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Music Competitions in the USA
23 open competitions for musicians and artists in the USA right now, from organizers like Lake George Music Festival, The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA), New York Youth Symphony + EarShot (American Composers Orchestra). 9 of them close within the next 30 days. Each listing shows its deadline, the award amount where the funder publishes one, who can apply, and when we last checked it.
- Open now
- 23
- Closing in 30 days
- 9
- Recently closed
- 6
Open competitions in the USA
GCNA Franco Carillon Composition Contest
New York Youth Symphony (EarShot) — Jon Deak First Music Program Call for Scores (2027/28)
Pasadena Vocal Competition 2027
Tennessee Voices 2027 – Call for Scores
Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA) — Young Composers Competition
Arizona International Music Competition (2026 cycle)
Great American Song Contest (2026)
IMSTA — IMSTA Online Song Competition 2026
Huntsville Master Chorale — Choral Composition Contest (2026)
Nief-Norf Summer Festival — International Call for Scores (2027 cycle)
Lowell Chamber Orchestra — 7th Annual Call for Scores (2027)
Tribeca New Music Young Composer Competition (2027)
Random Access Music (RAM) — Queens New Music Festival Composition Competition (2027)
Birmingham Music Club Guild — 86th Annual Scholarship Auditions (2027)
Harmonium Choral Society — 30th Annual NJ High School Choral Composition Contest (2027)
US New Star Music — Piano Competition by Composer (2027)
South Carolina Music Teachers Association (SCMTA) — Composition Competition 2027
Women’s Orchestra of Arizona — Composition Competition 2027
Barlow Prize (2027) — Brass Quintet
Garth Newel International Composition Competition (13th) — Piano Quartet
Cantus Commission Competition (2028 round)
Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival — Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest
Recently closed
Many of these run every year — check the page for when the next round is likely to open.
LunART Festival — Call for Scores (2027)
IMSTA — IMSTA Song Competition New York 2026 (Regional)
Angel City Chorale — Competition for Young Composers (2026 cycle)
U.S. Naval Academy Band — Call for Scores 2026 (Charles A. Zimmermann Prize in Composition)
IMSTA — IMSTA Song Competition Miami 2026 (Regional)
Florence Price International Piano Competition (University of Arkansas) — 2026
Keep exploring
New to this? How to Find Music Grants That Actually Fit Your Project walks through the whole process, and How to Apply for Music Grants: A Step-by-Step Guide is the natural next step. All of our music funding guides are free to read.
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