International Federation for Choral Music

In 2021 International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) launched its Fifth International Choral Composition Competition to promote new works in choral music and encourage innovation in choral writing that fits the needs of a 21st-century choir. We were looking for compositions that combine originality, imagination, and creativity within the context of contemporary global themes.

All applicants sent their works according to the published Rules and Regulations. We received 93 applications: 74 for the Mixed Choir category and 19 for the World Choral Day category, a successful outcome with an excellent representation of countries:

• USA : 17 applications
• Canada, Italy : 7 applications
• UK : 5 applications
• France, Indonesia, Spain : 4 applications
• Germany, Philippines, Venezuela : 3 applications
• Austria, Belgium, China, Hungary, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Korea, Turkey, Russia: 2 applications
• Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Mozambique, North Korea, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland: 1 application

The competition was fully anonymous, and five Jury members met in March and chose the winners according to the Rules and Regulations of the Competition: Andrea Ramsey (chair, USA), Nana Forte (Slovenia), Onur Türkmen (Turkey), Miguel Astor (Venezuela), Andrea Ramsey (USA), Ko Matsushita (Japan).

With great pleasure we are now announcing the winners and special mentions in both categories:

The winner of the World Choral Day category is:

• Chris Artley, New Zealand, with on the Road of Life

The winner in the Mixed Choir category is:

• Victor Daniel Lozada Lima, Venezuela, with He Vuelto Al Mar

Two special recognitions:

• Vera Ivanova, Russia/USA, with High up
• David Hamilton, New Zealand, with Night Watch

On behalf of IFCM and the Jury members, we express our sincere congratulations to the winners and deepest gratitude to all the applicants.