Do you write LDS music or do you compose Christian music? Then you should check out the yourLDSmusicstore music composition contest! There are great prizes, there is no entry fee and you have until September 2013 to enter.

PRIZES: Each category has 3 prizes: First Place – $2500.00; Second Place – $1000.00; Third Place – $500.00.

There are 3 categories: LDS SATB Choral, Contemporary Christian, and Instrumental.

Learn more here –> http://www.yourldsmusicstore.com/contest

This is a unique opportunity for musicians, and the response has been so positive. We’ve gotten many questions about it too, so we want to address those here.

Question:  Do you have to submit a score of your song?  Or can you just do a recording?  Thanks!
Answer: A recording of your music is fine. A score is helpful but not required for the contest.

Question: The rules say that yourLDSmusicstore earns the right to publish the music for 3 years. Does that mean that it’s like a normal sheet music publication? Does the composer make money off sales during those 3 years or do all the proceeds go to yourLDSmusicstore during that time?
Answer: Yes!  It IS a lot of money.  We are thrilled we can offer such a nice prize.  We will be having a regular publishing contract as with all the music publishing companies. The percentage is excellent.  Where most of my “published” is at a 10% royalty, especially for choral music, we will be giving a 33%  royalty. You can view the contract up on our site so you can look at it.

Question: What format can you submit your music in?
Answer: You can submit your composition in the following formats:

FINALE
SIBELIUS
MANUSCRIPT / PDF
MP3

Question: I’m very excited about the contest and I plan to enter one of my songs for the contemporary category. However, I have a dilemma. I have songs that I want to enter with lyrics and music I wrote on my own. But my wife, who is an awesome poet, would also like to enter, although she would need my help in writing the music. Is it possible for me to enter 2 of MY songs, and then she would also enter 2 of HER songs, with lyrics that she made and music that I helped her with?…
Answer: For each category, you can only have your name appear on two pieces whether you are the sole composer/songwriter or if you collaborate with another writer. Pick your best two pieces you want to submit and go that direction. Pick your best two pieces that you want your name associated with. If you both want to enter, look around and find another composer to set music to your wife’s poetry.

Question: What exactly does it mean when you say “the composition…may not be previously published or in the process of being published”? Are original songs uploaded on Youtube or Facebook considered “published”?…
Answer: No. Since it hasn’t been published by a third party publishing company (you still own the rights).  In other words, the writer/lyricists of the piece of music must own all the rights and have not given them to a publisher.

Question: Will you take pieces that two individuals have collaborated together on? I often write music and lyrics and my sister writes the arrangements. I didn’t see any specific rules stating how many people could submit a piece, so I wanted to be sure this was ok before submitting anything.
Answer: Yes, collaborations are just fine.   Please make sure in the “other” section you give us a little detail on the collaboration.

Question: I have a quick question about the SATB Choral entries in the contest. Are SSA compositions allowable?
Answer: The contest is for SATB. So, unfortunately, the SSA piece cannot be entered.