Stare at the Sun is a 24-voice chamber choir specializing in the curation and commissioning of works by living composers. Selections from our Call for Scores will be performed on our concerts in spring of 2025: Waking Up.

Stare at the Sun has premiered works by Ted Hearne, Lansing McLoskey, Alex Berko, Alissa Voth, Matthew Recio, and Nicholas Cline, and has curated works by Evelin Seppar, Ted Hearne, David Lang, Caroline Shaw, Per Nørgård, Karin Rehnqvist, Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Tõnu Kõrvits, Edie Hill, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Hans Abrahamsen, Missy Mazzoli, Judith Bingham, Judith Weir, Arvo Pärt, Kevin Puts, Eric Whitacre, Joanne Metcalf, Pawel Łukaszewski, Gabriel Jackson, Kile Smith, and Michael Gilbertson.

Selected Composers will Receive:

  • Performances of the complete work on May 31 and June 1, 2025

  • A professional audiovisual recording of the live concert performance

  • An in-person workshop of the piece two months prior to the performance

Submissions must be received by Sunday, January 12, 2025, 12:00 NOON (CST) to be considered.

Composers may only submit ONE SCORE for this competition.

Score Submission Requirements:

  • Though a brand new work is not necessary, preference will be given to submitted scores that have not yet received a public performance or workshop.

  • Submissions will be accepted from composers based in the U.S. or internationally 

  • SATB works, with up to eight-part divisi (SSAATTBB), a cappella

  • The work must be approximately 5-10 minutes in duration.

  • Scores must be engraved on Sibelius, Finale, or similar music notation software. A recording or MIDI rendering of the score is appreciated, but not required.

  • Texts must be in the public domain or used with documented permission of the copyright holder. 

If you have questions, email us: stareatthesun.music@gmail.com

Results of the Call for Scores will be announced by February 12, 2025