top of page
Gunther Schuller Centennial Third Stream Composition Competition

March 2, 2025

Boston, Massachusetts, USA


Gunther Schuller (1925-2015) was a creative and progressive force in 20th & 21st century music, breaking down barriers between musical genres. He created the musical concept of a “Third Stream” music, where streams of music from various cultural reservoirs would come together in unique compositions.



2025 is the centennial of Schuller’s birth, and The Gunther Schuller Society is sponsoring the Gunther Schuller Centennial Third Stream Composition Contest. The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of $1200 (USD). The ownership of the piece will reside with the composer. The piece will be premiered at the New England Conservatory on the Schuller Centennial Celebration, autumn 2025.



The composer must be between and ages of 18 and 35.



The piece must be:

For soloist or any sized ensemble

Of any length over five minutes

Unpublished or self-published

Written in the last five years.

The work must embrace Schuller’s Third Stream ideology and incorporate qualities from at least two music cultures or lineages, including but not limited to: compositional elements (rhythm, harmony, etc.), aesthetics, instrumentation. Possible sources of material include, but are not limited to:

Western Classical music (any sub- genre or style)

Jazz (any sub-genre or style)

Western new/experimental music

Rock, Blues, Pop

Traditional music from around the globe



Please submit the following to GSthirdstreamcompcontest@gmail.com:

PDF of the score (<25MB)

A brief description of the music including any inspirations, and/or programmatic content.

Links to audio files (midi or other) are not required but strongly suggested as is any comment on how the piece may fit into Schuller’s Third Stream Legacy.



The deadline for submissions in March 1, 2025. The composer of the winning composition will provide performance parts by August 1, 2025.



Questions?

Contact charles.peltz@necmusic.edu

Gunther Schuller Society

bottom of page