Entries may be submitted beginning Feb. 1, 2022.

Students of ORMTA members in good standing are invited to submit their compositions to the ORMTA Music Writing Competition. Students receive helpful written feedback from a knowledgeable adjudicator. Students awarded first, second or third place in various classes based on age and genre are awarded scholarships.

The first place winner of the Open Class will receive the Eleanor Marzetti Scholarship, named in honour of one of ORMTA's distinguished past provincial presidents.

First place winners of various classes will have part of their score published in a future issue of NOTES Magazine and will represent Ontario in the CFMTA (Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations) National Student Composer Competition

Entries may be submitted beginning Feb. 1, 2022. At that time, Class links below will be clickable. Entries are submitted electronically; there are no forms to download. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2022 at 11:59PM. No late entries will be accepted.

2022 Classes

Rules & Regulations

1. Competitors may submit entries in the categories listed above. No composition may be entered in more than one class. A student may enter more than one composition and more than one class, but may only receive one prize per class.
2. The contestant must be eligible in his/her age group as of June 1, 2022.
3. Each entry is assumed to be the original work of the individual whose name appears on the entry form attached to the manuscript. Any infraction of this regulation will result in nullification of the offending entry.
4. A student shall not submit a specific composition more than once. However, a re-orchestration of a previously submitted composition is acceptable.
5. All competitors will receive a written adjudication of their work.
6. All rights to his/her original work will be retained by the competitor, but winning compositions may be displayed or employed by the ORMTA and CFMTA for publicity purposes.
7. Scores must be submitted via email and should reach the Music Writing Competition Convener (as indicated on the entry form) no later than March 15, 2022. Only first place winning manuscripts at the provincial level will be forwarded to CFMTA for national adjudication (which takes place after June 1, 2022).
8. Students can only submit compositions that have been approved by their teacher, an ORMTA member in good standing. If a student submits a work that is later rejected by their teacher, then the composition will not be included in the competition and the application fee will not be refunded. NEW: Teachers must email the convener a list of students and the titles of their scores, stating that the teacher approves of the submission(s). Simply checking the box on the submission form is, unfortunately, inadequate.
9. All scores must be sent in .pdf format. Scores may be computer generated or handwritten neatly and legibly.
10. Scores should include all necessary details of dynamics, editing and tempi, with the first bar of every system numbered.
11. The student’s name must be included on their composition. The teacher’s name must not appear on the composition.
12. A recording of the composition (.mp3 format) MUST be included for compositions longer than four pages.
13. A recording of the composition (.mp3 format) MAY be included for shorter compositions if desired.
14. Please name files with class entered and student's name, as follows: P1_Johnny Smith_The Lake.pdf or P1_Johnny Smith_The Lake.mp3.
15. The adjudicator’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into after final judging. The composition which receives the highest mark in each class will advance to the National level.
16. All entrants who move after June 1, 2022 must advise the ORMTA Music Writing Competition Convener of their change of address, including postal code.
17. An entry fee is required to enter the competition. Please refer to the entry form for fees per class. When paying, please make it clear the name of the student entrant the fee is for. Winning entries will have the entry fee for the CFMTA Student Composer Competition covered by ORMTA.
18. ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE FINAL. PLEASE CHECK YOUR WORK CAREFULLY. NO RE-SUBMISSIONS DUE TO EDITING OR CORRECTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. 

For more information, please email ORMTA's Music Writing Competition Convener, Matthew Tam.

2022 Adjudicator: Dr. Darlene Chepil Reid

Dr. Darlene Chepil Reid (BSc. McMaster, AMus Conservatory Canada, HBMus. Lakehead, MMus. Western, DMus. Alberta). She has studied composition with many Canadian composers including Allan Gordon Bell, Peter Paul Koprowski, David Myska, and Aris Carastathis and music theory with Catherine Nolan and Henry Klumpenhouwer. Darlene has been the recipient of many of Canada’s most prestigious academic scholarships and prizes including a Killam Scholarship and SSHRC Masters/Doctoral fellowships. She is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. She was President of New Music North from 2000-2013 and Artistic Director from 2018-2021. Darlene was selected to attend the National Arts Centre Composers Program (2007) and the Institute for Music in Film at the University of Miami (2012).

As a composer, Dr. Chepil Reid writes in an avant-garde and experimental fashion for both acoustic and electroacoustic instruments. Her works have been performed by many soloists and ensembles including the Penderecki String Quartet, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, the University of Alberta Symphonic Winds, the Western University Chamber Orchestra, Larry Zimmerman, John Helmer, Athanasios Zervas and Trio Fibonacci.

Darlene has been a private piano teacher and has taught music theory at Western University and the University of Alberta and has been a music history examiner with Conservatory Canada. Currently she is a Contract Lecturer in the Lakehead University Music Department teaching private composition lessons, composition courses, history, theory, analysis, film music, orchestration, music appreciation and is the Director of the Lakehead University New Music Ensemble. Darlene is a member of the Canadian Federation of Musicians Thunder Bay Local 591 and performs regularly on tenor/bass trombone, tuba, baritone with Roy Coran’s Jazz Big Band, and ThunderBrass quintet.

Darlene has performed with many ensembles including, Lake Superior Scottish Regiment Band and Stage Band, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, London Jazz Orchestra, Edmonton Cosmopolitan Music Society Band, and University of Alberta Symphonic Winds. Darlene is director/arranger for ThunderBrass and conducts Thunder Bay’s prestigious Fort William Male Choir. Darlene is currently a prolific arranger and has been commissioned for arrangements of various genres for choir and vocal with large ensembles. She has done many arrangements and adaptations of popular music hits for the choir and other ensembles across Canada and the US.