Ibermúsicas – Symphonic Band Composition Prize

An Ibermúsicas composition prize for a new orchestral work, awarding one piece per member country. Worth noting up front: the 2026 call is written for symphony orchestra, not symphonic band.

It is open to composers holding nationality or certified residence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Uruguay or Venezuela — Spain, despite funding the programme, is not on the eligible list this round. Applications are individual only, and composers who have won an earlier Ibermúsicas composition prize cannot enter again.

The piece must be original, unpublished, never performed and never awarded elsewhere, between seven and ten minutes, and scored within a set maximum orchestra: triple woodwind, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, up to five percussionists, two harps, piano and celesta, strings, and optionally one soloist. Arrangements and orchestrations of existing music are not accepted. Everything is submitted under a pseudonym, and any detail revealing your identity disqualifies the entry.

Each winning work receives USD 2,500 (EUR 2,500 for Portugal) and a premiere in the 2027 season by the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba or the National Philharmonic of Venezuela, with further performances possible across member countries. Winners produce their own orchestral parts and agree to take part, unpaid, in one educational or community activity.

Applications run online from 15 June to 1 October 2026, in Spanish. The scoring is published: 40 points for playability, 35 for compositional craft, 25 for the clarity and notation of the score.