{"id":27669,"date":"2023-10-23T21:08:10","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T19:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.nmz.de\/badblog\/?p=27669"},"modified":"2023-10-23T21:08:10","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T19:08:10","slug":"dubious-composition-competitions-episode-263-amadeus-composition-award-vienna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nmz.de\/badblog\/2023\/10\/23\/dubious-composition-competitions-episode-263-amadeus-composition-award-vienna\/","title":{"rendered":"Dubious composition competitions, episode 263: Amadeus Composition Award Vienna"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dubious composition competitions, episode 263: Amadeus Composition Award Vienna<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I wrote my article \u201cThe Tuscan Curse\u201d<\/a> \u00a0about dubious composition competitions for the NMZ many years ago, I had no idea that the topic would remain relevant for so long. What’s more, it has actually become even more relevant as the Internet offers completely new distribution options that are significantly cheaper than sending flyers and posters out into the world.<\/p>\n

The model of such composition competitions is always similar: an unreasonable participation fee is charged, which is disproportionate to the prizes awarded, which are usually small or non-existent. The whole thing is advertised as widely as possible and the application threshold is made very low, for example by allowing you to submit existing works (we all have some of those in our drawers). Some competitions even go particularly far and find all sorts of reasons not to award the prizes at all, so that a nice sum can be made from the participation fees alone, for which you don’t have to do much more than set up a website.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s a sucker born every minute,\u201d PT Barnum supposedly once said, and unfortunately that also applies to us composers. Most of us dream of more attention for our music (yes, even those who actually have enough to do – most of us are longing for more fame), so the number of possible adressees for such a scheme is quite high. Thanks to the Internet, you can now reach composers from all over the world.<\/p>\n

I myself was once a victim of such a competition (as a student, I was young and stupid). The participation fee was 150 DM, the location was a small village in Tuscany. Months later I received a letter saying that I had been awarded first prize for my composition. I immediately opened a bottle of champagne, but then read the participation fees more closely and realized that the first prize was only 250 DM (in lire, that somehow looked like more at the time when I read it cursorily). Well then, I thought to myself, at least a profit of 100 DM and maybe a performance.<\/p>\n

After writing to the competition several times asking when my money would come, I eventually received a letter. In it I was informed that although I had actually been given first prize of all the compositions submitted (99 out of 100 points), unfortunately I had not received the \u201cfirst absolute prize\u201d (primo premio assoluto, 100 points), and only that would give me money. Of course, I quickly discovered that no one had gotten the \u201cfirst absolute prize\u201d at all, and I was one scam experience richer.<\/p>\n

A month ago I received an email that immediately brought back memories of that unpleasant Tuscan competition. An \u201cAnastasia Stefanovich\u201d asked me to be on the jury of an \u201cAMADEUS COMPOSITION AWARD\u201d<\/a> , which worked according to exactly the same principle. High participation fee? Check, 75 EUR. Existing compositions in absolutely every conceivable category (orchestra, chamber music, vocal music, electronic music, film music) can be submitted, although it is not even required that you guarantee that the works are your own (as is usual in many serious competitions)? Check! Strange points system for evaluation, as if you were at a car check and not at an art competition? Check.<\/p>\n

As a juror, I should receive EUR 20 per score reviewed. That seemed strange to me, because in which competition do you get paid like that as a juror (if any, it’s often voluntary)?<\/p>\n

These two statements, which were found on the website and in the cover letter to me, made the difference:<\/p>\n