Annual IVC Student Composer Competition

Successful students of the 2024-2025 IVC Student Composer winners are: First Place ($300) Ezekiel Tran with his composition for Soprano, Marimba and String Orchestra “Saga;” Second Place ($200) Brandon Yang with his composition for full orchestra “Sky Tower;” Third Place ($100) MinVy Wu with his composition for Shakuhachi, Shamisen, Koto and full orchestra “Red Spider Lily;” and the special mentions for fantastic works: Brandon Madrid with his composition for piano “Eternal Prelude” and Alexis Lee for her composition for “Three Pieces for Clarinet and Flute.”

The composer may be of any nationality attending Irvine Valley College and must be enrolled in any IVC music course offered at this institution during the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 semesters. No age limit.

1. First place: $300
2. Second place: $200
3. Third place: $100

Entrants who were not selected as winners will receive critiques on their compositions. The jury will include IVC Music Faculty.

Possible performance(s), not guaranteed, with written authorization by the awarded composer, at an IVC concert or concerts, potentially including the Annual Student Composer Concert, Instrumental Concert, Midnight Blue Concert, Student Concert, or any other.

The winner’s name, a short biography, their photo, and the name of the winning composition will be included on the Music Theory and Composition Facebook page as a part of the history of the competition.

The IVC music department requests, should any unpublished winning composition be eventually published, that it include the dedication of 1st, 2nd or 3rd Prize Winner of the 12th Annual Irvine Valley College Music Student Composer Competition 2025-26.

Entries can only be submitted electronically by completing and submitting the form below. Early entry is strongly recommended. Entries not meeting the below requirements will be rejected without recourse.

Your submission MUST include ALL the following:

1. A completed entry form.
2. A PDF document containing your score. Scores may be any combination of instruments (chamber, orchestral, wind symphony), electronics, voice, choir (mixed in 2, 3, or 4 parts a capella or keyboard accompanied), or any solo instrument. Pieces must have been written within the last two years, may be published or unpublished, and must not have received previous awards. All texts must be cleared of copyrights.
3. A recording (MP3, acoustic or sequenced).
4. There is no entry fee. Multiple entries are accepted. Ensure that your name and the title of your composition are clearly printed on all your materials.

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 1, 2026 by 5 PM

Results will be posted by 5 pm May 12, 2026 on the IVC Music Theory and Composition Facebook page. Winners of the competition may be acknowledged at the Instrumental, Vocal, Keyboard, and/or Jazz concerts to be held in Spring 2026 or Fall 2027.

For more information, please email Dr. Daniel Luzko.