s). A link will be provided once hard copies as per rule 1 (Adjudication) are received.
The Adjudicator(s) decision, made in accordance with the General Rules, is final.
SMC reserves the right to withhold any advertised prize where, in the adjudicator(s) opinion, an adequate standard has not been reached.
Special additional awards may be given.
Should the selected Adjudicator(s) be unable to perform their function, SMC reserves the right to appoint substitute adjudicator(s).
A comment sheet will be provided to each entrant.
Entrants are not permitted to discuss their compositions with the adjudicator(s) before results are announced.

Finals Award Concert

The finals concert will be held at 7pm on Friday 5 July 2024 at the Sutherland Arts Theatre, 25 East Parade Sutherland.
If a work is suitable, finalists may be contacted by the YMA Committee with the option of performing live at the Finals Award Concert.
All awards will be presented at the Finals Concert.

Other Conditions

SMC reserves the right to cancel the Competition and the Finals Concert in the event of any circumstances necessitating such action.
The decision of SMC in all questions or disputes arising out of or not provided for in these conditions, will be final.
The right is reserved to record, film, broadcast, telecast, videotape or photograph any entrant, item or event in the Young Composers Awards without notification and any such photograph, recording or broadcast may be used at SMC's discretion for publicity or promotional purposes but shall not necessarily constitute an endorsement of any participants and no remuneration or compensation whatsoever shall be attributable to any participants so featured.
In the Awards venue the use of tape/CD recorders, videos or cameras is not allowed. Mobile phones, pagers, alarms and personal headsets much be switched off.
Entrants may obtain any official photographs taken during the event at their own cost.