Dorset Fiddlers — Tune Writing Competition 2026

Dorset Fiddlers, a group that blends tunes from historic Dorset manuscripts with new writing, is running the second edition of its tune-writing competition. It's open to composers who want to write a new fiddle tune in the same spirit as the old manuscript material the group already performs. There's no cash prize: instead, winning tunes are arranged and played by the Dorset Fiddlers themselves in their autumn and spring concert programme, alongside the historic pieces that inspired the group's repertoire — a real public outing rather than a certificate. The competition page doesn't set out age, nationality or experience requirements itself; full submission format and judging criteria are laid out in a separate Guidelines for Submission document, along with a Terms and Conditions document, both downloadable from the competition page, so read those before writing rather than relying on the summary here. Entries close on 1 October 2026. This suits a composer or fiddle player with a folk background who wants a low-stakes way to get new work performed by an established ensemble, rather than someone chasing prize money or a big platform.